Calculating Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) can be time-consuming, especially with a large product portfolio. With Cozero, you can import data for all your products at once using our PCF bulk import function.

In this article and video, we'll guide you step-by-step on how to import your activity data and easily calculate Product Carbon Footprints.

To get the most out of the bulk import feature, please note:

For a visual guide to importing your activity data, please watch the following video:

You can download the template through the Products Log page by selecting “Bulk import”, and after that “Download template” on the bulk import page.

Always download a new template before starting. The templates are continuously updated with the latest methodologies and the most recent data from your platform.

Select the template based on your desired Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) boundary. This helps you track product footprint boundaries, especially for different product assessments. Please note that these templates do not change the calculation of emissions, this is determined by the input of your activity data.

The available boundaries are based on the most common LCA boundaries:

Please note that these boundaries are intended to help you decide what to include in your assessment, but don’t need to be followed strictly. You can also fill in only the files for life cycle steps you want to include. For example, if you want to calculate impacts from raw materials and manufacturing (cradle-to-gate) and also include end-of-life waste treatment (cradle-to-grave), download the cradle-to-grave template and omit steps like Usage.

After clicking the 'Get templates' button, you will receive an email containing a link to download a zip file containing the template for each lifecycle step.

At the beginning of each file you’ve downloaded, you will find a tab titled “Read me”. Please read this carefully, as it provides guidance on how to fill the specific file and life cycle step.

Each file includes several tabs:

Please note: Data input is only done on the second tab for each life cycle step. The other tabs are locked, and you can only copy data from them. All mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk (*).

You can use the bulk import template in many ways, either to create all new products, calculate new footprints for existing products, or update parts of existing footprints. You can do this by defining the Product name, code, and version to fit your needs. Below is an overview of different use cases with examples.

You can introduce a new product and calculate its carbon footprint by creating a new Product name, Product code, and Product version. You can use whichever product code or versioning numbers you want. For simplicity, in our examples we are using v1 as the first version of a product’s PCF, and v2 for the subsequent PCF for the same product.

Example inputs:

2. Creating a new PCF for an existing product

You have previously calculated a footprint (v1) for a product but want to calculate a new one, for example due to changes in data or product inputs. You can use the existing Product name and Product code, and create a new Product version, such as v2. This way, you can create a new product carbon footprint for the product, while still maintaining the original version for tracking emissions.

Example inputs:

Product name: Hardshell Jacket Blue

Product code: 123456

Product version: v2

3. Updating an Existing PCF

If you are looking to add data to an existing PCF, you should maintain the current Product name, code, and Product version. This will change any data you input in the original PCF, while maintaining other remaining information. For example, if you wanted to update new manufactured quantities for a product for which you have a valid PCF already calculated, there is no need to create new files for any of the life cycle steps you don’t need to change; the existing ones remain applicable. You can only upload a new ‘Quantity’ file with updated information.

Example inputs:

Product name: Hardshell Jacket Blue

Product code: 123456

Product version: v1

Now that your template is filled in, you can upload it to your Cozero platform. Depending on the size of your file, it can take a few moments for the data to show.

As a next step, we will validate your data. If everything goes well, you will have a smooth flow to step 5. However, if we identify any data issues from your template in the detail page, we will guide you on how to solve the issue.

You will be prompted to download the files with errors. Download the template with results. There you will find a new column called 'Errors Details'. This specifies which column contains the wrong value and how to solve it.

Once all errors are resolved, the 'Submit file' button will become active, and you can submit your data. Please note that you need to submit all the files again, including the ones with no errors.

After submitting, you'll get an email notification when the import is complete.

After the data is imported, emission calculations can take a little while to show. Therefore, it could be that you will see your newly added logs with '0' emissions for some time. Be assured that the actual emission values will be added later.

And now your Product Carbon Footprints are all ready!

If you need any support or have questions regarding the bulk import of product data, our expert team of Climate Success Managers is happy to support you, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us!