Getting started with SimaPro Share

Getting Started with

SimaPro Share

Colophon

Title: Getting started with SimaPro Share

Written by: PRé Consultants

Report version: 1

Date: June 2015

Copyright: © 2002-2015 PRé. Some rights reserved. This work is

licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-

Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Netherlands License.

To view a copy of this license, visit:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-

sa/3.0/nl/deed.en_US or send a letter to Creative

Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San

Francisco, California, 94105, USA. If the manual is to

be used for other purposes, written consent of PRé is

needed.

Support: +31 33 4504010

[email protected]

Website: www.pre-sustainability.com

www.simapro.com

Introduction

SimaPro Share is an interactive, web-based platform that makes your LCA results accessible for all of

your relevant stakeholders. It enables efficient, fact-based decision-making and stimulates supply

chain involvement and real-time collaboration.

To use Share, you start with uploading the model you have built in SimaPro. This model is then

expanded on in Share, where you can build various scenario projects and make them accessible to

other users. Both Experts and business users can analyze the impact of these scenarios to investigate

and understand the impact of their decisions.

This guide is meant to help you, the Expert user, with creating your first Scenario project.

For additional support, please visit our SimaPro Help Center at http://support.simapro.com, or

contact us by going to > Contact support.

Contents

1 Preparing your SimaPro project .......................................................................................... 5

1.1 Guidelines and tips for your SimaPro model ........................................................... 5

1.2 Creating a separate SimaPro database with your project .................................. 6

1.3 Creating a snapshot of your SimaPro database ..................................................... 7

2 Creating your Scenario Project ............................................................................................ 7

2.1 Creating a new project .................................................................................................... 8

2.2 Adding project information ........................................................................................... 9

2.3 Adding hotspots ................................................................................................................ 9

2.4 Building scenarios ........................................................................................................... 11

2.5 Defining Calculation Setups ........................................................................................ 12

2.6 Viewing impact assessment results ......................................................................... 13

3 Assigning users and publishing your Project ................................................................ 14

3.1 Assigning users and creating your invite ................................................................ 14

3.2 Publishing your project ................................................................................................. 14

1 Preparing your SimaPro project

For optimal use of SimaPro Share, there are some general guidelines that should be taken into

consideration when building your SimaPro model, as explained in section 1.1.

Once your SimaPro model is ready, you need to:

Create a separate database with only the project you want to use in SimaPro Share

From that separate database, create a ‘snapshot’ of the database. The snapshot is basically a

compact version of the database that makes uploading and use in Share much more efficient.

All these steps are explained in more detail in this chapter.

1.1 Guidelines and tips for your SimaPro model

Before giving tips on how to build your SimaPro model it is good to understand what SimaPro Share

actually does. Essentially, SimaPro Share replaces processes/product stages, one at a time for other

processes and product stages available in your databases. Additionally Share can change the value

of parameters thereby allowing the user to build scenarios. This results in the following ‘rules of the

game’:

When replacing a process/product stage, you always have to redefine the amount.

You cannot replace one process/product stage with multiple others. You can only replace a

process/product stage once.

Only one process is replaced at a time. So if you replace the material process, the production

process will remain the same.

Analysis of Groups should be set up in SimaPro to be used in Share and Collect

Therefore to maximize the use of the functionalities of Share it is good to keep the following tips in

mind when building your SimaPro model:

Create a new project that is dedicated to the Share project. The project should contain only

models that will be used in Share.

Use System processes where possible. Any process that will not need to be modified by the

user in Share (processes that will not have inputs varied) should use System processes

Set up your analysis of group in the way you would like to use it in Share.

When you have a calculated amount in your model, we recommend creating a parameter for

the amount. So that the amount can be easily be adapted in Share.

To switch both material and processing at the same time create a top process that includes

both the processing and the material. Create such a top process for all desired material

choices you want to make available in Share. Thereby ensuring that both the material e.g.

glass and the matching processing e.g. glass production are changed at the same time.

To build scenarios where the user is allowed multiple materials choices we recommend to

add dummy process to the top processes. So if you have component consisting of three

materials, but you want to allow the user the possibility to make this component from five

materials, then add two dummy process to the assembly of the component.

1.2 Creating a separate SimaPro database with your project

In SimaPro go to File> Export SimaPro Database.

