Q. Can I change the supplier?
A. You can go to the shop and on the dropdown menu you can swap from city and Segen.
Q. How can I change the name of the sales agent?
A. You can go to Control > Company> Teams. From there edit the team member and use the name field to update their name.
Q. show dealer fees on contract
A. Currently, our HTML contracts do not have all the placeholders we have available and unfortunately, the dealer fee placeholder is one that is not available. My advise would be to convert your file to a PDF and load the contract as a PDF. This will give you way more options and one of them will be the "dealer fee percentage".
Q. Is it possible to delete multiple projects at once in OpenSolar?
A. Unfortunately, there is no "select all" button to delete multiple projects at once. You will need to go through each project individually to delete them.
To delete a project, follow these steps:
Click on the info tab of the project / Click the Project
Scroll to the bottom of the page. / click the 3 dots in the right part of the screen
Click the delete project button.
Q. How I can get proposal pdf on API?
A. OpenSolar users can access the OpenSolar public API document that allows you to build integration. Please note that you will need to get a developer to review the API document and action on the integration.
Q. How to rename a project?
A. You may go to the Manage > edit address information and the first line of the address add in the additional words.
Q. How can I resize a panel?
A. Unfortunately, it's not possible to resize the panels in OpenSolar, and the same goes for the Map feature.
Q. how to change username?
A. You can change your email by following this:
Go to the top right hand corner
You will see a Gear button, press that
Go to Settings
Press Change Email
Enter the new email to which you would like to change to
Enter your new password and follow the prompts
Q. How can I change the calculators in OpenSolar?
A. You can change the "Energy Production Calculator" by going to Design > Summary > Scroll down and locate "Energy Production Calculator" > Change it to the calculator that you want to use.
Q. Can i set a favorite tariff automatically?
A. You may we can set the tariff as default by changing the popularity to 100. You can go to Energy > Scroll down and search for the tariff that you wanted to use as a default > Go to Applicability and change the popularity to 100.
Q. How can I measure distance in 3D mode?
A. From the design tab, you can expand the Advanced settings located in the upper right corner. From there, select the roof tool
Q. How do i export a CSV File of all designing projects.
A. Go to the projects tab, scroll down to the bottom of your list and hit the Download button. We highly suggest on using filters to narrow down the result to around 50.
Q. How can I resolve the "Calculation error" related to the duplicate entry for the key 'osapi_system.uuid'?
A. This issue was caused by an adder without any label. This error might also happens when you have multiple designs opened at the same time prevent this issue in the future, we recommend avoiding having multiple designs open at the same time.
Q. How to I see jobs that have been docusigned?
A. You can locate the signed contract in the Project Info tab > Project Files.
Q. What could be causing the "Could not solve for normalized coefficients" error in the System Advisor Model when I have 24 panels and a battery?
A. The reason why you are receiving this error message is that the production calculator was set to SAM when there was no 3D data available. You can change the "Energy Production Calculator" by going to Design > Summary > Scroll down and locate "Energy Production Calculator" > Change it to PVWatts v6 > Recalculate > Then hit "Save" once done.
Q. How can I change all existing proposals to be managed by one person?
A. You can change the assigned team member by going to Project zone > Manage tab of the app.
Q: Which tariff should I select for a no-export system?
A: The tariff being selected depends on the location of the system you are building. If you do no want the system to export any energy to the grid you can go to the design > summary tab > advance settings and set the export limit field to 0.
Q: Can OpenSolar automatically create a design for me?
A: Unfortunately, OpenSolar cannot create a design automatically. You will need to manually do it in the design section.
Q: How can change the currency for just one project?
A: To change the currency of the project, you can go to the Project > Info > Address > Change the country for the system to set the correct currency.
Q: Do you support batteries with inverters?
A: For any battery that has an inverter integrated, the battery and inverter need to be selected individually since the system does not have the functionality to consider the battery and the inverter.
Q: How is the system size calculated?
The system size for the project is calculated by multiplying the module's watts times the amount of panels. For example, if you have 8 panels and the panels are rated at 395W then the system size would be 8 X 395.
Q: How is the annual output calculated:
A: The normal calculation is approximately ((System Size x Approx. Daily Generation Hours)x(365 Days)=Annual Generation)). When an inverter is added, the calculations are ((Inverter Size x Approx. Daily Generation Hours)x(365 Days)=Annual Generation))
Q: How can I do a design with PDF drawings?
A: Unfortunately at the moment it is not possible to do a design in PDF drawing. You will have to convert these to images to load into OpenSolar. Once you. have the images, you can use the following article to assist you in creating a manual 3D design: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408777098649--Designing-on-an-Uploaded-Custom-Image
Q: Is it possible to have the production of one group of panels alone?
A: Unfortunately at the moment it is not possible to only obtain the information for one group of panels. The other panel arrays would have to be removed for this to happen.
Q: How do you add payment details for a project?
A: To add payment details, you can go to Control > Purchase Experience > Checkout Experience > Enable Accept Offline > Provide your bank information in Offline Payment Details. Once added, this will be applied to a project.
Q: How do I change the currency of my proposal?
A: To change the currency of your org, you can go to Control > Company > Business Information > Choose the country depending on your preferred currency > Save.
Q: Can I add a quick design on my website?
A: Unfortunately this is not currently possible. The only option we have right now for website is a lead caption form. You can find all the information here.
Q: How do I add notes to a quote/proposal?
A: Please go to control > purchase experience > proposal template and edit your template. From here, you can expand the proposal content section and pick a section where you want the note to appear. Once you have the section, add the "site notes" placeholder. Once this is added save the template. From now on, you can go into the info section of the project and under site details use the site notes field to add notes you want to show on the proposal. You can find more information about editing your proposal template here.
Q: Does the proposal link expire?
A: Assuming you've sent out the proposal, the link would only expire with the following scenarios:
Making modifications to contact details (Adding, removing or changing the details would trigger the sent link to be invalid)
Disabling the shareable link and enabling it again (The old link would expire whenever you toggle it off and on again)
Q: Is it possible for the stage of the project to automatically move to selling once the customer accepts? Can the stages move automatically?
A: Unfortunately right now the stages need to be manually changed.
Q: How do I configure the Tesla to be used as a battery and inverter?
A: For this, you want to go into the battery tab and add "Tesla Powerwall 3 [BAT]" as the battery. From there go into the inverter tab and add "1707000-xx-y" as the inverter.
Q: Why am I not getting a notification when a customer views the proposal?
A: You will need to check if you are the assigned team member in the project. OpenSolar only notifies the assigned team member of any activities in the project.
Q: The battery doesn't show on the online proposal.
A: Please go to control > checkout experience > proposal template end edit the template. From there, expand the proposal settings section and ensure the show product styles field has battery selected
Q: When a user is deleted what will happen to their Projects?
A: In the Info Tab the assigned Team Member will be blank. Meaning the Project is not transferred to anyone. You will need to manually assign all the Projects to the Team Member who will be handling/managing the Project.
Q: curved roof.
A: Unfortunately at the moment we do not have a curved roof option.
Q: How to download customer information, email address, name, or project information?
A: Currently, the only option for downloading customer information or project information are the following:
Going to the project zone, scrolling all the way to the end and selecting the download button. If you have more than 50 records we recommend using the filter functionality to narrow down your result to 50 or less than 50. You can use the filters created on/after alongside created on/before to narrow down your results. If you try to download too many records this download will either fail or cut information to be able to download.
Use an API integration to pull this information. To obtain an API connection you will need to white and 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 to access: https://developers.opensolar.com/#introduction
Q: What is the self-consumption override?
A: Depending on the selected tariff and the output of the system the software will determine what percentage of the output is consumed by the customer and what percentage is sent to the grid. If for any reason you want to change the percentage that is self consumed, you can use the self consumption override to do so.
Q: How to assign a proposal to a team member?
A: To achieve this go to the manage tab for the project. From there use the field "assigned team member" to state who the assigned team member should be.
