Getting started in Carbon+Alt+Delete

This article covers everything you need to get up and running in Carbon+Alt+Delete, from setting up your consultancy through to generating reports.

Not all sections will be relevant to every user. Where a feature is restricted to a specific role, this is noted clearly. The table below gives a quick overview of what each role can access.

Before you begin: account settings and support

Your account settings are accessible from the profile menu at the top right. Here you can update your name, profile icon, and password. This is available to all users.

The question mark icon at the top of the screen opens the in-app support widget. This is a good first port of call whenever you are unsure how to do something. The widget uses AI to search our support documentation and returns step-by-step answers with cited sources. You can also browse the full help documentation directly from the widget, or contact the support team by email — we generally respond within one business day.

Consultancy settings

Consultancy Settings is where you set up and manage everything at the consultancy level — your team, your client projects, how the platform looks, and security. It is accessible from the profile menu at the top right.

Company accounts

Company accounts are your client projects. Each one holds that client's carbon accounting boundaries, inventory, and reports.

To create a new company account, go to Consultancy Settings > Company Accounts and click Add New. You will be prompted to choose a company template (see Company templates below). You can also upload a logo and add basic details for the account at this stage.

Two demo accounts are included in every consultancy by default and do not count towards your account limit — these are intended as a sandbox for testing and exploring the platform. Additional accounts you create do count towards your contracted limit. If you exceed this, you can still create more accounts, but it will trigger a contract discussion with your account executive.

Expert users

Expert users are your colleagues — the consultancy team members who will be building and managing client footprints. An expert user has full edit access to all features in every company account they have been granted access to, including Company Settings for those accounts.

To add an expert user, go to Consultancy Settings > Expert Users and click Add New User. You can then assign them access to specific company accounts. Expert users are not admins and will not see Consultancy Settings.

As a general rule, expert user seats are best reserved for your internal team, since they carry Company Settings access.

Company templates

Company templates let you define default carbon accounting boundaries that are automatically applied whenever you create a new company account using that template. This saves time when you are repeatedly setting up accounts with similar configurations.

To create a template, go to Consultancy Settings > Company Templates and click Add. Within a template you can configure default organizational units, default emission factor datasets, and default custom fields. For example, if you always want a status field across all client accounts, you can set this up once in a template rather than recreating it for every new account.

Appearance

The Appearance tab lets you brand the platform to match your consultancy. You can set a custom name, upload a logo, and change the platform colour scheme including text colours.

A separate Report Appearance section controls how generated reports look — filler and header colours, a front page image, a default report title, and consultancy information that appears in the report. These settings apply to all reports generated across all accounts in the consultancy.

Security

The Security tab currently supports single sign-on via Microsoft. You can set an email domain so that any user logging in with that domain is required to authenticate through Microsoft. Users logging in with a different domain will still be able to use email and password.

Company settings

Company Settings are specific to the individual company account you are working in, and are accessible from the profile menu when inside that account. Here you can add company details such as address, company number, website, and contact information. More importantly, this is also where you invite and manage company users.

Company users

Company users are typically the end client, auditors, or other third-party stakeholders you want to give access to a specific account. Unlike expert users, a company user can only access the single company account they have been invited to — they cannot be granted access to other accounts within the consultancy.

When inviting a company user, you can set one of three permission levels:

• Edit (full) — full edit access to all features within the account, equivalent to an expert user but scoped to this account only and without access to Company Settings
• Read only (full) — can view all feature pages but cannot make any changes
• Read only (limited) — can only view the dashboard, reports, boundaries, and inventory; all other features are restricted

Carbon accounting boundaries

Before populating the inventory, you need to set the carbon accounting boundaries for the company account. In Carbon+Alt+Delete, these map to the three standard boundary types as follows:

All three are found under Boundaries in the left-hand navigation.

Reporting periods

Reporting periods define the time frames for the carbon footprint. When a new company account is created, a default base year is automatically added for the previous full calendar year.

To add a new period, click Add. By default it pre-fills with the next consecutive year at the same time frame length, but you are not locked to full calendar years — fiscal years, half-years, quarters, and custom date ranges are all supported. The only restriction is that periods cannot overlap, as they are used to calculate footprints and generate reports.

You can also:

• Duplicate a reporting period — optionally copying its inventory entries, attachments, and notes. Useful when certain categories (such as capital goods or leased assets) are expected to be consistent across years, allowing you to populate once and duplicate across periods.
• Lock a reporting period — preventing any further additions, edits, or deletions to its inventory lines. Recommended before an audit.
• Delete a reporting period if it is no longer needed.

Organizational units

Organizational units define the structure of the company — sites, subsidiaries, regions, or any other hierarchy relevant to the client. You can nest units up to four levels deep, with no limit on the number of subdivisions at each level. The units you create here are what users select when assigning inventory lines to parts of the business, and they determine how emissions aggregate upwards in the dashboards and reports.

