Q. How can I check if a customer has opened a link?
A. To check if a customer has opened a proposal, you can look for notifications in your system. When a customer views an online proposal, the assigned team member will receive a notification. You can also this in the Manage tab > Activity.
Q: what roof material is fiber cement from the drop-down menu
A: A fiber cement roof is a roofing material made from a combination of cement, cellulose fibers, and additives. It's a popular choice for both residential and commercial buildings.
Q: how long does an ACH take to hit our bank account
A: ACH payments usually take 3 business days to get approved. they are paid out 2 days after they get approved
Q: How can I add trenching to a project?
A: You can add trenching to a project by going to control > pricing and payment > Adders library and creating an adder for the trenching. After this is created, it can be added to the project from the pricing tab by selecting +adder/discount. You can find more information about creating your adders here: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4416757946393-Adders-Library
Q: Do I need to pay for the Lite version?
A: You do not have to pay for the lite version of OpenSolar. The entire OpenSolar application is completely free.
Q: What does In progress mean in the cashflow tab
A: The in-progress status appears in the cashflow tab when you are in the onboarding process and the requested files have been uploaded. The in-progress shows these documents are being reviewed.
Q: Can I limit the "designer" user rights so they can't not chose a different pricing schema than the standard one?
A: You can limit the designer's rights so they can't choose a different pricing scheme by creating a custom role for them. Custom roles can be created by going to control > Company > Custom Roles. From there, remove the pricing access on the design section.
Q: how do you change the color of walls
A: At this time the color of the walls can not be changed when creating a manual 3D design
Q: When you send the proposal online how do you add another email address in
A: To add another email address to receive the proposal please go to the info tab of the project and in the customer section select "Add another". This will allow you to enter the information for a second customer.
Q: hi there, how can i change the tiles or add tiles to a roof when I'm using the manual design tool
A: When designing in manual 3D, you can click the view at the bottom of the screen and select "more". From there, select the alternative texture button which will give you a shingle effect for the roof. At this moment, this is the only option and color for the roof.
Q: is there a way to access old signed contracts?
A: You can access old singed contracts by going to the project this was signed in. From there go to the info tab and under the document section there should be the original contract and proposal that was signed by the customer.
Q: archive tariff
A: At this time tariffs can not be archived but you can delete a manually created tariff by going to control > other > utility tariff. From there, select the trash icon to delete the tariff created.
Q: how much does Nearmap pay per project cost in the US?
A: At the moment, Nearmap pay per project has the following cost:
AU - $5.45 plus $0.55 GST
UK - £3.99 plus tax
US - $4.50 plus tax
Q: How do I stop setbacks from automatically being added when building a 3d design?
A: To stop setbacks from automatically being applied to projects you can go to control > design and hardware > setbacks and design settings. From there, edit the default template and toggle off the "auto-apply".
Q: Can we add a customer-facing OpenSolar design on our website?
A: At the moment, the OpenSolar design can not be added to a different website.
Q: soiling
A: Soiling can be added by going to control > design and hardware > setbacks and design settings. From there, edit your template and expand the simulation settings. Under the SAM losses, there will be a field to add soiling information.
Q: manual item should not have the 30% tax credit applied to it
A: To stop a manual item or adder from being counted towards the 30% tax credit, please go to the pricing tab within the design. From there, enter the amount that should not be counted in the "non-solar amount included" field.
Q: How to check the user role?
A: You can check a user role by going to control > company > team. From there edit the team member and under the "role" drop down you should be able to see the role they have assigned.
Q: Are you familiar with Zapier?
A: OpenSolar does not currently have an integration with Zapier but we have an open API you can use to make these types of connections. To obtain an API you will need to hire an external software development company. You can find all the information on this URL https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407230526745-Using-the-OpenSolar-API and your developers can use this link https://developers.opensolar.com/#introduction to access
Q: What is costing schemes
A: A costing scheme is a template that details all the costs your company inquires from each of the jobs completed. In this template, you can add costs like labor, and acquisition among others. This can be set up within the control > Pricing and payment > costing scheme. You can find more information about this here: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407182185625-How-to-set-up-your-Cost-Schemes
Q: can I replace all panels with one click
A: You can replace all panels with one click by going to the module tab within the design and clicking on the selected panel. This will open up the module pop-out which will allow you to select a new module and this changes all the panels in the design that are laid out to the new selection.
Q: how to connect with Pabbly?
