Deleting or archiving a meter

A meter's readings are the record of what was consumed, and the figures billed to tenants are built from them. Flowtly therefore deletes a meter only while it holds no readings. A meter that has readings is archived instead: it stops being an active meter, but it stays listed with every reading it ever recorded.

Navigation: Open an asset and go to its Utilities section. The meters are listed under Meters, with their readings below.

Deleting a meter

Delete the meter from its row in the Meters list and confirm. A meter with no readings, for example one added by mistake, is removed straight away.

When a meter cannot be deleted

If the meter has readings, the delete is refused and a second dialog opens, titled This meter cannot be deleted. It gives the reason and offers Archive instead.

Choosing Archive instead marks the meter as no longer active and confirms with Meter archived. Nothing else changes: the meter keeps its readings, their dates, values and sources.

If the meter is already archived, the dialog still explains why it cannot be deleted, but Archive instead is unavailable, as there is nothing left to archive.

How an archived meter appears

• In the asset's Meters list, and in its card on a phone, the meter's status reads Archived. It stays in the list, with its readings below.
• The meter's edit form shows the same state as Meter is active switched off.
• The Counters list under Operations → Assets → Counters shows active meters only, so an archived meter does not appear there.

Replacing a physical meter

When a meter is physically replaced, do not reuse or delete the old one. Add a new meter for the new device, record its readings from the day it was fitted, and archive the old meter. The old meter's history stays intact and the new one starts from its own first reading.

Example use cases

• Remove a meter that was added to the wrong asset by mistake before any reading was recorded on it.
• Archive an electricity meter the grid operator replaced, and add the new device as a separate meter, so past consumption keeps its own history.
• Retire a sub-meter that no longer serves any tenant while keeping its readings available for earlier periods.