April 12, 2005

Report to RMS

SCR742

Automated Retail Transaction Verification Develop tools that support the market in

testing retail transactions in an automated fashion.

Requirements broken into 3 functional groupsTransaction ValidationFile Communication RequirementsTransaction Samples

Benefits

Improve the quality of transactions during the market test flight.

Improve the quality of the data in the ERCOT marketplace during testing

Reduce the effort required to complete certification testing for all MP’s – decrease costs associated with certification testing

Improve the ‘time-to-market’ for new REPs or REPs entering new TDSP territories

Transaction Validations

Allows market participants to validate the accuracy of their transactions to X12 and TX Set Guidelines

Error Message will inform tester of problem with the transaction

File Communication Requirements

Allows Market Participants to upload and download test files viaNAESB URLHTTPSWeb Screen

Transaction Samples

Inventory (library) of transaction samples available for MP’s to download and use to test internal systems

Examples of all EDI transactions would be available for download

Ability to support 2 TX Set Versions of transaction samples (when a Version upgrade is planned)

ERCOT Comments on SCR742

ERCOT analyzed errors from Flight 0105 and determined that 44.1% of errors could have been avoided if Automated Testing system was available for MP’s

From April 2003 thru March 2004 there were 2432 files tested against the ETOD system

TDSP Comments on SCR742

AEPAdd 4th item to functional group

ETOD Simulated TDSP Certification Testing Automated tool creates simulated TDSP transactions for

participating TDSPs, in lieu of TDSPs generating E2E scripts

Tool should automatically create a proper response transaction to the CR’s initiating transaction, including if possible, a tie back to the ISA, GS, and ST control numbers

TDSPs should have the choice of using this tool or E2E testing during non-TX SET version release flight testing

TDSP Comments on SCR742

AEPDocumented savings of 50% labor hours on

non version Release Flights when using the previous testing tool - ETOD

End to End testing - 1000 hours ETOD Testing - 480 Hours

TDSP Comments on SCR742

TNMPAgrees with AEP’s comments on the ETOD

Simulated TDSP Certification Testing Documented savings of 77% labor hours on

non version Release Flights when using the previous testing tool - ETOD

End to End testing - 700 hours ETOD Testing - 160 Hours

TDSP Comments on SCR742

TXU ED & CenterpointWill not use ETOD Simulated TDSP

Certification Testing but continue to do end to end testing for each Flight

All TDSP’s agree that an automated testing tool could not be used for billing, payment and point to point testing

All TDSP’s suggest ERCOT being added to the transaction validation requirements for new TX Set Version Release Testing

Questions