The next major release (1.6) for the ClimateSuite Application will focus on features to process renewals in 2010 and transaction integration and  reconciliation with the CCX. The following functionality is planned for this release:

• Renewals - We will be enhancing the renewal process within Climatesuite to provide additional visibility within the parcels.  The renewal process had been designed to be a ‘one click’ renewal.  Within this process, we are enhancing the changes that can be made in the renewal process, the communication features to the provider and the aggregator views to renewal status.
• CCX Transaction Integration and Reconcillation  - The objective of the integration is to provide an automated method to reconcile your transactions from the CCX to ClimateSuite – on-screen trades, bilateral trades and registration.   There will be two options to reconcile your CCX account(s): manually or systematically.  There is a cost to use the automated integration (see your CCX representative on pricing).
   -         Option 1:  Manually Update to Transactions: Within ClimateSuite, you will manually update the transaction(s) with the required data to reconcile the transaction with transaction type or trade type, price, costs, etc.  Recommended for low volume registration and trade partners.  
  -         Option 2:  Automated Transaction Updates: Via an automated daily feed from your detailed account statements at the CCX, transactions will be automatically matched.  This service will require an estimated $500.00 monthly fee or a $5,000 yearly fee to be negotiated directly with the CCX.  This fee applied by the CCX to your CCX account.  If you would like to have this service, you will need to negotiate and sign directly with the CCX.  This is recommended for high volume registration, complex sub-account usage or micro-trading. 

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 - support@climatsuite.com.

Chris Carl
314.480.5886

In the 1.5 release, we have built the functionality to allow Aggregators the ability to manage pools more closely to how the CCX registration process happens.  This was added to the test and live environments on November 23, 2009.   This Quick Tip below is also available to in the Resource Library.

ClimateSuite Quick Tips

Title: Manage Pools

Introduction:

This Quick Tip will detail how the pool management features are used in ClimateSuite.  There are several features closely aligned to the pool management process to register credits at the CCX.  Project pools are most commonly used in land based CCX project types (e.g. Agricultural Soil, Rangeland and Forestry) and have a single project type common across the pool.  Pools allow for many project participants and aggregators to share costs across a large number enrollments.  Pool management are features managed only by the portal administrator.  Verifiers also have a crucial role in this process.

A couple key features to this Quick Tip:
- Pool close dates.  Pool enrollments typically have a time boundary - i.e. Summer Enrollments or Fall Enrollments and thus, need to have a close date to cut-off enrollments.
- Pool error rate. The verification requirements for land based project types only verifies 10% of the enrolled parcels.  If the error rate for the verification is greater than 3% then error rate is applied to the entire enrollments in the pool (e.g. if the error rate is 5% then all enrollments in a pool will have their credits reduced by 5%).
- Certification.  Aggregators must review enrollments and verification data.  Once reviewing, the aggregator will ‘certify’ the results in order to send in applicable documentation for registration of credits.

Step 1: Create Pool

To create a pool - log in to your ClimateSuite instance > click the Project tab > click Manage Pools > Add Project Pool.

1 ) Name -  This is the name of your pool.
2 ) Auto Close Date -   This is the date when the pool will close automatically at the end of the day identified.  NOTE: If you wish to close the pool before this date, click the pool name in the Manage Pools section and click the button - ‘Close Pool’.  This will close immediately and no more enrollments can happen on this pool.
3 ) Verifier - This is the verifier for the pool.  This verifier will apply the error rate.  There are two verifier roles in ClimateSuite - a) Verifier to verify the project parcels (this is set at the project level in Project Creation/Edit).  b) Verifier to  apply the error rate for the pool (shows verification organization as well as person’s name).  The delineation between these verifier roles allows the aggregator to assign control on the verification process if multiple verifiers are part of the pool’s verification.
4 ) Registry - This is the registry for the pool.
5 ) Project Type - This is project type for the pool.
6 ) Available projects to assign to pool - This is the list of projects by project type available to be assigned to this pool.
7 ) Projects assigned to the pool - This is a list of projects currently assigned to the pool.
8 ) Project to pool assignment actions - Starting at the top, the first button takes the highlighted project and moves it to the assigned pool.  The second button takes the highlighted projects in the assigned to pool and removes it the projects.   The third from the top button takes the multiple projects in the available and assigns them to the pool.  The bottom button removes projects from the assigned to pool, then places them in the available projects.
9 ) Add and Cancel Action buttons - Clicking the ‘Add’ button saves all data on the page for the pool and sends user to Manage Pools page.  Clicking ‘Cancel’ does not save data and sends user to Manage Pools page.
All items with a * next to them are required fields.

Step 2: Close Pool

As an aggregator, to begin the certification process , you will need to close the enrollments for a pool.  There are two ways a pool can be closed: Auto close or manual close.  The auto close feature will automatically close enrollments on the scheduled date selected that have a contract acceptance on them.  Any incomplete enrollments will be available for registration on the next pool close date.  To manually close a pool, the aggregator will need to go to the Manage Pools section of ClimateSuite, click on the applicable pool and click ‘Close.’

1 ) Close Pool Button - Clicking the ‘Close Pool’ Action button will immediately close the pool.  Any incomplete enrollments will not be included in this pool’s registration.

Step 3: Apply Error Rate

This step can only be performed by the verifier assigned in the initial pool setup.  The error rate is the aggregated error rate for manual verifications.  The CCX rule is that any error rate greater than 3% of the manually verified parcels will have the acres for registration reduced by the percentage of the error rate.   Anything less than 3% will have their enrolled acres unchanged.

1 ) Error Rate Text Box  - Enter the error rate of pool up to two decimals.
2 ) Apply Error Rate Action Button - To apply the error rate, click the button.  The portal admin will be notified and can schedule the certification process.  This process can not be undone.

Step 4: Certification

Once the error rate has been applied, the last step in the process is to certify the pool.  Certifying the pool is confirmning as an aggregator that you have reviewed all documentation for the pool (including the verification report).  This is the last step before registration.  Once the certification has been applied, all parcels in the project will be in a ‘pending’ state for registration.

1 ) Certify Pool Action Button- Click the ‘Certify Pool’ action button to certify the pool.  A ClimateSuite notification will be sent to portal administrator role confirming the action was taken. This process can not be undone.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email us at support@climatesuite.com.