Written by:
John-Henry Charles
Tracking billing and managing generation data should be effortless.
Teams should not spend hours wrangling generation data on excel, managing data integrations, filling information gaps and generally juggling a painful mix of spreadsheets, email downloads, and accounting workarounds.
When Energise South Downs, a UK-based community energy group, established their billing workflow, they chose to bypass manual methods entirely.
Instead, they opted for an AI-native solution to ensure their operations were scalable from day one.
The Problem: Generation data and accounting software not connecting seamlessly
Prior to Alentis, the monthly process was a fragmented, multi-step process with significant administrative overhead.
The team were:
Downloading spreadsheets from their metering provider, and managing multiple site-level meters
Calculating total generation from the meters, and subtracting the related export
Rebuilding the data into a usable format
Importing the relevant output into accounting tools like Xero or QuickBooks
Matching the correct customer contacts
Applying the correct VAT rates for the site
Each step took time, and introduced opportunities for human error. One single mistake could impact billing accuracy or customer trust.
On average, the process consumed a working day every month - first for the calculations, then for the cross-check. And this was before they’d properly begun scaling the portfolio.
The Solution: A unified generation-to-billing workflow with Alentis
By partnering with Alentis, Energise South Downs transformed their monthly cycle into a streamlined, automated process, using Alentis' generation and billing automations.
The platform now handles the heavy lifting automatically:
Automated Notifications: The team is alerted as soon as monthly billing is ready for review.
Pre-Calculated Values: Generation and export totals are automatically calculated with precise meter assignments across all sites.
Embedded Regulatory Logic: Built-in handling of site-specific VAT and tax rules ensures total compliance.
Seamless Integration: Direct data synchronisation with accounting systems, eliminating the need for manual uploads.
Now, all the team needs to do is review and approve.
The Outcome: Efficiency that Scales
With Alentis in place, the Energise South Downs team achieved:
1 full day saved per month
Elimination of manual spreadsheet workflows in the billing cycle, with no risk of excel formulas breaking
Scalable foundations as the portfolio continues to grow
“Working with Alentis has been great. The platform saves me a day of work per month managing the billing cycle. Now I can use Alentis to put my billing on autopilot.”
– Amelia Gabriel, Programme Manager, Energise South Downs
Why It Matters
As energy portfolios grow, so do their operations. Manual processes slow teams down, and can introduce risk.
Billing sits at the core of consistent and accurate revenue, strong customer relationships and steady regulatory compliance. It should not be manual, and it should be effortless.
Ready to make energy operations effortless?
Whether you're looking to speed up your generation and billing workflow, or replace your entire system, Alentis can help you automate the paperwork tax out of existence.