User Manuals
We have a beta version of two user manuals ready and we were wondering if it might be appropriate to host them on the NREL OpenEI site. The first user manual is for the novice user of the database. It explains terminology related to electricity rates and rate structures. This is focused on a broad audience. We thought it might go here: http://en.openei.org/services/ but if you have a better place, just let me know.
The second user manual is for primarily for our data input-ers. It discusses complex rate designs and directs students in a standardized way to enter the data. I think this would also be very useful to software companies that are using the data so that they know how that data is being interpreted and entered. We thought it might go here: http://en.openei.org/services/doc/ but again, if you have a better place, just let me know.
Comments
Blog format
Ryan,
Actually, the manual is arranged in a blog format for easy reference. We have a tech writer working on editing this draft but you can take a look at the format at:
Let's put help pages on the wiki
Dave,
Since the utility rate section is on OpenEI, a few of us talked and thought the best place would be in the "help" section of OpenEI. This is a wiki, so the documentation can be improved over time by any community member, and the history is logged.
One potential location is http://en.openei.org/wiki/Help:Utility_Rate_Data_Entry (feel free to rename this, so long as it starts with "Help:". Images can be added to these pages; just check http://en.openei.org/wiki/Help:Contents if someone is not sure how.
Let me know if that approach doesn't work or isn't ideally, and we can discuss more. Thanks!
Ryan
Great!
Dave,
That is great that you have made user manuals! Since these manuals are meant for the public and relevant to utility rate work, let's put them out to the wiki.
To upload a new file, go tohttp://en.openei.org/wiki/File:Your_manual_name.pdf - it will say that file doesn't exist, and gives you the option to upload it. When you create a new version, just go back to that page and upload a new revision of it - the latest will be the linked-to version.
I think the http://en.openei.org/services/ and documentation page could be a great place to include a link to these uploaded PDFs; however, I think they should also go onhttp://en.openei.org/wiki/Gateway:Utilities and/or the "new rate" entry form. Once you upload the files, I'll add links to the appropriate areas.
By the way, please have your team update the Gateway:Utilities page if they see anything that can be improved. It is free for others to edit/update, and I'll monitor edits to make sure they make sense and improve the look & feel of the page.
Thanks!
Ryan