Q: How to add the occupancy type
A: To do so please follow these steps:
Go to the energy tab of the project
Select advance settings
Use the weekend and weekday sections to select the correct type of usage for your customer
Q: Carports:
A: Unfortunately at the moment OpenSolar does not have the carport functionality. That being said, you can take advantage of our advanced roof option to design a manual shed or A-frame roof which will allow you to place the panels on top. The roof structure would resemble that of a home but the shape would be that of a carport.
Q: Can I copy projects from one organization to another?
A: Unfortunately at the moment it is not possible to copy projects from one organization to the other. The best way to achieve this is to connect the two organizations through the teams functionality and share the projects from one to the other. You can find more information on the teams functionality here: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/7870010494095-Teams-on-OpenSolar
Q: Can I add a .PAN file to update a component?
A: Unfortunately at the moment it is not possible to add a .PAN file to update a component. You can send us the spec sheet and our data team can update it for you. You can find more information on how you can manage/update components here:
How to Add/Update and manage Modules
Q: How to change CO2 settings in OpenSolar?
A: Currently, we do not have a manual customization option for our Pros to alter the Environmental offset in their projects.
Q: What happens to the projects of a deleted user?
A: The projects of the deleted user will be unassigned to them. In case you re-add the deleted user to your account, you will also need to re-assign them to the Projects.
Q: How can I set up notifications to be sent to more than one email address in OpenSolar?
A: Unfortunately, this is not yet possible. Email notification is only being sent to the assigned team member of the project.
Q: I want to delete or deactivate a salesman or a team member. Will I lose any data on my customers?
A: No, you will not lose any data of your customers but you need to re-assign a new team member. To do this, go to the Manage tab > Assignment.
Q: My project won't load up correctly and allow design in 3DE mode.
A: The 3D availability of OpenSolar is highly dependent on Google Maps 3D availability. Some locations do not have 3D imagery. In this case, you can always design a project using custom or uploaded images and create a manual 3D. Please visit these help center articles for your reference.
Designing on an uploaded/custom image
Q: How can I search for search for adders in the design view/pricing tab?
A: To search for your adders that has been created in your control zone, you can go to Pricing Section > Adders & Discounts > Search from Adders Library > Or you can also create an Adder manually.
Q: Why are the modules showing beneath the roof?
A: To move the panels upward or downwards, you can click your arrays and click and drag the arrows up and down icon.
Q: Is it possible to run OpenSolar software without internet access?
A: Unfortunately, you will need internet access to access OpenSolar.
Q: How to change the roof color?
A: Unfortunately, there is no option to change the roof color only the roof type.
Q: Where can I add an array mounting certificate?
A: If you want this document for a specific project, you can go to the Project > Info > File > Choose "Sales Proposal - Extra File" in the File tags > Upload the Certificate > Save > Generate new Sales proposal.
Q: How can I generate a proposal in Word?
A: Unfortunately, PDF is the only format available in OpenSolar in generating proposals and other documents. You can search for a converter in Google to change it from PDF to Word manually.
Q: Archive projects
A: Unfortunately, currently, there is no option in OpenSolar to archive a project. However, what we can suggest is to set the priority of a project to low. This will remove it from the default search results, but you can still view it by selecting "Low Priority" in the search filter.
Q: Can I import an image from Google manually?
A: Of course! You can use our manual mode to add any image you may have saved on your computer. You can follow this help center article to assist you:
Creating a 3D Design in Manual mode
Manual-3D on imported Sight Plan
Q: How can I add images of the solar panels to the proposal?
A: Unfortunately at the moment, only our exhibited partners have the right to display the image of the panels next to the panel information within the proposal. That being said, you can add images as well as the specification to show at the end of your PDF proposal or as a hyperlink within the online proposal. To achieve this,
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 - equipment documentation" and "sales proposal - extra file".
Click the save button.
These steps as well as images of the process can be found here:
Q: How can I change the quotation date in OpenSolar?
A: You can modify the validity date by going to the Project > Online Proposal > click the Customise Proposal button on the left side of the page > change the Validity Date > Save.
You may also check this help center article on Handling Expired Proposals for more information on this.
Q: I am having an error message server communication error when going to the online proposal.
A: This normally happens if you have more than 5 system options in a project. We highly suggest to limit your system options from 3 to 5 to avoid this error.
Q: Why us the Nearmap image only showing as blank?
A: Multiple factors are causing this issue aside from intermittent connection. This could be because your Nearmap is not yet integrated with your OpenSolar account or your Nearmao subscription is already expired.
Q: Can I turn off email notifications?
A: Yes, you can turn off the email notifications. Currently, you can turn off the email notifications at the project level, back in the Manage section. However, this would also disable all email notifications (including customer interactions). To do this, go to the Project > Manage > toggle off the 'Allow Email Notifications for this Project' button.
Q: How to change the color of the panel
A: Please reach out to our support team so this can be changed in the system.
Q: Can I export a list of projects?
A: Yes, you can export your projects by following these steps:
Go to the project zone
Scroll to the end of the page
Use the download button
Note: If there are more than 50 records the download might fail or information will be removed to allow the download to happen. We recommend only downloading 50 records at a time for all the information to be present. Please use the filter feature at the top of the projects zone to narrow down your results.
Q: How to change the usage profile
A: This can be done by:
going to the energy tab
select the advanced settings
toggle on the configure usage profile curves.
This will allow you to select the user profile that is in line with the customer use. You can use this article to further assist you: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4406902698521-How-to-Customize-Electricity-Usage
Q: Can I export the Daily energy flow?
A: Unfortunately at this moment this can not be exported.
Q: Can I model plot velus windows?
A: Unfortunately at the moment we do not offer this option.
Q: How to add a roof window?
A: This can be done by following these steps:
Go to the design
Select the manual mode
Select obstruction from the advanced settings
Set the obstruction in the location of the window
Right-click on the obstruction to change the shape of the obstruction and use the arrows on the side to expand it to the correct size.
Q: I can't find the SLD/unavailable SLD tab
A: SLDs are only available to users in Australia, the UK, and Germany at the moment. You can refer to this article for more information: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/5779676510607-Single-Line-Diagrams-SLDs-on-OpenSolar
Q: How can I see grid export data?
A: Gird export data is only available when the selected tariff has net billing as the compensation mechanism. Within the online proposal, you can expand the "detail savings table" hyperlink to display the export credits:
Q: VAT override
A: You can override the VAT by going to the design and selecting the pricing tab. From there scroll to the end and use the VAT override fields to achieve this.
Q: How to add two signers?
A: To add two signers you will need to have the DocuSign integration enabled. For this, want to go into control > purchase experience > contract template. From there, edit your template and at the top in the in integration field select "DocuSign". Once this is selected, you can use the DocuSign section on the placeholders menu:
add the first customer's signature and the second customer's signature to the area where you want these signatures to appear. Once this setup is completed and the changes saved, you can add both customers to the info section of your project and send them the proposal. They will each receive a copy to their own emails and they can sign individually.
Q: Can you add your favorite products to your design?
A: You can add your favorite products by going to control > design and hardware > and clicking on the module, inverter, battery or other component window. Once you select each, the favorite window will appear. From here you can use the + component at the top right corner to add more favorites or you can delete them using the trash button. Note: If the item has been added to a project it will not allow you to delete it. When this happens you can go into the edit icon and the edit window will have an archive button to use.
Q: Can the values from the Daily Energy flow be exported?
A: Unfortunately the information on the graphs can not exported.
Q: How to make changes to a project after it has been signed
A: To achieve this you will have to unsell the proposal. This can be done by following these steps:
Go to the project zone and select the project
Select the Info tab and scroll down to the Transaction section. From here select the edit button
Select the "Delete Transaction" option
From the info tab again, expand the Sale section and delete all the sale information
Save all the done changes.
Once you have done this, you can make changes to the proposal and then resend the proposal for your customer to sign. The customer will have the "accept proposal" enabled now and they'll be able to sign once again.
Q: Can I change multiple projects from design to sold at once?
