Adding Scope 3 Activity Data

Scope 3 emissions cover indirect impacts across your value chain (e.g. purchased goods, travel, waste, transport).

In Sumday, Scope 3 starts with spend-based estimates because every financial transaction can be coded quickly to ensure nothing is missed. This creates a complete audit trail.

Where more accurate activity data (e.g. kg of goods, km travelled, kWh of fuel) is available, you can override the spend estimate. This shifts the calculation to an activity-based emission factor, improving accuracy while keeping the spend baseline visible for audit purposes.

The available units in the activity data dropdown depend on the emission factor databases applied in your Assessment. You can use the Emission Database Search to filter by GHG category and check which options are available.

How to add activity data for Scope 3

There are four ways to add or update activity data in Sumday:

1. Override spend-based calculations

2. Add activity data directly (when no spend transaction exists)

3. Import new activity data

4. Modify existing activity data (export, bulk update, re-import)

Option 1: Override spend-based calculations

1. Go to Assessments.

2. Select your Assessment Period.

3. Go to Accounting → Scope 3.

4. Toggle between Upstream and Downstream to view categories.

5. Open a category → click Details.

6. Select the transaction(s) → click Assign to Activity.

In the Activity tab, complete:

• Activity Date – when the activity occurred.

• Quantity – amount of activity in the chosen unit (e.g. 600 kg purchased).

• Emissions Source (Activity) – the closest match to your activity (may differ from spend EF).

• Units (Activity) – unit of measure available in your selected emission factor databases.

Option 2: Add activity data directly

For activity data without a linked spend transaction (e.g. externally managed waste data):

1. Go to the relevant Scope 3 category.

2. Click the Activity tab.

3. Click the + icon to add rows.

4. Enter your data directly into the Scope 3 worksheet.

Option 3: Import new activity data

1. Go to the relevant Scope 3 category.

2. Click the Activity tab.

3. Click Import.

4. Upload your activity data file.

This option is useful for adding large amounts of new activity data quickly.

Option 4: Modify existing activity data

If you already have activity data entered and want to update it in bulk:

1. Go to the relevant Scope 3 category.

2. Click the Activity tab.

3. Click Import.

4. Select Modify existing data.

5. Export the current data to a file.

6. Update the data outside Sumday.

7. Re-import the updated file.

This option is useful for corrections, reclassifications, or adding detail to previously entered data.

Other features

• Revert to Spend – move a transaction back to spend-based calculation.

• Assign to Activity – shift a spend entry to activity data.

• Un-Reconcile – send a transaction back to the Carbon Ledger for re-coding.

Examples of activity data

✅ Summary

• Start with spend data → ensures full coverage + audit trail.

• Add or override with activity data → improves accuracy.

• Choose the best method: override, direct entry, import, or modify existing data.