At the top of this section you can set the consolidation approach (operational control, equity share, or financial control). This affects how the organizational boundary is described in the generated report, but does not change how data is entered into the platform. The vast majority of accounts use operational control.

Working with large organizational structures: If you need to set up a large number of organizational units, the Carbon+Alt+Delete MCP connector allows you to create them in bulk by connecting an AI tool such as Claude or ChatGPT to the platform via your login.

Activity categories

Activity categories define which emission sources are in scope for the inventory. Carbon+Alt+Delete provides a default set aligned to the GHG Protocol scopes:

• Scope 1 — direct emissions, including stationary combustion, mobile combustion, and fugitive emissions
• Scope 2 — purchased electricity and, optionally, steam, heat, and cooling
• Scope 3 — upstream and downstream categories

Some categories are excluded by default because they are less commonly used. To include a category, expand it in the list and toggle its status from Excluded to Included. Excluded categories do not appear in the inventory or dashboards. You can also add a description and inclusion criteria to any category, which will appear in the generated report.

You can rename and reorganize existing categories, and create new ones.

Custom activity categories

You can create custom activity categories to track emission sources that fall outside the default structure. Because every category must be tied to a standardized GHG Protocol category type to report correctly, the recommended approach is to duplicate an existing category and rename it rather than creating one from scratch.

For example, to split mobile combustion by vehicle type, you could duplicate the Mobile Combustion category and rename the copies Company Cars and Fleet Vehicles. Both remain linked to the Mobile Combustion category type and report accordingly, but appear separately in the inventory and dashboards.

To track water-related emissions as a distinct group:

1. Create a new parent category called Water.
2. Duplicate Purchased Goods and Services and rename it Purchased Water. Move it into the Water category.
3. Duplicate Waste Generated in Operations and rename it Wastewater Treatment. Move it into the Water category.

Your custom categories will appear as their own groups throughout the inventory and dashboards. In the standardized GHG Protocol report, they will be aggregated back under their underlying standard category types.

Emission factor preferences

The Emission Factors tab in Boundaries lets you set your preferred emission factor dataset for each activity type. This dataset will be used as the default when creating inventory lines manually or importing via keyword and detail.

These are defaults only — you can always use emission factors from any other dataset on a line-by-line basis (see Using non-preferred datasets below).

Important: If you later change the preferred dataset in Boundaries, any inventory line tagged as using the preferred source will be automatically recalculated using the new dataset's emission factors. This is treated as a change to your baseline, so update with care.

The bottom of this tab also contains settings for:

• Whether market-based or location-based scope 2 emissions are shown as the default in the inventory table (both are always calculated)
• Whether to include upstream life cycle emissions for scope 3
• Radiative forcing for air travel

Scope 2 dual reporting

Carbon+Alt+Delete always calculates both market-based and location-based scope 2 emissions for electricity activities. The setting above controls only which value appears as the default in the inventory table. The detail panel for any electricity line always shows both values.

For AIB electricity factors: market-based emissions use the supplier mix, residual mix, or zero for certified green electricity; location-based emissions use the AIB production mix.

Custom fields

Custom fields let you add additional classification options to inventory lines. Common uses include:

• A Status field (e.g. Draft, Under Review, Approved) to manage data quality workflows
• A Cost Centre field to tag emissions to internal business functions
• A Supplier field to track emissions by third-party supplier

Custom fields currently support single-select values. Each field can have as many options as needed. Until a native change log is available in the platform, a common practice is to use the notes field on individual inventory lines to record changes made after initial data entry.

Business metrics

Business metrics enable intensity reporting — displaying emissions relative to an operational or financial measure rather than as an absolute total. Pre-built options include full-time employees, number of units, and sales revenue. You can also create entirely custom metrics with custom units.

Once business metrics are defined here, you add values to them in the Business Inventory tab and can then use them as a lens in the Insights dashboard.

The inventory

The inventory is where you create, manage, and refine the carbon footprint. It is split into two tabs:

• Emissions Inventory — where you record emission-generating activities
• Business Inventory — where you record values for your business metrics

Use the reporting period picker and activity category picker to navigate between different sections of the inventory.

Business inventory

In the Business Inventory tab, you can record values for the business metrics configured in Boundaries. For each metric, you create a line, select the relevant organizational unit, and enter the value for that reporting period. This allows the Insights dashboard to display intensity figures — for example, tonnes CO₂e per full-time employee.

Creating an inventory line

To add a new line to the Emissions Inventory, click Add (either at the top right or at the bottom of the table). New lines always appear at the top of the table.