A: OpenSolar does not currently have an integration with Pabbly but we have an open API you can use to make these types of connections. To obtain an API you will need to hire an external software development company. You can find all the information on this URL https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407230526745-Using-the-OpenSolar-API and your developers can use this link https://developers.opensolar.com/#introduction to access
Q: how do i access the control zone
A: You can access the control zone by clicking on the word "control" in the top left corner.
Q: Unspecified 504
A: This error shows when there is too much information for the project to complete the calculations successfully. This could be due to a very big system or too many system options. If you have a big system, please take a look at this article with tips on how to help it run smoother: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4689753994255-Designing-Commercial-Systems-on-OpenSolar. If you have more than 4 system options please delete a few options to allow the system to finish calculations.
Q: How can I tell Opensolar that the system I am designing is nem 2 or nem 1?
A: You can tell if your project is on NEM3, NEM2, or NEM1 by going to the energy tab within a project. From there, scroll down to the tariff section and take a look at the name of the tariff. All tariffs in NEM3 will say NEM3, all the tariffs on NEM2 will say NEM2 on the tile, and all others on NEM1 will not say any information.
Q: do roi numbers take into account the federal tax credit
A: The number taken into account for the ROI and payback time is the net system cost which is deducting the ITC or federal tax credit which means this is taken into account for the ROI.
Q: Import 3rd party energy production
A: You can import 3rd party energy production by going to the design > summary > advance settings and within the calculator select "import 3rd party"
Q: What simulation engine is used by OpenSolar?
A: Currently, OpenSolar design uses, MCS, SAM, and PVWatts as their engine calculator to simulate the production information. MCS is only available in the UK while SAM and PVWatts are available everywhere. You can find out more about the calculators here: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4410730225177-How-is-Output-Calculated-in-OpenSolar
Q: can I use a private account in OpenSolar so the team does not see the OpenSolar brand?
A: At the moment OpenSolar does not provide accounts completely free of the OpenSolar branding.
Q: is there any option for team members to log in with a different login form?
A: At the moment there is no option for team members to log in with different login forms. Each team member should have one login to be used at all times. This should be set up within the control > company > team. Each team member should be given a role that will determine their level of access to the application
Q: how to change icon colors
A: The icon colors of the design can not be changed. The only color that can be currently changed in the software is the color that is shown in the proposal. This can be changed within the control > company > business information using the field "color highlight".
Q: operation and maintenance costing
A: Operation and maintenance costs can be added within the adders library located in the control > Pricing and payment > adders library. You can find more information about adding your adders here: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4416757946393-Adders-Library
Q: how do you set up SEG export tariffs
A: You can set up your export tariff by going to control > other > utility rates and selecting the + add utility tariff option. You can use the following article to guide you https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/360023048872-How-to-Create-Custom-Electricity-Tariffs. Please note that we advise for everyone to send the rate information to our team instead of manually creating these since they are such key items for correct saving information on the projects.
Q: Is there a letter of consent form in OpenSolar?
A: OpenSolar does not a a letter of consent as a template available but you can upload one to use for your organization within the control > other > document template. You can find more information about this here: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407444701977-How-to-Create-Document-Templates-in-OpenSolar
Q: How can I add custom products to a proposal?
A: You can add your custom product by entering the specification of the component manually. Or, you can also send us a copy of the spec sheet and we can upload it for you in our database. You can the following articles below:
Q: How can I get rid of the "review and sign contract" step when I click on authorization agreement?
A: Unfortunately, there is no option to remove this step. The purpose of this is for the customer to see the full details of the project and the contract first before accepting it.
Q: How to have a setting that there will be an email notification sent to the "quote provider" once a customer views the proposal?
A: If the quote provider is the assigned team member in the project, this member will receives a notifications regarding the activities of the project including when the customer views the proposal.
Q: Can I set up an automatic reminder for the customers that have not opened the proposal?
A: Unfortunately, this is not possible in OpenSolar. We will send this to our team for enhancement purposes.
Q: I want to edit the quotation number?
A: Unfortunately, there is no option to change the project ID no. It is being automatically generated by the system.
Q: Can multiple people work on a single project?
A: Yes, as long as the team member as the access on the specific project. You can customize the roles and permissions of the team members in this help center article. https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4416624009497--Custom-Roles-and-Permissions.
Q: How do I calculate battery savings with existing solar?
