Quick Tip: How to create a new project/pool

Posted in Enrollment, Pool Management on June 30th, 2009

For those new to ClimateSuite or those not familiar with Quick Tips - we have built several documents to better enable your ability to ‘get up to speed’ on core features.  This quick tip and all others can be found in the Resource Library in the top right (beneath your name) in a folder called ‘User Guide Quick Tips’. 

This quick tip is about how to create a project or pool (project and pool are synomous in ClimateSuite).  Projects are the central to the use of ClimateSuite.  There are a one-to-one relationship between protocols and projects.  Projects become a method to assign project attributes to all enrollments within a project(e.g. price paid per contract or crediting rate or contract length).  The following is the quick tip for this process - the document can be found here.

ClimateSuite Quick Tips
Title:  Create New Project/Pool

Introduction:
When an Aggregator is creating a new pool of tons they will choose Create New Project from the ClimateSuite menus.  It is important to note that a ClimateSuite Project can be an entire pool of credits or as simple as one development from a single Provider.  Most frequently the term Project translates to an Aggregator’s pool.  Creating a New Project (pool) in ClimateSuite is an important aspect for Aggregators, Providers and Buyers.  The data entered when creating a New Project will be seen throughout the lifespan of the Project.  This description will show up in:

  • The Invite Email
  • The Enrollment Steps
  • And in The Project Details Page

It is very important that this information is entered clearly and correctly.  The Project Description attached to a Project will be seen through the entire enrollment and transaction process, until the credits are retired.  This Quick Tip will show Aggregators how to effectively communicate the purpose of the Project to all participants and enter all of the Project details correctly. 

Once the Project Name and Description have been entered, Aggregators will need to provide ClimateSuite with a Contract Document and specific contract details.  This includes the contract’s Terms, Start Date and Price.  A Quick Tip for entering the Contract Document and details is listed below.

Page/Location:
          Projects Tab>Create New Project  Or  Dashboard>Create New Project

Quick Tip:
Creating a New Project -
When creating a New Project, the first step is choosing the Registry and Protocol for your Project.  After clicking on Create New Project, ClimateSuite will provide dropdown menus that will ask for each of these.  Once a Registry and Protocol have been chosen, specific Project information can be filled into the provided fields.  Concise documentation and accurate reminder text are important aspects when detailing the Project Description.   Be sure to give your Project an expressive name and accurately describe your Project’s description.

ClimateSuite will ask for additional information about the Project on the Create Project page.  The Aggregator will need to enter the state, information surrounding the contract and reminder text for the Providers.  If the Project being created will have acres enrolled from multiple states, then simply choose a default state from the dropdown menu.  This can be the state under the Project with the majority of acres enrolled.  ClimateSuite also asks for specific information about the contract for the Project.  More detailed information on the Contract can be found in this Quick Tip below, under Setting Up A Contract.

At the bottom of the Create Project screen, ClimateSuite asks the Aggregator to select a Renewal Reminder, Reminder Text and to choose Project Owners to add onto the Project.  Use the Renewal Reminder dropdown menu to choose the number of days (30, 60, 90) before the Provider will be reminded for annual enrollment of the parcel.  The Aggregator can edit the specific text in the Renewal Email by changing the Renewal Text.  This is the text in the email that will be sent on the date selected in the renewal reminder.  Once the Reminder Text has been entered, choose other Project Owners to add to the Project as owners.  The final step before creating the Project is to choose whether or not to delegate property enrollment.  The Delegate Property Enrollment box should always be checked.  This feature will be removed in the July release update.

Sample Description Text:  The red text will be different for each email and will not be automatically entered by the ClimateSuite software.  This text will need to be different for each individual Project.

This Project for [conservation tillage acres] under [The Agricultural Soil Carbon Offset Protocol] at the [Chicago Climate Exchange Registry]. It is specific to [Western Illinois corn acres] starting in the [2009 summer enrollment pool].