For each line, you will typically need to set:

1. Description — a name or label for the activity (e.g. "On-site furnace – Building A")
2. Start and end date — defaults to the reporting period dates, but can be set to any range. The midpoint of these dates also determines which annual publication of a dataset is applied, for datasets that have multiple publications (such as UK GOV).
3. Organizational unit — which part of the org structure this activity belongs to
4. Keyword and detail — used to filter for an appropriate emission factor from your preferred dataset
5. Factor unit — the unit of measurement for the volume you are entering (e.g. kg, litres, kWh)
6. Volume — the quantity of the activity. Note: "volume" in Carbon+Alt+Delete is a general-purpose term for the amount of anything — kilograms of coal, litres of fuel, euros spent, and so on.

The total CO₂ equivalent is calculated automatically once the emission factor and volume are set.

The detail panel

Clicking on any inventory line opens the detail panel, which provides a full breakdown of everything associated with that activity. Key sections include:

• Boundaries — reporting period, activity category, organizational unit, and date range
• Emission factor — the source dataset, keyword and detail, factor unit, certainty rating, and unique factor reference ID. When the source shows "preferred source," it means an emission factor from your default dataset was applied. Changing the preferred dataset in Boundaries will trigger recalculation of all lines tagged this way.
• Volume and certainty — the activity volume and your assessment of its data quality. Combined with the emission factor certainty from the dataset, this contributes to the uncertainty index shown in the Insights dashboard.
• Breakdown by greenhouse gases — emissions split across the Kyoto Protocol gases (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, etc.)
• Breakdown by life cycle stage — shows how this activity contributes across life cycle categories. Scope 1 and scope 2 activities automatically generate corresponding scope 3 category 3 (Fuel and Energy-Related Activities) lines — you do not need to create these manually.
• Breakdown by land — relevant for activities involving land-based emissions or removals (e.g. agriculture-focused datasets)
• Custom fields — any custom fields configured in Boundaries, such as Status or Cost Centre
• Attachments and notes — supporting documentation such as invoices or meter readings, and free-text notes

Using non-preferred datasets

If you need to use an emission factor from a dataset other than your preferred one, open the detail panel for the inventory line and change the dataset. Then use the search icon to find the appropriate emission factor. The search is AI-powered and supports plain language descriptions, including cross-language matching — for example, searching "petrol for a car" will find the equivalent term in a Spanish dataset.

Alternatively, use the Factor Library (in the left-hand navigation) to search across all datasets at once. This is useful when you are unsure which dataset is most appropriate for a given activity. You can also copy factor references from the Factor Library for use in bulk imports.

Custom emission factors

The Factor Library also includes two custom libraries:

• Private — emission factors specific to this company account only. Suitable for supplier-specific factors provided directly by a client's supply chain.
• Shared — emission factors accessible across all accounts in the consultancy. Suitable for factors you want to apply consistently across multiple projects.

Formula input

For activities where you do not have a precise volume figure, formula input lets Carbon+Alt+Delete calculate the volume for you from the information you do have. Formula input is available for:

• Upstream and downstream transport
• Business travel
• Employee commuting
• Capital goods

For transport activities, you can enter the load weight, origin and destination locations, and transport mode (road, rail, or direct/great circle distance). Carbon+Alt+Delete calculates the distance and derives the total tonne-kilometres. You can set the number of trips and, if needed, switch from location-based to manual distance input to account for detours or supplier-reported distances.

Country flags are displayed alongside detected locations so you can verify the correct country has been identified — particularly important for city names that appear in multiple countries.

Importing data

For adding data in bulk, Carbon+Alt+Delete supports several import methods, accessible from the Import section.

Keyword and detail import

This method maps rows in your spreadsheet to emission factors from your preferred dataset, matching the keywords and details in your file to those in the dataset.

Using a Carbon+Alt+Delete template:

1. Go to Import and select Keyword and Detail.
2. Download the template for the relevant activity category — it includes valid keywords and details for your preferred dataset as a dropdown.
3. Fill in your data and upload the file.
4. Review the auto-mapped columns and correct any that did not match as expected.
5. Fill in any missing information (reporting period, organizational unit, keyword matches).
6. Choose whether to attach the source file to the imported lines — strongly recommended for audit purposes.
7. Review and approve the imported lines, then click Import.

Using your own file:

You can import any spreadsheet — it does not need to follow the Carbon+Alt+Delete template. If columns are missing or named differently, you will be prompted to map them. Carbon+Alt+Delete uses a combination of deterministic matching and AI to suggest mappings, including recognising abbreviated column names (for example, mapping a column called "CC" to a custom field called "Cost Centre"). Missing information such as reporting period or organizational unit can be applied globally for the whole import.

Once you have completed a column mapping for a given file format, Carbon+Alt+Delete stores it — if you use the same template again in future, the mapping will be applied automatically.

Note: On Windows, close the file in Excel or another application before clicking Import. Having the file open simultaneously will cause a collision error.