A: To calculate battery savings with an existing solar system, you would have to set up the original system as normal and then, under the advanced settings of the existing system, duplicate the original system, and add the battery as required, including any additional inverter. Hide the original system, and then the online proposal shows the benefits of the battery. You can also refer to this article for more information: Designing on an Existing System (Retrofits).
Q: What is a node?
A: A solar node is a self-powered device that uses solar energy to connect to a network and collect data. Solar nodes can be used for a variety of purposes, including monitoring solar radiation and collecting data from transducers.
How does a solar node work?
- A solar panel connects to an access point (AP)
- A charging controller stores the electrical energy from the solar panel into a battery
- The node consumes energy from the battery to supply energy continuously
Q: how to remove the open solar brand name under the offer
A: At this moment the OpenSolar branding can not be removed from any of the offers
Q: Once interval data is uploaded, is it possible to add more usage for future use, for example adding an air conditioner in the future
A: If you want to add extra usage on top of the interval data, this must be added to the file you are loading prior to loading the file. Once the file is loaded, unfortunately there is no other place to add the extra usage in.
Q: Does it cost me more to create additional projects?
A: No, you can create as many projects as you like in OpenSolar.
Q: Where can I change the text in the proposal disclaimer?
A: Unfortunately, there is no option to edit the text in the proposal disclaimer.
Q: What is margin in the context of OpenSolar?
A: The margin in the context of OpenSolar is how much profit you are going to make from a project. You can see it in under the Pricing tab section in the Design Studio.
Q: How do I use mounting systems that are not listed?
A: To use the mounting system, it would be advisable to send us a spec sheet of all the components if the mounting system is not currently on OpenSolar. This is normally a very large document with all the information so that we can get the products uploaded to OpenSolar. This will not be easy for you to select all the components, but it will give you all the product codes for the bill of materials. If you have contact with the manufacturer and want to pass that over to us, we can reach out to the manufacturer and see if they want to join us as an exhibitor with the auto builder, but that will take some time.
Q: Can I drop a pin for an address instead of putting a coordinate?
A: Unfortunately, dropping a pin for an address is not yet possible in OpenSolar.
Q: Where do I find the setting to include strings on the proposal content?
A: Unfortunately, there is no direct way how you can add the string layout to your proposal. You can follow the steps below to add the string layout to your proposal.
- Go to Info > Project Files
- Generate a "Site Plan". Here's an article on how to generate a document.
- Click on the pencil icon to edit the file
- Tag the document as "Sales Proposal - Extra file".
Once uploaded, the file will appear as a URL in the online proposal and as an attachment to the PDF proposal. Please note that you will need to do this manually for each project that you want the string layout to show.
Q: Position obstruction set distance from roof edge
A: When adding an obstruction to the roof, you will need to manually place the point where the obstruction will be located. With the obstruction selected, you can right-click on the point to change the shape of your obstruction. You can use the menu on the left-hand side to change the length, Width, and Height of the obstruction.
Q: I’m trying to upload a utility bill but I'm getting a communication service error.
A: Normally, the file size causes the Server Communication Error when uploading a utility bill. We suggest uploading a file that is less than 1 MB.
Q: In California the power push feature we mentioned during the high export times are critical to show our customers the specific savings. Let us know if there is a way for the modeling software to show this feature even if it's specifically for the major California utilities market.
A: The value of selling energy back to the grid is still calculated using the Avoided Cost Calculator (ACC) in which feed-in-tariffs are modeled in different hourly prices per month, and per weekday vs weekend corresponding 576 generation export rates and 576 non-generation export credits for each year (12 months x 24 hours = 288 different export rates for weekday and another 288 export rates for weekend).
When you create a project and proceed to Energy > Proposed Tariff, as long as the proposed tariff is set to any NEM3 rate, you would notice that there is a portion of the tariff tabulating export rates (combination of generation and non-generation) that averages the 576 point export credits. That being said, these are also well-taken into consideration as we calculate the bill savings in the Online Proposal section.
Q: How do you create a 400mm boundary around the panel layout in the design?
A: Unfortunately, it is not possible to add a 400mm boundary around the panel layout. The texture of the panels is based on how the panels look in real life. Hence, if a particular panel appears black, it means that the panel is an all-black/triple-black model.
Q: Why isn’t there a price against inverter and batteries in COGS?
A: To show the pricing for inverters and batteries in COGS, you will need to input the price in the “Detailed Pricing” for each component. Here’s a helpful article that provides the step-by-step process for setting up Detailed Pricing for Components.
