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Measuring Emissions Tutorial

This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to measuring and recording your organization's greenhouse gas emissions using Carbon GPT.

Prerequisites

Tutorial Overview

In this tutorial, you will learn how to:

  1. Set up your emission sources
  2. Enter activity data through various methods
  3. Use data import/export features
  4. Perform bulk operations
  5. Configure custom fields
  6. Apply appropriate emission factors
  7. Calculate emissions
  8. Review and validate results

Step 1: Setting Up Emission Sources

  1. Log in to your Carbon GPT account
  2. Navigate to Emissions > Sources
  3. Click Add New Source

Creating Emission Source Categories

  1. Select the appropriate scope (1, 2, or 3)
  2. Choose the emission category
  3. Provide a descriptive name for the source
  4. Add relevant details and metadata

Configuring Source Details

  1. Set up measurement units
  2. Configure calculation methodologies
  3. Assign default emission factors (if applicable)
  4. Add source-specific parameters

Assigning to Facilities or Business Units

  1. Select the relevant facility or business unit
  2. Define the organizational boundary
  3. Set up responsibility assignments
  4. Configure access permissions

Step 2: Data Entry Methods

Manual Data Entry

  1. Navigate to Emissions > Add Data
  2. Select the emission source
  3. Enter activity data (consumption, distance, etc.)
  4. Add supporting information (invoices, meter readings)
  5. Save and calculate emissions

Using Templates for Efficiency

  1. Navigate to Emissions > Templates
  2. Select an existing template or create a new one
  3. Apply the template to your data entry
  4. Fill in the required fields
  5. Save and process multiple entries at once

For more details on templates, see the Emission Templates tutorial.

Step 3: Data Import/Export

Importing Data from External Sources

  1. Navigate to Emissions > Import
  2. Select the import format:
    • Excel spreadsheets (.xlsx, .xls)
    • CSV files
    • XML data
    • JSON format
  3. Download the appropriate template
  4. Fill in your data following the template structure
  5. Upload the completed file
  6. Review and confirm the import
  7. Address any validation errors

Mapping External Data

  1. If importing from non-standard formats:
    • Create field mappings
    • Set up data transformations
    • Configure validation rules
  2. Save mapping profiles for future use
  3. Schedule recurring imports if needed

Exporting Emissions Data

  1. Navigate to Emissions > Export
  2. Configure export parameters:
    • Date range
    • Emission sources
    • Data fields to include
    • Output format (Excel, CSV, etc.)
  3. Generate and download the export file
  4. Use exported data for external analysis or reporting

Step 4: Bulk Operations

Batch Data Entry

  1. Navigate to Emissions > Bulk Operations
  2. Select Batch Entry
  3. Choose the emission source type
  4. Enter multiple records in the grid interface
  5. Apply common attributes to multiple entries
  6. Validate and save all entries at once

Bulk Updates

  1. Navigate to Emissions > Bulk Operations
  2. Select Bulk Update
  3. Filter for the records you want to modify
  4. Select the field(s) to update
  5. Enter the new value(s)
  6. Preview changes before applying
  7. Confirm and execute the update

Bulk Deletion and Archiving

  1. Navigate to Emissions > Bulk Operations
  2. Select Bulk Delete/Archive
  3. Filter for the records to process
  4. Choose between deletion or archiving
  5. Provide a reason for the operation
  6. Confirm and execute

Step 5: Custom Fields

Creating Custom Fields

  1. Navigate to Settings > Custom Fields
  2. Click Add New Field
  3. Configure field properties:
    • Field name and description
    • Data type (text, number, date, dropdown, etc.)
    • Required/optional status
    • Default values
    • Validation rules
  4. Assign to specific emission sources or categories
  5. Set visibility and access permissions

Using Custom Fields in Data Entry

  1. When entering emissions data, custom fields appear in their designated sections
  2. Fill in custom fields according to your organization's requirements
  3. Use custom field data for filtering and reporting

Custom Field Best Practices

  • Create fields that align with your reporting needs
  • Use consistent naming conventions
  • Document the purpose and usage of each custom field
  • Regularly review and clean up unused custom fields

Step 6: Calculating Emissions

Selecting Calculation Methodologies

  1. Navigate to Settings > Calculation Methods
  2. Review available methodologies for each emission type
  3. Select preferred methods based on your reporting requirements
  4. Configure methodology parameters if needed

Applying Emission Factors

  1. Navigate to Settings > Emission Factors
  2. Review the built-in emission factor database
  3. Import custom emission factors if needed
  4. Assign factors to specific sources or activities

Understanding Uncertainty

  • Review uncertainty ranges for emission factors
  • Document calculation assumptions
  • Consider sensitivity analysis for key emission sources

Reviewing Calculation Results

  1. Navigate to Emissions > Calculations
  2. Review calculated emissions for each source
  3. Examine calculation details and parameters
  4. Identify any anomalies or unexpected results

Step 7: Quality Assurance

Validating Emission Calculations

  1. Compare results with previous periods
  2. Check for outliers and unusual patterns
  3. Verify calculations against manual checks
  4. Ensure all required data is included

Identifying and Correcting Errors

  1. Navigate to Emissions > Data Quality
  2. Review flagged issues and warnings
  3. Investigate and resolve each issue
  4. Document corrections and adjustments

Documenting Assumptions

  1. Record all assumptions made during data collection and calculation
  2. Note any proxy data or estimations used
  3. Document methodological choices and rationales

Ensuring Completeness

  1. Use the completeness checklist to verify all sources are included
  2. Check for gaps in time series data
  3. Ensure all facilities and operations are covered
  4. Verify alignment with organizational boundaries

Step 8: Activity Audit Trails

Tracking Data Changes

  1. Navigate to Administration > Activity Logs
  2. Review the history of data entries and modifications
  3. Filter logs by user, date, or activity type

Viewing Edit History

  1. For any emission entry, click the History button
  2. Review all changes made to the entry
  3. See who made each change and when

For more details on audit trails, see the Activity Audit Trails tutorial.

Next Steps