Purpose
This article explains how to use the Governance Tool in Scaler to collect qualitative governance data, track completeness, attach evidence, and prepare governance-related reporting (such as GRESB Management).
Timestamps
00:03 - Intro
00:50 - Overview tab
01:44 - Filling in indicators
05:18 - Document Library
What is the Governance Tool?
The Governance Tool is used to collect qualitative, portfolio-level governance data, such as policies, procedures, and management practices.
It complements Scaler’s quantitative asset-level data by enabling structured collection of governance indicators that are required for frameworks like GRESB and upcoming regulatory disclosures.
Governance data collected in Scaler is:
- Centrally managed at portfolio level
- Currently maps to the portfolio-level indicators in the GRESB Real Estate Assessment
- Designed to support audit readiness and evidence tracking
Where to find the Governance Tool
Navigation path:
Data Collection Portal → Portfolio → Governance
Users with edit access to a portfolio can access the Governance Tool.
If you believe you should have access but do not see the Governance section, contact your organisation’s Scaler admin.
How the Governance Tool is structured
The Governance Tool is organised into:
- Aspects (high-level governance themes)
- Indicators (specific questions or requirements within each aspect)
Each indicator typically requires:
- A Yes / No / Not applicable response
- One or more answer options
- Supporting evidence
Filling in governance indicators
For each indicator:
- Select Yes, No, or Not applicable
- Choose the relevant answer option(s), where applicable
- Attach supporting evidence
Saving your answers
- Scaler auto-saves as you work
- However, you must manually save at the indicator or aspect level for:
- The indicator to be counted as completed
- Completion rates to update
Each governance indicator includes a comment field, allowing users to add context, explanations, or internal notes alongside their response. Comments are saved with the indicator and form part of the audit trail.
Adding and managing evidence
You can associate evidence with indicators directly from the indicator panel.
To add evidence:
- Click Add evidence at the top of the indicator
- Choose one of the following:
- Upload a new file (added to your Document Library)
- Select an existing file from the Document Library
- Add a URL link to externally hosted evidence
Once evidence is added:
- Link evidence to the relevant answer option(s)
- Explain how the evidence supports your response
The indicator panel shows counters for:
- Selected answer options
- Associated evidence
Use these counters to ensure every selected answer option is supported by evidence.
‘Evidence mandatory for GRESB’ tag
Indicators that require supporting evidence for GRESB submissions are clearly marked with an “Evidence mandatory in GRESB” tag.
This helps users quickly identify where evidence uploads are required, even though evidence can be attached to all indicators.
Completion rate
Scaler calculates a completion rate for governance data based on whether indicators have been answered with:
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Completion is not based on the number of answer options selected.
This allows you to clearly see:
- Which indicators are complete
- Which still require input
Governance history and audit log
Scaler maintains a historical audit log for governance indicators in a dedicated tab.
For each indicator, you can view:
- The indicator name
- Every time the indicator was updated
- Who made the update
- A timestamp of when the change occurred
For each indicator, Scaler displays the last updated date and the user who made the change directly on the indicator. This provides immediate visibility into the most recent update, in addition to the full historical change log.
This history provides transparency and traceability for governance data, supporting internal reviews, audits, and external assurance processes.
Why use the Governance Tool year-round?
Using the Governance Tool continuously allows you to:
- Prepare for reporting throughout the year
- Avoid last-minute evidence collection
- Reduce duplicated work across frameworks
- Maintain consistent, auditable governance data