User Guide Overview¶

This guide covers the full MeterBase workflow for managing energy costs across a multifamily property portfolio. Each section links to a detailed page for that module.

The Property Manager Workflow¶

MeterBase follows a linear workflow that mirrors how property managers actually handle utility costs:

flowchart TD A["1. Import Properties"] --> B["2. Track Utility Bills"] B --> C["3. AI Analyzes Bills"] C --> D["4. Find Savings"] D --> E["5. Bill Tenants (RUBS)"] E --> F["6. Generate Reports"] A -.- A1["Manual, CSV, or PMS Import"] B -.- B1["PDF Upload or Manual Entry"] C -.- C1["Auto-extract charges, usage, anomalies"] D -.- D1["Compare against 62,700+ tariffs"] E -.- E1["Allocate by sqft, occupants, or beds"] F -.- F1["Portfolio and property-level reports"]

Module Overview¶

:house: Property Management ¶

Organize your properties into portfolios. Add properties manually, import via CSV, or pull them directly from your PMS through Propexo. MeterBase automatically identifies the serving utility for each property by ZIP code using its database of 120,015 mappings.

:page_facing_up: Bill Tracking ¶

Upload utility bills as PDFs or enter them manually. MeterBase's AI engine extracts every line item -- energy charges, demand charges, fixed fees, taxes, and riders. Track monthly costs and spot trends and anomalies over time.

:busts_in_silhouette: Tenant Billing (RUBS)¶

Calculate tenant utility charges using the Ratio Utility Billing System. Choose allocation methods (square footage, occupant count, bed/bath, or equal split), apply common area deductions and admin fees, and handle vacancies. For PMS-connected properties, push calculated charges directly back to Yardi, RealPage, or your other PMS.

:mag: Savings Finder ¶

Compare your current utility rate against every available alternative tariff. MeterBase estimates annual costs under each rate and ranks them by potential savings. Run analysis per property or across your entire portfolio.

:zap: Tariff Search ¶

Explore MeterBase's database of 62,700+ utility tariffs. Search by ZIP code, state, utility company, or customer sector. View detailed rate structures including energy rates, demand charges, fixed fees, time-of-use periods, and seasonal adjustments.

:robot: AI Features ¶

Leverage Anthropic Claude for intelligent bill parsing, tariff extraction from PDF rate schedules, AI-powered tariff recommendations, and natural language analysis of rate comparisons.

:bar_chart: Reports ¶

Generate portfolio-wide and property-level energy cost reports. Export data for stakeholder presentations, budget planning, and compliance documentation.

Integrations¶

MeterBase connects to external systems to automate data flows:

Integration	Status	Guide
Propexo (Yardi, RealPage, Entrata, etc.)	Available	Propexo Guide
Utility Connect (Green Button, Urjanet)	Coming Soon	Utility Connect
Webhooks	Available	Webhook Guide

Typical Use Cases¶

Use Case 1: New Portfolio Onboarding¶

Create a portfolio and add properties (or import from PMS)
Upload the most recent utility bill for each property
Run portfolio-wide savings analysis
Present findings to asset management with a portfolio report

Use Case 2: Monthly Tenant Billing¶

Upload the latest utility bill when it arrives
Open the RUBS calculator for the property
Review unit allocations and vacancy status
Calculate charges and push to PMS (or export for manual posting)

Use Case 3: Rate Optimization¶

Navigate to Savings Finder for a property
Review recommended tariffs and estimated savings
Contact the utility to request a rate change
Update the property's current tariff in MeterBase
Track actual savings in subsequent months

Start Small

If you are evaluating MeterBase, start with a single portfolio of 5-10 properties. Upload one bill per property to see the AI analysis and savings recommendations in action before scaling to your full portfolio.