A: Unfortunately, you cannot mark as sold multiple projects all at once. They will be marked as sold individually when the stage has been moved to 'selling'.
Q: Unable to find datasheet link
A: Unfortunately, additional marketing content is exclusive to OpenSolar partners only. It is possible that the component that you are using is not an OpenSolar Partner. Therefore, we can’t attach the spec sheet, logo etc.
Q: What file formats are compatible with OpenSolar for roof plans?
A: Please ensure your plans are images JPEG or PNG (not PDF), and the file size must be less than 400kb.
Q: How many modules can I select when adding from the database in OpenSolar?
A: You can only use one Module Manufacturer when designing a Project.
Q: Remove or add optimizers?
A: Unfortunately, we don't have a feature that allows you to manually apply the quantity that you want to individual panels. OpenSolar automatically just apply one to every single panel. We do have a workaround solution to apply the correct quantity; there is a drawback involved with that workaround, though. You can go to Control > Design & Hardware > Other Components, edit that optimizer, customize the specification, change it from a DC optimizer to a general component, and save
On the Project, go to Design > Other > add other and you can edit how many optimizers you can have for the project. Please refer to the screenshot below.
Q: Can not find the SLD tab.
A: The SLD tab is not available in all regions at the moment. You can still access it by:
Goin to the design tab
Locate your URL and change the last word "design" for "SLD"
This will make the SLD window appear and you can use one of our templates to create your SLD. You can find more information about SLD here
Q: Snow losses
A: You can account for snow losses by:
Going to control
Expand design and hardware
Select setbacks and design settings.
You can edit an existing template or create a new one
Expand the simulations settings section
Add the Snow losses in the soiling field.
Q: Can different types of solar panels be used together in a single design?
A: Unfortunately, OpenSolar does not support different manufacturing brands for panels on one system option.
Q: How to disable Payment Milestone?
A: To disable the payment milestone.
Go to Control > Pricing & Payments > Search for the payment option
Go to the payment milestone section > Re-enable it again
Within the section, find the toggle with the label "Show Milestone table with Quotation table" - highlighted in red in the screenshot
Disable that toggle instead > Return to the proposal and recalculate
Q: Can I upload multiple video links in the proposal template?
A: Unfortunately, currently, you cannot upload multiple video links in the proposal template.
Q: Some quotes are not being shared with the team.
A: Depending on the role each team member has on the organization they might have access to seeing all quotes or only those assigned to them. Please go to control > company > team and check the role the team member has. If it is anything other than admin, then this will most likely be the case. Please go to control > company > custom role and create a role that has the option " Grant Access to projects from these users" enabled.
Q: Where can I view the invitation email after I send it?
A: This can be seen in the manage tab under the project history. It will show the message that was sent to the customer but the entire email as the customer receives it can not be seen.
Q: what is the self-consumption override?
A: The self-consumption override allows you to change the amount of energy the customer consumes before sending to the grid.
Q: Can I make a system that feeds 100% to the grid?
A: This can be done by creating your system and going to the summary tab. From there select "advance settings" and use the self-consumption override field to achieve the amount you want the customer to consume. If you want all of it to be sent to grid just set the self-consumption to 0.
Q: We are designing in a farm that will be feeding back 100% of the power to the grid. how do I accomplish this?
A: This can be done by creating your design and expanding the summary tab. From there expand the advance settings and set the export limit to 100 or the self-consumption to 0.
Q: Does exported energy have any increase on it.
A: By default our system does come with a utility escalator but this must be modified in control > design and hardware > setback and design settings > simulation setting. From there edit the utility inflation annual field to ensure the correct escalator is used for your organization.
Q: How are the environmental benefits calculated?
A: Trees planted - This figure is calculated by the equivalent average amount of CO2 displaced by trees (default value = 0.00998 trees per kg of CO2 avoided by installing a PV system). We have it sourced from: Forestry.gov.uk
Car km avoided - The number of car km avoided due to the equivalent average amount of CO2 produced by a vehicle that has been displaced by installing a PV system.
OpenSolar currently uses a default value of 2.5 miles per kg of CO2 displaced. (Sourced from: US EPA 2018)
CO2 saved each year - Values used by Opensolar to calculate this metric are based on the following sources:
Australia - National Greenhouse Accounts Factors.
New Zealand - provided by solarZero.
Carbon Footprint (United States, Canada and all other countries documented here).
Ecometrica (All other countries not already provided in the above sources).
Q: Can I use two different panels on the same design?
A: Unfortunately this is not possible to do at the moment.
Q: Why is the ITC amount wrong
A: The ITC amount is not automatically updated. This must be manually done by going to control > other > incentive and editing the incentive. From there edit the ITC incentive and edit the percentage value.
Q: How can a customer resign an accepted proposal?
A: To unsell the proposal please follow the following steps
1. Go to the project zone and select the project
2. Select the Info tab and scroll down to the Transaction section. From here select the edit button
3. Select the "Delete Transaction" option
4. From the info tab again, expand the Sale section and delete all the sale information
5. Save all the done changes.
Once you have done this, you can make changes to the proposal and then resend the proposal for your customer to sign. The customer will have the "accept proposal" enabled now and they'll be able to sign once again.
Q: how do I delete solar panels in multiple numbers at a time
A: To do this, select the array by left-clicking on it. Once selected left-click on top of one and with the left click hold, move the mouse over the other panels and this will delete it.
Q: who can edit cost schemes
A: To edit a custom scheme, please go to control > pricing and payment > cost scheme. From there you can edit or create a new template. You can also visit our help center article for more information on cost schemes: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407182185625-How-to-set-up-your-Cost-Schemes
Q: What is the process of submitting final invoice?
A: At the moment invoicing process is only available in the US. If you are currently a user from US, you can check the following articles that discusses CashFlow Invoicing: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/sections/9878882799119-Invoices
We are looking to close this loop soon but in the meantime we have an open API and you can check here the information that can be integrated:
https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407230526745-Using-the-OpenSolar-API
You will need a developer for the integration and this article explains how to proceed: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407439614361-Add-API-Keys
Q: In Colombia, how can I configure my proposals to reflect the 0% tax for panels a nd investors?
A: Unfortunately, this can’t be done automatically. However, you can check this article for instructions on setting up your pricing scheme. https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407182137113-How-to-set-up-Pricing-Schemes
Q: Is it possible to create a usage profile for an air source heat pump?
A: Unfortunately, this is not possible in OpenSolar.
Q: Why can't the installer go by the limits on the actual manufacturer's datasheet instead of those advised by OpenSolar platform?
A: If you’re seeing warning messages in orange, please note these are informational and not errors. They don’t affect your project in any way.
Q: How can I manually type in payment amounts for financing in the proposal section?
A: Unfortunately, payment milestones for financing aren’t available for proposals, it will only be applied for contract placeholders. If you provide your preferred format, we can set up the milestone accordingly.
Q: Can you add a different-sized panel to a project?
A: The size of the panels in OpenSolar is based on the specification sheet of the component. There is no option to customize the size in the design stage.
Q: How to rename a project?
A: You can change it by changing the "First" and "LAST" names. You can go to the Project > Info > Customer Contacts > Edit the First and Last names > Save.
Q: How to add Chimney
A: Unfortunately, there is no specific way to add a chimney to the roof however, for all items found on the roof, the best way is to use the obstruction tool. Once the obstruction is placed, you can use the rotating icon to rotate the item. You can also use up/down icon to move the item up/down/side to side.
Q: Can I archive a project?
A: Unfortunately, there is no option to archive a project, you can either delete it by going to the Info Section > Scroll down > Delete or Move it to "Other" by going to the project Section > Stage > Move it to Other (Which you can use as an archived folder.
Q: How can I download projects with contact information?
A: You can go to Project Section > Scroll Down and click Download. We highly suggest limiting the number of projects to 50 or less to avoid experiencing an error. You can use the filters to lessen and specify the projects that you want to download.
