This help page describes the functionality for uploading data on commercial flights via the business travel data input screen. Use this functionality to add or edit multiple flights via spreadsheet upload.
For methodology guidance on reporting business travel, see business travel (methodology).
- The flight upload functionality is one of two alternative processes available for users to report flight data. The other option is to ‘manually’ report flights by typing data directly into the M&R software. SEAI recommends that you use one or other of these processes to report flight data for each year, but not both.
- Warning: the flight upload functionality is unlike other upload functionality in the M&R system. It is possible to inadvertently overwrite or delete previously reported data using this functionality.
- Please review this guidance carefully before proceeding.
The flight upload functionality can be used for:
- Reporting (adding) large numbers of individual flight segments for specific year(s) via a single upload.
- Editing individual slight segments that were previously uploaded.
- Deleting all flight segments previously uploaded for a specific year(s).
You must use the designated spreadsheet template, which is available via the ‘Download’ button under the ‘Commercial flights’ tab on the business travel screen.
The spreadsheet template contains three or more worksheets. All templates include the following three worksheets:
- 'Read me': this worksheet provides a link to this help page.
- ‘For info only - aggregated data’: this worksheet contains aggregated summary data of all the flights that you have previously reported via the ‘manual’ reporting and the flight upload processes. It is the same data shown under the ‘Commercial flights’ tab in the business travel data input screen. This worksheet is for information purposes only and cannot be used to add/edit data via upload.
- '20XX': this is a blank worksheet, which can be copied and used to upload flight data for a new year.
The template may also contain additional worksheets for specific years, e.g. '2022', ‘2023’.
- Each of these worksheets contain all the flight data that you have previously uploaded for the relevant year.
- These worksheets do not include any flight data that you may have ‘manually’ reported, i.e. these worksheets only include flight data that was originally uploaded by you from a spreadsheet.
- Warning: undertaking these steps will overwrite (delete) any and all flight data that you may have previously reported for year(s) for which there are year-specific worksheets in the upload file, e.g. if your upload file contains a worksheet named 2023, all previously reported data for 2023 will be deleted and replaced with the data in the 2023 worksheet in the upload file. If the 2023 worksheet is empty, the previously reported 2023 data will be deleted. This includes all data that has been previously reported for the year via the manual or the upload process.
- If you have not already done so, you must first download the template by clicking ‘Download’.
- Go to the ‘20XX’ worksheet
- Copy the ‘20XX’ worksheet and create a new worksheet. You can do this by right-clicking on the worksheet tab.
- By default the new worksheet will be called '20XX (2)'. Rename the worksheet to the relevant year, e.g. 2023.
- Populate the new worksheet by entering data in columns A-G. Columns A-F are mandatory.
- Use one row for each flight segment.
- It is important to follow the template structure and to only use valid data inputs. The valid data inputs are described towards the end of this page.
- When you have completed the template, save it and upload it by clicking ‘Upload’.
- The upload will be processed in accordance with the upload rules for flights, which are described in the upload rules section below.
- The result of the upload operation will be sent to you via email.
- The flights that have been uploaded successfully will appear in the main table in the ‘Commercial flights’ tab.
- Warning: undertaking these steps will overwrite (delete) any and all flight data that you may have previously reported for year(s) for which there are year-specific worksheets in the upload file, e.g. if your upload file contains a worksheet named 2023, all previously reported data for 2023 will be deleted and replaced with the data in the 2023 worksheet in the upload file. If the 2023 worksheet is empty, the previously reported 2023 data will be deleted. This includes all data that has been previously reported for the year via the manual or the upload process.
- If you have not already done so, you must first download the template by clicking ‘Download’.
- Go to the worksheet corresponding to the relevant year, e.g. 2023.
- Add additional flights by entering data in columns A-G in the next available rows. Columns A-F are mandatory.
- Use one row for each flight segment.
- It is important to follow the template structure and to only use valid data inputs. The valid data inputs are described towards the end of this page.
- The worksheet must contain data for all the flights you wish to report for the year, including any flights that you have already uploaded to the system.
- When you have completed the template, save it and upload it by clicking ‘Upload’.
- The upload will be processed in accordance with the upload rules for flights, which are described in the upload rules section below.
- The result of the upload operation will be sent to you via email.
- The flights that have been uploaded successfully will appear in the main table in the ‘Commercial flights’ tab.
- Warning: undertaking these steps will overwrite (delete) any and all flight data that you may have previously reported for year(s) for which there are year-specific worksheets in the upload file, e.g. if your upload file contains a worksheet named 2023, all previously reported data for 2023 will be deleted and replaced with the data in the 2023 worksheet in the upload file. If the 2023 worksheet is empty, the previously reported 2023 data will be deleted. This includes all data that has been previously reported for the year via the manual or the upload process.
- If you have not already done so, you must first download the template by clicking ‘Download’.
- Go to the worksheet corresponding to the relevant year, e.g. 2023.
- Edit the data, as required:
- To edit a specific flight segment, edit the data in the relevant row.
- To remove a specific flight segment, delete the relevant row.
- To add a slight segment, enter data in columns A-G in the next available row.
- Columns A-F are mandatory.
- Use one row for each slight segment.
- It is important to follow the template structure and to only use valid data inputs. The valid data inputs are described towards the end of this page.
- The worksheet must contain data for all the flights you wish to report for the year, including any flights that you have already uploaded to the system.
- When you have completed the template, save it and upload it by clicking ‘Upload’.
- The upload will be processed in accordance with the upload rules for flights, which are described in the upload rules section below.
- The result of the upload operation will be sent to you via email.
- Edits arising from the upload will appear in the main table in the ‘Commercial flights’ tab.
- If you have not already done so, you must first download the template by clicking ‘Download’.
- Go to the worksheet corresponding to the relevant year, e.g. 2023.
- Delete all the data from the worksheet.
- Save the spreadsheet and upload it by clicking ‘Upload’.
- The upload will be processed in accordance with the upload rules for flights, which are described in the upload rules section below.
- The result of the upload operation will be sent to you via email.
- The main table in the ‘Commercial flights’ tab will be updated to account for the deletions arising from the upload.
It is important to only use the following valid data formats when entering data into the template:
- The date must be in the format DD-MM-YYYY, e.g. 23/06/2023
- Both airports must be entered as three-letter airport codes. The codes can be selected from a drop-down menu within the spreadsheet. Enter the three-letter code only, i.e. do not include the airport or city name. The full list of airport codes and corresponding airports is available here.
- Cabin class:
- Economy
- Premium economy
- Business class
- First class
- Unknown
- One-way or return:
- No. passenger journeys: whole numbers only, e.g. 1, 2, 5, etc.
- Optional CO2 emissions [kgCO2]: numerical value only. Do not include units.
- When uploading flights your upload file must be in the correct format (which is available via download).
- If your upload file contains a worksheet named as a specific year (e.g. 2023), the data in this worksheet overwrites all existing flight data in the system for that year. This includes data that was 'manually' reported on-screen for that year, as well as any previously uploaded flight data for that year.
- If your upload file contains a worksheet named as a specific year (e.g. 2023) and that worksheet contains no valid flight data for that year, all existing flight data in the system for that year is deleted. This includes data that was 'manually' reported on-screen for that year, as well as any previously uploaded flight data for that year.
- Deleting a flight from a spreadsheet template and then uploading the template will delete the flight from the system.
- If your upload file contains different valid data for a flight that already exists in the system, the existing data is overwritten by data in the upload file.
- If your upload file omits valid data for one or more mandatory data fields, the flight is not added and an error is reported for the relevant data field(s).