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Understanding Resources

In Dcycle’s LCA module, a resource (also called a “piece”) represents any input or output in your product’s life cycle. Resources are the building blocks you’ll later assign to blocks in the LCA Portfolio. Each resource is matched to an emission factor from the ecoinvent database, which provides the environmental impact data needed for calculations. 
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                      RESOURCE MANAGER                           │
├─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬───────────┬───────────┤
│  Material   │   Energy    │   Waste     │  Process  │  Product  │
├─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────┼───────────┤
│ Raw inputs  │ Electricity │ Solid waste │ Chemical  │ Reference │
│ Packaging   │ Natural gas │ Wastewater  │ Assembly  │ outputs   │
│ Components  │ Diesel      │ Hazardous   │ Coating   │           │
│ Chemicals   │ Heat        │ Recyclables │ Mixing    │           │
└─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴───────────┴───────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
                   Intelligent Mapping
                   (ecoinvent database)
                              │
                              ▼
                    Emission Factors
                    assigned per resource

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Resource Types

TypeDescriptionExamples
MaterialRaw materials and physical inputsSteel, plastics, wood, packaging, chemicals
EnergyEnergy carriers and sourcesElectricity, natural gas, diesel, heat, steam
WasteWaste streams and disposalSolid waste, wastewater, hazardous materials, recyclables
ProcessManufacturing or transformation stepsInjection molding, welding, painting, assembly
ProductReference output productsThe finished product or intermediate components

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Creating Resources Manually

1

Navigate to LCA Resource Manager

In the Dcycle app, go to LCA > Resource Manager from the sidebar.
2

Click 'Add Resource'

Click the Add Resource button to open the creation form.
3

Fill in the resource details

Complete the form with the following fields:
FieldRequiredDescription
NameYesDescriptive name (e.g., “Low-density polyethylene granulate”)
TypeYesOne of: material, energy, waste, process, product
SupplierYesName of the supplier or provider. This field is a free text, you can type anything
Supplier CountryYesCountry where the supplier is located
DescriptionNoAdditional details about the resource
LocationNoSpecific location or facility
RegionNoGeographic region for emission factor matching
AddressNoStreet address (only for material and process types)
Postal CodeNoPostal code (only for material and process types)
Address and Postal Code are only available for material and process resource types. These fields help Dcycle calculate transport distances when the resource is used in transport blocks.
4

Save the resource

Click Save. The resource is created and queued for intelligent mapping.

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Bulk Upload via Excel

For large inventories, you can upload multiple resources at once using an Excel file.
1

Go to Resource Manager

Navigate to LCA > Resource Manager.
2

Click 'Bulk Upload'

Click the Bulk Upload button to start the import flow.
3

Download the template

Download the Excel template provided. It contains columns for all resource fields and example rows.
4

Fill in your data

Populate the spreadsheet with your resources. Each row represents one resource with the same fields as manual creation (name, type, supplier, supplier country, etc.).
5

Upload the file

Select your completed file and upload it. Dcycle validates the data and creates all resources.
Bulk Upload Tips
  • Ensure the type column uses exact values: material, energy, waste, process, or product.
  • The supplier country should use standard country names.
  • Leave optional fields empty rather than filling placeholder values — this improves emission factor matching accuracy.

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Intelligent Mapping

After creating resources, Dcycle’s intelligent mapping system automatically matches each resource to the most appropriate emission factor in the ecoinvent database.
1

Resource created

When you create a resource (manually or via bulk upload), it enters the mapping queue.
2

AI-powered matching

Dcycle’s system analyzes the resource name, type, supplier country, and description to find the best emission factor match from ecoinvent.
3

Review and confirm

Once mapping is complete, the matched emission factor appears on the resource. You can review and change the mapping if needed.
Mapping takes 24-48 hoursIntelligent mapping is not instant. New resources typically take 24-48 hours to be matched. Plan your LCA workflow accordingly — create resources first, then build your portfolio once mapping is complete.

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Status Indicators

Resources display a status indicator showing their mapping state:
StatusMeaning
MappedEmission factor successfully assigned. The resource is ready to use in LCA blocks.
PendingMapping is in progress. Wait for the process to complete (24-48h).
Not FoundNo suitable emission factor was found. Review the resource name and details, or manually assign a factor.
Improving Match AccuracyTo get better emission factor matches:
  • Use specific, descriptive names (e.g., “Polyethylene terephthalate granulate, bottle grade” instead of “PET”).
  • Include the correct supplier country — ecoinvent factors are region-specific.
  • Add a description with technical details (e.g., density, grade, composition).
  • Set the region field to narrow the geographic scope.

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Managing Resources

Once resources are created and mapped, you can:
  • Edit — Update name, type, supplier, country, and other fields. Re-mapping may be triggered if key fields change.
  • View emission factors — See the matched ecoinvent factor, including the reference, database version, and unit.
  • Change emission factor — Manually select a different emission factor if the automatic mapping isn’t accurate.
  • Check usage — See which LCA portfolios and blocks reference this resource.
Shared ResourcesResources belong to your organization and can be reused across multiple LCA portfolios. If you update a resource’s emission factor, the change applies everywhere it’s used.

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Next Steps

Once your resources are created and mapped, head to the Portfolio to build your product’s life cycle:

LCA Portfolio

Build blocks, connect them, and calculate impacts

LCA Overview

Back to LCA overview