After you fill out a product manually (product form) or import in bulk using the CSV/Excel import functionality, you have to map your input data to the data in Pickler. This then enables the impact calculations in Pickler.
For example, you map the internal material name you filled out or uploaded - to the corresponding material and its market average environmental impact data in Pickler.
Once this mapping is complete, the mapped value and its data will be used for calculations every time you input- or upload the same mapped value for a product.
Read why we have product mapping in Pickler here.
What do you map your product data to?
1. IDEMAT LCI database
You map your material, production process, production location (to determine national grid mixes), and end-of-life data to sources from the IDEMAT database.
IDEMAT is the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database developed by the foundation Sustainability Impact Metrics - a spin-off from the Delft University of Technology. It provides detailed information about the market average environmental impacts associated with many materials, production processes, and transport types for packaging.
2. Google Maps locations
You map your production location, transport locations, and warehouse locations to Google Maps locations. Doing so enables Pickler to automatically calculate the distance between transport routes and enter the value for the region or country energy mix that is used in production.
3. Specific data
This is data outside of the IDEMAT LCI database that can be used for calculations. Think of specific supplier data for packaging production or the energy mix used in a production location. For this data, a credible source is required.
There are two ways to map your product(s). Let's go through both.
Step-by-step guide: Mapping input data in Pickler
Step 1. Go to 'Data Mapping" in your main menu (top left corner of your homepage).
Step 2. Map your materials
You now see the internal material names you filled out in the product form(s).
Tip: Click on 'hide mapped' if you only want to see the unmapped values.
You can edit the reference data in the first column if you see any errors or grammar mistakes.
In the second column, map your reference values to the Idemat material value that comes closest to your original material composition.
For example; if you filled out "FSC Brown Kraft - brand name", look for the LCI value that comes closest to the original material composition. Like "Brown paper (FSC) - Market Average".
Step 3. Map your production method
Pickler automatically predicts the most logical production method from the Idemat LCI database in the third column. Based on the LCI material you picked.
If you want to add the production method yourself, there are two options:
Choose a production process from Idemat:
This is a market average production process. Choose this option if you don't have energy use details for your production process.
Add your own production method:
This is more specific and will result in higher quality footprint results.
How to add your own production method:
Click on the bar and scroll down to the bottom.
Click on '+ Add new'
Fill out the details in the window and click on 'save'.
After you save your production process, search for it in the drop-down and click on it to add it to your mapping.
*Please note: You should always provide a link to supplier evidence (online pdf or live link) that proves you are honest about your input numbers. Pickler completely adheres to anti-greenwashing regulations that require 100% transparency and evidence for input data.
Example: link to online pdf from your supplier explaining where they got their data and why it's correct + a signature.
Step 4. Map Categories to Pickler Product Categories
Go to Category (third tab) and add the product category for the reference names you filled out in the product form.
Pick from the dropdown menu whichever one closest resembles the value that you have listed as Reference data.
Suppose you are unsure about which value to map your reference data to. In that case, you can select Unspecified or Unknown until you are sure which it is, or until Pickler updates and expands the list of available options. This will allow your Reference Data to be part of the footprint calculation, and thus make it more accurate, in contrast to having incomplete calculations due to unmapped values.
Step 5. Map locations to Google Maps
Go to locations (fourth tab) and add the Google location for the reference names you filled out in the product form.
Tip: Make the reference data less specific if you don't want to show the exact location of your supplier. For example, you can fill out China or a region in China as your reference data, and map it to the exact address in Pickler. Your clients will only see your reference data.
Based on the location you filled out for your production processes, Idemat applies the national energy mix to calculate the environmental impact of the production processes. This makes Pickler's environmental impact results even more accurate.
Note*: When a location is assigned, you need to press 'save', after which the energy location is automatically assigned.
If you want to sort your unmapped values by stages in the transportation cycle, simply click the dropdown menu above the Reference Data column to get a clearer overview.
Step 5. Map your End-Of-life Regions
Finally, map your end-of-life regions to those in Pickler.
Click on 'save' in the bottom right of the screen.
All your reference data is now mapped in Pickler and the impact calculations are finalized.
Go to your product's Impact Report to see your impact results.
You can now use your mapped data when editing or adding products.
You can recognize mapped data in your product form by the green 'mapped':
2. Mapping after CSV/Excel import (bulk)
Import CSV, updated design (more user friendly) automatically maps all the columns for you, if you upload once, it remembers how to map it. --> very handy if you upload multiple files with the same structure.
You can now comment on your internal mapping for materials and categories --> as multiple people are using these materials/categories you want others to be aware.