Q: Auto system calculation does not work
A: The root cause for this issue could vary. However, OpenSolar recommends that you use the tool on the Google Chrome browser, which generally has the best performance for the app. If the issue persists, please submit a ticket through this link: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/requests/new for further investigation.
Q: How can I back up the data for my project?
A: Unfortunately we do not have a way to backup the data. The best way to have a record of it is to download the PDF proposal and keep it for your records.
Q: How to generate a handover pack.
A: This can be generated from the info page by going to the project file and selecting generate document. From there select UK - Handover Pack (MCS)
Q: When to use the system advisory model (SAM) in the summary tab?
A: SAM is typically used when there is 3D available or being created in manual mode while PVWatts is used for 2D since PVWatts does not have shading calculations and 2D mode does not offer shading calculations.
Q: I have a customer wanting to cancel their payment that is already processed. (CashFlow)
A: Once a transaction has been approved, we are unable to process a refund. If this were an OpenSolar fee, we would happily refund the fee to you, but OpenSolar receives no money on these credit card transactions (the entire fee goes to the credit card company).
Q: How do I get the panels to look individual instead of one big square
A: The texture of the panels is based on how the panels look in real life. Hence, if a particular panel appears black, the panel is an all-black/triple-black model.
Q: How does open solar contemplates batteries amortization in it's costs-financial equations?
A: OpenSolar accounts for the battery's end of life by modeling the degradation every year until the battery reaches its end of life. From this point on, the project no longer calculates having the battery as a backup and there is a dip in the savings because of that.
Imagine you're working on a project. The project involves using batteries to store excess energy generated by solar panels. These batteries are an essential part of the project as they can provide power when the solar panels aren't producing electricity, such as during the night or on cloudy days. Now, let's talk about the sudden increase in the proposed bill that you're observing after the solar panels have been added on OpenSolar. The increase in the bill is due to the way the project models the behavior of these batteries over time. The project on OpenSolar takes into consideration the degradation of the batteries. Degradation means that over time, the batteries become less efficient and lose their capacity to hold as much energy. This degradation is modeled linearly, which means that the battery's capacity to store energy decreases at a consistent rate.
To model this degradation, OpenSolar uses a metric called "Total Warranted kWh," which represents the amount of energy the battery can store before it's considered to be at the end of its useful life. The project assumes that each time a kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy is cycled through the battery (charged and then discharged), the battery's overall capacity decreases by a certain amount. For instance, let's say the battery's Total Warranted kWh is 1000 kWh. As the battery is cycled, its capacity reduces. When it reaches 900 kWh cycled, its capacity might have decreased to 90% of its original capacity. As it continues to cycle, it eventually reaches a point where it's no longer functional, which is when the Total Warranted kWh reaches 0. At this point, the battery is considered to be at its end-of-life. Now, the financials of the project are affected by this battery degradation model. As the battery degrades over time and its capacity decreases, it contributes less to saving costs by providing stored energy.
This reduction in savings becomes more prominent as the battery approaches its end of life. The speed at which the battery degrades depends on various factors, such as the size of the battery, the way it's controlled, and how much it's utilized. A larger battery used in a smaller system might degrade more slowly because it undergoes fewer cycles compared to a smaller battery used in a larger system that gets fully cycled each day.
So, the increase in the proposed bill after the solar panels are added and the batteries are used is due to the fact that the battery's capacity is decreasing over time as it goes through charging and discharging cycles, leading to a reduction in its contribution to energy savings.
Q: How do I get the bill reduction to 100%
A: The bill reduction goes hand in hand with the tariff used. If you are using a tariff that has a minimum charge the bill reduction will never be 100% because the customer will always have to pay the minimum charge. If the tariff is net billing, it will also be difficult to get the bill reduction to 100% as the created energy is either being used or being exported real-time. To maximize the self-consumption, it is best to add a battery when using net billing to ensure what it not used in the moment can be saved for later.
Q: Can I export the basic details of my sold projects into a spreadsheet?
A: Yes, You can go to Project > Use the filter to reflect only the sold projects > Scroll down and click "Download". We highly suggest limiting your down to 50 per batch to avoid having a concern or error in downloading.
Q: How to add multiple tariff inflation rates?
A: Unfortunately, you can't add multiple tariff inflation rates. You can check this article for additional information on how to edit tariff inflation rate: Changing the Financial Simulation Settings.
Q: How can I access deleted Projects?
A: Unfortunately, it is not possible to access deleted projects.
Q: How can I add export limits to the line diagram (SLD)?
A: Unfortunately, you have to manually add this to your SLD. Here's a helpful article that provides more detailed instructions on working with Single Line Diagrams (SLDs) in OpenSolar. You can check it out here.
Q: Payback calculations:
A: The payback is calculated by taking into account the bill savings and the amount the customer is paying for the system. The payback is nothing more than the year the amount the customer is paying breaks even with the amount they are saving every month for having the system. Basically let's say the system price was 10,000 and each month the customer saves 200. The system starts taking 200 off each month until the savings reach 10,000. When this happens then that will be the payback time. Because savings and system price are the two options that affect the payback the only way to lower the payback would be to increase the bill savings or by lowering the system price.
Q: How do I change wall type
A: You can change the wall type by going to the summary tab of the project and selecting advance settings. From there you can select the wall type as well as the roof type.
Q: How to change the pitch on a manual design?
A: Once you set down your roof type, you can input it as shown in the picture below. You can also check this helpful video: Creating a 3D design without 3D data
Q: How to view System AC Capacity?
A: You can use the placeholder "System AC Capacity (kW)" in your contract. Or you can use this code: <p>{{system.inverterTotalRatingKw}}</p>
Q: How to change Default to OpenSolar self-consumption calculations?
A: If you would like to make one of these modeling softwares the default (so that every new project created uses this), head into the control zone > design & hardware > setbacks & design settings > edit/create your default > simulation settings > and select from the dropdown.
Q: Unable to access to envelope
A: We typically see this error when there is an issue with the Docusign account. You will need to check if your account is active and has enough envelopes to process this request. Additionally, you will need to check if your Docusign account is in good standing. (No overdue invoice)
Q: scaffolding
A: For all Scaffolding questions please take a look at this article: Include price adders/discounts in the proposal.
Q: Does the shading report accepted by LightReach, Sunlight, and Enfin?
A: You do not need to make any changes in the shading losses for these finance payment options.
Q: How to add hot water loads?
A: Unfortunately, this feature is not yet available in OpenSolar. This has been forwarded to our technical team for enhancement purposes.
Q: Can I change the project owner?
A: Yes, you can go to the Project > Manage > Change the "Assigned Team Member".
Q: How can I add a postcode in the project?
A: You can go to the Project > Info > Address > Add the postcode information.
Q: If the components are not stocked in Segen, can OpenSolar still provide a price for them?
A: If the component is not in stock in Segen, the price will still be there in the Segen list. The only reason why the pricing is being removed is because the system is telling you that the item is not in stock and there is no information about when it will be available again.
Q: Update address on map
A: You can update the address by going to the Project > Info tab > Address. Don't forget to save after making some changes.
Q: How do I email a proposal?
A: You can email the proposal by going to the online proposal and at the end of the page to the right select the button "Send proposal to customer". From there select the option "customise and send proposal" which will allow you to edit the message they will get along with their proposal.
Q: Is there a way to CC ourselves when we send the proposal link to the customer?
A: Unfortunately this is not possible at the moment.
Q: OpenSolar automatically adds an upfront payment even though i have no prepayment setup in the payment options
A: This is most likely due to the ITC incentive you have added in your project. The ITC is set up to be counted to pay down the loan. Because of this, the system considers it a down payment. If the lender takes the ITC as a prepayment, the best way to remove this would be to go into control > pricing and payment > payment option and edit the payment option. From there, toggle on the prepayment section and enter the prepayment information. If the lender does not take the ITC as a prepayment, the other option would be to turn off the pay-down information on the ITC by going to control > other > incentive and editing the incentive. Please note that by doing so will also affect all other loans in the account.
