Preparing Your Bill of Materials in 3E Exchange
The most critical piece of information when submitting your Declare label is the ingredient information presented in your bill of materials (BOM). The Living Future team reviews each ingredient, determines if an exception applies to Red List ingredients, and ensures that your product % by weight adds up to 100%. This article serves as a guide to help you prepare your BOM accurately for your Declare label submission.
Three Ways to Build Out Your BOM
3E Exchange offers three different methods for preparing your BOM. If you have complete safety data sheet (SDS) documents for your product, you have the option to import those as a starting point for your BOM. 3E Exchange also offers a spreadsheet that you can fill out and then import that will be generated into a BOM within their platform. And finally, you may choose to simply build out the BOM manually within 3E Exchange. We’ll cover each option in detail below.
Building Your BOM from an Empty Product
3E Exchange offers the option of creating your BOM fully within their platform.
Please note that you will only be able to export a spreadsheet of the BOM made in 3E Exchange with a paid 3E Exchange account.
To begin creating your BOM within 3E Exchange, first go to My Products located in the left-hand menu, and then select + Empty Product from the buttons in the top right.
This will take you to a new webpage where you will be asked to input the product name and have the option of selecting a file to upload. In this case, simply add the product name then select Create Empty Product.
After creating the empty product, you will be taken to the product’s BOM page where you will see an empty BOM with no ingredient data and the option to add materials or add rows. If you know how many ingredients you will need to report, input that number into the Number of Rows field then select Add Rows. Otherwise, input an estimate, and you can add or remove rows later.
From here, you will be able to edit the BOM directly to add ingredients to report on your Declare label. For details on how to edit your BOM, see Editing Your Bill of Materials below.
Importing Your BOM Spreadsheet
If you have spreadsheet data (usually set up in columns using hierarchy or repeated rows to represent hierarchy), you can use 3E Exchange’s BOM templates for a single material, a single product, a single material, or a material library.
In order to begin this process, sign into 3E Exchange then select Import Data in the left-hand menu. In the new webpage, select the blue Import Data button at the top of the page then select one of the product or material import options from the drop-down menu: Single Product (Spreadsheet), Single Material (Spreadsheet), Product Library, or Material Library.
When selecting Single Product (Spreadsheet) or Single Material (Spreadsheet), you will be taken to a new webpage where you will be asked to name your product or material and then select a file to import. 3E Exchange accepts CSV, Excel XLSX, or XLSM file formats.
For more information about importing using Product Library or Material Library, please contact support@3eco.com.
If you do not yet have a spreadsheet prepared for upload but would like to upload a complete spreadsheet, you can find an Excel template spreadsheet by selecting the Download an Import Template drop-down and then choosing Declare Label on the webpage you were brought to after choosing your Import Data option.
Living Future strongly recommends using 3E Exchange’s template documents for easier uploading.
The Declare template spreadsheet will look something like this:
You are welcome to fill out every column for other uses and applications within 3E Exchange. However, for Declare, you are only required to fill out the Level, Chemical Registry Number, and Weight (or Product % by Weight and Material % by Weight if these are known) columns.
The Level field is referenced when reporting your Declare label using Materials and Substances. A level 1 ingredient is considered one component and does not have a CASRN, but it does have a weight. A level 2 ingredient is most often considered one of the ingredients within that component that does have a CASRN. If there are multiple components within one level 1 component, your spreadsheet may include level 3 and level 4 ingredients. If that is the case, the Declare label will pull from the level 1 component for the material and the level that includes the CASRN of the ingredients for the substances. If you are reporting Just Substances, and your spreadsheet does not need to include components, you may input 1 in each field within the Level column.
If you are reporting using Materials and Substances, you will need to fill out the Part Name column for all level 1 ingredients as well. These will be the names of the various components reported on the Declare label. This section can be left blank if reporting using Just Substances.
You may choose to include the ingredient name within the Description column. 3E Exchange will pull the name of the ingredient from their Chemical Hazards database. This section may still be useful in the event that you are reporting an ingredient without a CASRN such as a metal alloy or wood.
The Chemical Registry Number must include data for every ingredient. If this field is left blank for one or more of the ingredients, then those ingredients will not appear on the Declare label, and your Product % by Weight will not be reported correctly. If your ingredient does not have a CASRN (such as a metal alloy, a small electrical component, or wood), you can input a description of that ingredient in this section instead (such as Biological Ingredient or RoHS Compliant SEC).
The Weight field may be filled out if the weight of each ingredient is known. If this is the only weight field that is filled out, then 3E Exchange will automatically translate that data into the Product % by Weight field when the spreadsheet is uploaded.
