GMS Upgrade

Peoples Gas is preparing to implement a new Gas Transportation Management System (GMS) to support scheduling, settlement and reporting functions for gas operations.

We're excited to share with you important information about the GMS upgrade and how this project supports and enhances your experience with Peoples Gas. Please browse through the tabs below to learn more about this project.

If there's something else you would like to know about the new GMS, you can refer to the Frequently Asked Questions or contact us.

GMS Overview

Peoples Gas is replacing the SunGard solution and several custom applications with a new vendor-supported Gas Management System that fully supports the gas transportation program business process.

Our new GMS leverages newer technologies that will:

  • Drive improvements in scheduling, settlements, and reporting functions
  • Create a central repository for all commercial transactions
  • Create digital capability to allow customers to access web portal from a variety of devices
  • Create standardized and automated business processes to improve accuracy and controls

Visit the Resources tab to learn more.

GMS Resources

Looking for a head start on understanding Peoples Gas' new Gas Management System? The following resources will help you get up to speed.

Customer Connect Session I PDF Icon provides an overview of the GMS Project and an introductory look at the new technology.

Customer Connect Session II PDF Icon provides an updated overview of the GMS Project and a walkthrough of the processes that involve ITS customers, Agents and Pool Managers. You'll also see a demo of the new gas management system.

Customer Connect III PDF Icon provides a review of some of the key components of the system, as well as the go-live plan, training plan, and key readiness activities.

GMS Upgrade Project Video introduces the new Gas Management System and provides a demonstration of the frequent transactions performed by the Pool Mangers and Agents.

FAQs

A. Peoples Gas is excited to bring new benefits and technologies to our customers with the new GMS:
  • Drive improvements in scheduling, settlements, and reporting functions for gas operations
  • Create a central repository / system of record for all commercial transactions, pricing, and reference data
  • Replace an old system with a faster, easier and more intuitive system that also accommodates usage on multiple browsers
  • Provide new digital capabilities with an enhanced web portal
  • Create standardized and automated business process to improve accuracy and controls
A. The key benefits of the new GMS include:
  • Timely and accurate data - daily updated data of scheduled quantities, imbalances and nominations
  • Greater control and autonomy to manage your information, enabling you to better manage your customers
  • Additional flexibility to export information into your compatible platform and pull data on demand
  • Simplified and improved business process to enroll and manage your customers
A. To better prepare yourself and your team for the launch of the new GMS you should:
  • Share this information with your colleagues who need to know about the upcoming change
  • Download any historical reports and account data you feel is important (recommended)
  • Keep management team informed, and participate in the planned system education, testing and training sessions
A. The new GMS is North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) compliant and supports Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Internet Explorer 11.
A. Customer accounts will not be active until the Pool Manager or Agent has confirmed the enrollment. Once a Pool Manager or Agent enters a customer into the new GMS portal with the Business Partner and Installation IDs and it passes through the eligibility requirements, the customer will be temporarily stored in a "Pending" status within the new GMS. This status will only move to "Active" once the Pool Manager or Agent has confirmed the enrollment.
A. Once a Business Partner and Installation ID has been moved-in, an interface provides the new GMS with the newly created Contract Number, and the new GMS will notify the Pool Manager or Agent with the reference number to be used in enrollment confirmation. The Pool Manager or Agent then needs to confirm enrollment by entering Contract Number and selecting the customer in the new GMS.
A. Locations are a new way for how data is fed into the new GMS. Locations are equal to Contract Number for ITS customers and Contract Account Number for Pool Managers.
A. Locations are equal to the Peoples Gas Contract Number. To enhance the management of the LOA documentation, reduce the ambiguity for account information, avoid the confusion with multiple Contract Numbers under the same Contract Account Number and be consistent with other functionalities in the new GMS, additional identifiers have been included in the LOA.
A. A combination of the prospective customer's Business Partner and Installation IDs will be entered by the Pool Manager into the new GMS enrollment wizard since these are the only identifiers that are the most specific to pre-enroll the customer.
A. Using the Contract Number rather than the Contract Account Number as a key identifier for enrollment or de-enrollment in the new GMS helps reduce ambiguity in account identification, is consistent with other functionalities in GMS and eliminates the confusion with multiple Contract Numbers under the same Contract Account Number.
A. Peoples Gas seeks to modify the Tariff to change the enrollment date from the 20th day of the month to the 15 day of the month. This change will provide the Pool Manager or Agent more time to complete therm usage forecasts for the upcoming production month, which will result in more timely and accurate nominations.
A. The new enrolled customer will immediately be reflected in the reports with the effective enrollment date reflecting the date when they will be added to the pool.
A. The de-enrollment process has been enhanced and simplified enabling the Pool Manager or Agent to see when customers leave their pool and to ensure accurate de-enrollments.
A. In the new system, we will use the customer's Contract Number rather than the Contract Account Number as this helps reduce ambiguity in account identification, is consistent with other functionalities in GMS and eliminates the confusion with multiple Contract Numbers under the same Contract Account Number.
A. The Contract Lookup Tool will facilitate the location of the customer's Contract Number. You may also reach out to the Gas Transportation team to confirm the customer's Contract Number where multiple Contract Numbers exist for the same Contract Account Number.
A. The new GMS has been designed to update the measurement changes daily, ensuring timely management of imbalances.
A. Trading of imbalances between the initiating Pool Manager or Agent and the confirming Pool Manager or Agent will be completed online between the two negotiating parties. The Pool Manager or Agent don't need to submit any faxed copies and all the transactions will be posted as soon as the they have been accepted by both the parties.
A. The trading of imbalances between the initiating Pool Manager or Agent and the confirming Pool Manager or Agent will be updated immediately after the confirming party approves the trade.
A. The new system will provide additional flexibility and increased ease to query and export, view, print and/or mail reports.
A. In addition to the reports currently available, the Scheduled vs Measured & Billing Volume by Accounts, a couple of core reports will also be made available.
A. Access to more timely information, additional flexibility and increased ease to query and export reports are the key enhancements included in reports.
A. In the new system the reports will be made available in Adobe Acrobat format only. Additionally, query tables will also be made available to export (to Excel) for additional flexibility and increased ease of use.
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