Switching third-party API providers – Scaler

Purpose of this article

This article walks you through the process of switching from one third-party API provider to another while maintaining data continuity, ensuring proper historical records, and establishing new meter mappings.

Transition workflow overview

The process of switching API providers follows these steps:

Choose your transition date — Identify Date X (last day of old provider) and Date X + 1 (first day of new provider)

Close existing meters — Set meter end dates to Date X for all meters receiving data from your current provider

Create new meters — Build new meters with start dates of Date X + 1 for the new provider

Share API credentials — Provide your account operations team with the new provider's API configuration

Remove old mappings — Disconnect all meter mappings from the previous provider

Map to new provider — Establish meter mappings to the new provider's external IDs

Validate data flow — Confirm data begins flowing correctly from the new provider

Understanding the transition approach

When switching API providers, you'll close existing meters on the last day your current provider supplies data and create new meters starting the first day your new provider takes over. This approach maintains clear historical records and prevents data conflicts.

Key transition date

Choose a specific date (Date X) when your old provider stops supplying data. Your new provider begins supplying data on Date X + 1.

Closing existing meters

Before creating new meters, you must properly close all meters receiving data from your current provider.

Ending meters from the current provider

In the Data Collection Portal, navigate to the meters receiving data from your current provider

Set the Meter end date field to Date X (the last day your current provider will supply data)

Verify that consumption data exists up to Date X for each meter

Confirm that no future data points are scheduled from the old provider

Meter end date defines when a meter stops collecting data. Setting this date prevents new consumption records from being added after the transition.

Why close meters instead of reusing them:

Closing existing meters rather than reusing them for a new provider provides several benefits:

Maintains a clear historical record of which provider supplied data during which period

Prevents accidental data overwrites or gaps

Makes troubleshooting easier if issues arise during the transition

Allows for parallel validation if both providers temporarily overlap

Adding new meters

After closing existing meters, create new meters that will receive data from your new provider starting from the transition date.

Creating meters for the new provider

In the Data Collection Portal, create new meters for each data point that will come from the new provider

Set the Meter start date field to Date X + 1 (the first day your new provider will supply data)

Ensure all meter details match the new provider's specifications:

Meter type field (electricity, gas, water, etc.)

Source field (grey, green, etc.)

Unit field (kWh, m³, etc.)

Associated asset or building

Tip

Use the same naming convention as your previous meters but add an identifier to distinguish them (e.g., "Building A - Electricity - Provider B"). This makes it easier to track which meters belong to which provider during the transition period.

Sharing API configuration

Your account operations team needs specific information from your new provider to establish the API connection.

Required API credentials and settings

Share the following information with your account operations manager:

API endpoint URL or base URL

Authentication credentials (API key, token, or OAuth details)

Any required headers or parameters

Rate limiting information (if applicable)

Meter ID format and structure used by the new provider

Contact information for the new provider's technical support

Warning

Never share API credentials through unsecured channels. Use your organization's secure communication method or request a secure file transfer from your account operations manager.

Coordinating the handover

Work with your account operations team to:

Confirm the exact date and time when the old API connection will be disabled

Schedule when the new API connection will be activated

Verify that test data can be pulled from the new provider before the official switch date

Establish a rollback plan in case issues arise

Removing old provider mapping

Before mapping meters to your new provider, you must first disconnect all mappings from the old provider.

Unmapping meters from the previous provider

Navigate to the API integration section for your current provider

Access the meter mapping interface

Select all meters that are transitioning to the new provider

Remove or unmap each meter from the old provider's external meter IDs

Confirm that no meters remain mapped to the old provider

Verification checklist:

All old provider mappings have been removed

No meters show connections to the previous external meter IDs

The old provider's API connection status reflects that no active meters are mapped

Tip

Export your current mapping before removing it. This serves as a reference if you need to verify historical data sources or troubleshoot any issues after the transition.

Mapping to the new provider

With old mappings removed and new meters created, you can now establish connections to your new provider.

Building the new meter mapping

Depending on the number of meters, choose one of two approaches:

Option 1: Manual Mapping

Use this method for fewer than 20 meters:

In the new provider's API integration section, access the meter mapping interface

Map each Scaler asset ID field to the corresponding External asset ID field from the new provider

Map each Scaler meter ID field to the External meter ID field from the new provider

Fetch the latest information from both Scaler and the provider to ensure accurate mapping

Verify each mapping before saving

Option 2: Bulk Mapping

Use this method for 20 or more meters:

Export the new provider's meter list including all external IDs

Prepare a mapping file with columns for:

Scaler asset ID

External asset ID (from new provider)

Scaler meter ID

External meter ID (from new provider)

Upload the bulk mapping file through Scaler's bulk mapping interface

Review any mapping errors or warnings

Confirm all mappings are successfully established

Warning

Always fetch the latest data from Scaler before uploading bulk mappings. If you reference meter IDs or asset IDs that no longer exist, the mapping will fail.

Post-mapping validation:

Verify that data begins flowing from the new provider on Date X + 1

Check that no data gaps exist between Date X and Date X + 1

Confirm that meter readings are in the expected units and format

Review the first few days of data to ensure accuracy

Troubleshooting & common mistakes

Data gaps between providers → Verify that meter end dates and start dates align correctly with no missing days. Check that the new provider began supplying data exactly on Date X + 1.

Duplicate data on the transition date → Ensure existing meters end on Date X and new meters start on Date X + 1. There should be no overlap between these dates.

Mapping failures → Confirm that all Scaler meter IDs exist before attempting to map. Fetch fresh data from Scaler and verify all external IDs match the new provider's format exactly.

Missing meters after transition → Check that all meters from the old provider have corresponding new meters created. Compare your original meter list with the newly created meters to identify any gaps.

Incorrect units or data format → Verify that Meter type and Unit settings match the new provider's data output. Some providers may use different unit conventions (e.g., kWh vs. MWh).