Q: How to show power generation graph shown in the summary of the design tab on the PDF proposal.
A: To show this, please turn on the daily energy flow in the proposal template.
Q: Can I see an old version of a proposal?
A: Unfortunately, unless the PDF proposal was downloaded this can not be seen. If the PDF proposal was downloaded, you can go into the info tab and under the document section, this PDF will display.
Q: How does OpenSolar determine if a project is residential or commercial?
A: This must be manually selected in the info tab of the project by expanding the site details.
Q: How do you duplicate the layout of string panels?
A: This can be duplicated by selecting the panel array you have created and in the menu on the left-hand side use the duplicate button.
Q: How to add module spacing?
A: You can add module spacing by selecting your panel array. From there select the advance tab and use the vertical and horizontal spacing fields to enter the module spacing.
Q: How to know when an email was sent to a customer?
A: You can see this by going into the manage page and the project history will show the email sent and when it happened.
Q: Can I export the projected half-hour generation?
A: Unfortunately the generation information can not be exported.
Q: How to create a battery price separate from redline?
A: To add a battery price, please go into control > designs and hardware > battery and edit the battery. From there, use the adjustment fields at the end to add the pricing.
Q: How to add custom labor rates in the cost scheme?
A: This can be entered in the control > pricing and payment > cost scheme. Simply edit or create a new cost scheme and inside there is a labor option.
Q: What does ground clearance mean in OpenSolar?
A: This is how lifted the panels are from the ground.
Q: Does OpenSolar provide solar production kWh's for each month?
A: Yes, this can be seen in the online proposal under the bill savings table in a link called "detailed savings table". Please note that the section "bill savings table" must be turned on in the proposal for this to show.
Q: How do I add a Main Service Panel upgrade?
A: This can be added by creating the component as an "other component". You can find more information about creating an "other component" here: How to Add Other Components
Q: Is it possible to undertake photovoltaic projects with the option of selling the entire production?
A: This can be done by going to the design and setting self consumption override to 0%
Q: Can one OpenSolar project include different roof types?
A: Unfortunately, this is not possible in OpenSolar. You can only add 1 roof type per project.
Q: How do I remove Optimizer?
A: If you are looking to lessen the quantity of the optimizers that are being automatically applied based on the quantity of the panels in the design, unfortunately, this is not possible in OpenSolar. We already sent this to our technical team for enhancement purposes.
Q: How can I restore a job that was accidentally deleted?
A: Unfortunately, there is no option to retrieve the deleted project.
Q: We are in South Africa in the Southern Hemisphere, how do I change my setting on my proposals to show summer in Dec Jan?
A: If the proposal is not showing the correct data it means the weather data set is not pulling the right information. We currently have two weather data sets and it's best to change the one selected by going to control > design and hardware > setbacks and design settings and editing the template. From there expand the simulations section and change the weather data file from the current selection to the second option. Once this is done, recalculate the project so the changes can take effect.
Q: Where do I find the Info page?
A: In the new UI, all the information previously in the Info tab is now under the "Manage" tab.
Q: How can I delete a data sheet from the Sales Proposal?
A: Unfortunately, you cannot delete data sheets from exhibiting partners because this is one of the additional marketing content exclusive to OpenSolar partners.
Q: Under Advanced Settings in the Energy tab, there is no choice for a business that operates 24/7 and has a flat consumption curve. The "Flat" option listed does ramp up until 8/9 pm in the evening and then tapers off again. Is there a way around this?
A: Unfortunately, this feature is not available yet within the platform.
Q: Align map tool is grayed out
A: Hi there, currently the align map tool only works in 2D mode or an added 2D image.
Q: If we were to add in wind turbines - would the system be abe to calculate the power generation from wind as well?
A: At the moment OpenSolar does not have the functionality to calculate power generation from wind.
Q: Can I recover a deleted project?
A: At the moment, a deleted project can not be recovered.
Q: Can I access previous versions of my designs after changing the price?
A: The design itself will not change if only the price has been modified. However, we cannot revert to the previous price once the project has been saved. The same goes if the design has been changed.
Q: How can I show net metering in my solar design?
A: Net metering will be captured in the project by selecting the correct tariff for the project.
Q: Can I take the pricing off the BOM?
A: You can manually edit the BOM after downloading it by choosing CSV format, which allows you to remove the pricing.
Q: How do I add multiple batteries at once?
A: You will need to manually add each battery using the icon.
Q: What does Power Factor mean?
A: The power factor is the ratio of real power (kW) to apparent power (kVA). It is always a number between 0-1 and can usually be found on the utility bill.
Q: How to select panels in a design to adjust shade for all panels at once?
A: Adjusting the shading affects each "Panel Group." In this case, you'll need to manually adjust the shading for every panel group.
Q: How to exclude STC value from price?
A: The STC will automatically be removed once the system is higher than 100 kW.
Q: How do I add frequency services on OpenSolar some customers will use the battery for frequency service to earn extra money I want to add it to my offer.
A: You can add this as an adder to your Design. Here's a helpful article that you can guide you on how to add adders: Add custom cost and price Adders per system
Q: How do I show shingles?
A: You can send to us the data sheet of this component and we can add it to our database.
Q: How much does a shade report cost?
A: Shade report is free of charge and can be generated and downloaded on projects with 3D design. Here's the article for more information: Generating a Shade Report?
Q: Where to find the measuring tool?
A: The Measure Distance button is located at the bottom right of the page if you are using the OpenSolar Lite version.
Q: What font does the proposal use?
A: We use Roboto as our font
Q: Is there a widget we can use on our website?
A: Unfortunately, we currently don't offer widgets on our website. However, we do have a mobile application that you can download.
Q: On the SLD how do you change the fuse rating?
A: Here's an article that you can check on how you can edit the SLD template: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/5779676510607-Single-Line-Diagrams-SLDs-on-OpenSolar
Q: How can I download the interval data for the estimated production model?
A: Unfortunately, exporting the hourly production report is not available in OpenSolar.
Q: What is Cumulative Energy Credit?
A: The Cumulative Energy Credit indicates the monthly credits a customer receives when their generation exceeds consumption. This is a monetary credit based on the established tariff.
Q: Does the total system price include labor to install the system?
A: No. However, you can include the labor cost by:
1. Creating an adder - https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4416757946393-Adders-Library
or
2. Creating a Cost Scheme - https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407182185625-How-to-set-up-your-Cost-Schemes
Q: Delete the tax amount on the quote
A: Unfortunately, it is not possible to completely remove this information.
Q: Is there a way to add adders on different PPA's ?
A: Unfortunately, we do not have the option to auto-apply adders to specific payment options.
Here's the list of auto-apply conditions you can use:
Project state, postcode, locality
System size: Min and Max (Watt)
System components used. (enter comma separated component codes)
Project sector: Residential or Commercial
Q: Can OpenSolar automatically create a design for me?
A: At the moment OpenSolar can not create a design automatically this must be done manually by selecting the hardware to be used and drawing the panels on the home.
Q: Can I change the colors of the walls?
A: Unfortunately it is not possible to change the color of the walls right now.
Q: How do I change the DC voltage settings in the design within OpenSolar?
A: Unfortunately, currently, this function is not available in OpenSolar
Q: Are there commercial-size inverters available on OpenSolar?
A: We have a variety of inverters in our database. If the inverter you’re looking for isn’t listed, please contact our support team with the datasheet, and we can add it to our system.
Q: Can we use OpenSolar without having Nearmap?
A: Yes, you can use OpenSolar without NearMap we have other imagery integration. (Google, Bing, etc)
Q: Can roof obstructions be square?
A: When using the obstruction tool, if you right-click on the obstruction you've placed down, you can then choose from a range of shapes including square, sphere, and cylinder.
Q: How can I download the project activity?
A: Unfortunately, you can't download Project Activity however, you can see all the Project activity in the Manage Tab. Here's a helpful article that you can check: Navigating the Project History Tracker
Q: I want to extend the border of the design area when designing a commercial project in 3D
A: The Google Solar API Ground Imagery is currently limited and cannot be expanded. However, to see the entire space, you can switch over to 2D mode.
