Import Template Spec
How to format invoices and spend data before you upload a spreadsheet.
1. How the importer reads your file
You do not have to match our column names exactly. We look at the header row at the top of your spreadsheet and work out what each column holds from its name. Capital letters make no difference, and we recognise most of the usual alternatives — Vendor, Payee and Supplier all mean the same thing to us. The template simply uses the clearest name for each one.
Use one row per line item. A single invoice can take up several rows.
2. Columns
| Column in the template | What it holds | Do you need it? | Other names we accept |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier Name | Who you paid | Yes | Vendor, Payee, Merchant, Company, Carrier, Provider… |
| Invoice Date | The date on the invoice | Yes | Best written as YYYY-MM-DD, for example 2026-03-14. Also accepts Bill Date, Transaction Date… |
| Line Description | What was bought | Strongly recommended | This is what we use to work out what the spending actually is. Also accepts Item Description, Charge Description, Product Description… |
| Category | Your own label for the spending | Optional | If you already sort your spending, put your own label or account code here. Also accepts GL Code, Nominal Code, Cost Centre, Expense Type… |
| Quantity | How much was used | Only if you have it | Giving this gets you a more accurate Silver result. Also accepts Qty, Units, kWh, Usage… |
| Unit | What the quantity is measured in | Only if you have a quantity | Goes with Quantity. Use real physical units: kWh, litres, kg, tonnes, km. Also accepts UoM, Measure… |
| Net Amount | The amount before VAT | One amount needed | Net, Subtotal, Amount ex VAT… |
| VAT Amount | The VAT | Optional | Tax Amount, GST, Sales Tax… |
| Gross Amount | The total including VAT | One amount needed | Total, Amount, Line Total, Amount inc VAT… |
| Currency | The currency of the amount | Optional — we assume pounds | Best as a three-letter code such as GBP or USD. Please read the currency note below. |
| GL Code | Your accounting code | Optional | Your nominal or ledger account. Giving this lets us sort spending using your own codes, which is the most reliable way. |
| UNSPSC Code | A standard product code | Optional | Only if your accounting system produces these codes. |
| Supplier CO2e (kgCO2e) | A CO₂e figure the supplier gave you | Optional | If a supplier has given you a carbon figure on a certificate, put it here. We use it exactly as given, which triggers the Gold tier and is the most accurate result possible. |
| Invoice Number | The invoice reference | Recommended | Keeps the lines of one invoice together, and lets us match up extra measurements from another tab. Also accepts Bill Number, Doc Number, PO Number… |
Minimum to calculate a line
- Give us Supplier Name, Invoice Date and one amount (Net or Gross). That gives you a Bronze result, worked out from the amount spent.
- Add Quantity and a physical Unit as well. That moves suitable lines up to Silver, worked out from actual usage.
- Add Supplier CO2e on top. That gives you Gold, the supplier's own figure and the most accurate of all.
3. Currency note
If you leave the Currency column empty, we assume pounds. Anything not in pounds gets converted first. But we currently hold exchange rates only for US dollars, euros and pounds, covering 2024 to 2026. Any other currency is treated as if one unit equals one pound, which will give you a wrong figure.
So if you have invoices in other currencies, you have two good options: convert them to pounds yourself before uploading, or give us a quantity and unit instead. That second route works out the emissions from actual usage and never touches exchange rates at all.
4. Sample data
The template comes with six example rows so you can see what good data looks like. They cover: bought goods, electricity in kWh, freight in km, professional services with only an amount, a Gold-tier line with a supplier's own CO₂e figure, and fuel in litres. Delete them and put your own data in, but keep the header row at the top.
5. Excel
The same column names work in an .xlsx file. You might keep extra measurements, such as distances or weights, on a separate tab. If so, name that tab clearly so we can recognise it. Then put the matching Invoice Number on each row, so we can join those measurements back to the right line of spending.