Purpose of this article
This article explains how to upload billing documents so Scaler can automatically extract utility data, including file preparation, upload process, asset and meter mapping, and reviewing extracted consumption records.
How to upload bills
You can upload bills at either the asset level or portfolio level.
At the asset level
- Go to Data Collection Portal → Asset and search for the asset
- Select the asset and choose Meters & Consumptions from the left-hand menu
- Navigate to Upload Bills
- Select one or more bill files
- Delete files as needed, then click Upload
Use this when bills clearly belong to a specific asset.
At the portfolio level
- Go to Data Collection Portal → Asset → Automations in the left navigation
- Select the Bill Scraping tab
- Upload bills that belong to the portfolio
This is convenient for bulk uploads or when the asset is not known upfront.
Understanding upload status
Uploaded bills appear in the Upload Log under Automations → Bill Scraping.
Status values
- Pending — bill is queued (appears after mapping)
- Timestamp — placeholder status
- Processing — file is being processed
- Duplicate — file matches a previously uploaded bill
- Missing Asset Mapping — data scraped; user must select the correct Scaler asset
- Missing Meter Mapping — asset mapped; user must map the external meter
- Completed — data fully processed; usages available
A progress indicator appears at the top of the page when bills are actively processing.
Mapping assets to bills
If a bill is ready for mapping, you will see Missing Asset Mapping as the status and a Map Asset button becomes available.
- Click Map Asset
- Search your Scaler asset list
- Select the correct asset for the external bill
- Click Save Mapping
- Return to the upload log, where the status updates to Missing Meter Mapping
Mapping meters to bills
Once the asset is mapped, you can map the external meter to an existing Scaler meter.
- Click the Map Meter action
- You will see existing meters belonging to the selected asset
- Match the external meter ID to the appropriate Scaler meter
- Click Save Mapping
- Return to the upload log; the status updates to Completed
Data ingestion occurs immediately after mapping—no extra steps needed.
Reviewing extracted consumption data
Once mapping is complete, select View Consumptions from the upload log.
What you'll see for each bill:
- Bill information — displayed inline
- Usage details — meter, account, service address, billing period
- Consumption data — usage amounts when available
- Formatted grid — if present
The system automatically adds data to the asset's Meters & Consumptions section. Only bill-scraped usages are displayed. Edit or adjust data as needed. Usages are clearly labeled and separate from API-ingested or manually entered data.
Preparing bills for upload
To ensure bills are processed successfully, follow these guidelines:
One bill per file
Each file must contain only one bill. If a PDF contains multiple bills, split the file using a tool like Adobe or PDFgear.
File size limit
Bills must not exceed 50 pages. Longer files may trigger errors. Trim the bill manually to only essential pages if needed.
Upload only relevant bills
Only upload documents that are related to consumption or GHG calculations, such as:
- Utility bills (electricity, natural gas, water, steam)
- Heating bills
- Cooling bills
Exclude documents like:
- HOA or common area street cleaning fees
- Assessments
- Construction bills
If irrelevant pages are included in the bill, trim the pages before uploading.
Avoiding duplicate uploads
The system checks for duplicates across:
- Bill files that haven't already been submitted
- Filenames, billing periods, and formats
If you have the same bill in multiple formats, upload only one. Scaler automatically flags duplicates, but pre-checking improves efficiency.
Troubleshooting & common mistakes
- Bill not processing → Ensure the file is under 50 pages and contains only one bill
- Asset mapping not appearing → Verify the asset exists in your Scaler portfolio
- Meter mapping error → Check that the meter is already created in the Data Collection Portal for the selected asset
- Duplicate warning → Confirm you haven't uploaded the same bill previously; check filename, period, and format
- Data not appearing in Meters & Consumptions → Ensure both asset and meter mapping are completed