📌 What Is This?

The Broker Widget is a lookup tool that lets you search for MPAN/MPRN data (meter numbers for electricity/gas). It checks our database sources to find the information you need, and tracks credits automatically.

🔐 Step 1: Logging In

What You Need:

• 📋 ADR Number (your broker registration number - MUST BE IN CAPITALS)
• 🔑 PIN (8 digits: 7 numbers + 1 letter at the end)

How To Login:

1. Go to: https://ghost.businessoverheadsolutions.co.uk/broker-tools
2. Enter your ADR in CAPITALS (e.g., C10BDKE99)
3. Enter your 8-digit PIN (e.g., 1234567A)
4. ✅ Take a moment to glance over the Terms & Conditions
5. ✅ Tick the checkbox: "I understand and agree to these terms"
6. (Optional) ✅ Tick "Remember me on this device" if you don't want to log in every time
7. Click Login 🟢

⚠️ Login Issues?

Problem
Solution
"Invalid ADR or PIN"
Make sure ADR is in CAPITALS. Double-check your PIN - no spaces!
"Account suspended"
Contact helpdesk via ticket system - your account may be frozen
Can't remember PIN
Check your welcome email for your PIN
ADR not working
Ensure you're typing in UPPER CASE letters (e.g., C10BDKE99 not c10bdke99)

💳 Step 2: Check Your Credits

After logging in, you'll see your credit balance in the top right corner.

💰 How Credits Work:

Monthly Allocation Based on Sales:

• Your credits are allocated on the 1st of each month at midnight
• Credits are based on your previous month's sales performance
• Formula:
  • First 20 sales = 20 credits (1:1 ratio)
  • Sales above 20 = multiply by 1.5 and round up
  • Example: 25 sales = 20 + (5 × 1.5 rounded up) = 20 + 8 = 28 credits

🎁 When Lookups Are Free:

• If we find your data in free sources, you don't lose credits!
• Free sources are checked first automatically

💸 When Credits Are Deducted:

• If we need to check paid databases, we deduct credits per lookup based on the search tier you select
• This only happens if the free sources don't have the data

📦 Buying Extra Credits:

If you need more credits than your monthly allocation, you can buy extra. All prices shown exclude VAT (VAT added at checkout):

Package
Credits
Price (ex VAT)
Price per Credit
Savings
🎯 Starter
10
£10
£1.00
-
📦 Basic
25
£20
£0.80
20% off
💼 Pro
50
£40
£0.80
20% off
⭐ Plus
100
£70
£0.70
30% off
🏢 Enterprise
200
£120
£0.60
40% off
👑 Premium
500
£250
£0.50
50% off
🚀 Ultimate
1000
£400
£0.40
60% off

Note: Stripe adds 20% VAT at checkout. Example: Starter £10 becomes £12 total.

🚨 Low Credit Warning:

If you have less than 10 credits, you'll see this yellow banner:

💳 Credit balance low. Consider topping up to continue lookups.

Click "Buy Credits" to top up via Stripe.

💡 Important About Credits:

• Monthly credits carry over - unused credits don't disappear
• Purchased credits never expire - they stay in your account forever
• Credits accumulate month after month

🔍 Step 3: Doing a Lookup

Simple 3-Step Process:

1. Select Meter Type:
   • ⚡ Electric → MPAN (13 digits)
   • 🔥 Gas → MPRN (10 digits)
2. Select Tiers: The widget will automatically pre-select the most common tiers based on whether you're searching electricity or gas: For Electricity (MPAN):
   • ✅ Basic Info (1 credit) - Supplier and meter serial
   • ✅ Elec Topline (2 credits) - PC, MTC, LLF, SSC, GSP
   • ✅ EAC Lookup (1 credit) - Estimated Annual Consumption
   • Default total: 4 credits
   For Gas (MPRN):
   • ✅ Basic Info (1 credit) - Supplier and meter serial
   • ✅ Gas Technical (1 credit) - AQ, LDZ, Transporter, Network
   • Default total: 2 credits
   Optional tiers you can add:
   • 📍 Address (1 credit) - Full property address
   • 📅 Dates & Timeline (1 credit) - Supply dates and history
   • ⚡ Elec Agents (2 credits) - MOP, DC, DA, Distributor (electricity only)
   • 📦 Full Data Export (10 credits) - Everything in one go
   You can tick/untick boxes to customize what data you want
3. Enter MPAN/MPRN:
   • Type the meter number (no spaces or dashes)
   • Example: 1234567890123 for MPAN
   • Example: 1234567890 for MPRN
   ⚠️ Important: Profile Class 00 meters don't have EAC data available, so don't waste your credits trying to look them up!
4. Click 🔍 Search

⏱️ Step 4: Wait for Results

What Happens Behind The Scenes:

1. ✅ Widget checks FREE sources first
   • If found → Results appear instantly ✨
   • No credits deducted! 🎉
2. ❌ Not found in free sources?
   • Widget checks paid databases
   • Credits deducted depending on what search tiers you selected
   • Results appear in ~2-5 seconds

🚦 Rate Limiting:

You must wait 15 seconds between lookups to prevent system overload.