Sample Reminder Text:
Dear Carbon Credit Provider,
Please remember that in [30 days] the annual enrollment process for your carbon credits will be due.  Your land is eligible for enrollment in the [2009 Illinois Conservation Tillage carbon credit pool].  These credits can be enrolled through ClimateSuite and traded on [The Chicago Climate Exchange].  The enrollment for your [conservation tillage acreage] will be due on [June 30, 2009].

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
[John Doe]
[Carbon Credit America]
[John.Doe@CarbonCreditAmerica.com]
 

 

Create Project

Create Project

 

Setting Up A Contract
The Contract Document is the document that contains your legal terms that all Providers will agree to when participating in your project. Select a contract that corresponds to your project. If a contract does not appear, you will need to Create New Contract.  In order to create a new contract, follow the quick tips below and ensure that your legal documents are uploaded correctly.

To create a new contract, click “Create New Contract.” Contract Title is the name of the contract that will appear in the Contract Document dropdown. Contract Acceptance Text is the acceptance language the provider will see following accepting the contract. Detailed Contract Terms are the legal terms each Provider will accept when enrolling their parcel to the Project.  The most efficient way of doing this is to copy and paste your contract directly out of a Word document.  When ClimateSuite asks if you would like to clean the MS Word formatting, click “OK” or type the text directly into the Acceptance Text box and Detailed Contract Terms box provided.  The following tips can be used when entering the Detailed Contract Terms:

Once a Contract is created and saved, it cannot be edited.  This is a security measure in place for Project Owners and Providers.  In order to modify a saved contract, the user must delete the old contract and recreate a New Contract.Once a Contract is created and saved, it cannot be edited. This is a security measure in place for Project Owners and Providers. In order to modify a saved contract, the user must delete the old contract and recreate a New Contract.

  • The Create Contract tool is a rich text editor. Users have the option to use bold, underline, center, or import grids and logos.
  • It is recommended to use the same formatting as a standard, hard copy contract layout.
  • The Provider can review the contract; accept online, decline or print. The Provider cannot fill in any blanks within the contract online.
  • Sample Preview Screen:

    Create Contract

    Create Contract

    Release 1.4.0 - Release Date: 7/20/2009

    Posted in Application Management on June 11th, 2009

    The next release for the ClimateSuite Application is schedule for July 20, 2009. The following functionality is planned for this release:

    • Add parcel by Aggregator - We will be greatly enhancing this feature to allow more flexibility in adding parcels on behalf of providers.  Specifically, the portal administrator can bulk upload users to the manage users screen and associate projects to them in the upload.  This upload will not notify the user of the ‘new account email’ until all parcels are setup for tha provider.  Selecting the right provider to enroll a parcel will also be enhanced.  There will be multiple ways to find the provider - by currently enrolled providers, incomplete parcels for providers or providers associated to projects. 
    • Batch verification - Once the ClimateVerify analysis is completed (remote sensning data), this data will be loaded into ClimateSuite along with the process to update existing parcels enrolled before data is loaded.  Other modifications on data analysis of a parcel  to comply with the CCX Remote Sensing Verification Policy will be applied as well.
    • Display acres and credits to four decimal points - An update will be made to display acres and credits to four decimal points.  This will be an important enhancement for those aggregators who manage their business as a pool.  For example, error rates or trades made at the pool will have to have the ability to calculate to the 1,000th percent to ensure proper allocation of crredits.
    • Updates to Lead Widget - Several updates to the lead widget feature available to portal administrators - e.g. address included on lead record, assign multiple leads to a project. 

    If you have feedback on the priority of the features in releases, please let me know.  Any questions, please give me a call or drop me an email.

    Chris

    Chris Carl  |  VP of Product Strategy

    ClimateSuite™ & ClimateVerify™

    Capturing the Value of Carbon

     

    direct: 314.292-8941 |  cell: 314.681.9210

    fax: 314.292.8939  |  email:  chris.carl@climatesuite.com

    www.climatesuite.com & www.climateverify.com

    20 Allen Street - Ste. 202, St. Louis, MO 63119