Q: I need to make a proposal, but there are no Google images of the house as it is still being built, and there are no existing electrical bills or tariffs. However, I do have drawings for the property. How can I make a proposal?
A: You can check these articles on how to design a custom image and/or site plan:
Designing on an Uploaded/Custom Image
Manual 3D - on Imported Site Plan
Q: How to create UK handover pack?
A: If you are looking at how to generate an owner's manual, you can go to Project > Info > File > Generate Document > Choose "UK - Handover Pack (MCS).
Q: How can I change the calculator from SAM?
A: You can change your energy production calculator by going to Project > Design > Summary > Advance Settings > Energy Production Calculator > Change it from SAM to your preferred option.
Q: How does the proposal last?
A: It will depend on the valid date of the proposal. You can check or modify it by going to Online Proposal > Customize Proposal > Valid Until Date.
Q: How do I activate Google?
A: If you are referring to the Google Solar API imagery, make sure to click 'select' and wait for the recalculation to complete, and then hit save.
Q: Why can't I place panels on a wall using the design?
A: Unfortunately, there is no option yet in open solar to simulate on walls.
Q: How can I change the project business name?
A: The business name is tied to the settings in your Control Zone. You can go to Control > Company > Business Info > Business Name.
Q: Can I have it automatically add batteries and inverters?
A: You can set your preferred battery and inverter as defaults in your “My Active List.” However, they won’t be added automatically to your design. You’ll still need to click the + button in the design tab to add them to your design.
Q: How can I email multiple projects at once?
A: Unfortunately, there is no option in Open Solar to send multiple projects for a customer. The workaround to this is to copy the links of the projects and manually send them to the email of the person who you want to see those projects.
Q: Do I need a sun path diagram for each panel group?
A: When you generate a shade report we provide a sunpath diagram for each panel group (array).
Q: How do I change units to metric?
A: Unfortunately, this is not possible in OpenSolar.
Q: How do I string in parallel?
A: You will need to go into design > inverters > + inverter > now once you have your inverter, click +stringing. You will have your first string pop up, now you can click/drag along the panels that you would like to string. You can then go back and click on +string again and click/drag across the next area of panels you would like to cover.
Q: How can I show net metering in my solar design?
A: The net metering compensation must be selected in the tariff being used. To see this, you can go into the energy tab and click on the proposed rate. On the pop-out, locate the compensation mechanism field and make sure this is set to Net metering. If it is, then your proposal is showing the savings counting using the net metering compensation.
Q: How to delete tax?
A: To remove tax from your setup, you want to go into control > pricing and payment > pricing scheme. From there, edit the scheme you are using and set the tax to 0. Once this is done, take a look to see if you are using any adders in the project. If you are, go into control > pricing and payment > adders library. From there edit your adder and ensure the tax field is also set to 0.
Q: Can the modeling system losses be adjusted?
A: there are some losses that can be adjusted and some that are by default. You can go to control > design & hardware > setbacks and design settings and edit the template. From there expand the simulation settings for a list of all the losses that can be changed.
Q: How to assign a lead to another user?
A: To do so please go into the manage page of the project and change the assigned team member from the current option to the new team member.
Q: Can I add catch power solar control into the model?
A: We have some catch power listed under "Other Components." If the one you’re looking for isn’t on the list, feel free to send us the spec sheet, and we’ll pass it along to our data team to add it to our database.
Q: Can I send a proposal made on one account to another one. I just wanna send the design and the data?
A: Unfortunately, you can't send a proposal to an OpenSolar login email address. It will throw an error message upon opening the Proposal. However, you can use our Teams feature to share your project with another organization. Here's a helpful article that you can check: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/7870010494095-Teams-on-OpenSolar
Q: Is there a way to have default module spacing other than zero?
A: Unfortunately, we currently do not have a way to change these default settings.
Q: How do I change project's name?
A: You can change it by changing the Full Name of the contact person in the Info tab of the project.
Q: How can I add operations and maintenance cost in a project?
A: You can add these as an adder. Please see the help center article for your reference in creating an adder.
https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4416757946393-Adders-Library
Q: Can I manually change the size of the of the panels to fit in the picture?
A: We do not suggest this since it could affect in the production calculation of the project and possibly generate an error message.
Q: How do I get rid of the "Including Tax" in the quotation table?
A: If you want to exclude the tax in your total system price, you can change the tagging from residential to commercial project by going to the Project > Info > Site details.
Q: How do I get a proof price of an incentive?
A: Once you add an incentive in the project it will be refleceted in the quotation table of the proposal.
Q: How do I remove ITC from the propoasl?
A: There is a possibily that your ITC incentive is being auto applied to all your projects. You can remove it by going to Control > Other > Incentives > Edit your ITC incentives > Disable Auto Apply > Save.
Q: I cant find show customer toggle for modules
A: At the moment there is no option "show customer" within the module. If you do not want to show a module in your proposal:
- Go to the control > purchase experience > proposal template
- Edit your template
- Expand the proposal settings
- Remove the module option from the "show products types" section.
Q: can Open Solar show a simulation of hourly battery chg / dis-chg values (including offset %) along with those of production and consumption.
A: OpenSolar does not have thex capability to show a simulation of hourly battery charge/discharge values along with production and consumption in the provided context. However, it does model the battery state for every hour of the simulation, keeping track of its current capacity and lifetime throughput based on various inputs such as battery specifications, control schemes, and load-offsettable settings.
For more detailed insights into how OpenSolar models battery energy storage, you can refer to the following article: [How OpenSolar Models Battery Energy Storage](https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4650412864527-How-OpenSolar-Models-Battery-Energy-Storage)
Q: Battery control scheme will not allow me to select anymore on new and existing projects
A: (UK Only) - Currently, you can't change the battery control scheme when using MCS as your Production Calculator, as it is not compliant with MCS. The MCS does not recognize battery control schemes with their existing calculator.
If you’d like to use different battery control schemes, you can switch to other calculators available in OpenSolar, such as the SAM calculator or the PVWatts calculator. To do this, go to the project > Design > Summary > Advanced Settings > Change the Energy Production Calculator.
Q: How to be notified when a proposal is accepted?
A: You have to make sure that you are the assigned team member of the project. You can see this by going to the Manage Tab > Assignement > Assigned Team Member.
Q: All historical Nearmap images have been deleted.
A: If you have switched from a Nearmap subscription to a Nearmap Pay-per-project all the historical images will be deleted. If you purchased nearmap pay per project it will only be available for a limited time and will be deleted once the period is over.
Q: change project name
A: To change this, you can go to the info tab of the project and expand the address section. From there edit the address section and add the name you want to appear.
Q: How to model potential EV charging?
A: Unfortunately, at the moment, we do not have the functionality to model EV charging.
Q: Do tariffs get updated automatically?
A: We proactively update whenever we get a notification that a utility updates their tariff, we do reflect the update in our platform. For European tariffs, updates happen every quarter. If in case you notice that the tariff is not updated, you can always contact our support team and provide an updated tariff document and we can update it for you.
Q: Can OpenSolar send a reminder about the proposal?
A: OpenSolar will only send an email which include the link of the proposal to the customer, unfortunately, there is no option to set a reminder to them.
Q: Where do I set the VOC for the Single Line Diagram?
A: Unfortunately, you will have to customize the SLD to add the VOC. You can also visit this help center article for your reference in customizing the SLD.
https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/5779676510607-Single-Line-Diagrams-SLDs-on-OpenSolar
Q: Can you change the system performance figures to show monthly instead of daily?
A: Unfortunately, there is no option to change the system performance figures from Monthly to daily. we have sent this to our technical team for enhancement purposes.
Q: How tall is the storey in the design mode?
A: You can adjust the height of the storey depending on your preference. What we suggest is to get the exact measurement of your location then apply it in the design section using manual 3D.
Q: I added my co-worker into my team, how do I share project?
