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Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

dme
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: ‎24-08-2012

Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

This is a copy of a request I put in via a ticket on PlusNet's website. 
"At the end of a Billing Period, please send an email to customers with a CSV file attached containing the daily figures of the Billing Period's Broadband Usage, so that customers can track their own historical usage. If you can't offer this simple service, then please explain why you can't."
After getting 4 sequential negative responses (from 4 different people) I still have no idea why they can't offer this service.
I just need a historical track of my daily broadband usage. I can already see it on the My Broadband Usage web page, but it's inside a series of messy grids.  I have asked for the ability to download a CSV of this daily data, but PlusNet say they don;t retain the daily usage data after the Billing Period.  OK, so allow customers to opt in to an end-of-Billing-Period email that has the data attached as a CSV, and I can import it straight into my spreadsheet. 
So far, the responses from PlusNet for not doing this are
- We don't offer this service (I know - that's why I'm asking for it!)
- We don't have the capacity to retain all this data in storage (not what I was asking for)
- You can copy/paste the grid into your own "personal document" (and presumably enter all the daily data again into a spreadsheet)
My Bank offers a monthly CSV data download of transactions, so does my Investments service and my Pension service.  Why is it so hard for PlusNet?
15 REPLIES 15
Chris
Legend
Posts: 17,724
Thanks: 597
Fixes: 169
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

Ultimately it comes down to priorities, there are a number of items that would be nice to have but unfortunately we simply don't have development time, space on the roadmap and resource to produce them all.
I like the sound of your suggestion though, having a csv of the previous month's data could be useful so we'll ask the question here.
Anyone else think this is a good idea?
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

It's easy enough to do it yourself, and it's as up to date as you wish !!
My spreadsheet, figures entered daily, manually, in fact several times a day !
Developed over a year, with lot's of nice graphs, history etc.
kmilburn
Grafter
Posts: 911
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

I do..  but that's hardly suprising given this post..  VMBU request, previous month in detaill.
A csv file either mailed each month or linked to the 'Summary of usage in previous months'  (3 months worth!) would do equally well.
Make it an xml file,  and you could even have a html page capable of loading and displaynig the data in much  the same way as the current month!  Wink
kmilburn
Grafter
Posts: 911
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

Quote from: PlusComUK
It's easy enough to do it yourself, and it's as up to date as you wish !!
My spreadsheet, figures entered daily, manually, in fact several times a day !

While it's easy enough to do,  not all of us have the time to get the data daily, let alone several times a day.
My biggest gripe is that there is a small window of opportunity to get an accurate read of the usage on the last day of the billing month before it is discard in favour of the new month.
And is there really any point knowing that I have not used any data on a day 30 days in the future, while not being able to tell what I did a few hours ago.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

Annoying that the midnight zeroing is, I do try and note usage before then.
And if I do miss out on noting usage any day, it is there on the website until the end of the month, to enter data anytime, for previous days.
Just have to be extra aware near the end of the billing cycle.
My spreadsheet warns me of this, plus I know what day of the month my cycle ends.
After midnight, the previous billing months total usage is available, using this I can enter the final days usage, knowing the rest of the month, if I haven't entered details on the final billing day.
dme
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: ‎24-08-2012

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

An email with an attached CSV of the Billing Period's daily usage will solve all these problems in one simple, elegant step.  And since the Billing Period data is already available, it's just a case of generating an automatic mail message and attaching the CSV.
If you're looking for priorities, then this has to be a good candidate because you'll get a lot of customer satisfaction for very little effort.
Ronski
Rising Star
Posts: 262
Thanks: 12
Registered: ‎22-02-2012

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

I think it would be useful to, surely wouldn't take much coding either, probably not as simple as it seems though.
chuckster
Grafter
Posts: 111
Registered: ‎21-11-2007

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

Not too sure about it being mailed to people.. I don't particularly want this in an email every month.  If it does happen, please make it opt-in, or better still, just put a 'download csv' link someone on the usage page.
MauriceC
Resting Legend
Posts: 4,085
Thanks: 913
Fixes: 17
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

Don't hold your breath waiting for this to happen guys Cheesy
First suggested back in January 2007 and re-raised in various forms since.  See http://usergroup.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,5572.0.html for the old tracking info.
Shouldn't be too difficult to screen scrape using AutoIT  I might even have a go at it next month if there's enough interest?
Maurice

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

chrispurvey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 5,369
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎13-07-2012

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

This has again been passed on for review and will be looked into.
I guess the more demand for it to then the more chance of it happening.
gswindale
Grafter
Posts: 942
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

Seems like a good idea to me; although I would agree that having a link on the VMBU page for downloading details of the last 3 months (to keep it in line with the summary comparison graph) is probably better than emailing the last month with the billing notification for the forthcoming month.
mikko
Grafter
Posts: 288
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

ITWorks
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 2,117
Thanks: 739
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎05-11-2008

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

It only works on windows though :), so wont collect usage from other devices such as smart phones, computer consoles, tablets etc..
Regards
Mike

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

mikko
Grafter
Posts: 288
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Attach a CSV file of daily broadband usage to a monthly email.

Didn't realize that. Only for the Windows only folk (like me) then.