Excel Integration: Step-by-Step Explanation

Go to the Excel Integration section in the DATA tab to set up and manage your Excel. 📂🏃‍♂️

📤Upload Template:

This is the first step in creating a custom Excel template. It lets users upload a sample Excel file 🗂️, which will be the basis for mapping and structuring raw data into a platform-compatible format. Here's how it works:

📝Template Name: Users start by assigning a unique name to the template they are about to create.✍️

If the Excel file contains business travel data, the template name could be “Business Travel Data Excel.” This name helps users easily identify templates later for editing or reuse.✍️

🔢Starting Rows: Users specify the row number where data begins in the uploaded Excel file (e.g., row 6).

This ensures the platform skips headers or irrelevant information in the file and focuses only on the actual data. ✅

📂Upload Excel File:

  • The uploaded file must be in .xlsx format📄.
  • Users can drag and drop or browse🔍 to upload their files.
  • Once uploaded, the system processes the file:
    • Validation Stage🕒: Users see a progress indicator as the platform scans the file🔄, extracts unique column values, and validates its structure.
    • Successful Upload🎉: A confirmation message appears with the file name displayed📛. Users can delete🗑️ and re-upload🔄 the file if necessary.

🔓Users must first input the starting row value before the upload option becomes active.

🤖The system simplifies the process by automating column recognition, saving users time and reducing manual effort.⏱️💪

This step sets the foundation for a seamless and efficient later-stage mapping process. Once the file is uploaded and recognized, users can define columns, activity data, emission factors, and other parameters.🌍📊

🗂️Define Columns

This step ensures that the data columns in the uploaded Excel file are correctly mapped to the corresponding fields in the platform.🛠️ The process involves reviewing, previewing, and mapping the columns to align with the platform's data requirements.

📋Columns in the File:

  • After uploading the Excel file, all the columns are automatically listed under the "Columns in the File" section.🗃️
  • The names of the columns appear exactly as they are in the file, maintaining familiarity for the user.👓

👀Data Preview:

  • A sample of the data within each column is displayed to give users a quick overview of its content.📊
  • This preview helps users verify that they are mapping the correct column.✅

🔄Platform Fields Mapping:

The "Platform Fields" section allows users to assign each Excel column to a corresponding field in the platform.🛠️

A drop-down menu provides various options for mapping, such as:

  • 📉Activity Quantitative Data: For numerical data related to activities.
  • ♻️Emission Factors: For columns containing emission factor data.
  • 🏷️Emission Activity Type: To categorize the activity type.
  • 📍Location of Emission: For columns related to specific locations.
  • 📅Date: For date-related data columns.

🚫 Users can choose “Not Mapped” if a column does not need to be imported into the platform.

Users can delete mappings or reassign them if necessary by interacting with the mapping dropdown🔽 or using the delete🗑️ icon next to each column.

⚠️ If any columns remain unmapped, a confirmation popup appears when the user clicks Next.

The popup lists all unmapped headers along with a preview of their data🚨. The user is informed that these headers will be ignored during import.

Two options are available:

  • ❌Cancel: To go back and map the columns if necessary.
  • ➡️Proceed: To continue, knowing the listed columns will not be imported.

Once the column mappings are complete, users can proceed to the next step to further define activity data or emission factors.

 

🧮Define Activity Data

This step allows users to create custom formulas that calculate activity data based on the columns from the uploaded Excel file. 📄This ensures that data is structured and formatted for further use in the platform.

📊The Activity Data field is where users define a formula that calculates activity data. Users can combine

  • 📂 Column headers
  • 🔢 Numeric values
  • ➗ Mathematical operators to create meaningful calculations.

📋Column Headers That Can Be Used in the Formula: The platform lists all column headers from the uploaded Excel file that are mapped in the Define columns part.🗂️ Users can select these column headers to add them to the formula.🛠️

Operators That Can Be Used in the Formula: A variety of operators are available for constructing formulas:

  • + (Addition)
  • - (Subtraction)
  • * (Multiplication)
  • / (Division)
  • () (Parentheses)
  • ** (Exponentiation)

These operators enable flexibility and complexity in calculations.🔄

🔢 Numeric Values: Users can directly input numeric values into the formula by typing a number and clicking Add Number➕.

🔄 Building the Formula To construct a formula:

  • Select column headers or input numeric values. 📂🔢
  • Combine them with mathematical operators. ➗
  • The formula dynamically updates in the Activity Data field as elements are added. 🧩

⚠️Error Handling: The platform validates the formula in real-time.🚨 Errors are flagged immediately with detailed messages:

  • ❌Invalid Formula Format: This appears if the formula structure is incorrect (e.g., missing operators or invalid characters).
  • ❌Unclosed Parentheses: Highlights missing or unmatched parentheses, ensuring proper grouping in calculations. Users can resolve errors by adjusting the formula until it is valid.

