Purpose of this article
This article provides a step-by-step onboarding checklist to help new users complete essential setup in Scaler, without getting overwhelmed by advanced configuration.
Before you start
Before working through this checklist, make sure:
- You have the correct access level (Admin or Portfolio Editor)
- You know which portfolios you are responsible for
- You understand Scaler’s basic structure
- Company → portfolio → asset → meters → analytics → reports
If not, review:
- Welcome to Scaler: how the platform works
- How Scaler structures data
Step 1: Confirm account access and users
☐ Review your user profile details
☐ Confirm which portfolios you have access to
☐ Invite additional users, if required
☐ Assign appropriate roles and permissions
Tip: Add users early, even if they won’t enter data immediately. This avoids rework later when responsibilities expand.
Related articles:
- Account & user settings overview
- Managing users & permissions
Step 2: Review company and portfolio settings
☐ Confirm portfolio name and structure
☐ Review fiscal year settings
☐ Review default unit system
☐ Review currency settings
☐ Set other portfolio-level fields
These settings affect:
- Analytics calculations
- Reporting outputs
- Unit consistency across assets
Important: Changing fiscal year or unit settings after data entry may require recalculation.
Related article:
- Portfolio settings overview
Step 3: Add or review assets
☐ Confirm all relevant assets exist in the portfolio
☐ Add missing assets, if needed
☐ Review basic asset information:
- Asset name
- Location
- Property type
- Floor areas
☐ Decide whether any asset groups are required for reporting
Related articles:
- Adding and managing assets
- Asset setup basics
Step 4: Decide how you will collect data
Scaler supports multiple data entry methods. During onboarding, decide which you will use.
☐ Manual entry in the platform
☐ Spreadsheet bulk upload
☐ Data requests to internal or external stakeholders
☐ Automations or integrations
You do not need to use all methods.
Related articles:
- How data enters Scaler (four supported methods)
- Data onboarding: process overview
Step 5: Set up meters and consumption (baseline only)
☐ Create required meters for each asset
☐ Add baseline consumption data
☐ Check for missing or flagged data
At this stage:
- Focus on core energy, water, and waste meters
- Do not worry about perfect completeness
Related articles:
- Meters & consumption in Scaler
- Adding physical meters & consumption
Step 6: Review emission factor configuration
☐ Confirm emission factors are configured at portfolio level
☐ Review defaults applied by Scaler
☐ Identify any required overrides
Note: Emission factors can be refined later. The goal during onboarding is correctness, not optimisation.
Related articles:
- Configuring emission factors
- Emissions accounting in Scaler
Step 7: Check data completeness and validation
☐ Review data completion percentage
☐ Resolve critical errors or warnings
☐ Confirm calculations have run successfully
This step ensures:
- Analytics reflect expected values
- Reports can be generated without blocking issues
Related articles:
- Alerts in Scaler
- Troubleshooting data completion
Step 8: Validate analytics outputs
☐ Review portfolio-level analytics
☐ Confirm trends and totals look reasonable
☐ Compare against known benchmarks or prior data
You are checking for reasonableness, not perfection.
Related articles:
- Analytics overview
- Understanding key metrics
Step 9: Generate a test report
☐ Generate a portfolio or company-level report
☐ Review output structure and values
☐ Identify missing fields or unexpected results
This confirms that:
- Required data is present
- Reporting logic is functioning as expected
Related articles:
- How to generate reports
- Audit features in Scaler
What you do not need to do during onboarding
To avoid overload, you do not need to complete the following immediately:
- Full automation or API setup
- Detailed roadmap modelling
- Advanced analytics configuration
- Final reporting sign-off
These can be completed once baseline data is stable.
Where to go next
Once onboarding is complete:
- Follow your role-based onboarding guide
- Continue with:
- Data Collection & Input articles for ongoing updates
- Analytics articles for interpretation and insights
- Reports & Exporting for reporting workflows
Need help?
If you have questions during onboarding:
- Contact your internal Scaler lead or administrator
- Reach out to Scaler support via the platform