The ABEL Spreadsheet serves as a user-friendly interface for ABEL and allows users to create a Building Configuration file from scratch.
Note: ABEL can ingest Building Config files using the initialize operation but it does not currently support update operations
There are two use cases for ABEL, brownfield and greenfield. Currently ABEL only supports greenfield buildings or Building Configs under the Initialize operation
A greenfield building is one that has yet to be onboarded, and ABEL is used to create a Building Config from scratch to model this building. In this case GUIDs do not need to be provided except for when there are duplicate entity codes. Then and only then will the user need to provide GUIDs for the entities with duplicate codes in every one of the ABEL spreadsheet tables.
GUIDs can be generated manually by using the GUID tab in the menu bar at the top
of the ABEL spreadsheet template. Note: Upon using the Generate GUIDs
function, the user will have to give the guid generation script permission to
edit a user's spreadsheet.
The ABEL Spreadsheet Template has a strict format that must be adhered to.
Below is a definition of each table and column in the ABEL spreadsheet:
The Site tab holds all information about a project site or building.
Building Code string required
A human-readable code for a building. e.g. US-SEA-BLDG1
Entity Guid string
UUID4 identifier for a building. Unless you are onboarding a Google building, this value is generated by ABEL and does not need to be provided for initial onboarding.
Note: A Site should not be considered an entity and should not be listed in
the Entities tab.
The Entities tab holds all information about reporting entities and virtual entities in a building or site. If ABEL is being used for Google then Guids are required for all entities in the FACILTITIES namespace which can be retrieved from DB API.
Entity Code string required
Human-readable code for an entity e.g. AHU-1001
Entity Guid string
UUID4
identifier for an entity. Note: If an entity belongs to the FACITITLIES namespace and ABEL is
being used or Google, then this field is required or else spreadsheet
validation will fail.
Etag string
Version control tag for entities in an entity type database. Used only when updating an existing building config.
Is Reporting Boolean required
TRUE if an entity is reporting data and FALSE if the entity is virtual.
Cloud Device ID string
Cloud registry device numeric identifier. The device numeric ID is automatically created by a Cloud IoT Core (or similar cloud iot service), and it is globally unique and not editable.
DBO Namespace string required
Namespace for an entity as defined in the Digital Buidings Ontology. e.g. HVAC
DBO General Type string
General Type for an entity as defined in a particular namespace in the Digital Buildings Ontology. e.g. AHU
DBO Entity Type Name string required
Entity Type Name for an Entity as defined in the Digital Buildings Ontology. e.g. VAV_SD_DSP
The Entity Fields tab defines fields translated by reporting entities and linked to virtual entities defined in the Entities tab.
Entity Code string required
A human-readable code for an entity of which an entity field is a data point. This code must already be defined in the Entities table. e.g. AHU-1001
Entity Guid string
UUID4 value for an entity corresponding to the entity in the Entity Code column ad is a unique identifier for an entity. This column does not need be filled in unless the corresponding entity code is not unique. This column will be used when ABEL writes to a blank spreadsheet.
Reporting Entity Code string
If a field is linked to a virtual entity and its telemetry data is reported
by a reporting entity, then the Entity Code column must be the virtual entity code and the reporting entity code is the code of the
entity reporting the field's data. This may be a gateway or some other IoT connected entity. This value may be left blank unless a field is linked to a virtual entity.
Reporting Entity Guid string
UUID4 identifier for an entity corresponding to the entity in the Reporting Entity Code Column. This value may be left blank unless the reporting entity code is not unique.
Reporting Entity Field string
Name of a field as it is reported by a gateway or other reporting entity. e.g. zone_air_temperature_sensor_1 where the standard field name is zone_air_temperature_sensor. If the a field is not linked to a virtual entity then this value does not need to be filled in. Reporting entity fields may be enumerated.
DBO Standard Field Name string required
Standardized field name belonging to an entity type as defined in the Digital Buildings Ontology. e.g. zone_air_temperature_sensor
Missing boolean required
Indicates whether a field should be present in an entity's translation to accurately model an entity type even though it may not be reported in its telemetry payload.
NOTE Raw Field Name, Raw Unit Path, DBO Standard Unit Value, and Raw Unit Value should not be provided for a missing field.
Raw Field Name string
Path to data point on a physical device's telemetry payload. The field path is used as the present_value in an entity type's translation to a physical device payload. e.g. points.discharge_fan_run_command.present_value.
Raw Unit Path string
Path to a data point's units in a telemetry payload. Used as the key for units in an entity type translation. e.g. points.zone_air_cooling_temperature_setpoint.unit. Leave blank if a field is a multi-state value
DBO Standard Unit Value string
Standardized dimensional unit for a standard field as defined in Digital Buildings Ontology. e.g. degrees_celsius
NOTE If a field truly has no units, then DBO Standard Unit Value should have the value of no-units.
Raw Unit Value string
Unit value as reported by a reporting
device. Used for a dimensional unit's value mapping in an entity translation e.g. degC
NOTE If a field truly has no units, then Raw Unit Value should have the value no_units.
The States tab defines values for multi-state value fields defined in the Entity Fields tab.
Reporting Entity Code string required
The code or name of the entity reporting this state in its telemetry payload. This will the be the code of some reporting entity.
Entity Guid string
UUID4 identifier for an entity corresponding to the entity in the Reporting Entity Code column.
Reporting Entity Field string required
Name of the entity field which reports a multi-state value in its telemetry payload.
DBO Standard State string required
Standardized multi-state value name as defined in Digital Buildings Ontology. e.g. ON
Raw State string required
Raw multi-state value for a data point in the telemetry payload for a device. e.g. on
Connections define the device
relationships that exist between two entities
in a building. Connections to a building such as a building having a CONTAINS
relationship to a floor do not need to be defined as they are implied. For
Google buildings, relationships to a building are already accounted for and do
not need to be re-defined.
Source Entity Code string required
Human-readable code for a connection source entity. e.g. AHU-1001
Source Entity Guid string
UUID4 identifier for an entity corresponding to an entity in the Entities tab for connection source. This does not need to be provided unless the source entity code is not unique.
DBO Connection Type string required
A connection type as defined in Digital Buildings Ontology connections. e.g. FEEDS
Target Entity Code string required
Human-readable code for a connection target entity. e.g. AHU-1001
Target Entity Guid string
UUID4 identifier for an entity corresponding to an entity in the Entities tab for a connection target. This does not need to be provided unless the target entity code is non-unique.