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URPX Test Data Review Guide

Version: 0.5.1 (Working Group Draft) Last Updated: 2026-10-05 Status: Active

How to review an URPX JSON-LD test case against its source tariff book

Overview​

This guide is for reviewing URPX test data in test-cases/, especially JSON-LD rate plans derived from tariff book PDFs.

The review has two goals:

  1. Validation: the JSON-LD should conform to the URPX ontology and SHACL shapes.
  2. Fidelity: the JSON-LD should faithfully represent the tariff book source without dropping material information, inventing unsupported data, or modeling the tariff book in the wrong URPX pattern.

SHACL validation is necessary, but it is not sufficient. A file can pass SHACL and still omit a TOU period, flatten a customer choice into prose, or attach applicability at the wrong level.

Review Inputs​

Before review, gather:

Example review pair in this repository:

Review Workflow​

Use this order:

  1. Clone the repository.
  2. Confirm the review scope.
  3. Run SHACL validation.
  4. Review rule logic: eligibility, applicability, and customer choice.
  5. Review TOU schedules and time brackets.
  6. Review service tiers, metrics, and calculation basis.
  7. Review billing structure and prices.
  8. Verify provenance back to the tariff.
  9. Record findings and open questions.

The sections below expand each step in order.

1. Clone the Repository​

Clone the repository before starting review so you can inspect the current ontology, SHACL, examples, and supporting notes together.

From this document, the current ontology and SHACL files are at:

2. Confirm Scope Before Comparing Details​

Start with the basic question: Did the transform model the right tariff book artifact?

Check:

  • the correct utility and schedule name
  • the correct effective date or effective datetime
  • whether the source is a full rate plan, one tariff book sheet, or only part of a larger filing
  • whether the JSON-LD represents one version or several versions
  • whether optional riders, credits, and special conditions from the source are intentionally in or out of scope

Common mistakes:

  • a tariff book contains multiple rate plans but the JSON-LD silently mixes them
  • a filing effective date is captured, but the price values are copied from a different revision
  • only table data is modeled, while eligibility prose and footnotes are dropped

At this stage, also check:

  • urpx:targetURPXVersion (on the URPXPackage)
  • urpx:ratePlanUniqueIdentifier
  • urpx:initialEffectiveDate
  • urpx:effectiveDate or urpx:effectiveDateTime
  • urpx:changeReason
  • urpx:priceCurrency
  • urpx:forRatePlan on every RatePlanVersion: the version must point at the right plan identity
  • urpx:hasCoverageClaim on every version, and whether the claimed completenessResult and selfContained value are actually true of the file: a version claiming complete while a required component is missing is a review finding, and a version with an externally retrieved component states selfContained false
  • urpx:hasRateCase, if the tariff book references a rate case or docket

3. Run SHACL Validation​

Run SHACL first so structural and datatype issues do not distract from the tariff book review.

Step by Step​

  1. From the repository root, create or activate a Python environment.
  2. Install pyshacl.
  3. Run validation against the JSON-LD test case using the URPX ontology and SHACL files.

Example:

python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install pyshacl
python3 -m pyshacl \
  -df json-ld \
  -sf turtle \
  -ef turtle \
  -s shacl/urpx-shacl.ttl \
  -e ontology/urpx-ontology.ttl \
  -i rdfs \
  -f human \
  test-cases/pge-e-elec/data/urpx-rate-plan_pge_e-elec.jsonld

Interpretation:

  • exit code 0: conformant
  • exit code 1: non-conformant

Passing SHACL means the file is structurally acceptable. It does not prove that the tariff book was modeled completely or correctly.

4. Review Rule Logic Carefully​

This is the part most likely to pass a superficial review while still being wrong.

Eligibility​

If the tariff book says who may take service under the rate plan, review urpx:hasEligibilityRule first.

Check:

  • every material condition in the tariff book appears in the structured rule
  • AND and OR relationships match the tariff book exactly
  • the rule is in urpx:hasConditionExpression, not left only in free-text description
  • the operand type matches the concept being tested
  • custom fields are used only when no current ontology property fits

Examples of details to verify:

  • customer kind or subkind
  • DER requirements such as EV charging, storage, or heat pump participation
  • program enrollment requirements
  • prior rate plan or enrollment-history conditions

For the condition-expression model, see urpx-condition-modeling.md.