A: If you added your co-worker as an admin user, this person will automatically have a visibility to all of your projects. If not, you can adjust this person's roles and permission by visitin this help center article. https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4416624009497--Custom-Roles-and-Permissions
Q: How is Bird mesh added?
A: Bird Mesh is added to our "Other Components". You can go to Design > Others > Click + Other > Search for the bird mesh. If in case that the component is not in our database you can send us the spec sheet and we can upload it in our database.
Q: Can I add a new user to make proposals without them being able to see our margin?
A: You can add a new user to make proposals and set permissions to their role so they won’t be able to see your margins. Here’s the article that you can check: Custom Roles and Permissions
Q: I don't have access to the design tab either. What should I do?
A: Kindly reach out to the support team using this link https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/requests/new so we can further investigate.
Q: Is there any way the picture quality can be made better?
A: Unfortunately, currently, no feature can modify the picture quality in the platform.
Q: How can I change the daily production graph to a monthly production graph?
A: If you are referring to the production graph in the System Performance setting, the production graph is monthly by default and we cannot modify it at the moment.
Q: I am trying to add an in roof mounting system
A: We have an integration with different mounting system that you can check HERE. In case that what you are looking for is not on the list, you can add it as an Other Component. Here's an article that you can check on How to Add Other Components.
Q: What does it mean when the shading method is set to Auto?
A: Auto shading in OpenSolar is a feature designed to optimize solar energy production by automatically adjusting the positioning or orientation of solar panels based on environmental conditions, such as sunlight exposure and shading from nearby objects.
OpenSolar produces a detailed shading report based on the available 3D data in the design tab of the project. This shading report is only available when designing in 3D mode with SAM enabled.
Q: How do I apply for a G99 connection?
A: Once you generated the G99 or G98 documentation, you would need to email the local DNO to apply for a G99 connection.
Q: Can I download solar production data?
A: You could download the energy yield report to download the solar production data. Also, the Export MPAN form includes additional data; it’s not one document unfortunately.
Q: How do I alter the clearance zone around the roof edge?
A: You can set this in your Setbacks and Design Settings. You can go to Control > Design & Hardware > Setback & Design Settings > Edit (pencil icon) the Design setting you would like to adjust, then drop down the Setbacks & Design Settings section. From here, you can edit the Setbacks Arrays field to the appropriate setback required. You can also check this article: How to configure default Setbacks and Design settings
Q: What is the default setting for the distance that panels must be away from the edge of the roof?
A: You can see the default settings in our system under Setbacks & Design Settings. You can go to Control > Design & Hardware > Setback & Design Settings > Edit (pencil icon) the Design setting
Q: Does open solar take into account topography?does open solar take into account topography?
A: OpenSolar has a 3D feature that allows Solar Pros to quickly draw panels on high quality 3D imagery, with pitch, azimuth and shading automatically calculated. In this case, you can use Horizon Shading to model the shading impacts from objects which are very far away (such as mountains) and would not be captured in any near-shading 3D models. Here's a helpful article that you can check: Horizon Shading
Q: Can I send the proposal to multiple emails?
A: You can do it by manually copying the link of the proposal and then send it manually from your Gmail account. Unfortunately, there is no option to add multiple emails for the receiver of the proposal once you send it via OpenSolar.
Q: Will staff and installers be able to see the job installation sheet on site?
A: If you are referring to the documents that have been generated in the info section of the project, what you can do is to edit the customer roles of these team members in your org. Make sure that "View" is enabled in the Project - Info - Documentation section. You can also visit this help center article for your reference.
https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4416624009497--Custom-Roles-and-Permissions
Q: Add transactions?
A: Transactions can be added from the info section of the proposal. Locate the transaction section and select Request payment. This will allow you to add a new transaction as well as its information.
Q: Temperature settings:
A: The temperature of the components can be found:
- Select the control zone
- Design and Hardware
- Select from mdule/ inverter or battery
- edit the componenet
If you want to use the settings at a project level, this can be found in the info page fo the project under the site details.
Q: Solar production data.
A: At the moment the information that can be downloaded is found in the PDF proposal and only the PDF can be downloaded. Outside of this, the information can not be downloaded.
Q: Can I get an overview of the email address for my customer
A: You can access this information form:
- Control
- Customer
- Contacts
Q: Why is my margin not correct
A: The margin is the difference between price and cost. If this infromation is not correct please ensure the cost for the components is correct as well as the cost in teh cost scheme.
Q: Adjust the price of the bill of materials (BOM)
A: This can be adjusted by either entering pricing for the component found in control > design and hardware > module, inverter, battery or other component or within the design if you go into the pricing tab and scroll to the end some components appear here and you can use the edit pencil to adjust their pricing. Please note that the components that appear here are mostly other components.
Q: How to add shading to a proposal or project
A: To do please follow these steps
- Go to the design > module tab
- Select the module array you want to add shading for
- Expand the shading drop-down
- Change from "Auto" to one of the 3 other manual options
- Adjust your shading as needed
Please note that making this change is adjusting the shading of the selected array. You must click on the other array to add more shading if needed.
Q: How can I change the word cash in the payment section?
A: This can be changed by:
- Going to control
- Expand pricing and payment
- Select payment option
- from there locate the "Cash" payment and click the pencil icon.
- Change the tile from "Cash" to anything you might want to call it.
Q: PDF Showing server communication error.
A: This usually happens when you added large sizes images in your PDF proposal. All images added together should be equal to 1MB to avoid this error.
Q: Do you have administrator guid for OpenSolar?
A: If you are looking for a training link, you can check this help center article for your reference. https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/categories/4403256461593-1-Training-Package
Q: What does ground clearance means?
A: It is the distance between the panels and the roof of the location. You can customize the ground clearance by clicking the panels.
Q: How do I show the 25 year warranty of the component in the proposal?
A: If the manufacturer of the component is not partnered with OpenSolar, there will be no additional marketing content like images, and datasheet which include the warranty details that will be added in the proposal. You will have to add these manually by going to the Project > Info > File > Use "Sales Proposal - Equipment Documentation" in the File tags > Upload the image > Save.
Q: How do I delete the activity data by batch?
A: Unfortunately, there is no option to bulk delete the activities in a project. This has been sent to our team for enhancement purposes.
Q: Can I add shadow report in the proposal?
A: If the project is in 3D imagery, you can go to Generate a shading report in the Info section > Save the file > Go to the Info section again > File > Use "Sales Proposal - Extra File" in the File tags section > Upload the shading report > Save.
Q: 3D imagery is not showing full map.
A: This is a limitation of the 3D imagery. There is a possibility that the location is too big which exceed the limitation of 3D imagery. The workaround to this is to create a manual 3D for your project. You can visit this help center article for your reference.
https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/6960373692815--Manual-3D-Advanced-Designs
Q: How do I change the electricity tariff to exlude tax?
A: You can edit the tariff then scroll down to tariff section then exlude the tax.
Q: How can I add multiple batteries in just one click?
A: Unfortunately, you will have to manually add the batteries in the design section. We have sent an enhancement request for this to our team.
Q: How can I download the copy of my contract?
A: You can go to the Project > Info > Generate Document > Select "Contract PDF".
Q: Can you undelete a contact?
A: Unfortunately, this is not possible. You will need to add the contact again.
Q: Discounted payback period disable
A: You will have to turn off all the net financial impact for this to be removed. If you want to do that please go to control > purchase experience > proposal template > expand the proposal settings and turn off the financial benefits.
Q: What are the default font settings for section headings in the offer document?
A: We are using Roboto
Q: How to change the default minimum temperature?
A: Unfortunately, you can’t change the default temperature. However, you can override the preset temperatures, you can do this from the info tab of the project, scroll down to site details and override the minimum & maximum temperature.
Q: How can I get the project ID no. or how do I find the project ID?
A: To get of find the project ID:
- Go to the Project
- Info
- Sales & Marketing
- ID
Q: Where should the yellow arrow on the panels face when building the proposal.
