Utility Settings: Setup and Meter Readings

Overview of Record Utilities feature including a walkthrough for utility setup and instructions to record meter readings.

Last Updated: October 30, 2025

Link to Feature: https://app.fireflyreservations.com/Utilities/RecordUtilities (or click here)

 

Quick Links

Overview

Set Up Utility Feature

How to Record Meter Readings in Property Settings

How to Record Meter Readings through a Reservation

Edit a Previous Reading or Charge Status

 


Overview

To use the Utilities feature, you will first need to set up your Utility rates and any additional service fees that your park might apply to utilities. Once you have utility prices entered, you can record all of your utilities at once or do so for individual reservations as needed.

There are two ways to record meter readings:

  • as a bulk record through your Property Settings
  • for just one unit through a specific reservation.

Set Up Utility Feature 

For setting up Wild Energy Smart Meters - you can read this help article here

To create a utility for your park:

  1. Click Settings
  2. Click Utilities
  3. Click New Utility
  4. Fill out the settings as applicable to your park  
    1. Name of Utility
    2. Rate of the Utility to be billed
    3. The type of the utility
    4. The type of meter being used to record the utility usage
    5. A tax added to the utility fee if applicable
    6. If you are are going to copy the last meter reading from an existing reading within Firefly
    7. If you have a charge that will be connected to each reading, you can choose the default charge here
    8.  Additional Options to check if applicable for your park

  5. Click Save

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How to Record Meter Reading in Property Settings

  1. From the main menu, click the Property > Record Utilities
  2. Set up the meters to be recorded
    1. enter the read date
    2. select the utility
    3. filter displayed units using the Unit Class or Unit dropdowns
    4. click "Go" to see the applicable units with meters
  3. For a more efficient process, you can set Charge Options and Payment Options as a one-time default for all meter readings being entered.

    CAUTION: All of your units with applicable meters will be listed below the Options setup unless you have filtered by a unit class or unit numbers - remember to check these filters if not seeing expected units

  4. On the left side, for each unit you wish to record a reading, you will need to decide whether or not to add a charge to a reservation.
    1. Charge a guest for utility use: On the left of each unit, is all guests that have stayed in that unit since the last recorded reading. Selecting a guest and saving a meter reading will add a utility charge to the guest's reservation.
    2. Update a meter's reading without charging a guest: Just select 'Do not charge'.

    TIP: The reservation's type is shown after the reservation date so you know if the guest had a short term or long term (ongoing) reservation. This is especially helpful if you charge a long term guest for utility use but not any of the short term guests.

    If a guest has auto-pay enabled, revolving arrows appear next to their name.

  5. On the right side is information about this specific unit's meter: 
    • Previous is the last meter recorded in Firefly (the date below is the last read date)
    • Current is the reading you are entering (the date below is the read date being recorded)
    • Total is potential charge amount calculated with utility rate set in Property Settings 
    • Override is an option to change the charge amount should the unit have a unique case. To override, you will delete the calculated amount and enter the desired amount.
    • Apply Coupon to Utility Charge - If you have a coupon applicable, you can add it here
    • Add Add-on with Utility Charge - This is great for when a flat rate additional fee is needed. This drop down will show your add on fees previously set up in Firefly. 
    • You may see a note is a gray box if there are credits available. The use of reservation credits is set in Payment Options at the top of the Record Utilities page.
    • Regardless of the one-time default set in Payment Options, in step 3 above, you can choose to collect or bypass an immediate payment when you click Save. This payment will be made using the payment method on file and an email receipt may also send, if enabled in Payment Options.

  6. Repeat this process for each unit, or just the units for which you want to record the utility. 

    Return to Quick Links

 

 


How to Record Meter Readings through a Reservation

 

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Edit a Previous Reading or Charge Status

Check out this dedicated article with more information and step-by-step walkthroughs on editing previous meter readings, resetting a meter to 0, or resetting a meter's charge:

Record Utilities: Correct a Meter Reading.

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