Applicability​

Applicability answers a different question: when does a price, price definition, or price set apply?

Check whether the tariff book condition belongs on:

  • urpx:ApplicabilityRule for temporal or logical conditions
  • urpx:ApplicabilityGroup for geography, customer kind, end use, voltage, and similar scope filters

Reviewers should confirm that applicability is attached at the right level:

  • on a PriceDefinition if the condition is part of the abstract price definition
  • on a Price if the condition is specific to that dated price instance
  • on a PriceSet if the condition governs a grouped set of prices

Common mistakes:

  • month-based credits modeled only in the price name instead of an applicability rule
  • geographic or service-voltage filters described in prose instead of structured applicability
  • eligibility that applies across the whole tariff book being attached to an individual price

Profile Alternatives and Customer Choice​

Use ProfileAlternatives when the tariff book offers mutually exclusive options that require an explicit customer or configuration choice.

Typical examples:

  • heating vs. non-heating
  • voltage configuration choices
  • end-use-based alternatives
  • alternate price sets for distinct customer configurations

Reviewers should verify:

  • urpx:hasProfileAlternatives is present in PlanElements when the tariff book truly has alternatives
  • ProfileAlternatives includes urpx:hasAlternativeDimensions
  • the alternative set has at least two urpx:hasProfileAlternative entries
  • each ProfileAlternative is clearly named and carries its required urpx:hasConditionExpression
  • PriceSetAlternatives points to the correct ProfileAlternatives via urpx:referencesProfileAlternatives
  • each PriceSetAlternative or alternative-specific PriceDefinition points to the correct ProfileAlternative via urpx:referencesProfileAlternative

Do not treat an explicit customer choice as if it were only generic applicability. If the tariff book presents alternative configurations that are mutually exclusive, the review should expect the alternatives pattern rather than a flat set of applicability rules.

5. Review TOU Schedules and Time Brackets​

Time-of-use modeling deserves its own pass. Small mistakes here can materially change the meaning of the tariff book.

Check:

  • the correct TOUSchedule exists for the measured quantity it governs
  • the schedule references the correct MetricInput
  • each tier preserves the utility label in urpx:tierSourceName
  • each tier uses the appropriate standard tier enum in urpx:touTierStandardName
  • each distinct TOU period has its own urpx:touPeriodNumber
  • each TOUPeriod contains the full set of TimeBracket entries needed for that period
  • prices and price definitions reference the intended TOU periods consistently

For each TimeBracket, confirm:

  • urpx:startTime
  • urpx:endTime
  • season linkage when the tariff book is seasonal
  • urpx:dayType
  • any holiday or calendar distinctions, if the tariff book uses them

Review questions:

  • Do the brackets cover the intended hours?
  • Are there overlaps within the same season and day type that the tariff book does not support?
  • Are there gaps where the tariff book implies continuous 24-hour coverage?
  • Are split periods modeled as multiple time brackets on the same TOU period when appropriate?
  • Are summer and winter periods separated when the tariff book defines them separately?

Particular red flags:

  • a TOU price exists, but no TOUSchedule or TOUPeriod is present
  • a TOU period is present, but its hours do not match the PDF
  • weekday/weekend distinctions are flattened into allDays
  • midnight wraparound is handled incorrectly

If the tariff book combines TOU with seasons, tiers, or both, check that those dimensions remain distinct in the model. A seasonal TOU price should not be reduced to only a seasonal label or only a time-of-day label.

6. Review Service Tiers, Metrics, and Calculation Basis​

Next, confirm that the JSON-LD captures what is being measured and how the tariff book calculates the price.

Check the MetricInput, MetricSpecification, ServiceTier, PriceDefinition, and Price structure together.

Review questions:

  • Is each price based on the correct measurement kind: energy usage, demand, meter count, household count, days, months, or another metric?
  • Are units of measure represented correctly?
  • Are per-day, per-meter, per-billing-cycle, and per-kWh distinctions preserved?
  • Are service tiers modeled where the tariff book has block or threshold pricing?
  • If the tariff book combines tiers and TOU, do the prices reference both the service tier and the TOU period appropriately?

