What is the difference between live meter data and invoice data in the chart?
The Energy dashboard can show consumption from two different data sources. Understanding the difference helps you interpret the chart correctly.
Live meter data (real-time / imported)
- Comes from the Analytics module
- Populated by live data sources: API connections, webhooks, file uploads, email imports
- Readings are high-frequency — can be hourly, daily, or at whatever interval the data source provides
- Consumption is calculated from raw readings (cumulative meters: current minus previous; period meters: value used directly)
- Appears as regular colored bars in the chart
Invoice data (PDF-extracted)
- Comes from uploaded utility invoice PDFs
- OCR extracts total consumption for the billing period
- Typically monthly or quarterly granularity (matches your utility billing cycle)
- Stored on the invoice as a single consumption figure for that period
- Appears in the chart with an "(Invoice)" suffix on the meter name
How they merge in the dashboard
The chart combines both sources. If a meter has both live readings AND linked invoices, the system shows both. The meter list in the chart shows:
- "Main Electricity Meter" → live meter data
- "Main Electricity Meter (Invoice)" → invoice-extracted data
Meters with the same ID are deduplicated — if live data exists for a meter, the invoice version is shown separately rather than double-counting.
Which should you use?
- Starting out with no live data? Upload invoices first. You get monthly consumption bars immediately.
- Have live sensors or API connections? Use live meter data for detailed, high-frequency data.
- Both available? The chart shows both, letting you cross-check live readings against utility bills.
Common scenario: A building owner starts by uploading 12 months of electricity invoices to get historical trends. Later, they connect a live API from their energy provider. The chart then shows both: historical invoice bars and current live data.