Below is a simple overview of how organizations use FlowPath to streamline utility tracking, understand building performance, and improve budget accuracy.
Utility Providers Are Tracked as Vendors
Every utility provider is created as a Vendor in FlowPath. This allows you to:
Store contact and billing information
Organize invoices by provider
Run vendor-level spending reports
Common examples include power companies, water authorities, gas suppliers, internet providers, and waste management services.
Meters Are Tracked as Assets
Meters - such as electric meters, water meters, gas meters, and submeters -are entered as Assets.
This allows you to:
Tie invoices or inspections directly to a specific meter
Track usage and cost for each building or zone
Maintain a full history of each meter
Photos, serial numbers, and location details can be added for quick identification.
Utility Bills Are Entered Into Inspections or Work Orders
FlowPath supports three common workflows:
Option A: Work Orders for Utility Invoices
Some customers prefer to log invoices as Work Orders, which allows for:
More detailed cost tracking
WO-based reporting
Linking utility costs to other maintenance activities
Both methods support attaching PDFs of invoices for a complete audit trail.
Option B: Logging The Meter Reading Directly To The Equipment
Some customers prefer to simply log a meter reading for that piece of equipment each month.
You can log a meter reading directly in the equipment profile.
You can log a meter reading directly from a work order that the equipment is assigned to.
Option C: Monthly Utility Inspections
Customers create a recurring Inspection for each utility type or provider.
Responsible person will simply enter:
Usage (kWh, gallons, therms, etc.)
Billing period
Total cost
Meter reading
Notes or attachments
Inspection Items allow multiple meters to be tracked within the same inspection if needed.
4. Reporting on Utility Spending and Usage
FlowPath’s reporting tools make it easy to analyze your utility data. You can report by:
Vendor – total spend, trends, and cost increases
Building – compare usage and cost across locations
Asset (Meter) – understand meter-level consumption
Time Period – month-over-month, quarterly, or yearly trends
Many customers build a saved “Utility Dashboard” to visualize all utility-related metrics in one place.
5. Additional Best Practices Used by FlowPath Customers
High-performing teams often:
Attach invoice PDFs to each inspection or work order
Tag utility data by type (water, electric, gas) or cost center, including assets for easy filtering and reporting
Create alerts through the Work Order Ai Automation package for unusually high usage or invoice spikes
Use meter history for budgeting and lifecycle planning
These practices help customers quickly identify issues, better understand building performance, and reduce unnecessary costs.
Summary: How Utility Tracking Works in FlowPath
Most organizations follow this simple workflow:
Add utility providers as Vendors
Add all meters as Assets
Log monthly usage and invoice details using Meter Readings, Inspections or Work Orders
Attach the utility bill for documentation
Run reports by building, meter, or vendor to analyze trends
Act on insights to reduce waste and improve efficiency