FAQ

Find answers to common questions about Synota’s services, features, and support below.

When do daily invoices process?

Invoices are calculated and published daily, as soon as energy usage data becomes available.

What components are included in billing?

Billing components are derived from your energy contract and typically include:
– Energy usage (kWh or MWh)
– Index or fixed pricing (e.g., LMP, hub-based, bilateral)
– Adders (flat or volumetric)
– Demand or ratchet charges
– Ancillary services or network charges
– Taxes, credits, and optional milestones

How long does payment settlement take?

Synota calculates invoices daily. Payments automated via direct ACH debit typically settle in 3-5 business days. Payments from custodial accounts or via Lightning Network are confirmed in seconds. All transactions are logged in the dashboard with unique payments IDs and timestamps. Synota’s modular infrastructure not only supports integration with multiple payment rails, but also enables flexible payment frequency (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly) and payment terms (e.g., net 1, 5 days arrears).

What triggers manual review?

Synota prioritizes automation; however, we recognize when data are flawed manual intervention can be necessary. Synota pauses invoice creation pending manual review based on configurable criteria such as:
– Usage exceeds pre-set min/max thresholds
– Missing or inconsistent data

How are new consumers onboarded?

New consumers are onboarded through a streamlined setup form and business verification process.

Is there a test payment process?

Yes. Synota confirms payment readiness by initiating a very small payment from the consumer to the supplier. This test transaction is an important step for validating account setup, establishing the audit trail and building confidence in automation.

How are adders configured?

Adders and other billing components are configured in Synota during the onboarding process based on applicable energy contract terms. Digital contracts on the Synota platform support highly detailed and flexible pricing logic. Examples include:
– Per MWh/kWh charges
– Flat daily fees
– Indexed formulas based on external data
– Per MWh/kWh charges
– Time-of-use pricing, demand thresholds, and ratchets
– Layered hedges, volumetric tiers, and financing costs
You can structure a digital contract to break out each cost element explicitly. All contract logic is encoded and visible in the Synota dashboard, with line-item clarity and interval-level calculations available in both the UI and downloadable reports. Rate and fees can be updated at any time.

How is utility data handled? Or how are invoices calculated?

Synota combines load data, price data, and contract terms to calculate the invoice total. All inputs—usage, price curves, credits, adders, and taxes—are:
– Versioned and stored securely
– Never overwritten post-ingestion
– Auditable via the dashboard and API

What’s required for non-integrated customers?

Synota doesn’t distinguish between “integrated” and “non-integrated” customers. We are data source agnostic – if the data is trusted, secure and timely, it can be used to for daily invoice calculations. We support multiple integration/ingestion methods:
– Automated API connections (e.g. ISO feeds, Voltus, CPower, LoD, metering platforms)
– Secure SFTP uploads
– Manual spreadsheets (for forecasts or offline systems)
– Custom webhooks or platform-specific connectors
No matter the method, Synota applies the same validation, audit logging, and fallback protections to ensure integrity and transparency of settlement calculations.

Can we see a demo of the form for capturing invoice components/contract components?

Absolutely. Contact support@synota.io for a contract setup form template and a demo of the Synota dashboard. We will create a custom demo to reflect your actual contract.

Is the payment from the energy consumer directly from their bank account?

Yes. Payments are initiated via Synota’s integration with our fintech and banking partner. Alternatively, consumers may create a custodial account with Synota’s third-party service provider. Synota will initiate payment from this account, directly to the supplier bank account. Synota supports bitcoin payments, utilizing a third-party exchange to automatically convert the exact amount of bitcoin to settle a USD invoice. Funds are sent directly to the supplier custodial or bank account. Synota is a non-custodial solution, we never hold funds. Synota facilitates secure routing and logs the transactions.

What occurs when a payment fails?

Failed payments trigger:
– An email alert to both parties
– A failed payment report in the dashboard
– Automatic retry

Is the payment a wire or ACH?

Payments can be made via:
– ACH (U.S. bank-to-bank)
– Bitcoin Lightning Network (for real-time settlement)
Synota’s fintech partners support several other payment rails – wire, credit card, stablecoins, RTP and Fednow. Please contact support@synota.io if you are interested in any of these alternative payment methods.

What happens if there is missing usage data?

If usage data is incomplete or missing, Synota will:
– Apply fallback logic (e.g., prior day’s average or static allocation)
– Flag fallback data in the interval audit report
– Send an alert to both parties

Can we add ad hoc charges to the system?

Yes. Synota supports ad hoc invoice and credit creation directly in the dashboard. Suppliers add one-time charges and payments are initiated immediately upon consumer approval. Credits are automatically applied to outstanding invoices.

Are there reports in Synota?

Yes. Synota offers downloadable reports for:
– Daily invoices
– Payment details
– Liquidation details for payments in bitcoin
– Contract summaries
– Failed payments
– Revenue and expense reports (for hosts and infrastructure providers)
– Summary and interval detail audit reports
– Change Log (documents all contract or account updates/modifications)
Transactional reports include filters on start and end date, contract and counterparty.

Can I download, say, the previous month’s worth of consumption data?

Yes. You can do this directly from the dashboard or via API—no support ticket needed.

Do I get notifications?

Yes. Synota sends automated email notifications for:
– Contract summary
– Unpaid invoices
– Payment failures
– Ad hoc invoice creation
– Credits issued
– Contract or account changes (via change log)
– Custodial account balance (when threshold determined)