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Emission Factor Control

By default, NetNada AI finds and applies the most appropriate emission factor for every transaction — and the confidence of each selection is visible in the audit table. But when you need more control, you can override any factor by browsing our global database of emission factors, narrow your search with smart filters for unit type, category, and region, and apply the exact factor you need — all without ever leaving your workflow.

How It Works

Emission Factor Control gives you transparency and authority over how your emissions are calculated. NetNada's AI handles the heavy lifting by default, but you can step in at any time to review, override, or fine-tune the emission factors applied to your data.

1

AI Selects the Best Match Automatically

When you upload transaction data, NetNada AI analyses each line item and applies the most appropriate emission factor from our global database. The AI considers the transaction description, amount, currency, supplier category, and region to find the best match — so most of the time, you don't need to do anything.

2

Review Confidence in the Audit Table

Every AI-selected emission factor comes with a confidence score visible in the audit table. High confidence means the AI is certain about the match. Lower confidence flags transactions where the factor selection may need your review — giving you a clear prioritisation of where to focus your attention.

3

Browse the Global Emission Factor Database

When you want to override a selection, open the emission factor browser directly from the audit table. Search across our global database powered by Climatiq, covering thousands of factors from sources including EXIOBASE, CEDA, DEFRA, EPA, and Australian NGA Factors. Use keyword search to find exactly what you need.

4

Narrow Down with Smart Filters

Use smart filters to refine your search by sector, category, region, source dataset, year, unit type, scope, and lifecycle activity. The filters work together to help you find the precise factor for your situation — whether you need a spend-based factor in AUD for Australian manufacturing or a physical unit factor in kWh for European electricity.

5

Apply with Smart Compatibility Checking

Before you apply a new factor, NetNada automatically checks that it is compatible with your transaction data. If you are modifying a dollar-denominated transaction, the system ensures you select a monetary emission factor and prevents you from accidentally applying a physical unit factor like kg/L. Select the factor, provide a reason for the change, and save — the audit trail captures everything.

Why Use Emission Factor Control

AI Does the Heavy Lifting

NetNada AI automatically selects the most appropriate emission factor for every transaction. For the majority of your data, the AI gets it right — saving you hours of manual factor matching. You only need to step in when you want to refine or override a selection.

Full Transparency Through Confidence Scoring

Every emission factor selection comes with a confidence score visible in the audit table. You can see exactly which factor was applied, why it was chosen, and how confident the AI is in the match. No black boxes — complete transparency over your carbon calculations.

Global Database at Your Fingertips

Browse thousands of emission factors from leading international databases including EXIOBASE, CEDA, DEFRA, EPA, and Australian NGA Factors. Whether you need a region-specific factor, a particular dataset vintage, or an industry-specific coefficient, it is all searchable in one place.

In-App Selection Without Breaking Your Workflow

Find and apply the exact emission factor you need without leaving the audit screen. The emission factor browser opens as an overlay, letting you search, filter, and select a factor in seconds — then you are straight back to reviewing your data.

Smart Compatibility Prevents Errors

NetNada automatically checks that the emission factor you select matches the data you are modifying. If you are looking at a dollar-denominated transaction, the app knows you need a monetary EF and prevents you from accidentally applying a physical unit factor. Fewer errors, more confidence.

Complete Audit Trail for Every Change

Every emission factor override is logged with who made the change, when, the reason provided, and the previous factor. This gives auditors and assurance providers full traceability over your emission factor selections — critical for mandatory reporting and external assurance.

Who Uses Emission Factor Control

Sustainability Managers Seeking Precision

When the AI-selected factor is close but not quite right, sustainability managers can browse the database and apply a more precise factor. Perfect for industry-specific activities where a generic factor does not capture the nuance of your operations.

Carbon Accountants Preparing for Assurance

External assurance requires defensible emission factor choices. Carbon accountants use Emission Factor Control to review AI selections, verify appropriateness, and document override reasons — building the audit trail that assurance providers expect.

Organisations with Sector-Specific Requirements

Some industries have preferred or mandated emission factors. Emission Factor Control lets you apply the exact factors required by your industry body, regulator, or certification scheme — overriding generic factors with sector-specific ones.

Consultants Managing Multiple Clients

Sustainability consultants working across different industries and regions use the smart filters to quickly find region-specific and sector-specific factors for each client. The in-app workflow means they can review and adjust factors across client portfolios efficiently.

Teams Transitioning from Spend-Based to Activity-Based

As organisations improve data quality, they often need to switch individual transactions from spend-based to activity-based emission factors. Emission Factor Control makes this transition seamless — override the spend-based factor with an activity-based one as better data becomes available.

Emission Factor Control Features

AI-Powered Automatic Selection

NetNada AI analyses each transaction and applies the most appropriate emission factor from our global database. The AI considers transaction description, amount, currency, supplier category, and region to find the best match automatically.

Confidence Scoring in Audit Table

Every AI-selected emission factor displays a confidence score in the audit table. High confidence indicates a strong match, while lower scores flag transactions that may benefit from manual review and override.

