Month: July 2011

Effective Dates in TariffShark

There are three separate effective date fields in TariffShark.  Two of these are stored in the database and the other is calculated (or derived) by the TariffShark software for display.  This article describes each of these effective dates in detail.

Proposed Effective Date

The Proposed Effective Date is the one you enter when you place a Tariff Record Version into a Filing.  This is the date that is sent to FERC in the XML.  This date is stored in TariffShark as a Filed Tariff Record Version (FTRV) data element.

FERC Effective Date

The FERC Effective Date is the one approved by FERC.  This information is often included in a FERC order.  However, it can also be inferred depending on the FERC program (gas, oil, electric) and the circumstances surrounding the filing (for example, oil tariffs typically go into effect 30 days after filing without the issuance of a FERC order).  This date is stored in TariffShark as an FTRV data element.

Effective Date

The Effective Date, which appears in several grids in TariffShark, is a computed date.  This date is perhaps most frequently seen in the Tariff Record Versions grid on the Filing Details screen (shown highlighted below).
  

In TariffShark Hammerhead Release 4.0.x and earlier, the rules for computing “Effective Date” are…

  • If the FERC Response of the FTRV is Approved Subject to Conditions, Pending, Rejected, Draft, Overtaken by Events, Pro Forma Ordered, or Withdrawn, the Proposed Effective Date is used.
  • If the FERC Response of the FTRV is Approved, Effective, Suspended, or Retired, the FERC Effective Date is used.  If the FERC Effective Date is empty, however, the Proposed Effective Date is used.

The rules for computing “Effective Date” in TariffShark Hammerhead SP1 Release 4.1 and later are…

  • If the FERC Response of the FTRV is Pending, Rejected, Draft, Overtaken by Events, Pro Forma Ordered, or Withdrawn, the Proposed Effective Date is used.
  • If the FERC Response of the FTRV is Approved, Approved Subject to Conditions, Effective, Suspended, or Retired, the FERC Effective Date is used.  If the FERC Effective Date is empty, however, the Proposed Effective Date is used.

If you would like to know more about effective dates in TariffShark or if you have any other questions, please comment below or contact TariffShark Support.

Back to Basics: Make a Filing Using TariffShark

This blog article outlines the steps that need to be taken in TariffShark in order to Create, Submit, and Record the Results of a basic eTariff filing (one that proposes textual changes to tariff content).

Although there are variations in the regulations that govern companies across the industries and FERC Programs that fall within the purview of eTariff, the steps outlined below are essentially the same.  This article uses generic terminology that applies across Programs.  However, some users must follow different procedures, so these are noted below.

Create

  1. Create Filing
  2. Update the details of the Filing
    In particular, Validation Email is needed for all Filings.  Other pieces of data may or may not be necessary for your particular Filing.
  3. Create Tariff Record (TR)
    If you are introducing a new section or sheet to an existing tariff, you would need to create a Tariff Record.  In most filings that are proposing textual changes to tariff content, new Tariff Records are not required.
    Note that when introducing a new tariff, you would create a Tariff in TariffShark.
  4. Create Tariff Record Version (TRV)
    Tariff content exists in TariffShark in TRVs.  A TRV is a version of a Tariff Record.  Whenever you propose content changes to a TR, a new TRV is required.
  5. Build TRV Content
    The TRV created in step 4 has no tariff content until you put content in it.  In this step you tell TariffShark how to create (or build) content for the new TRV.
    Note that if the TRV belongs to a “whole document” TR, you must skip this step.
  6. Edit TRV Content
    Editing the TRV’s content opens it in Microsoft Word where you may make the desired textual changes to the content.  Changes are typically made in Word’s “track changes” mode so that the changes are automatically “marked” as you enter them.
    Note that oil industry filers don’t use “track changes” mode.
    Note also that if the TRV belongs to a “whole document” TR, this step involves uploading the content as opposed to editing it in Microsoft Word.
  7. Repeat 3-6 as needed to make additional textual changes to tariff content.
  8. Write the Transmittal Letter for your Filing and upload it to TariffShark as a FERC Attachment.
  9. Your Filing may require additional FERC Attachments.  Create and upload these into TariffShark.

Submit

  1. Validate your Filing.  TariffShark will apply dozens of validation rules to your Filing and alert you to potential issues.
  2. Generate FERC XML and download it from TariffShark.
  3. Submit your filing to FERC at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
  4. Update the Status of your Filing to “Filed” in TariffShark.

Record the Results

  1. In some Programs and some filing scenarios, FERC will issue an order telling you what they think of your Filing.  Other times, no news is good news and after a period of time your tariff changes may be considered effective.  In any event, when the time is right…
  2. Update the Status of your Filing to “Complete” in TariffShark.
  3. Update (a) the status (called FERC Response in TariffShark) of the TRVs in your Filing and also (b) the FERC Effective Date.  The “Record FERC Order” screen in TariffShark simplifies this process.

This article has presented a simplified view of the TariffShark steps to creating, submitting, and recording the results of a basic eTariff filing.  Though some complexities lurk within the steps listed above, feel free to refer back to this article as a basic reference or checklist of the TariffShark steps when working on such filings.  Future blog articles will dive deeper into some of the steps outlined above.  More complex eTariff filing scenarios (such as cancellations, withdrawals, amendments, and motions) will be addressed in future blog articles, as well.

If you have questions or comments, please post them below or contact TariffShark Support.