Purpose of this article
This article explains how currency conversion works in Scaler, including which data is converted, which data is intentionally excluded, and how exchange rates are applied across analytics, roadmaps, and exports.
Overview
Scaler standardizes monetary inputs across assets, jurisdictions, and data sources by converting cost-related values into a single portfolio reporting currency.
Currency conversion is:
- Applied where methodological consistency is required
- Intentionally excluded from valuation-related fields that follow external financial assumptions
This ensures comparability in analytics while respecting finance-led valuation methodologies.
Exchange-rate sources
Scaler sources exchange rates via the Frankfurter API, an open-source service that provides historical foreign-exchange reference rates.
Frankfurter derives its data from institutional sources such as the European Central Bank (ECB).
ECB reference rates:
- Are updated around 16:00 CET on each working day
- Are based on a daily concertation procedure among European central banks
- Are intended for informational, not transactional, use
- Are widely recognised benchmarks for cross-border comparison
Scaler stores monthly reference rates for major global currencies, dating back to 2014.
Scope of conversion
Converted categories
Currency conversion is applied to:
- Roadmap measure cost fields (e.g.,
Total cost,Cost - Landlord)
- Utility-cost fields such as
Cost
- Any cost field where
Currencyis explicitly selectable
These values are converted into the portfolio Default currency.
Non-converted categories
The following categories are not automatically converted:
- Reporting Data → Reporting Details
Gross asset value,Gross rental income
- Financial Data
- e.g.
Market value,Turnover,CAPEX
- Other portfolio-level valuation metrics
These values follow methodologies external to Scaler, and the platform respects finance teams’ own FX assumptions.
Backend conversion methodology
Single-month values
When a cost applies to a single month, Scaler applies the exchange rate for that month.
Converted value=Input value ÷ Monthly FX rateCross-month values
When a cost spans multiple months, Scaler calculates an average exchange rate across the relevant period.
AverageFXrate=SumofmonthlyFXrates ÷Numberofmonths
Convertedvalue=Inputvalue ÷AverageFXrate
The system selects the exchange rates that align with the date range associated with the cost.
Roadmap measures
Roadmap measures can be recorded in any supported currency.
Scaler converts all roadmap-related costs into the portfolio Default currency to support:
- Aggregated roadmap analytics
- CAPEX visualisations
- Multi-asset comparisons
This ensures consistent interpretation across long-term decarbonisation planning.
Utility-cost data
Utility-cost entries include a Currency allowing costs to be entered in their native currency at the asset level.
Scaler automatically converts these values using the backend exchange-rate system for use in analytics and reporting.
Portfolio reporting currency
The portfolio Default currency is defined in Data Collection Portal → Portfolio → Settings.
All converted values across:
- Roadmap measures
- Utility costs
- Cost-based analytics
are aligned to this reporting currency.
Analytics behavior
The Analytics Portal displays converted values only, using the portfolio reporting currency, to ensure consistent interpretation across:
- CAPEX graphs
- Cumulative-annual investment visuals
- Energy spend intensity
- Any cost-based metric or visualization
Data export behavior
Spend values and aggregated cost data exported from Scaler reflect amounts converted into the portfolio Default currency.
Underlying input values and original currencies remain available when exporting raw input data via the Scaler Spreadsheet.
Rationale for exclusions
Financial valuation fields are excluded from automated conversion because:
- Organisations may use year-end, quarterly, or deal-specific FX assumptions
- Financial teams may rely on audited values or internal conversion rules
- Automated conversion could conflict with established financial methodologies
Scaler therefore uses the portfolio reporting currency directly for valuation metrics without applying automated FX logic.