Sustainability reporting often involves structured data collected from different facilities, reporting periods, source documents, and business activities.
Managing this data requires teams to find specific records, correct errors, add context, filter large datasets, and maintain a consistent structure.
Data Sheets in Hydrus provide a structured way to do this. Users can review available sheets, open datasets, edit records, add notes, sort and filter information, manage columns, search for records, and export data when needed.
View available data sheets
The Data Sheets page provides an overview of the structured datasets available in Hydrus.
For each data sheet, users can review:
- The name of the data sheet
- A description of the data it contains
- The number of records or items
- The number of columns or fields
- Available actions
Users can search for a specific sheet by name or create a new one when needed.
Open and review a data sheet
To work with a specific dataset, select the relevant data sheet from the list.
For example, opening an Accommodation data sheet displays the records stored within that dataset.
A data sheet may contain columns such as:
- Facility
- Period
- Accommodation
- Source Document
- Source
- Actions
Each row represents a record, while each column contains a specific type of information associated with that record.
Edit records and add notes
Users can edit values directly within a data sheet when information needs to be corrected, updated, or completed.
Notes can also be added to provide context. A note can be attached to a specific cell or to the full row.
Notes may be used to document:
- Corrections
- Assumptions
- Missing information
- Follow-up actions
- Explanations for unusual values
Keeping this information with the record makes later review easier.
Delete or archive records
Records that are no longer required can be deleted or archived using the available actions.
Deleting removes the record, while archiving removes it from active use but keeps it available for historical reference.
Teams should follow a consistent retention approach across datasets and reporting periods.
Sort and filter data
Users can sort data using column headers, for example by:
- Reporting period
- Facility
- Activity type
- Source
- Other available fields
Filters can also be applied to individual columns.
For example, the Period column can be filtered to show records from a specific time range, or the Facility column can be filtered to show data for one location.
Filtering helps users focus on the records relevant to a specific review or reporting task.
Manage the structure of a data sheet
The structure of a data sheet can be updated as reporting needs change.
Users can add new columns or remove existing ones using the available sheet actions.
New columns can capture additional information, while removing unused columns can keep the dataset easier to manage.
Structural changes should be made carefully when a data sheet is already being used in calculations or reporting workflows.
Data sheets can also be exported for:
- Additional analysis
- Internal reporting
- Data review
- Sharing with other teams
- Backup or record retention
Search for specific records
The search function within an open data sheet helps users locate records quickly.
Users can search using relevant words, names, or values.
This is useful for finding a specific facility, source document, reporting period, activity, or other stored value without manually reviewing every row.
Return to the data sheets overview
After working in a specific sheet, users can return to the main Data Sheets page.
From there, they can open another sheet, search for a different dataset, review existing sheets, or create a new one.
Keep structured reporting data organized
Data Sheets provide a consistent way to manage structured data throughout the reporting process.
Users can review records, make corrections, add context, filter and search datasets, and update the sheet structure when needed.
For each record used in reporting, teams should be able to identify the relevant facility or activity, reporting period, data source, and any notes or changes associated with it.
Well-maintained data sheets make reporting data easier to review, update, and use.
This guide is educational and not legal advice.