To help track and manage data collection for a sustainability reporting, you can add metrics to their respective topics in Sustainability Program. Each topic can include multiple metrics; for example, a Scope 1 emissions topic may include multiple metrics to track values based on emission sources, such as Stationary combustion, Mobile combustion, and Refrigerants.
Step 1. Add the metric
Tip: To quickly add a metric, you can duplicate a metric already on the topic, such as to start with the same framework references, program tags, or request details.
- From Sustainability Program, add the metric from either the outline or its topic:
- From the outline, select the metric's topic, then click Insert outline item, Metric, and select the new metric.
- From the topic, click Add metric to create a new metric from scratch.
-
If the topic already has a metric similar to the one to add, select Duplicate from that metric's menu.
Note: If you duplicate a metric with a connected source spreadsheet, the new metric's value will need its own connected cell. A spreadsheet cell can connect to only one metric.
- From the outline, select the metric's topic, then click Insert outline item, Metric, and select the new metric.
- To help identify the new metric, double-click and edit its name.
Step 2. Enter the metric's details
In Metric details, provide information about the metric:
-
To provide additional context about the metric, enter a description.
Tip: From the metric's menu, you can select to show or hide its description, such as to remove an empty field or only view lengthy content on-demand.
- In Related Explorer content, specify the Sustainability Explorer content the metric aligns with, such as specific framework disclosures and standards.
- In Program tags, select any additional information your organization tracks for its metrics.
- In Reference attachments, upload any files about the overall metric, such as reporting guidelines or example formulas.
Step 3. Set up the metric's values
A metric can collect a single annual value or multiple values throughout the year, such as based on collection period or custom dimension.
Tip: From Program overview, Program Owners can set up custom dimensions for the values to collect through metrics, such as for different locations, business units, or demographics.
- From the metric's Configure metric panel, select the type of data to collect for the metric:
- Number, such as for a quantitative value or measurement
- Currency, for a monetary amount
- Percent, for a percentage or rate
- Text, such as for a qualitative response
- Date, such as for time-based data
- For a Number, Currency, or Percent, also select its unit of measurement.
- Select whether to require notes or attachments to support the values.
- To collect multiple values based on a custom dimension, click Add dimension, and choose the dimension to apply.
- From Values, click Add values.
- Select Collection period, then select the collection frequency of the metric's values — Yearly, Biannually, Quarterly, or Monthly — and which periods to collect values for.
- If you also apply a custom dimension, select which of its values to collect, and click Next.
-
Review the possible metric values based on the selected periods and dimensional values, and click Apply.
Tip: To exclude a metric value, such as if a collection period doesn't apply to a dimensional value, click Remove.
To learn more, view Configure a metric's data collection in Sustainability Program.
Step 4. Collect values
To help ease data collection, you can collect a metric's values:
- Directly in the metric, through Sustainability Program
- Through a connected source file, such as the Data Collection Spreadsheet or a policy document.
- Through data collection tasks, assigned to workspace members who can prepare and approve values through a connected source file or the streamlined Workiva Tasks portal
To enter a value directly through its metric:
- From Sustainability Program, open the metric, then select the value's reporting year and collection period.
- In Values, enter the value in its row, such as based on its dimensional value.
- In Notes, enter any additional context about the value, such as for a footnote or supporting material.
- In Attachments, click Attach to upload or link to any supporting attachment, such as a utility bill, Workiva file, or online resource.
-
To indicate that the value is collected, select
Complete
from its menu.
Note: If the metric requires notes or attachments, you can complete a value only when it also includes its supporting material.
To pull the value from a source file, such as the Data Collection Spreadsheet:
- From Sustainability Program, open the metric, then select the value's reporting year and collection period.
-
In Values, select Edit details
from the value's menu.
-
In Value, click
Connect source.
-
Browse to and select the source file, then click
Open file.
-
From the source file, select the cell or content to provide
the value, then right-click and select
Connect source to metric to
complete the connection.
Note: If the Data Collection spreadsheet is the source, first refresh its incoming connections to include the new metric in its Source section.
Tip: If a connected Spreadsheet cell has no value, its coordinates appear in Value on the metric.
To learn more, view Connect source Workiva files to Sustainability Program values.
To assign workspace members to prepare and approve the value:
- From Sustainability Program, open the metric, then select the value's reporting year and collection period.
-
In Tasks, click Create task.
-
Enter a unique name to help identify the task.
- In Assignee, select the members to prepare the value and its supporting material, then enter their due date.
- To assign members to approve the prepared value, click Add approval step, then select the approvers and their due dates.
- Enter any instructions to help the members complete their task.
-
In Values, select which of the metric's
values
to include in the task, and click Apply.
Note: If collected through the Workiva Tasks portal, you can include multiple values in the same task. Values collected through a connected source file each require their own separate tasks.
- Click Create task.
After you create tasks, send them to their assignees when ready to begin data collection:
-
From the metric, choose the tasks to send in Tasks,
then click Manage tasks, select
Send,
and choose whether to notify the assignees of their tasks.
-
From the metric's topic, select the year and reporting period
of the values to collect, then click Send tasks
or select Send without notifications.
Tip: If you choose to send tasks with notifications, the assignee receives an email to notify them of their tasks. To help reduce email fatigue, you can choose to send without notifications and have the task simply appear in their tasks in Home or the Workiva Tasks portal.
When an assignee completes their task, the approver will receive a task to verify the value. You can track the status of data collection from the metric or its Program or topic.
To learn more, view Manage metric tasks in Sustainability Program (Beta).
Note: To include the collected values in the Factbook spreadsheet, refresh its incoming connections to include the new metric in its Source section.
To learn more, view Collect metric values for Sustainability Program.