With the fast growth and large amount of distributed energy resources (DERs) on the grid, the need to improve grid DER management capabilities is urgent. As the industry begins to better understand customer types and different behavior profiles, it is now possible to predict load and DER with much better focus and accuracy. In this session, presenters will discuss clear strategies to help prioritize and coordinate between multiple tools, such as DERMS, ADMS, OMS, and FLISR, creating a pathway forward that best allocates resources and effectively leverage various technology and regulatory requirements to achieve the best outcome. DERs can be volatile due to the nature of renewable energy sources, and also hard to predict because a lot of those sources are behind-the-meter—owned by customers with the utility having little to no visibility and control. However, DERs are flexible and can be mobilized and paused very quickly. With thousands to millions now existing on electric grids and millions more on the way, well predicted, monitored, and managed DERs can be powerful tools to support the electric grid's flexibility, reliability and power quality. For years, AMI meter data has been analyzed and studied allowing utilities and their technology and consulting partners to characterize customer load and DER behaviors. Speakers will explain how this knowledge paired with good load and DER generation forecasting allows utilities to leverage existing and new grid-edge devices that turn DER into a tool to manage the grid instead of a burden.