Congratulations! You've been invited to fill out your product data in Pickler's supplier invite feature! Filling out this data is a free process for you as supplier.
What does it mean to be invited into Pickler as a supplier?
Pickler is software that calculates the environmental impact of packaging products. Your client invited you to fill out the product details for the product(s) they purchase from you in Pickler. This is to most accurately portray the environmental impact of your product for their customers.
Environmental impact reports calculated with raw supplier product data often turn out better than market average data (which is what most Pickler users start with due to a lack of supplier data).
This helps your product stand out from the crowd/competitors. Leading to higher chances of new sales for both you and your client.
Step-by-step Guide: Adding your data in Pickler
Step 1. Accept your invite (email invitation)
You've been invited into Pickler and will receive an email (example below) to confirm your account.
Please click on the button in your email to confirm your account and get access to the software.
Step 2. Navigate your account (supplier mode)
Welcome in Pickler!
As a supplier you only have access to the portfolio in Pickler. The portfolio shows your products as selected by your client for the supplier invite.
If this is your first time adding data to Pickler, all products in your portfolio require your product data and should be filled out.
Should you have more products to fill out or want to update any product(s), you can filter on product ID or any other product aspect/quality using the 'filter' button next to the search bar.
Go to step 3.
Understanding product types in Pickler.
There are two product types in Pickler. Your client decides which type of product they want you to fill out:
Inventory products: these are product your client already purchases from you and sells as part of their portfolio.
Scenario products: these are products your clients doesn't purchase from you yet, but is interested in. Most-likely because they have a customer who's interested in the product/they believe its a good sustainable alternative for a previous purchase. Once the deal is won using your scenario product, your scenario product becomes an inventory product in their Pickler account.
Step 3. Click on your product(s)
Click on the three dots on the left of your product(s) and click on 'edit'.
You now enter the product form where you can fill out all your information. Your client has pre-filled out the product name and ID to prevent any confusion.
Scroll down to the raw materials section.
Step 4. Fill out your Bill of Materials
Fill out the total weight of your product in grams.
Decide on your unit of measure for your bill of materials. Which unit of measure you choose does not affect the final footprint results.
Add your bill of materials. Simply fill out your own material names in the material fields with the correpsonding unit of measure filled out correctly (fram, MU, GSM).
Continue to step 5.
Step 5. Fill out your production location
Your production section is structured according to the components you added in the raw material section.
Add a production location per component by simply typing out the location of your facilities. You don't have to link the location to any other value yet.
Continue to step 6.
Step 6. Enter the transport route & type
Your client has already filled out the warehouse location. Go to the next point.
Add the transport route of your product: From the production location to the warehouse location.
Add the transport type(s) to your transport journey.
*Please note, that transport distances are not automatically calculated after you fill out the locations + transport type. This will happen after you complete step 8.
You don't have to fill out the pallet weight and dimensions. This will be/is done by your client.
You don't have to fill out the end-of-life section. This will be/is done by your client.
Go to step 7.
Step 7. Click on 'save' and save as draft.
Go to the top right of your screen, and click on 'save'.
Click on 'save as draft'.
You now are in the first draft version of your products environmental impact report. Read more about Pickler's Impact Reports here.
Click on 'data management' in the sidebar on the left.
Go to step 8.
Step 8. Map your BOM to production processes
Mapping in Pickler, means you connect your own material names (the references you filled out in the previous steps) to:
1) Their corresponding *LCI values: market average LCAs and EPDs for materials and production processes that come from Pickler's LCI database Idemat.
*LCI values are previously perfomed scientific Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of materials and processes (environmental impact calculations) that are peer-reviewed (credibility quaranteed). These values function as market average impact values when companies lack their own LCAs and/or supplier data. Pickler works with the LCI database Idemat.
2) Your own production processes; by adding your energy use per specific process.
Step 1: search for the reference data (material names) you just filled out for the raw materials in the product form.
Link the reference material name to the corresponding material in Idemat in the second column.
Add the production method(s) for your material. There are two options here:
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'
*Please note: You should always provide a link to 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.
Skip the category tab and go to Locations.
Step 2: Go to locations (third tab) and add the google location for the reference names you filled out in the product form.
Based on the location you filled out, 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.
Skip the end of life tab and click on 'save and close' in the top right of your screen.
After you click save and close:
The reference data you filled out in your product form is now connected to the LCI materials and/or processes you just mapped.
The reference data you filled out in youyr product form for your location is now connected to google locations, automatically calculating the distances between transport routes and the corresponding impact connected to the transport types.
Step 9: The final check
Go back to your product from the portfolio overview and click 'edit' again.
You can now view the final draft impact report for your product
Click on 'edit' to do a final check on your data.
I.a. after applying any final changes, click 'save as draft'.
Inform your client you filled out your product form.
Your client will do the final check and save the product as 'verified*'.
*Please note: only your client should set your product status to verified if they are sure the data is filled out correctly. Please keep the product status on draft.
Supplier FAQs
1. What is Pickler?
Pickler is environmental footprint calculation software 100% tailored to packaging. Pickler enables packaging companies to create environmental impact reports of their packaging and share them in sales and marketing. All to help their stakeholders make sustainable decisions for their packaging purchases - based on science.
Pickler's vision is to become thé footprint platform that connects the entire packaging value chain in exchanging product- and environmental impact data.
2. Can I use the final Pickler impact report for my product?
No, only Pickler clients can use and share Pickler Impact Reports. If you want to share the environmental impact of your packaging, you have to become a Pickler user.
3. How secure is it to fill out my data in Pickler?
Pickler
4. How detailed should I fill out my product data in Pickler?
Preferably as detailed as possible. The more detailed your pickler impact report, the better your clients can use it in their sales pitches.
5. How detailed will the final customer see my BOM?
Pickler's sharing feature enables clients to hide BOM and production process details in the impact reports and solely show the impact results. Please discuss your preferences with your client.
6. What's in it for me to fill out my data in Pickler?
By adding your materials and specific production processes in Pickler, you can showcase how your product scores compare to the market average. Often resulting in footprint results that are way more detailed and nuanced than their previous version.
This helps your client:
Improve their own impact reporting with better data;
Better position your product in their portfolio (good for sales!).
7. Why does my client request product data for a product they haven't purchased from me yet?
Pickler is most used in sales to offer clients impact reduction offers. Based on demands, this means your clients might see potential in one of your products they haven't purchased yet.
In that case, they'll need more detailed product data from you to show their clients the sustainability potential of switching to your product. To do so, they send you a supplier invite for a 'scenario product'. Should your product win the deal, this product will be switched to an inventory product in your client's Pickler portfolio.