Note: Keyword and detail imports always use your preferred dataset. If you need to import data for activities that require a different dataset, use a factor reference import instead. Multi-dataset preference selection is on the roadmap and will allow keyword and detail imports to span multiple datasets simultaneously once released.

Factor reference import

Use this method when you want to import data using emission factors from a dataset other than your preferred one, or when you want to specify the exact emission factor to use for each row. This is currently the recommended approach for importing data spanning multiple regions that require different datasets — for example, EPA for US sites alongside AIB for European sites, in the same import file.

Each row in your file must include a factor reference — the unique ID of the specific emission factor to use. Factor references can be found and copied from the Factor Library.

1. Go to Import and select Factor Reference.
2. Download the template and complete it, adding the appropriate factor reference for each row.
3. Upload the file — if using the template, columns will map automatically.
4. Review and import.

You can mix factor references from multiple different datasets within the same import file.

AI document screening

AI document screening lets you import data by uploading an invoice, receipt, flight ticket, or similar document. The AI engine reads the file and attempts to identify the activity category, reporting period, the best matching emission factor, and the volume — performing the mapping steps automatically.

For each identified activity, you can expand it to review the reasoning behind each choice, including a reference to exactly where in the document the information was found. If everything looks correct, click Import.

Supported file types: PDF, JPEG, PNG.

AI document screening currently processes one file at a time. Multi-file upload and asynchronous processing are on the roadmap.

Requesting data from third parties

The Requests section allows you to collect data directly from suppliers or other external contacts, without them needing a Carbon+Alt+Delete account.

To create a request:

1. Navigate to Requests and select the activity category you need data for.
2. Set a deadline and assign a data provider by email address.
3. Send the request — the recipient receives an email with a link to a simple data submission page.
4. The data provider downloads a pre-configured template, fills in their data, and uploads it. They have access to nothing else in the platform.
5. Once submitted, the request status changes to Awaiting Import. You can then import the file using the standard import flow, with the correct mapping method and activity category pre-selected.

You can also copy the request link directly if you prefer to share it via another channel.

Dashboards and reports

Insights

The Insights dashboard provides a visual overview of the carbon inventory. The main charts are:

• Emissions by activity — a breakdown by activity category or activity group
• Emissions over time — trends across reporting periods
• Uncertainty table — an overview of data quality across the inventory, based on emission factor certainty from the dataset combined with the volume certainty you assign to each line
• Emissions per organizational unit — a breakdown by org structure

You can filter by reporting period, organizational unit, and activity category group. You can also switch between:

• Fossil emissions (default)
• Land emissions and removals — relevant for LSRG reporting, populated by activities using datasets that include land-based values
• Biogenic (gross) emissions — out-of-scope emissions associated with biomass combustion

If business metrics have been configured, you can switch from a total emissions view to an intensity view — for example, tonnes CO₂e per full-time employee. Custom fields can also be used to filter the dashboard — for example, viewing only emissions tagged to a specific cost centre.

Compare

The Compare tab provides a simple side-by-side view of two data points — for example, fossil emissions versus land emissions, or two different organizational units across the same reporting period.

Pivot

The Pivot view allows you to build fully custom charts and tables that go beyond the standardized Insights views. You can:

• Filter to a specific activity category, reporting period, and organizational unit
• Select any combination of values (e.g. total emissions, energy in kWh, volume)
• Choose from multiple chart types
• Save named views to return to later — and share them with clients
• Export the chart as a PNG or download the underlying data table

Reports

The Reports view generates formatted PDF reports based on preset templates. Available formats include GHG Protocol, ISO 14064, SECR, and MITECO, among others. For each report you can set:

• Language — several languages are supported
• Reporting period — the period to report against
• Organizational unit — report at group level or for a specific subsidiary or site

The appropriate format depends on the company's reporting requirements. Many accounts use GHG Protocol as their primary report, but regulatory requirements may also require additional formats — for example, SECR for qualifying UK companies, or MITECO for companies operating in Spain.

Generated reports include: company and boundary information, emissions by category (including custom categories), the standardized GHG Protocol statement (where custom categories are aggregated back under their standard category types), publication details, and a full emissions summary table including land and biogenic emissions.

Report appearance — colours, front page image, default title, and consultancy information — is configured in Consultancy Settings > Appearance and applies to all reports generated across all accounts in the consultancy.

Consultancy Admins only. Report appearance settings are managed in Consultancy Settings and are not accessible to expert users or company users.

Inventory export

Every time you generate a report, a full inventory export is also produced and saved in the report history. This is a line-by-line export of every activity in the reporting period, including the factor reference, volume, volume certainty, emissions, GWP method used, gas-level breakdown, publication URLs, and custom field values. This is particularly useful for audits, for connecting to external tools such as Power BI, or for any bespoke analysis outside the platform.