Enter a location and name for the export database.

Select only your Share project, in addition to the Methods library. Make sure to select Only

include library-items used in selected projects in order to keep the database as compact as

possible.

Click Export.

The data will be scanned and you will get the following warning message:

Click Yes to continue.

You will receive an overview of what will be exported. Click Ok to start the export process.

Once completed successfully, you will receive the following message:

1.3 Creating a snapshot of your SimaPro database

Go to File> Database Management> Backup for SimaPro Share.

Browse to the location of the database you just created (in step 1.2) and click Select.

Select a location and name for your snapshot; click Save.

You will receive a confirmation message once the backup has been created successfully.

2 Creating your Scenario Project

Now that your SimaPro model is ready and you have created a snapshot of the database, you can get

started with SimaPro Share. As an Expert, you can create scenario projects wherein you determine

which changes (to your model) other users can make to create their own scenarios.

Scenario projects consist of 2 tabs: Overall results and Project scenarios. Under the Overall results

tab you can add general project information, findings, instructions, and you can create hotpots.

Under the Product scenarios tab, you can build scenarios and analyze and compare their

environmental impact. We will describe how to create all those elements in this chapter.

2.1 Creating a new project

To create your scenario project:

Go to https://apps.simapro.com and log in with the credentials you received from PRé.

Click Share to arrive at the Scenario projects overview.

Under the Draft section, click + New project.

Enter a title for your project.

Under Database name, click .

Click Choose file and browse to the location of the snapshot you created in step 1.3. Click

Open.

Click Upload. Please note that this step may take a while, depending on the size of your

snapshot and the speed of your internet connection.

Once you receive a confirmation message that the database has been uploaded successfully,

click Back to return to the project settings window.

Under Database name, select the database you just uploaded.

Enter the Username (and password, if applicable) for the database.

The default username is ‘manager’ for single user versions of SimaPro.

Under SimaPro project, click the project name.

Under Top process name, select the process, assembly or life cycle you aim to investigate in

this project (this is typically your end product, for which all calculations and graphs will be

done).

By default, only your own processes, product stages will be listed in the process overview. If you

wish to also view the background data included in your project, select the checkbox Show library

processes.

Click Build Scenario Project.

If you go to the Scenario projects overview dashboard, you should now see your project

under the Draft section.

You can edit your project settings at any point (while it is still under the Draft section) by hovering

over your project box and clicking .

2.2 Adding project information

Under the tab Overall results, there are three text sections (by default called: Findings, Hotspots and

Background) where you can add background information about the project or instructions to the

business users.

All section headings and content can be edited by the Expert and will be viewed by the business

users you assign to your project (please note that business user can only view and not edit this text).

2.3 Adding hotspots

From the Overall results tab, you can also create and view hotspots. Hotspots are basically the main

variables you wish to investigate - for example, the main contributors to environmental impacts (as

determined through your analysis in SimaPro). When creating a hotspot, you define what changes

users are allowed to make to create various scenarios. Possible changes are:

Replacing a process with another process (input process)

Adapting the value of a parameter

In this step you need to define the hotspot, the choices available to the user and the alternatives. A

hotspot could be the material(s) your product is made out of. You may want to give users a

possibility to determine whether the product is made of 1 or 2 materials – in that case you have to

define 2 choices. For each choice, you then set a number of alternatives the user can choose from:

for example wood, glass, or PPP.

To create a hotspot:

From the Overall results tab, click + Add hotspot.

Add a name and description of the hotspot

Click Add new choice. Give the choice a name and describe the question (as guidance to the

business user).

Select whether you want to vary an input process or a parameter value.

Input process: Change the input of a process to another material/ process. For example, replace

European Electricity by US Electricity, or replace oak wood by pine wood.

Parameter value: Change the value of a parameter in your SimaPro model. For example, allow users

to choose the value of the parameter delivery_distance_km or user_large_truck, that you had

defined in your SimaPro model.

Click Parent process and select the process wherein you want the changes to be applied.

Click Input to vary and specify which process you want to replace.

The default amount shown is based on the value you added in your SimaPro model. This cannot be

edited.

You now need to add alternatives to the choice. Click Add new alternative and give the

alternative a name.

