Many large US utilities are turning to IQGeo to mobilize their Geographic Information System (GIS) data for business-critical field workflows across the network lifecycle. Since their traditional GIS requires different mobile apps for different types of work, with cumbersome workflows, they wanted a single solution across design, construction, operations and outage response, with an intuitive UI and easy-to-build workflows. What they learned is that the ease of use, the ability to work online and offline, and to seamlessly share field updates with the entire organization has radically transformed their productivity.
With the latest release of Network Manager Electric, we’ve implemented a simple, no-code approach that makes it easy to continually exchange data with the Geometric Network, the Utility Network, and Smallworld.
IQGeo Network Manager Electric
How IQGeo simplifies data exchanges
IQGeo has removed the manual steps for data exchanges from incumbent GIS and made the process scalable for enterprise-level utility data sets, in transmission, substation, and distribution applications. Here’s how we made this a simple process.
Electric Data Interchange Format (EDIF) and Loader
Network Manager Electric now includes a data model template called Electric Data Interchange Format (EDIF) and a Loader that are used to exchange electric utility data between the IQGeo mobile app and the incumbent GIS. The template requires no code and is configurable for a wide range of data sources. Automation places electric grid equipment in the related structure in the Network Manager’s equipment tree view. The EDIF transfer updates the primary geometry of the equipment to be in the same location as the structure, while maintaining the source geometry and the offset (secondary) geometry.
FME Workbench acceleration
Network operators are often familiar with the challenge of extracting, transforming and loading (ETLs) large and complex data sets. To streamline this process, Network Manager also includes an Feature Manipulation Engine (FME) Workbench template that removes the need for custom coding and ETLs from the data exchange process. FME, by Safe Software, is a powerful integration platform for spatial data that specializes in connecting, transforming, and automating data exchange workflows. Any utility can use the FME template to translate data from their GIS into the EDIF template, ensuring a fast, seamless exchange with Network Manager.
Through the FME Workbench, users create "workspaces" that define how data is read, transformed, and written between systems. The template includes hundreds of pre-built transformers to manipulate data in various ways, including reformatting, spatial transformations, and more. It allows users to design data integration workflows with a simple drag-and-drop interface.
FME supports over 450 formats and systems. It’s also much more than an ETL tool. FME includes real-time integration options with APIs, including integration with your existing middleware and with operational systems such as SCADA, IoT, and network management systems. It solves problems such as:
- Data silos. FME breaks down barriers between different data formats and systems, allowing seamless data exchange.
- Complex spatial data transformations. FME simplifies transforming data across GIS, CAD, and BIM systems, ensuring compatibility.
- Custom workflows. Offers a flexible, visual environment to build workflows for custom data manipulation without coding.
A better approach to electric utility field work
By exchanging your data with Network Manager Electric, you’ll reap the benefits that other leading utilities have already realized. Your field teams can use a single solution to perform field work for digital design, network tracing, asset inspections, outage management and more. By mobilizing your GIS, whether online or offline, you’ll bridge the gap between office and field.
Demonstration of digital field design at Distributech Conference
Through our simple FME templates, we can ETL the data back into your system of record with redlines. If you’d prefer to leverage our hierarchical containment model, you can also continue to view the data in Network Manager Electric to see full connectivity of your grid and spatially accurate asset locations. Either way, contact us to discuss how IQGeo can mobilize your network data in a simple and powerful way.
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