🔄✅ Clear All Option: Users can reset the formula using the Clear All button, which removes all elements and allows them to start fresh.

🌿Define Emission Factors Parameters

This step allows users to define custom formulas 🧮 for calculating Emission Factors 🌍, which are critical for determining environmental impacts based on activity data. It provides flexibility in using columns, numerical constants, and operators to tailor emission calculations.

If no emission factors were mapped during the column definition stage, the platform retrieves emission factors automatically from mapped emission sources. Users can optionally define their own formula for calculating emission factors at this stage.

✍️ Formula Editor: Similar to the Activity Data step, this stage includes a formula editor where users can build a custom formula for emission factors. The formula editor includes:

📋 Emission Factor Field: Displays the formula built dynamically as users add elements.

🗺️ Map Emission Sources

This step allows users to map the columns from the uploaded Excel file to specific emission sources in the platform. Users ensure accurate and structured emissions calculations by defining conditions and linking data to platform emission sources. 🔗✔️

🌐 If no emission source mapping was performed during the column definition stage, the platform assumes the uploaded file contains a single emission source. Users can manually map the data to the correct emission source if needed.

➕ Adding and Configuring Conditions:

Users can define specific conditions to link data columns to emission sources.

🧾 Headers of Column: Choose a column from the uploaded file

⚙️ Operators: Select comparison operators like: = (Equal to) in (Matches one of the listed values)

(Greater than) < (Less than) between (Within a range of values) Values: Define specific values or ranges that satisfy the condition.

🔗 Combining Multiple Conditions: Users can add multiple conditions for the same emission source using the "Add Condition" button. Conditions are combined using logical operators: If (Main condition) and (Additional conditions)

🌍 Adding Multiple Emission Sources To handle multiple scenarios or data categories, users can map additional emission sources using the "Add Emission Source" button. Each emission source mapping is displayed in its section for clarity.

🔽 Platform Emission Source Selection:

Users select a predefined emission source from a dropdown menu.

If the desired source is not listed, they can create a new emission source using the "Create a new source" option.

✅ Final Mapping Overview: After completing the mapping, each set of conditions and its associated emission source is displayed for review. Users can delete or edit mappings as needed before proceeding to the next step.

🌍 Map Locations

This step allows users to link columns in the uploaded Excel file to the corresponding platform locations.

🛠️ No Pre-Mapping? No Problem!

If no mapping for locations was performed during the column-defining stage, the platform assumes that the user will specify the location information during this step.

➕ Adding a Location: Use the "+ Add Location" button to begin mapping locations. Each added location mapping is represented as a row for clarity.

🗂️ Mapping Columns to Platform Locations Users are required to select headers (columns) from the uploaded file to represent location-based data:

🧾 Header of column*: Select the column from the uploaded file that contains location data (e.g., "Türkiye" for country or "Ankara" for city).

🌍 Platform Locations: Map the selected column(s) to a predefined platform location.

📊If location data is distributed across multiple columns (e.g., country and city), users can map both columns:

Header of column 1: Represents one aspect of location (e.g., country).

Header of column 2: Represents another aspect (e.g., city).

✅ Final Mapping: After selecting columns and platform locations, users review the mappings to ensure correctness. 📍🌟

📅 Map Date

This section allows users to configure date-related information for the data being uploaded, ensuring that the dates in the Excel file align with the platform's requirements.

❓ No Pre-Mapping? No Problem!

If no date column mapping was defined earlier, users uploading data will need to select the relevant date columns during the Excel upload process. ⏳📥

🔧 Selecting Date Separator: The user chooses the date separator used in the Excel file, such as Slash (/) Hyphen (-) Comma (,), etc. This ensures that the system can correctly interpret the date format in the uploaded file.

📋 Selecting Date Format: The user selects the specific date format from the following options:

  • 🌐 International Standards: YYYY MM DD
  • 🇺🇸 United States: MM DD YYYY
  • 🇪🇺 European/Other: DD MM YYYY

This ensures compatibility between the Excel file's date formatting and the platform's processing.

🔗 Mapping Date Columns: Users specify the start and end date columns from the Excel file (if applicable).

This step ensures the date information is accurately interpreted and mapped, providing a clear time reference for the uploaded data. After mapping, users can finalize the template creation by clicking the "Create" button. 📅💡