If you try too fast, you'll see:

⏱️ Please wait 15 seconds between lookups

📊 Step 5: Reading Results

✅ Success - Data Found!

You'll see a green results box with:

For MPAN (Electric):

• ⚡ MPAN: The full meter number
• 🏢 Supplier: Who supplies this meter
• 🔌 Profile Class: Type of usage (e.g., PC04 = eco7/EWN)
• 📅 Effective From: When this data is valid from
• 📍 Address: Property address

For MPRN (Gas):

• 🔥 MPRN: The full meter number
• 🏢 Supplier: Who supplies this meter
• 📅 Effective From: When this data is valid from
• 📍 Address: Property address

❌ Failure - Data Not Found

You'll see a red error box:

❌ No data found for this MPAN/MPRN

What This Means:

• The meter doesn't exist in any database we check
• Typo in the number you entered?
• Meter is brand new (not registered yet)
  
• EAC data not available for 00/HH meters.

What To Do:

1. Double-check you typed it correctly
2. Try again with the correct number
3. Still not working? Contact helpdesk (costs 15 credits)

🔄 Step 6: Search Again

After getting results, click "Search Again" to do another lookup.

The form will clear and you can enter a new MPAN/MPRN.

📲 Step 7: WhatsApp Results (Optional)

If you've opted in to WhatsApp notifications, you can receive your lookup results directly via WhatsApp!

How It Works:

• ✅ When you perform a successful lookup, results are automatically sent to your registered WhatsApp number
• 📱 You'll receive the key data (MPAN/MPRN, supplier, EAC/AQ, etc.) in a formatted message
• ⚡ Instant delivery - no need to copy/paste from the widget

Opting In/Out:

• Send any message to +44 7822 000915 after 6:15am to opt in for notifications.
• We reset at 6am — so you’ll only get updates on the days you want them. Peace and quiet guaranteed otherwise.

Note: We're planning to add duplicate search prevention soon to help you avoid accidentally using credits on the same lookup twice!

💰 Step 8: Buying Credits

When To Buy:

• Running low (under 10 credits)
• Need more than your monthly allocation
• Want a buffer for busy periods

How To Buy:

1. Click "Buy Credits" (top right or from low credit banner)
2. Choose credit package (see pricing table above)
3. Fill in your ADR number at Stripe checkout
4. Pay via Stripe (credit/debit card)
5. Credits added instantly to your account

Note: Stripe checkout shows prices including VAT. The widget shows prices excluding VAT.

⚠️ Important Rules & Warnings

✋ Abuse = Account Ban

If we detect abuse (spamming lookups, sharing accounts, etc.), your account will be suspended immediately. 

🚫 No Credits = No Lookups

You need at least 1 credit to perform paid lookups. Buy more or wait for next month's allocation.

⏱️ Rate Limits Apply

• 15 seconds between lookups
• Prevents system overload
• Helps us keep costs down

🎟️ Manual Helpdesk Requests

If you contact helpdesk to manually do a lookup for you, it costs 15 credits (much more expensive!). Always try the widget first.

📉 Data Accuracy Disclaimer

IMPORTANT: Data provided may differ from supplier records or point-of-sale information. We pull data from official sources, but we are not liable for any discrepancies.

Example: If the tool shows EAC 500,000 kWh but the supplier later says it's 50,000 kWh, we cannot be held responsible for the difference.

⚖️ Terms & Conditions

By using this widget, you agree to:

• ✅ Lookups deduct credits (non-refundable)
• ✅ Data accuracy: Information provided may differ from supplier records or point-of-sale data. We are not liable for discrepancies.
• ✅ Abuse = account ban
• ✅ Rate limits apply (15 seconds between lookups)
• ✅ Manual helpdesk requests cost 15 credits
• ✅ No refunds for incorrect data from external sources

🆘 Troubleshooting

Problem: "Session expired"

Fix: Just log in again. Sessions expire after 24 hours.

