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Emission Templates Tutorial

This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to creating and using emission templates in Carbon GPT for more efficient data entry and management.

Prerequisites

Tutorial Overview

In this tutorial, you will learn how to:

  1. Understand what emission templates are and their benefits
  2. Create and manage templates for different emission sources
  3. Configure templates with facilities, departments, and emission factors
  4. Apply templates for efficient data entry
  5. Use templates for bulk operations

What Are Emission Templates?

Emission templates are pre-configured frameworks that streamline the process of recording recurring emission activities. They allow you to:

  • Standardize data entry across your organization
  • Ensure consistency in emission calculations
  • Save time by reusing common configurations
  • Reduce errors in data entry
  • Simplify the onboarding process for new team members

Step 1: Creating Your First Template

Accessing the Templates Section

  1. Log in to your Carbon GPT account
  2. Navigate to Settings > Emission Templates
  3. Click Create New Template

Basic Template Configuration

  1. Template Name: Enter a descriptive name (e.g., "Monthly Electricity Consumption")
  2. Description: Add details about when and how to use this template
  3. Emission Category: Select the appropriate category (e.g., Scope 2: Purchased Electricity)
  4. Frequency: Set how often this activity occurs (e.g., monthly, quarterly)
  5. Save your basic configuration

Step 2: Setting Up Asset Templates

Asset templates allow you to pre-configure specific assets that contribute to emissions:

  1. In your template, navigate to the Assets tab
  2. Click Add Asset
  3. Configure the asset details:
    • Asset Type: Select from the dropdown (e.g., Vehicle, Generator)
    • Asset Name: Enter a name or use a variable for dynamic naming
    • Asset Properties: Configure relevant properties (e.g., fuel type, capacity)
  4. Save your asset configuration

Managing Multiple Assets

For templates with multiple assets:

  1. Use the Duplicate function to create similar assets quickly
  2. Use the Bulk Import option to add multiple assets from a spreadsheet
  3. Organize assets into groups for better management

Step 3: Configuring Facilities and Departments

Assigning Facilities

  1. Navigate to the Facilities tab in your template
  2. Select which facilities this template applies to:
    • All Facilities: Template can be used for any facility
    • Specific Facilities: Select individual facilities from your organization
    • Facility Groups: Select pre-configured facility groups

Department Configuration

  1. Navigate to the Departments tab
  2. Assign the template to specific departments:
    • All Departments: Template can be used by any department
    • Specific Departments: Limit to selected departments
    • Custom Grouping: Create custom organizational units

Step 4: Assigning Emission Factors

Proper emission factor assignment is crucial for accurate calculations:

  1. Navigate to the Emission Factors tab
  2. Select the appropriate emission factor approach:
    • Default Factors: Use Carbon GPT's built-in emission factors
    • Custom Factors: Define your own emission factors
    • Dynamic Selection: Allow users to select from approved options

Configuring Emission Factor Rules

For more advanced templates:

  1. Set up conditional emission factor selection based on:
    • Geographic location
    • Time period
    • Specific activity characteristics
  2. Configure uncertainty ranges for emission factors
  3. Add documentation links for factor sources

Step 5: Using Templates for Data Entry

Applying Templates

  1. Navigate to Emissions > Add New Entry
  2. Select Use Template option
  3. Choose your template from the dropdown
  4. The form will be pre-populated based on your template configuration
  5. Fill in the activity data (e.g., kWh consumed)
  6. Submit the entry

Template Variables

Templates can include variables that are filled in during data entry:

  1. Date Variables: Automatically populate with current period
  2. User Variables: Filled with current user information
  3. Custom Variables: Defined during template creation and filled during entry

Step 6: Bulk Operations with Templates

Batch Data Entry

  1. Navigate to Emissions > Bulk Operations
  2. Select Batch Entry with Template
  3. Choose your template
  4. Enter multiple entries in the batch form
  5. Review and submit all entries at once

Scheduled Template Application

For recurring activities:

  1. Navigate to Automation > Scheduled Entries
  2. Click Create Schedule
  3. Select your template
  4. Configure the schedule (e.g., monthly on the 1st)
  5. Set up notifications and approvals if needed

Best Practices

Template Organization

  • Use a consistent naming convention
  • Group related templates together
  • Document the purpose and usage of each template
  • Regularly review and update templates

Template Sharing

  • Share templates across your organization
  • Set appropriate permissions for template editing
  • Create template libraries for different departments
  • Export and import templates between accounts

Quality Control

  • Test templates before wide deployment
  • Include validation rules in templates
  • Monitor template usage and gather feedback
  • Update templates when emission factors change

Next Steps