Select Alternative process and specify the process you want the user to be able to replace

the default with.

If desired, change the default amount.

Select the checkbox Make amount editable by business user if you wish the user to be able

to adapt the amount of material. If selected, set the minimum a maximum value the user

can enter.

All entries are saved automatically; click Back or x to return to the Overall results tab.

Repeat the steps above to add as many alternatives, choices and hotspots as you wish.

To delete a choice or an alternative, drag it from and drop it in the Trash.

2.4 Building scenarios

After you have created hotspots, go to the tab Product scenarios. There you will see that there is

already one scenario created for you. This is the baseline scenario, which contains the default

amounts, as you had defined in your SimaPro model (these cannot be edited).

You can edit the name and description of the baseline scenario, by clicking the name and description.

You can build as many additional scenarios as you wish. When you build a scenario, you basically

vary the choices and alternatives you had defined for every hotspot.

Hotspot

Alternatives

Choices

Scenario name & description

To build a scenario:

Click + Add new scenario.

You can edit the name and description of the scenario.

The scenario still contains the default values of the baseline scenario. You can edit these by

clicking the grey boxes. Click Save.

Note that dark grey boxes show that the value selected differs from the baseline scenario.

Repeat the steps above to build more scenarios.

Expert users

- Can add scenarios before and after publishing the project (scenarios created by the Expert user are

visible to all assigned users)

- Can view all scenarios made by business users

- Can delete scenarios made by business users

Business users

- Can build their own scenarios after the project has been published

- Can only view scenarios created by themselves and by the Expert user

2.5 Defining Calculation Setups

At any point while working with your scenarios, you can calculate the impact the impact of 1

scenario, or compare 2 or more scenarios. To do that, you first need to define a calculation setup:

Click

Select the Method (the selection will depend on which impact assessment methods you have

exported from SimaPro)

Select the Assessment level

Select the Calculation option

Select whether you want to show the results per impact category (depends on which

calculation option you choose), and whether you want to show process contribution.

Under Extra options, you can choose whether or not to show the baseline scenario.

Select whether or not you want to use Analysis of Groups.

Using the Analysis of Groups feature, you can define how your results are presented. Instead of

showing the impact of your product per process or product stage, you can present results per

function, for example: transport, energy, production, and so forth. For more guidance on how to set

this up in SimaPro Share, please check this article.

Click Save Calculation Setup

Please note that only the Expert user can setup and edit calculation setups. You can edit the settings

at any point while the project is still in the Draft section. To do that click .

2.6 Viewing impact assessment results

Once you have defined the calculation settings, you can see the effect of your choices (from the

scenarios you have built) reflected in the graph.

There are several interpretation options:

Graph with a single scenario: allows insight into the hotspots. Make sure to select only 1

scenario.

Process contribution: allows insight into the processes that contribute the most to the

impact. This option is only possible when you are analyzing one scenario, and it has been

defined in the calculation setup (see section 2.5).

Graph with multiple scenarios: allows the comparison of 2 or more scenarios. You can select

as many scenarios as you want, by selecting the checkboxes.

You can export the results and scenario information to Excel by clicking

3 Assigning users and publishing your Project

Now that your Scenario project is complete, you can share it with up to 25 users. Both business

users and Experts can then build their own scenarios, interpret and download results. To make your

Scenario project accessible to others, you need to assign users and publish your project.

3.1 Assigning users and creating your invite

Click Assign users

You can choose existing users from the list on the left-hand-side of the Business user

management window

To add new users, click + New business user

Enter their name and email address and click Save user details.

Click Edit email template to review the default invite that is sent to users.

Make your changes and click Save.

Click Send test mail to receive an email preview of what the business user will see.

3.2 Publishing your project

Finally, click Publish project

A number of checks will be carried out by Share to ensure that the project is complete. If any

warning messages appear, you need to make the necessary changes in your project before

you try to publish it again.

Once all checks have been successfully validated, an email will be sent out to all assigned

users to access your project.

Your Scenario project will now be listed in the Published section of the Scenario projects

overview.

Please note that once your project is published, you cannot make changes to the project settings, nor

can you add more business users. That is why a copy of your published project remains in the Draft

section. You can make any changes in the Draft and re-publish the project. The published project

will then be updated to the newer 'version'.