A: The yellow arrow face will be depending on you would like to reflect in the proposal and depending on your design. the image of the project in the proposal will only reflect on how you design the system.
Q: How can I export the SLD?
A: To export the SLD, go to the Project > SLD > generate the SLD > File > Export as > choose your preferred file type.
Q: Is the feed-in tariff included in the financial calculations on the proposal?
A: Yes, feed-in tariffs are export credits. It is part of the billing calculations when computing for the solar savings of a customer. Here is the article for more information: What is Solar Compensation Mechanism on an Electricity Tariff Rate?
Q: How to change the quantity of the batteries?
A: To change the quantity of the batteries you will need to check how many batteries you added in the design tab.
Q: How do I change a view name?
A: Unfortunately, changing the view name is not yet possible.
Q: Tracking team members activities
A: To track the activity of the team members you will need to go to the manage tab and check it manually.
Q: How do I add a generator as a backup system?
A: We regret to inform you that we currently do not offer generator modeling. However, a request has been forwarded to the team for future consideration.
Q:How do I input energy usage for multiple meters?
A: Unfortunately, currently, inputting energy usage for multiple meters is not a feature.
Q: How can I print out a list of my contacts? Or save as a PDF?
A: To print a list of your contacts, you can:
- Go to the Projects zone
- scroll down to the bottom part
- click the Download button
However, please take note that we recommend downloading less than 50 projects to avoid any issues with the download. You can do this by applying relevant filters (i.e. every 3 months or at different stages) so that the projects would be broken down into batches. Unfortunately, this will be in a CSV format and not as a PDF.
Q: I have a 3d model in .obj. can i make a layout on that model?
A: Unfortunately, it is not possible to upload a .obj file. What you can do is to upload an image (PNG or JPEG) format and to manually scale it to become 3D. Here's an article that you can check:
Designing on an Uploaded/Custom Image
Q: What is auto-layout? and how to use this function.
A: Auto layout is when the system maximizes the amount of panels that could possibly fit in one area and the best orientation for them. This feature has been updated to Inverter Design Assistant.
Q: How do you change the design location?
A: To change the location of a created project, you can follow the steps below:
- Go to the Info Tab
- Click the “Search Address” > Type in the correct address
- Go to Design Tab > Advanced > Restart Design. This will bring you to the correct location.
Q: Even after I add name, number and email of the customer in the info tab of the projects, why does it show only the project number or project id only instead of name when I receive an email notification when the customer opens the quote?
A: The Project ID followed by @os.code is used when you share your proposal via a "Shareable Link."
If you'd like the customer's email address to appear in your notification email, you'll need to use the "Send proposal link by email via OpenSolar platform" option.
Q: I'm designing on a flat roof and want to know whether the default panel insertion mode automatically allows for the 0.5m gap between rows.
A: The gap for the panel insertion mode is not automatically set to 0.5m. Unfortunately, there is no way to set a specific value for this. However, you can adjust it in the Advanced section when the panels are highlighted.
Q: How can I cost to showcase an item?
A: To add a cost and to showcase an item, you can add that item as an adder then provide the cost or pricing in the adders library. You can visit this help center article for your reference.
https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4416757946393-Adders-Library
Q: How can I change the color of the string?
A: Unfortunately, there is no option in OpenSolar to change the color of the strings in the design studio and other reports like Site Information Plan.
Q: How can I add panels in parallel in OpenSolar?
A: To add panels in parallel form, you can visit this video below:
https://www.loom.com/share/ed80fc7521b648aca8ec00d70fb37996
Q: We are wondering if the personalized messages that get sent out with each proposal get saved anywhere for us to review.
A: To view the personalized message with each proposal you can follow these steps.
- Control
- Purchase Experience
- Proposal Template
- Edit or create your proposal template
- Cover Page Template
- Cover Page Letter
Q: Do you know the maximum number of solar panels that can be auto-calculated for strings at once?
A: The maximum number of solar panels that can be auto-calculated for string at once will depend on the inverter.
Q: How do I know who has opened their proposals?
A: You can see who has opened the proposal by going to the manage tab of the project. From there, locate the project history section which will state who opened the proposal and how long they viewed it.
Q: How does OpenSolar calculate consumption?
A: The consumption for the customer must be entered in the energy tab of the project. For the system to yield correct calculations, it is important to be as accurate as possible with this information.
Q: How can I compare different design options in a project?
A: To compare different design options for your customer, you can create multiple system configurations. However, please note that we recommend limiting the number of options to no more than four, as creating more than this may impact the platform's performance.
To create different system options, navigate to the design section. Under the current configuration, you will find a button labeled "Add new system." Click on this button and select the "New system" option. This will generate a second configuration, allowing you to choose hardware components and design the system accordingly.
Alternatively, if you only need to compare a system with different panels or batteries, you can use the "Duplicate system" option. This will replicate the existing system configuration, allowing you to modify the panels or batteries as needed.
Once the options are created, you can view and compare them through the online proposal feature. This will enable you to assess the differences between each option and evaluate their impact.
Q: How do I import a DXF file?
A: At the moment OpenSolar does not have the functionality to import DXF files.
Q: More information on Selina financing terms and interest rates
A: All the information on Selina financing like the terms, and rates can be found by going to control > pricing and payment > payment option. From there, edit the payment option and inside the edit window, you will be able to see all the terms of each loan.
Q: Does the system account for fixed connection fees when calculating payback?
A: The system will not automatically account for any fixed connection fees unless these are feed associated with a loan setup, or fees charged on the tariff. For fixed fees charged by the organization to its customers this must be added as an adder in control > pricing and payment > adders library. From there go ahead and create your adder and you have the option to auto-apply if this is something that is always charged.
You can find more information on adders here: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/4416757946393-Adders-Library
Q: How to add a second array
A: Once you've completed creating your first array, you can click on the + Panel button once again to add a second array.
Q: Battery Quantity
A: Our design does not have a battery quantity field. When you want to add more than one battery, please select the + Battery once again and make your battery selection. Each battery added must be manually selected.
Q: I can't find the tape measurement in OpenSolar
A: The tape functionality was replaced with the "Roof" functionality and can be found in the design by expanding the advance settings in the top right corner of the screen.
Q: Manual shading override
A: You have the option to manually override the shading of your array by selecting your array and in the left-hand side menu, expand the shading option. Change the shading method from auto to one of our other manual options and manually update the shading for the array.
Q: Can I create an automatic task in OpenSolar?
A: You can not create an automatic task to only appear under certain circumstances but you can create actions to show below each of your stages in each design. You can find out more information on action creation here: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/11007584598415-Customize-project-workflows-stages-and-actions
Q: when you have 2 people signing the contract, do both of them have to click the proposal acceptance link?
A: When you have 2 customers signing the contract(which can only happen with DocuSign) they do not have to both select accept proposal. Only the first person must do this. Once this is done, the second customer will receive an email to sign the document alone.
Q: How do I share design.
A: Designs can be shared with another organization through the Teams functionality. First, you must connect the two organizations from the control > company > teams. Once both organizations are connected, you can go into the Info tab of the project and use the + share project under the Teams section.
You can find more information on the Teams functionality here: https://support.opensolar.com/hc/en-us/articles/7870010494095-Teams-on-OpenSolar
Q: How do I add windows?
A: At the moment OpenSolar does not have the functionality to add windows to a home.
Q: is the battery design assistant better than the manual selection
A: Both the design assistant and manual selection of the battery and inverter are good options but it all depends on how far you want the system to assist you in selecting your hardware. If you are comfortable with the hardware and know the hardware you are working with then manual mode will be best as the listed options are not being limited by anything. On the contrary, if you are unsure what pairs best with the PV you've designed then the design assistant will be better as this limits your hardware listing to only those that pair well with the project based on specifications.
Q: How do I remove one panel off a string
A: There are two ways a panel can be removed from a string:
1. Remove the string all together
2. Create a second string and click on top of the panel for it to be removed from the previous string and added to the new one.
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