ClimateSuite 1.5 Pool Management Enhancements

The following are the enhancements in the 1.5 release:

- Pool Registration Report
- Detailed Parcel History Details
- Core Pool Management Enhancements

Pool Registration Report

Portal Administrators has the ability to download pool data to use as the basis for building CCX registration reports.  This report is only available for land-based project types.  This data is available for download into a CSV file format.  There are two reports available:

- Detailed Parcel by Pool Report - This report is a detailed parcel report of certified pools with parcel, acres and credit data. 

-  Aggregate Pool Report - This is a summary report by state by pool. 

Detailed Parcel by Pool Report

 To access this report log on to your ClimateSuite portal instance and go to Administration > Reports > Select: Detailed Parcel by Pool Report.

1) Report Dropdowns -  Dropdowns will only display available certified data.
 - Vintage
 - Project Type
 - Pool
2) Click ‘Get Report’ to access data.
3) Click ‘Download Report’ to download CSV report file.
4) When ‘Get Report’ is clicked all data available will be displayed in this grid.

Aggregate Pool Report

 To access this report log on to your ClimateSuite portal instance and go to Administration > Reports > Select: Aggregate Pool Report.

1) Report Dropdowns -  Dropdowns will only display available certified data.
 - Vintage
 - Project Type
 - Pool
 - State
2) Click ‘Get Report’ to access data.
3) Click ‘Download Report’ to download CSV report file.
4) When ‘Get Report’ is clicked all data available will be displayed in this grid.

Detailed Parcel History

We have reorganized the parcel history on the parcel details page to display an accounting of all credits and changes to the parcel’s acres and credits. To view the parcel history log onto your ClimateSuite instance > select a project with more than one year’s worth of credit data > click on a parcel in the parcel grid. 

1) Vintage - The vintages will display all years based on the term of the contract.
2) (E) acres - These are the enrolled acres based on with the CLUs identified or acres entered.
3) (V) Acres - These are the verified acres from the auto-verification or from the verifier.
4) (I) Credits - These are the issued credits calculated from the credit rate multiplied by the verified acres.
5) (R) Credits - These are the registered credits.  There may be differences from the Issued and Registered credits based on the credit smoothing process (rounding to the nearest CFI) and the proporuniate percentage the parcel has of the pool.
6) Adjustments - These are any adjustments (credits or debits) to the parcel.  If a recovery event occurs, there would be a negative value in this column.  When the parcel vests on the last year of the contract, the remaining reserve will show a positive value in this column.
7) (T) Credits - This value is the sum of the Registered and Adjustment values.
Parcel Map Image - To see the image of the map for the parcel, click a corresponding Vintage. 

We also added the ability at the parcel details to add notes that only portal administrators, project owners can edit and view. 

1) To add a note (up to 750 characters), use the text box and then click ‘Add Note’. 
2) To edit or remove a note - click the pencil to edit or click the red x to remove. 

Core Pool Management Enhancements

We enhanced the pool management feature to allow aggregators the ability to schedule multiple pool closings staggered throughout the year to enable parcels that close in between pool closings to be part of the certification process.  Use this example:

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

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.

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

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.

Sample Preview Screen:

Create Contract