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Katana

Comprehensive Outage, Operations and Works Management for
Networks and Contractors

WHAT IS KATANA?

Katana is an ERP grade suite of tools for Utility Networks and Contractors to manage the operational aspects of running a network or performance based works contracts and field crews. Katana delivers significant cost savings through automated processing, integration of disparate data sources to improve operational decision making, and real-time reporting to ensure those ongoing decisions generate sustainable improvements.

Katana is a series of modules that leverages the utility’s existing infrastructure and investment in systems such as GIS, Asset Management, MDMS, and SCADA. Katana supports both integrated retailer-distribution models, and stand alone network owner/manager models such as found in deregulated markets.

For deregulated markets there is strong support for retailer interfaces, and reporting based on retailer “supply” and responsibility for every metered point. Katana is a straightforward install often using pre-defined data and workflow models for specific markets that reflect best practice and are known to work.

Katana employs TVD’s time proven implementation methodology ensuring an out of the box, low risk, fast install; Typically 60-90 days. Delivered as a low upfront cost and monthly license model, plus implementation services.

 

Integrate diverse information from across the network and facilitate quick and effective decision making about real-time issues, thereby optimizing resources and improving delivery of service to customers and stakeholders.

With it’s unique data driven connectivity model from Feeder to Meter, Katana automatically generates SAIDI, CAIDI, SAIFI calculations and reporting, retailer notifications, and key/sensitive client management information, including compliance reporting with simplified audit trails for internal and external audit. Improve the efficiency of work order generation and management of the field crews, or more effectively support a third party contractor’s field crew.

CHOOSE YOUR VERSION

Katana Networks

Katana Networks is delivered as functional software modules. Users can implement the entire suite or select specific modules to integrate to existing products. The modules include:

NETWORK VIEWER

A complete and robust connectivity model from ZoneSub (or GXP) down to meter ensures accurate and real-time network state is known and can be used for network status reporting, and actions such as switching plans, and outage management. The Network Viewer provides a simple way to view all of key data associated with customers and assets in the network. Stores a complete history of work that has been requested and completed. When used by retailers or contractors it can show a hierarchical model of geographic or customer grouping, eg State, City, Suburb,

OUTAGE MANAGER

A central view of all planned and unplanned outages, including customers and assets affected, estimated times for restoration, SAIDI, CAIDI, SAIFI calculations, integration with switching for planning and actions, outage indications and “most likely point of failure” determination, integrated real-time retailer reporting, load movement impacts, full audit log and reporting for post outage analysis.

SCHEMATICS

Control room staff can view schematics they are familiar with from GIS or CAD. The state of network items are shown (eg switches), items can be changed, or switching plans recorded directly on the schematic. Similar functionality to maps with a mini-schematic, zoom, pan and add pins or tags.

Users can easily jump between Network viewer, Schematics, and GIS views depending on their preference.

SWITCHING MANAGER

Complete set of functionality to quickly create a switch plan for planned or un-planned work. Click and record switch plan creation, switch plan and workflow authorization and estimated outage statistics for planned outages. Integration with Outage Manager for automated retailer and customer notifications. Template switch steps depending on switch type or user definable switching templates. When used with Katana Works, users can allocate switch steps to specific work orders, and crews, and attach those to an Outage.

Click Here to View Screenshots

Katana Works (as part of Katana Networks)

To deliver end-end job dispatch for Networks that run their own internal and/or external crews, full works management can be easily added to Katana Networks. This includes software modules to support the works order creation and management process, from the network to the field.

So for instance;

* A switch plan can be created withing Networks that utilises two crews, and then individual switching steps within the plan can be allocated to different workorders that are sent to the appropriate crew. As those work orderts are updated that information can be linked to the switching plan.
* In deregulated markets Retailers can use the Katana web portal to create and view Service Requests, or integrate via webservices to Katana to submit Service Requests and get updates automatically as the work is updated in the field.

WORKS MANAGER

User configurable Service Request and Work Order forms and workflows easily configurable by you. These allow allocation of work to field crews, auditing of actions and state changes and materials estimates for better job planning. Work can be automatically imported from CIS. Data can be pushed back to the various systems that need to be updated e.g. CIS, GIS etc.

WORKS SCHEDULER

Either manual drag and drop, or automated scheduling of work based on multiple parameters such as capacity, skills, regions, drive time, start/finish or customer constraints.