Problem: "Invalid MPAN/MPRN format"

Fix:

• MPAN = exactly 13 digits
• MPRN = exactly 10 digits
• No spaces, letters, or dashes

Problem: "Insufficient credits"

Fix: Buy more credits or wait until next month's allocation.

Problem: "Rate limit exceeded"

Fix: Wait 15 seconds between lookups.

Problem: Widget not loading?

Fix:

1. Clear browser cache
2. Try incognito/private mode
3. Check internet connection
4. Contact helpdesk if still broken

📞 Need Help?

Helpdesk:

• 🎟️ Ticket System: https://boshelp.zohodesk.com/portal/en/signin
• 💳 Cost: 15 credits for manual requests

Before Contacting Helpdesk:

1. ✅ Double-checked MPAN/MPRN is correct
2. ✅ Tried logging out and back in
3. ✅ Read this guide thoroughly
4. ✅ Screenshot any error messages

🎯 Quick Tips for Success

💡 Pro Tips:

1. ✅ Use "Remember Me" so you don't have to log in every time
2. ✅ Always enter ADR in CAPITALS to avoid login errors
3. ✅ The widget checks free sources first - you only get charged if paid sources are needed
4. ✅ Buy credits in bulk - better value (1000 for £400 = £0.40/credit vs 10 for £10 = £1.00/credit)
5. ✅ Opt in to WhatsApp to get results sent directly to your phone
6. ✅ Wait 15 seconds - respect rate limits to avoid errors
7. ✅ Credits accumulate - unused monthly credits don't disappear, they carry over!
8. ✅ Don't search Profile Class 00 meters for EAC - it won't be available!
9. ✅ Check your welcome email if you forget your PIN

❌ Common Mistakes:

1. ❌ Entering ADR in lowercase (must be CAPITALS!)
2. ❌ Entering MPAN with spaces (e.g., "12 345 678 901 23")
3. ❌ Clicking search too fast (15 second limit!)
4. ❌ Contacting helpdesk before trying the widget (costs 15 credits!)
5. ❌ Sharing your login with other people (against rules!)
6. ❌ Not reading the data accuracy disclaimer
7. ❌ Searching for EAC on Profile Class 00 meters (wastes credits!)
8. ❌ Forgetting to check welcome email for PIN

📈 Understanding Your Monthly Credits

🎁 How Monthly Allocation Works:

Your credits are calculated automatically on the 1st of each month at midnight based on your previous month's sales:

Formula:

• First 20 sales = 20 credits (1:1 ratio)
• Sales above 20 = Each sale × 1.5 (rounded up)

Examples:

Sales in Previous Month
Calculation
Credits Allocated
10 sales
10 × 1
10 credits
20 sales
20 × 1
20 credits
25 sales
20 + (5 × 1.5) = 20 + 8
28 credits
30 sales
20 + (10 × 1.5) = 20 + 15
35 credits
50 sales
20 + (30 × 1.5) = 20 + 45
65 credits

💡 Important:

• Credits are based on valid sales only (excludes cancelled/dead/returned)
• Only Active brokers receive monthly credits
• Credits carry over month to month - they never expire!
• Purchased credits also carry over forever

🔄 Credit Lifecycle

When Credits Are Added:

• ✅ Monthly: 1st of each month at midnight (automatic)
• ✅ Purchases: Instantly after Stripe payment completes

When Credits Are Used:

• ✅ Paid lookups: 1 credit per lookup (only if free sources don't have data)
• ✅ Manual helpdesk requests: 15 credits

Credits Never Expire:

• ✅ Monthly allocation carries over
• ✅ Purchased credits carry over
• ✅ Credits accumulate month after month

🎓 Summary Checklist

Before using the widget, make sure:

• You have your ADR (in CAPITALS) and 8-digit PIN
• You've checked your welcome email if you forgot your PIN
• You understand the credit system (monthly allocation + purchases)
• You know MPAN = 13 digits, MPRN = 10 digits
• You'll wait 15 seconds between lookups
• You understand free sources are checked first
• You won't search Profile Class 00 meters for EAC
• You won't abuse the system
• You've read the data accuracy disclaimer
• You'll contact helpdesk as last resort (costs 15 credits)

🎉 You're Ready!

That's it! You now know everything you need to use the Broker Widget like a pro.

Remember:

• The widget checks free sources first (no cost!)
• Credits only deducted if paid sources are needed
• Monthly credits based on your sales performance
• Credits never expire - they accumulate!

Questions? Re-read this guide first, then contact helpdesk if still stuck.

Happy Searching! 🔍✨