Tamazari | Utility CIS and Billing Modernization

Turn Complex Rates and Changing Customer Programs into Bills your Utility Can Stand Behind.

Tamazari helps utilities get billing changes right the first time. We lead new rate implementations and customer information system (CIS) modernization from planning through launch, so the first bill reflects the change as intended and your team is ready to support it.

We bring the people who make billing decisions together with the people who put them into practice. Then we test the change against realistic customer bills while there is still time to fix issues—before a missed requirement delays launch or an incorrect charge reaches customers.

Choosing the Right Path for Billing Modernization

For some utilities, replacing the CIS is the right decision. For others, the greatest value comes from improving integrations, delivery processes, testing and governance for an established platform. Tamazari helps utilities choose a path based on their unique business and technical constraints. Our approach is to identify what needs to change and build a plan that supports new programs while keeping billing operations on track.

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Case Study: Turning Complex Billing into a Foundation for Energy Transition

A major Pacific Northwest utility needed to deliver multiple rate changes and clean energy programs within a heavily customized SAP ECC billing environment. Tamazari established a centralized program for governance, priorities and delivery across more than 50 stakeholders.

Results included:

Dozens of concurrent billing initiatives coordinated through an integrated schedule and standardized release cycles
Reduced operational risk and strain on internal billing and IT teams
Improved forecasting, budgeting and responsiveness to regulatory requirements

View Case Study

Utility CIS and Billing
Modernization Services

We help utilities carry billing changes from requirements through integration, testing and launch.

Complex Rate Implementation

We help translate approved rates and customer programs into clear system requirements: account eligibility, effective dates, meter-data needs, charges, credits and test scenarios. We coordinate rate, billing, customer operations, IT and vendor teams so time-varying rates, EV programs, distributed energy and other changes can be billed as intended.

CIS Implementation and Modernization

We assess current capabilities and constraints, then build an integrated plan for a CIS upgrade, replacement or targeted improvement. Tamazari coordinates requirements, schedules, vendors, decisions, testing and cutover around the utility’s billing cycles and operational priorities.

CIS
Integration

We map how usage, account, program and payment data move among AMI, meter data management, the CIS, customer portals, finance and other connected systems. Clear interface requirements, data ownership and exception handling help teams find and resolve problems.

Billing Data and Conversion Readiness

Customer accounts, premises, service agreements, meter associations, rates and billing history must be accurate and usable after a change. We help plan data preparation, assign reconciliation responsibilities and validate that critical records arrive and behave as expected in the modernized environment.

Testing
and Launch

We coordinate realistic meter-to-bill testing across customer classes, rate effective dates, missing readings, adjustments and credits. Teams compare actual charges with independently calculated expectations, resolve defects and establish launch criteria.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a utility customer information system?

A utility customer information system, commonly called a CIS, manages essential customer and service information. Depending on the platform, this may include customer accounts, premises, service agreements, meter information, rates, billing, payments, collections and customer-service history.

What does utility CIS modernization include?

CIS modernization can include replacing a legacy platform, upgrading selected capabilities, improving integrations, restructuring workflows, preparing data, strengthening testing or creating a more effective model for delivering billing changes. It does not always require a complete system replacement.

What is the difference between a CIS and a billing system?

The CIS maintains customer, account and service information. The billing engine applies rates and business rules to usage and account data to calculate charges. These capabilities are often part of the same platform but may also involve separate applications and integrations.

How does a CIS connect with AMI and meter data management?

AMI collects meter readings and interval usage. A meter data management system validates and prepares that data before sending billing-quality usage to the CIS. The CIS connects the usage to the correct account, service agreement and rate before producing the customer’s bill.

Why is utility billing testing so complex?

A bill can depend on customer classification, service dates, interval usage, rate effective dates, fixed charges, program enrollment, credits and data from multiple systems. Testing must validate both the billing calculation and the upstream data and integrations that produced it.

Can a utility modernize billing without replacing its CIS?

Yes. A utility may be able to improve billing performance by modernizing integrations, simplifying workflows, strengthening testing, improving release governance or updating selected platform capabilities. Tamazari helps determine which approach best fits the utility’s risks and objectives.

How does CIS modernization support EV and distributed energy programs?

EV rates, rooftop solar, storage, community solar and other distributed energy programs can introduce new eligibility rules, interval-data requirements, credits and rate structures. The CIS and its connected systems must be able to apply those requirements accurately and explain the resulting charges to customers.

What systems typically integrate with a utility CIS?

Common integrations include AMI, meter data management, payment processing, customer portals, CRM, ERP, work management, field service, outage management, distributed energy platforms, data warehouses and reporting systems.