Monthly emissions accounting is a regular cycle in which data on energy and fuel consumption for the past month is entered, reviewed and approved, after which the period is closed. This approach gives you reviewed data for all 12 months by the end of the year, rather than a rush to collect it right before the report. A closed period provides a reliable basis for the annual inventory and for verification.
Why monthly rather than once a year
- Errors show up right away. A missing invoice or mixed-up units are easier to find after a month than after a year.
- Documents are at hand. Invoices and certificates are collected as you go rather than tracked down after the fact.
- Management information. Monthly trends show the effect of energy efficiency measures and seasonality.
- Ready for review. By the end of the year, the inventory is practically done.
The month-end closing cycle
- Entry. The data preparer enters consumption for each facility and resource and attaches primary documents; for details, see Collecting energy and fuel data.
- Self-check. Completeness across facilities and resources, units, agreement with invoices.
- Review. The reviewer compares the values with the previous month and the same month last year and checks the documents and the flags on estimates.
- Approval. The responsible person approves the period. From that point on, the data is considered final for reporting.
- Corrections. If an error is found later, the period is reopened, the correction is made with a stated reason, and the period is approved again.
Example of a variance check
A facility used 42,000 kWh in March, but 420,000 kWh was entered for April. In this worked example, with an emission factor of 0.726 kg CO₂e/kWh (estimated), that is 304.9 t CO₂e instead of the expected 30.5 t or so. A tenfold increase with no change in how the facility operates is a typical sign of an extra zero or of data entered in Wh instead of kWh. The reviewer checks the value against the invoice and sends the record back to the data preparer.
Useful review rules:
- a variance from the previous month above a preset threshold requires a comment;
- zero consumption at an operating facility requires an explanation;
- values without a supporting document must be flagged as estimates.
Division of roles
The four-eyes principle: whoever enters the data should not approve it themselves. A minimal setup:
| Role | Task |
|---|---|
| Data preparer | Enters data and documents |
| Reviewer | Checks completeness and correctness |
| Responsible person | Approves the period |
| Observer | Views results without the right to make changes |
This division increases confidence in the data and is required when preparing for verification.
How it works in the platform
- Data is entered on the Data entry screen for each facility and each month; quarterly and annual totals are built up from the months automatically.
- Once a month has ended, it is confirmed for each source as either “Data complete” or “No consumption”. Any change to the month's data removes the confirmation.
- The platform closes a facility's year rather than individual months. Before closing, completeness is checked and the source list is confirmed; if the year has ended and all Scope 1 and 2 sources are complete, the list is confirmed automatically. The year can be closed by an administrator or by the facility's responsible employee with edit rights, while only an administrator can reopen a closed year; for details, see Closing the year and the report.
- The platform does not yet have predefined “data preparer” and “reviewer” roles or a multi-step approval workflow. Duties are separated through permissions: under Employees and roles, the administrator chooses an employee's facilities and the actions they are allowed to take (view, create, edit, delete); see Employees and permissions.
- The “Change history” of a facility's year records who changed what and when, so corrections made after a year is reopened remain traceable.
Frequently asked questions
Can data be changed after a period has been approved?
Yes, but only by reopening the period and stating the reason. The change should remain in the history so that a reviewer or verifier can see what was corrected and why.
What deadline should be set for closing a month?
Base it on when supplier invoices usually arrive. Many companies close a month within a few weeks after it ends, once all invoices and certificates have been received.
What if a document arrives after approval?
If the actual value differs significantly from the estimate you entered, reopen the period, replace the estimate and approve it again. Minor differences can be handled under the rules set out in your methodology; see Data quality.