Common mistakes:

  • per-meter or per-day fixed prices modeled as generic flat prices with no metric basis
  • tiered blocks collapsed into plain prices
  • TOU and tier logic combined informally in names instead of structured references
  • supply and delivery measurements mixed under one metric when the tariff book distinguishes them

7. Review Billing Structure and Prices​

After the structural review, do a line-by-line comparison of tariff book prices to URPX prices.

PriceDefinition vs Price​

In URPX, reviewers should expect:

  • PriceDefinition for stable price metadata
  • Price for dated numeric values

Check that:

  • the price name, urpx:chargeType, urpx:chargeCategory, and urpx:billPortion are modeled on the right object
  • PriceDefinition includes urpx:referencesLedger
  • numeric values are on Price
  • a price instance's dates belong on Price; a PriceDefinition carries only its own validity window

Completeness​

Every material price in the tariff book should land somewhere in URPX:

  • minimum or fixed customer prices
  • energy prices
  • demand prices
  • riders and adjustments
  • credits
  • taxes or regulatory prices if they are in scope for the test case

Ask both directions:

  • Forward check: did every tariff book price, rule, and schedule element end up in URPX?
  • Backward check: does every modeled URPX price trace back to the tariff book?

Numeric Fidelity​

For each price, verify:

  • exact source value
  • correct sign
  • correct currency
  • correct decimal precision
  • correct effective dates

Important checks:

  • credits should usually be negative in the price value
  • source values should not be silently rounded
  • derived totals should not replace atomic tariff book line items unless the test case explicitly intends that simplification

Unbundled and Grouped Structures​

If the tariff book separates supply, delivery, or other ledgers, the JSON-LD should preserve that structure.

Check:

  • the right ledgers exist
  • PriceDefinition objects point to the intended ledger
  • grouped prices in PriceSet reflect real tariff book grouping, not arbitrary bundling

8. Verify Provenance Back to the Tariff​

Every review should end with a provenance pass.

Check every DataSourceReference (attached via urpx:hasDataSourceReference or urpx:documentedBy) for:

  • correct local file or source URL
  • urpx:accessURL when applicable
  • urpx:mediaType
  • urpx:dataSourceType
  • urpx:dateRetrieved
  • urpx:sourcePublication: the SourcePublication node with the correct urpx:publicationType (tariff book vs. statement vs. supplement vs. market price feed) and its own effective date

For a tariff book or statement citation, the page and leaf locators sit directly on the DataSourceReference; verify:

  • urpx:pageStart
  • urpx:pageEnd
  • urpx:leafStart
  • urpx:leafEnd

Review expectation:

  • provenance should be precise enough that another reviewer can quickly locate the source passage or table
  • broad or generic page ranges should be narrowed where practical
  • important rules or unusual prices should have traceable source support

9. Record Findings and Open Questions​

Share review results in the place that best matches the state of the work:

  • if the PR is still open and you can make the fix, push changes to the PR branch
  • if the PR is still open and you are unsure how to resolve an issue, leave an inline review comment or a natural-language review note on the pull request
  • if the PR has already merged and you can make the fix, open a new PR with the proposed change
  • if the PR has already merged and you still have review comments or open questions, file a GitHub Issue

What to Flag in Review​

Flag the file if any of the following are true:

  • SHACL passes, but a tariff book section is still missing from the model
  • structured rules are replaced by prose only but could be modeled with URPX
  • profile alternatives are really customer choices, but the file models them as plain applicability
  • TOU brackets overlap, leave gaps, or use the wrong day-type or seasonal scope
  • prices are attached to the wrong abstraction layer
  • credits use the wrong sign
  • source values are rounded or normalized without justification
  • provenance is too weak to trace the source
  • the JSON-LD contains data that cannot be justified from the tariff book or documented review decisions

Suggested Review Record​

Capture findings in a short review note with:

  • file reviewed
  • source PDF reviewed
  • SHACL result
  • completeness findings
  • modeling findings
  • provenance findings
  • open questions
  • disposition: approved, needs revision, or blocked

Keep findings specific and tied to the file path, tariff book section, and URPX structure involved.