Global Emission Factor Browser

Search across thousands of emission factors from EXIOBASE, CEDA, DEFRA, EPA, Australian NGA Factors, and other leading databases. Keyword search and pagination make it easy to find the exact factor you need.

Smart Filters

Refine your search with filters for sector, category, region, source dataset, year valid, unit type, scope, and lifecycle activity. Combine multiple filters to narrow results from thousands to the handful that match your specific requirements.

Unit Compatibility Checking

Automatic validation ensures the emission factor you select is compatible with your transaction data. Dollar-denominated transactions require monetary emission factors; physical quantity data requires physical unit factors. Mismatches are blocked before they cause calculation errors.

In-App Override Workflow

Override any emission factor directly from the audit table without leaving your workflow. The emission factor browser opens as a modal overlay — search, filter, select, provide a reason, and save in seconds.

Change Reason Documentation

Every override requires a reason for the change, captured alongside the new factor selection. This documentation supports internal governance and provides assurance providers with the justification behind every factor choice.

Full Audit Trail

Complete history of every emission factor change — who made it, when, the previous factor, the new factor, and the stated reason. The audit trail is available for export and review by assurance providers.

Real Results from Real Users

See how companies are transforming their sustainability reporting

Manufacturing Company
Sustainability Lead, Sustainability Lead
"The AI gets the emission factor right about 90% of the time, which saves us enormous effort. For the remaining 10%, the emission factor browser lets us find and apply the exact factor we need in seconds. The confidence scoring in the audit table tells us exactly where to focus our review time."
Impact:
  • 90% of emission factors correctly applied by AI automatically
  • Factor override workflow completed in under 30 seconds
  • Audit trail accepted by external assurance provider without queries
Professional Services Firm
Carbon Accounting Manager, Carbon Accounting Manager
"The smart compatibility checking has been a game-changer for our team. Before NetNada, we had instances where the wrong unit type was applied to transactions, leading to wildly inaccurate calculations. Now the system catches those errors before they happen. It gives us real confidence in our numbers."
Impact:
  • Zero unit-mismatch errors since implementing compatibility checking
  • Emission factor selections documented with reasons for every override
  • Assurance preparation time reduced by streamlining factor documentation
Sustainability Consultancy
Senior Consultant, Senior Consultant
"Managing emission factors across multiple clients used to mean maintaining spreadsheets of factors for different industries and regions. Now I just use the smart filters — select the region, the sector, the unit type — and the right factors appear. It works across all my clients from the same interface."
Impact:
  • Emission factor management consolidated into one platform across all clients
  • Region and sector-specific factors found in seconds with smart filters
  • Consistent factor selection methodology across entire client portfolio

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Emission Factor Control

How does the AI select emission factors automatically?
NetNada AI analyses each transaction line item — including description, amount, currency, supplier category, and region — and matches it against our global emission factor database. The AI uses natural language processing and contextual matching to find the most appropriate factor. The confidence score reflects how certain the AI is about the match, so you know when to review.
What emission factor databases are available?
The emission factor browser includes factors from EXIOBASE, CEDA (Comprehensive Environmental Data Archive), UK DEFRA, US EPA, Australian NGA Factors, ecoinvent, and other leading databases. Factors cover spend-based (monetary) and activity-based (physical unit) methodologies across all major sectors, regions, and scopes.
What does smart compatibility checking do?
Smart compatibility checking validates that the emission factor you select matches the unit type of your transaction data. If your transaction is in dollars, the system ensures you select a monetary emission factor (e.g., kg CO2e per dollar). If your data is in physical units like kWh or litres, only physical unit factors are valid. This prevents calculation errors caused by unit mismatches.
Can I override any emission factor, or only certain ones?
You can override any emission factor applied to any transaction in the audit table. There are no restrictions on which factors can be overridden. Every override is logged with the reason for the change, creating a complete audit trail.
How does this affect my audit trail?
Every emission factor change is fully documented in the audit trail — the original AI-selected factor, the new factor you applied, who made the change, when, and the reason provided. This gives assurance providers complete traceability over your emission factor methodology, which is essential for mandatory reporting under AASB S2 and other frameworks.
What if I want to use a factor that is not in the database?
For factors not available in the global database — such as supplier-specific EPDs or proprietary process factors — you can use the Custom Emission Factors feature to add your own factors to the system. These custom factors then become available for selection alongside the standard database factors.
Does changing an emission factor recalculate my emissions?
Yes. When you override an emission factor and save the change, NetNada immediately recalculates the emissions for that transaction using the new factor. The updated figures flow through to all dashboards, reports, and compliance outputs automatically.
How do I know which transactions need review?
The audit table displays a confidence score for every AI-selected emission factor. Transactions with lower confidence scores are the ones most likely to benefit from manual review. You can sort and filter the audit table by confidence score to prioritise your review effort efficiently.

Take Control of Your Emission Factors

AI-Powered Selection with Full Override Capability

Let NetNada AI handle the heavy lifting of emission factor selection while retaining full control to override, refine, and document every factor choice. Browse our global database, use smart filters, and apply factors with confidence — all with a complete audit trail for assurance readiness.

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