Analyzing and auditing your account

Aside from tracking changes, and storing documents alongside each data entry record, the Diligent software provides four main mechanisms to audit the data.

1. Audit Screen - The audit screen provides a listing of all data entry items in an audit-able format. You can filter the list of items using the search bar at the top of the table or by using the organisational tree-view structure. For further information, go to Auditing an item.

An auditor can review some or all of these data items, checking the data entered against the evidence or audit documents stored in the record, and either pass or fail that item of data.

2. Data Entry Change Log - In each data entry screen there is a link to the change log for that item of data. In it, it details all the changes made to that record, as well as what the data was before the change, what the data was after the change, who changed it, and when it was changed. For further information, go to Checking a change log on a single audited item or Creating an activity data locking period

3. Audit and Verification Report - This report provides and exhaustive list of all calculations in the software detailing how it was calculated by each of the six Kyoto gases. For further information, go to Viewing emission factors applied to data entries.

Locking activity data within the system

During an ESG audit you need to lock your data for a specific length of time to maintain data integrity and prevent unauthorized changes. As an administrator, you can use the data locking feature to prohibit a regular user from editing and deleting data entries for specified time periods at certain organization levels. When the data is locked, only an account administrator can edit or delete the locked data. Regular users can still upload data for the specified locked period.

Managing locked data periods

  1. Select the Settings icon and select Manage Settings.

  2. Select the Manage Lock Activity Data tab.

  3. Select Create locked period to lock activity data for an audit.

    For more information, go to Creating an activity data locking period.

  4. Select the Active or Discontinued tab to view a table of the active or suspended locked periods respectively.

  5. Select View to view the details of the locked period.

    You can view the start date, end date, description, who created it, when it was created, and what buildings are included in the locked period. You can also suspend and search the list of buildings.

  6. Select Discontinue and in the Discontinue period window, select Discontinue.

    You cannot reactivate discontinued data locking entries.

Creating an activity data locking period

  1. Select Create locked period to lock activity data for an audit.

  2. In the Create locked period window, enter a start and end date for the activity data locked period.

    You can only create a data locking period up to one year.

  3. In the Description field, enter a description of the locked period, for example 2024 Q1 and Q2 Europe.

  4. In the Select organization levels section, select the checkbox beside the organization or building that you want to include in the locked period.

    You can also search for the organization or building that you want to include.

  5. Select Create.
    The locked period is created and added to the table in the Active tab.

Auditing an item

  1. Select Analysis and select Data Audit.

  2. In the Organisation or Geographic tabs, you can filter select the locations, assets, or buildings that you want to audit.

  3. Select Audit beside the data entry to review the data and supporting documents.

  4. In the Set Audit Status section, select Pass Audit, Fail Audit, or Reset.

Checking a change log on a single audited item

You can access the change log in any activity data item on the audit screen.

  1. Complete the steps outlined in Auditing an item.

  2. At the end of the audited item window, select View Change Log.

For further information about creating a change log report for more than one item, go to Reporting in Diligent ESG.

Viewing emission factors applied to data entries

By default, Diligent ESG automatically selects the most appropriate emissions factors for the activity input you have selected, for the applicable date period, and geographical country or address of the asset that the activity is attached to. Users regularly want to view the emission factors that are applied to data entries within the system at different sites and locations. When audits are underway, auditors also want to view the emission factors applied to data entries, the emission sources, and the publication dates, this information can all be found in the Audit & Verification report within the Instant Reports section of the system.

Within this report you can see the Published Emission Factor, the Publisher, the Publication Title, and the date the emission factor was published, among other information. You can also see activity details such as Activity ID, Activity Name, and Entry ID.

The Emission Factor Sources report is also a useful report that will show the emissions factor source, publication and date.

  1. Select Reports from the toolbar and select Instant Reports.

  2. In the Select a report type dropdown, select Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

  3. In the Select a report dropdown, select GHG Protocol - Audit & Verification.

  4. In the Report Treeview Filter section, use the Organisation and Geographic tabs to search for a building, organization, or location to view the emission factors of.

    For more information about selecting buildings and assets, go to Including or excluding buildings in a report.

    5. Note

    This is a very detailed report so it is recommended to generate the report for only the buildings, dates, or data that you want to view.

  5. (Optional) In the Select report template dropdown, select a previously created and saved report template.

    For further information about report templates, go to Creating a report template.

  6. In the Select date fields, enter a date range for the report.

  7. Go to the Report Data Filters section, and select an option, such as Scope or Data Streams, to view the filters.

  8. The option expands and select or clear the checkboxes to apply data filters to your report.

  9. Select Run Report and select Display Report or Notify Me When Ready.

    For more information about these options, go to Creating an instant report

    You can also export this report. For further information, go to Exporting a report.