What does charge point management software do for your business?

Charge point management software connects your chargers to operating controls and records. Specify the functions your site needs, then test the proposed hardware and software together. OCPP 1.6 and 2.0.1 are not compatible versions, according to the Open Charge Alliance [S1]. Check payment, reporting, support and exit arrangements as separate requirements. Checked October 2026.

Last checked 17 October 2026

What does a charge point management system do?

Think of the system as the connection between charging equipment and the people running it. Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is the communication protocol between a charging station and its management system [S2]. A dashboard is how your team may interact with that system; its appearance does not establish what the installation can do.

Write a short operating brief before comparing subscriptions. For a workplace, you might want authorised staff access and energy reports. For public charging, you might need tariff controls, payment reconciliation and fault escalation. For a depot, ask how the proposal handles vehicles due to leave before others. Treat each of these as a requested function, then ask the supplier to demonstrate it. For depot operations, use the EV fleet software checklist to specify vehicle data and charging reports.

Define the units in your brief. Kilowatts (kW) measure power. Kilowatt-hours (kWh) measure energy delivered. A report of energy sold and a setting that limits charging power answer different questions. Use the kW and kWh guide when specifying your reports and controls.

Will OCPP software work with any charger?

Do not accept a general compatibility statement as an acceptance test. The Open Charge Alliance states that OCPP 1.6 and 2.0.1 are not compatible [S1]. Ask which protocol, charger model and firmware are included in the offer, then make those details part of the commissioning record.

Certification provides evidence of conformance with a protocol specification [S3]. Ask for the relevant certificate and a practical test of the combination you intend to buy. A protocol claim should not replace checking your tariff, access and reporting requirements.

Use this proposed demonstration checklist:

• Connect a charger and check that its identifier appears correctly.
• Start and stop an authorised session through each offered access method.
• Compare the charger reading with the exported session record.
• Demonstrate a tariff change and identify who approved it.
• Simulate a communication interruption and explain the intended behaviour.
• Show how support staff identify and investigate a fault.

Record what passed, what was not tested and what depends on optional services. Read the OCPP and OCPI guide before treating charger communication and roaming access as interchangeable features.

What reporting should your business request?

Ask to see an example export before signing. Specify charger identifiers, session times, energy, tariff, gross receipts, deductions and the amount settled to your business. These are proposed reporting fields, not a claim that every product supplies them. Request MID metering evidence alongside the software demonstration when specifying billing records.

For a fully funded agreement, request the records needed to check your host payment. For part funded and self funded arrangements, request enough detail to reconcile operating costs and receipts. Agree which party can access the reports and how corrections are recorded.

Specify whether your accountant needs invoices, settlement summaries or transaction-level records. Check the accounting treatment with your accountant. Keep customer and staff access permissions in the service specification, including who can download records or change a tariff.

How should you compare software and payment costs?

Request a complete schedule of charges rather than comparing only the headline subscription. Ask the bidder to mark each item as included, separately charged or not supplied. Do not assume a service is included because a similar feature appeared in a sales demonstration.

Include commissioning, charger connectivity, payment terminal service, transaction handling, reporting, support, software updates and migration. Ask whether the charging unit, socket, site or user is the basis for recurring fees. Obtain the calculation used for any percentage deduction.

Use your own charging assumptions when comparing offers. Keep energy costs separate from software and payment charges, and identify whether VAT is included in each input. This guide does not present a market subscription price because no common tariff can describe all those services. The quote comparison guide helps turn the responses into a consistent schedule.

If a bidder supplies an earnings forecast, ask it to show low, central and high use with every deduction. Changing software fees can change the result, but a subscription price alone cannot establish the project’s return. Use the business-case template for the full calculation.

What should you check at commissioning and before switching systems?

Specify who owns the charger, who holds administrative access and who can change its management connection. Ask for a written handover procedure covering configuration, records, connectivity and support contacts. OCPP provides a communication standard; check your contract separately for rights to move the equipment to another service [S2].

Agree how a proposed move will be tested. Request a rollback plan if the new system cannot start sessions or reconcile payment. Keep the acceptance criteria focused on your operating needs, including opening hours, access permissions and the information your staff need during a fault.

For public charging, ask who takes responsibility for the statutory customer service and reporting duties [S4]. A management subscription should identify the work supplied and the work left to your business. Check liability, termination and data handover terms with your solicitor.

What should you do next?

Prepare a short list of required functions and ask for a demonstration using the proposed equipment. Attach the results, charging schedule and handover terms to your procurement record. Review ongoing support alongside the maintenance guide.

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