Q: How do I add optional extra to the proposal?
A: Unfortunately, adding optional extra is not possible in OpenSolar.
Q: Change the name of standard system price in contract?
A: To change the name of Standard System Price, you will need to customize your quotation table and this needs to be done on each payment option that you have. You can also check this article: Customise Quotation Table.
You can also follow the instructions below:
- Go to Control > Pricing & Payments > Payment Options
- Locate the payment option that you want the changes to be applied > Click the pencil icon to edit
- Scroll down and enable Custom Quotation Table
- Locate Standard System Price > Click CUSTOMISE
- You can input the name replacement under label.
Q: Set preferred solar panel for design.
A: You can follow these steps to set your preferred solar panel:
- Go to Control
- Click the Design & Hardware drop-down which will show the settings there
- Go to Modules
- If your preferred module is not in the active list yet, you can click the + Add From Database to search and add the module
- Once added to the active list, toggle on the Default Module button at bottom of the specification to set it as the default panel for your projects
Q: How do I straighten up the modules?
A: You can use the rotate button to straighten up the modules when it appears after adding the modules to the design.
Q: How can I get emails to let me know when a proposal has been opened?
A: To receive an email notification when a customer opens a proposal:
- Ensure you are the assigned team member for the project
- Go to the Manage tab to make sure that you are the assigned team member.
Q: Why does my panel have a yellow box around when designing?
A: The yellow box around the panel when designing is used to identify the separation between panels.
Q: Is it possible to upload a custom proposal template?
A: Uploading your custom proposal template is not possible in OpenSolar. However, you will be able to create/customize your proposal in OpenSolar. Here's an article that will walk you through how to Customize your Proposal Template.
Q: Under Net Financial Impact, Detailed Financials - how is Net Present value calculated?
A: This is calculated by dividing the years n total cash flow by (1+ discount rate)^n or using the following formula: "The Net Present Value (NPV) is the sum of the total cash flows for each year, discounted to their present value using a specified discount rate. Each year’s cash flow is divided by (1 plus the discount rate) raised to the power of the corresponding year."
Q: How can I check if a customer has opened a link?
A: You can check if the customer opened the link in the "Manage Tab" > Activities. If you're the assigned team member, you will also receive an email notification when the customer views the proposal link.
Q: How can I remove the pricing schemes?
A: You can remove the pricing scheme in 2 ways.
- To remove or change a pricing scheme in your project:
-
- Go to Design > Pricing.
- Find "Pricing Schemes".
- Click the arrow-down button to update or remove the pricing scheme.
- To remove a pricing scheme at the account level:
-
- Go to Control > Pricing & Payments.
- Click Price Scheme and locate the pricing scheme that you want to remove or edit.
- Click the trash bin icon to delete it.
Note: If a pricing scheme is applied to any project, it cannot be deleted. Instead, you can archive it by clicking the pencil icon and enabling Archive, ensuring it won't be used moving forward.
Q: How do I change the title for quote acceptance.
A: You can follow these steps in change title button for accepting proposal.
- Go to Control
- Go to Purchase Experience
- Go to Checkout Experience
- Accept Proposal Button
Q: Is it possible to upload a price catalog via a file?
A: You can upload a price catalog as an extra file by following these steps.
- Go to the info tab of the project and locate the project files section
- Select the upload file button
- Add the file you want to attach to the pop-out window
- Add the tags "sales proposal - extra file"
- Click the save button
These steps, as well as images of the process, can be found here: Attach PDF Documents to the Sales Proposal
Q: how to I add bonus depreciation for a non profit?
A: You can add bonus depreciation by going to the control > other > incentives. From there, you can create a new incentive or duplicate the current base depreciation you have. Simply change the setting to match the percentage the bonus depreciation.
Q: how to make a template in Catalan
A: To make a template in any other language like Catalan, you can go to control > purchase experience > proposal template. From there, you can click on + proposal template which will allow you to create a new template. Once you have the template created, you want to expand the sections of the proposal and start translating each of the sections to the needed language.
Q: What does the dealer fee adjustment do
A: the dealer fee adjustment adds to the total price of the system. This is normally a fee some finance companies change on top of their interest rates.
Q: What if Google and Nearmap imagery are not recent enough for my new build site?
A: If Google or Nearmap are not recent enough for your builds you can use our manual mode to model the home. You can take a look at the following article with steps to achieve this:
https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4406938894617-Creating-a-3D-Design-in-Manual-mode
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