Import emission factors

Sumday primarily uses publicly available factors from reputable sources, so every factor and its origin can be transparently shared, ensuring your assessment is always audit ready. However, you’re not restricted to Sumday’s selected databases. If you have licensed other data or supplier-specific emission factors, you can import these as your own custom emission factors in Sumday that will be accessible only to your organisation.

Overview of the process

• Download our template for the appropriate scope (Scope 1, 2, or 3)
• Prepare your data in CSV format
• Note that all mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk (*)

Tips for success

✓ Always use the template

✓ Check category spelling and case sensitivity

✓ Verify all mandatory fields are filled

✓ Use correct date formats

✓ Ensure numbers are properly formatted

✓ Use supported units only

✓ Keep spend and activity data separate

✓ Give each database a unique name (can be the same for the 4 imports)

Download the templates

• From the Emission factor databases screen in the Assessment settings or Assessment creation screen, click Import Database under each of the Scopes to download the import template for that section.
• You can import emission factors for all scopes in Sumday - Scope 1, Scope 2, Scope 3 Spend, Scope 3 Activity.

Scope 3 Databases: Activity vs. Spend

We support two types of Scope 3 databases:

• Activity-Based: Uses physical units (Kg, Litres, etc.)
• Spend-Based: Uses monetary units (USD, EUR, etc.)

⚠️ Important: Don't mix activity and spend units in the same database.

Required fields and formats in the import templates

Required fields

The import templates have the following columns in each Scope's import template.

Required columns are indicated with a * 

Template Column Header	Scope 1	Scope 2	Scope 3 Spend	Scope 3 Activity
Category	*	*	n/a	n/a
SubCategory	*	*	n/a	n/a
Input UOM	*	*	*	*
Emission factor	*	*	*	*
EF Start Date	*	*	*	*
EF Source	*	*	*	*
Country	*	*	*	*
Link to Source	Optional	Optional	Optional	Optional
Emission Sources	n/a	n/a	*	*
Original Source Names	n/a	n/a	*	*
Emission Factor (kg CO2e)	n/a	n/a	*	*
Fuel and Energy (Y/N)	n/a	n/a	n/a	*

Required formats

EF Start Date - accepted formats

Acceptable formats for dates:

• DD/MM/YYYY (e.g., 01/01/2022)
• DD-MM-YYYY (e.g., 01-01-2022)
• DD MMM YYYY (e.g., 01 Jan 2022)
• D MMMM YYYY (e.g., 1 January 2022)

Categories - Scope 1 & 2 imports

Use of one the exact category names from the supported list:

• Scope 1 EF imports
  • Mobile Combustion
  • Stationary Combustion
  • Fugitive Emissions
  • Process Emissions
• Scope 2 EF imports
  • • Electricity
    • Steam
    • Heat

Note on energy content for Scope 1 Emission Sources

Energy content factors are already incorporated by Sumday for the default Scope 1 emission factors in databases we include. In the EF database search, you’ll see a factor for GJ, along with a separate factor for litres.

If you want to upload a custom Scope 1 emission source, you’ll need to incorporate the energy content factor and calculate the emission factor yourself first outside of the platform, then enter the final value into the template for import.

Numerical values

• Use decimal points, not commas (e.g., 0.75 not 0,75)
• Remove any currency symbols or text
• Numbers only in numerical fields

Supported Units of Measurement (UoM)

Physical units (Case Sensitive):

• Each
• Employee Per Day
• GJ
• Hour
• Kg
• Km
• Litres
• MJ
• Person
• Person per month
• Tkm
• Tonnes
• kWh
• m2
• m3
• ac
• ft
• ft2
• gal
• MMBtu
• mi
• p-mi
• lb
• scf
• tn-mi

Currencies (Case Sensitive):

• AUD
• BRL
• CAD
• EUR
• GBP
• NZD
• RON
• USD
• ZAR

Valid GHG Protocol categories

Scope 1 (Case sensitive):

• Mobile Combustion
• Stationary Combustion
• Fugitive Emissions
• Process Emissions

Scope 2 (Case sensitive):

• Electricity
• Steam and Heat

Scope 3 Activity Import Template - Fuel and Energy (Y/N)

This field determines whether the Emission Source is a Scope 3 Fuel and Energy related emission factor or not. The field is not case sensitive. Ensure only the specified values are entered to maintain data accuracy.

To say Yes in the Scope 3 Fuel and Energy related column, the following values are accepted:

• Y
• Yes
• True
• T
• 0

To say No, that it is not Scope 3 Fuel and Energy related, the following values are accepted:

• N
• No
• False
• F
• 1
• Blank