GIS AND MAPPING

Overlay WOs, resources and field crew locations on the GIS and TVD supplied street and address level maps or internet mapping from Google or Bing.

CALL TAKER

Katana includes an own optional Call Taker module. This can be used by non-CIS staff to log SRs, view the call history of a customer and provide a useful backup in times of wide scale outages.

InField and wireless data

InField is a laptop application optimsed for utility staff with backend functions that allow full audit history of sending jobs to the field, getting updates back, and ensure clear written communication of what needs to be done and when. Includes mobile hardware and apps for crews that provide complete field workflow, including WO’s, status updates, and mapping. Mobile data solutions include DMR, MPT, WiFi and cellular.

Click Here to View Screenshots

OTHER FEATURES INCLUDE

KPI Dashboard

A highly configurable display which can be projected onto a wall or viewed on screen. It shows all key indicators in an easily read graphical manner and supports the Katana Networks and Works environments.

Integration

TVD provides all services to integrate and full Katana implementation, or selected modules, into existing client facilities such as SCADA and GIS, as seamless as possible. We connect for integration purposes via CSV/FTP, Webservices and HTTP.

Alarms & Alerts

Configurable pro-active management of work and alerts to dispatchers for pending issues. Notifications and alarms can be set for SLA breaches, alerts of pending time expiry, failure of crew to report in and any combination of workflow related issues.

Regulatory Compliance

Real-time tracking of switching actions coupled with meter level connectivity ensures SAIDI, CAIDI and SAIFI and any service level KPI’s are captured just as part of operating the network, and doing the jobs. Full audit logs can be reported on. This auditable history created simply as part of running the network, ensures simpler regulatory reporting, and significantly lower costs of compliance and auditing.

Katana Works

Katana Works is delivered as functional software modules to support the works order creation and management process, from the network to the field. The delivery of WOs to the field force can be delivered by Katana InField or a third party solution. Works can be integrated into Networks, or operate stand alone for either a utility with its own field force, or back to back with a third party contractor. It includes the following modules:

WORKS MANAGER

User configurable SR and WO forms and workflows. These allow allocation of work to field crews, auditing of actions and state changes and materials estimates for better job planning. Work can be automatically imported from CIS. Data can be pushed back to the various systems that need to be updated e.g. CIS, GIS etc.

WORKS SCHEDULER

A simple automated scheduling of work based on multiple parameters such as capacity, skills, regions, drive time, start/finish or customer constraints.

GIS AND MAPPING

Overlay WOs, resources and field crew locations on the GIS and TVD supplied street and address level maps or internet mapping from Google or Bing.

CALL TAKER

Katana includes an own optional Call Taker module. This can be used by non-CIS staff to log SRs, view the call history of a customer and provide a useful backup in times of wide scale outages.Katana includes an own optional Call Taker module. This can be used by non-CIS staff to log SRs, view the call history of a customer and provide a useful backup in times of wide scale outages.

InField and wireless data

InField is a laptop application optimsed for utility staff with backend functions that allow full audit history of sending jobs to the field, getting updates back, and ensure clear written communication of what needs to be done and when. Includes mobile hardware and apps for crews that provide complete field workflow, including WO’s, status updates, and mapping. Mobile data solutions include DMR, MPT, WiFi and cellular.

Click Here to View Screenshots

OTHER FEATURES INCLUDE

KPI Dashboard

A highly configurable display which can be projected onto a wall or viewed on screen. It shows all key indicators in an easily read graphical manner and supports the Katana Networks and Works environments.

Integration

TVD provides all services to integrate and full Katana implementation, or selected modules, into existing client facilities such as SCADA and GIS, as seamless as possible. We connect for integration purposes via CSV/FTP, Webservices and HTTP.

Alarms & Alerts

Configurable pro-active management of work and alerts to dispatchers for pending issues. Notifications and alarms can be set for SLA breaches, alerts of pending time expiry, failure of crew to report in and any combination of workflow related issues.

Contractual Compliance

Simple creation of workflow and contractual obligations eg response from time of reciept of WO, can be easily tracked and proven. The ability to proactively action bottlenecks in process or resources before they become contractual issues is invaluable.

A Comprehensive Suite of
tools for Networks and Contractors
for Outage, Operations, and Works Management.

Talk to us today and learn how we can improve your business and save you money.

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