Encountering missing data is a standard part of the initial ESG reporting journey. How you handle these non-available datapoints should be dictated by your regulatory deadlines and overall compliance strategy.
Strategy for Flexible Timelines
If your organization is not facing a strict, short-term reporting deadline, do not halt your data collection progress when you encounter missing information. It is highly recommended to initially ignore non-available datapoints and focus on completing what you currently have.
Once you have completed a first pass of your available data, you can leverage the platform's analytical tools to build an action plan.
Navigate to the Gap Analysis dashboard to review your completion metrics.
Review the list of missing indicators compared against your target framework.
Use this consolidated view to prioritize which non-available datapoints you should invest time and resources into sourcing first.
Strategy for Short-Term Compliance
If your company is operating under a strict regulatory deadline, your approach must be highly targeted. You cannot afford to leave critical gaps in your report, and you must guarantee that at least all mandatory datapoints are successfully collected.
You must continuously monitor your progress against the specific framework you are legally required to comply with.
Navigate to the ESG Data menu in the main left-hand sidebar and select the Data Collection tab.
Click the Frameworks drop-down filter located at the top of the table.
Select your legally mandated standard (such as CSRD) to isolate its specific indicators.
Ensure that every indicator deemed mandatory by this framework is fully completed and supported by evidence, as "unavailable" is rarely accepted for core requirements.
Warning: Certain critical indicators do not allow the "data is unavailable" option at all. You must prioritize sourcing this data immediately to avoid compliance failures.
Flag Information as Unavailable
When you encounter an applicable datapoint but currently lack the internal metrics to answer it, you must formally document this gap. This keeps your workspace organized and ensures the missing data is accurately reflected in your Gap Analysis.
From the main Data Collection table, click on the specific indicator row to open its form.
Scroll to the bottom of the datapoint form, near the save options.
Click the Skip button to open the exception menu.
Select the specific radio button indicating that the data is currently unavailable or unmeasured.
Locate the Justification text box and type a clear explanation of why the data is missing and what steps your company is taking to acquire it in the future.
Click the green Skip this question button to confirm the status.
Once flagged, the indicator remains in your reporting scope but is clearly marked as a data gap, allowing you to easily filter and return to it later.