Understanding Units and Currencies in Scaler – Scaler

Scaler automatically manages how units and currencies are displayed, stored, and exported across your portfolio, assets, and reports.

This ensures consistency in all metrics, calculations, and exports — while still allowing flexibility for user and asset-level preferences.

Unit Output (Analytics & Reports)

`Portfolio Unit System`

Location: Data Collection Portal → Portfolio → Settings

Defines the unit system used to generate reports for that portfolio.

All values in reports are converted to the portfolio unit system so they can be aggregated consistently.

Scaler Data Export: File name contains the unit system; calculated-metric variable names include the unit system in their naming convention.

e.g. energy_electricity_gresb_active_area_sqm; energy_electricity_gresb_active_area_sqft

Automatically converts user-entered values (e.g. ft² → m²) depending on field type.

Examples:

Area fields → converted between m² and ft²

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In the Data Collection Portal, a value is entered with its associated unit. If the Asset unit system is changed later (e.g., metric → imperial), existing input values are not converted. You must manually convert and update them to correspond with the new selection.

User Unit Preferences

Location: Top-right → User name dropdown → Profile

Defines how units are displayed in the Analytics Portal for that user.

Does not affect stored values or calculations — only the display.

Example:

If an asset is set to metric but a user prefers imperial, values like floor area will be shown in ft² in Analytics, but the underlying input value remains in m².

Unit Input (Data Entry)

`Asset Unit System`

Location: Data Collection Portal → Asset → Asset Characteristics → Asset Details → Asset unit system

Must be selected for each asset when it is created via the Platform or Spreadsheet.

Defines the input unit system for most asset-level fields.

Floor area fields (e.g. GFA, GFA - Common area, GFA - Tenant area) must be entered in the Asset unit system.

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Exceptions

A. Static Units (EU reporting fields)

Some fields (e.g. under EU Taxonomy, SFDR) require entry in metric units only. These are marked clearly in both the Platform and the Spreadsheet.

Examples

B. Consumption Data

Each consumption value (across energy, water, waste) must have a corresponding Unit of consumption selected.

Units are specified per line item, allowing for mixed units within a meter or asset.

Scaler dynamically converts these when generating reports or analytics.

Unit Display

Platform: The input field shows the associated unit.

Spreadsheet: The unit is indicated in Row 8, labeled “Unit”.

Portfolio Currency

The Portfolio currency defines the reporting currency for the entire portfolio and serves as the anchor for all converted cost data in Scaler. All cost fields that support individual currency selection are automatically converted into this currency for analytics and exports.

Location: Data Collection Portal → Portfolio → Settings

Determines the currency used for:

Portfolio-level financial values

All analytics visualizations

Converted totals for Roadmap measures and utility-cost data

Applies to (by category)

1. Financial valuation fields (not converted automatically)

These fields must be entered in the portfolio Default currency and are not converted by Scaler:

Reporting Data > Reporting Details

Gross asset value, Gross rental income

Financial Data

e.g. Market value, Turnover, CAPEX

Scaler does not apply currency conversion to these values because organizations often use their own FX methodologies (e.g., end-of-year rates, audited financial assumptions). Scaler intentionally avoids imposing an automatic conversion method on these fields.

2. Utility-cost data (converted automatically)

Utility cost fields can be entered in their native local currency at the Asset-level view.

Each consumption line item includes a currency selector.

Scaler automatically converts all utility costs into the Portfolio currency using monthly reference exchange rates.

Analytics and data exports display unified cost totals in the Portfolio currency.

3. Roadmap measures (converted automatically)

Each roadmap measure includes a currency field that applies to all cost-related fields within that measure.

These values can be entered in any supported currency.

Scaler converts all roadmap measure costs into the Portfolio currency in order to:

Aggregate CAPEX consistently

Display single-currency charts

How conversion works & exchange rate source

Scaler converts supported cost fields using monthly exchange rates sourced from:

Frankfurter (open-source FX API)

Based on European Central Bank (ECB) reference rates

Updated daily by the ECB and stored monthly in Scaler for consistent historical use

Conversion is applied based on the month (or range of months) associated with the cost value.

Currency display

In the platform UI, cost fields clearly indicate the Portfolio currency for converted outputs.

When entering data in a local currency (e.g., PHP, SGD, AUD), the currency field indicates the original currency before conversion.

Spreadsheet: The currency code in Row 8 (“Unit”) displays the Portfolio currency for fields which are not converted and must be entered in the portfolio Default currency.