Six steps to the monthly report
Timings for a portfolio under 25 sites.
The first call
30 minutes on your site list, utilities and two or three recent bills. A fixed-fee quote follows in writing.
Letter of authorization
You sign one letter per utility so we can request bills and interval data in your name.
Data pull
24 months of bills and interval data from each utility portal or records desk.
Baseline signed
Every meter tied to a site and cost center, use weather-normalized, and the baseline signed by you.
First report
Every bill for the month read against the baseline and tariff, with the line, section and amount of each finding.
Monthly rhythm
One page by the 10th business day, errors flagged within two business days, a review call each quarter.
What we need from you
Most of it is gathered once, in the first two weeks.
A site list
Address, square footage, opening hours and any open or close dates for each site.
Recent bills
Two or three recent bills per utility, so we can see account numbers and formats.
Signed authorization
A letter of authorization per utility, signed by someone who can act for the account holder.
Portal access
A read-only login to each utility portal where one exists, or forwarded electronic bills.
Cost centers
The cost center or general ledger code for each site, so our reports match your books.
Two contacts
One person in facilities and one in finance who can answer a question about a site.
Known changes
Openings, closings, new equipment or longer hours in the last 24 months, with dates.
Timeline by portfolio size
Utilities set much of the pace; some take weeks to process an authorization letter.
| Portfolio size | Data in hand | Baseline signed | First monthly report |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 25 sites | Weeks 1 to 2 | Weeks 4 to 6 | Month 2 |
| 25 to 100 sites | Weeks 1 to 4 | Weeks 6 to 8 | Month 3 |
| Over 100 sites | Weeks 1 to 6 | Weeks 8 to 10 | Month 3 to 4 |
Questions about getting started
Do we change how we pay our utility bills?
No. Your accounts payable team keeps paying each utility on the same schedule it does today. We read and explain the bills; we never receive, hold or pay your money, and every account stays in your name from the first call to the last report.
What is a letter of authorization?
A short form that lets a named third party request account records from a utility. Most utilities have their own version. It lets us pull bills and interval data and raise billing questions in your name; it does not transfer the account or change who pays. How we store it.
Can we try this before signing anything?
Yes. Send three recent bills for a free Three-Bill Read. It needs no authorization letter and no portal access, and within five business days you get a written read of what each line means and what looks off.
What if a site has no interval data?
We build its baseline from monthly bills instead. Many smaller commercial meters record only monthly use and peak demand, which is enough to track cost and spot drift. The baseline memo marks which sites have interval data, so you know where we can see 15-minute peaks and where we cannot.
How much of our team’s time does this take?
Most of it lands in the first two weeks: the site list, the authorization letters and portal access. After that, expect a short call when a report raises a question, a quarterly review if you are on Bill Desk, and a note from you when a site opens, closes or changes use.
Start with the 30-minute call
Bring a site list and two or three recent bills; the fixed-fee quote follows in writing.