The Product % by Weight field is the field that the Declare label pulls from for all ingredients reported as Just Substances. These numbers will appear on the Declare database and will ensure that the Declare label is reporting ingredients in order of most prevalent to least on the label. If you are reporting using Materials and Substances, you will need to ensure that each component includes a value in the Product % by Weight field and the ingredients all include data in the Material % by Weight field. 3E Exchange will automatically translate the Material % by Weight data into the appropriate Product % by Weight based on the weight of each component and the weight reported for each ingredient within that component.
With each of these required fields complete, you are ready to add this spreadsheet to the section where you select a file.
Before uploading the spreadsheet, please remove all hyperlinks and data that are not directly related to an ingredient or component reported.
If your spreadsheet contains data before the headers or has more than one tab, ensure that the Spreadsheet Import Options and Excel Tab Import fields are filled in. These options can be found by scrolling below where you identify the file you wish to upload.
If you have modified the template spreadsheet or are importing your own, ensure that you select Edit Import Fields (Optional) after moving to the Configure Levels & Columns portion of the import workflow.
This will take you to a page where you can accurately map each column of your spreadsheet to different fields within 3E Exchange. For example, if you have chosen to include the chemical name of each ingredient in the Description column, then you can select the drop-down menu under Mapping for the field and select Chemical Name instead.
Once you are sure all fields are mapped correctly, select Save & View to begin the import process. This will take you to the Import Data step of the workflow. Once it is done, you’ll be able to find and edit the BOM under My Products or My Materials depending on which you chose to upload your spreadsheet. For more details about editing your BOM, see Editing Your Bill of Materials below.
Importing Your SDS Documents
Though SDS documents only show hazardous chemicals within your product and sometimes only comprise a small percentage of your product or material, they are a great starting point. 3E Exchange allows users to scan their SDS documents into the system to be machine-translated and stored as a material record in your library. If you want to scan SDS documents into your library, you can utilize 3E Exchange’s bulk SDS import option or their single SDS import option for a material or a product.
In order to begin this process, sign into 3E Exchange then select Import Data in the left-hand menu. In the new webpage, select the blue Import Data button at the top of the page then select one of the SDS import options from the drop-down menu: Single Product (SDS), Single Material (SDS), or SDS Library.
After selecting either Single Product (SDS) or Single Material (SDS), you will be asked to name the product or material. Below that, you’ll be able to upload your SDS document. Once those fields are filled, you can select Create Product or Create Materials and then follow 3E Exchange’s workflow.
If the product you intend to submit as a Declare label includes multiple SDS documents, it is recommended that you opt to select Single Material (SDS). This option will create multiple materials for you to pull from when preparing your complete product.
For more information about importing using SDS Library, please contact support@3eco.com.
After importing your SDS documents, a record of the SDS will be saved in your My Products or My Materials folders (depending on which option you selected previously). Importing an SDS into the system will not turn your SDS Ingredient data into a BOM automatically. To do so, first, select the item the SDS import created under My Products or My Materials folders.
In the webpage for the selected item, a new menu specific to that item will appear. Scroll down that menu until you find Safety Data Sheet. Select that option to bring you to the details of the item. Scrolling down to Section 3. Composition/Information On Ingredients, select Import To BOM for the ingredients to appear in the BOM for the product or material.
This will add the ingredient data from the selected SDS to your Product or Material BOM view.
You will now need to review the BOM to ensure all ingredient information is correct. If you are importing multiple material SDS documents into a single product, ensure that the Product % by Weight adds up to 100%. You will also need to ensure all ingredients include a CASRN under the Chemical Registry Number column unless a CASRN is not required for that ingredient. If a CASRN is not required, ensure that data is still included in that field. For more details on editing your BOM, see Editing Your Bill of Materials below.
Editing Your Bill of Materials
To begin editing a BOM, select the product from My Products and then go to that product’s BOM. It is recommended that your first step is to edit your column view to display only the fields required for the Declare label. To edit your column view, select the Columns drop-down menu and then select Edit Column Views….
You will be taken to a new page where you can select which columns you’d like to include in your BOM by checking each box. You can also drag each option to reorder how the columns are viewed. Declare requires that Level, Chemical Registry Number, Chemical Name, and Product % by Weight have data under each field, therefore these columns are required to be included. If you are reporting your BOM with components with ingredients listed within that component, then Part Name and Material % by Weight will also need to be included with Part Name data filled for each component and Material % by Weight fields filled with data for each ingredient. If you know the weight of each ingredient but not the Product % by Weight or Material % by Weight, you should include the Weight and Unit of Measure columns. The Product % by Weight column will be calculated based on the weight of each ingredient and its unit of measure reported in these sections. You also choose to select a Custom Flag column so that you can immediately identify any ingredients in your BOM that are on the Red List, Priority List, or Watch List.
Once you have selected the columns you’d like to include in your BOM, select Done Editing at the top of the page.
Of the columns present, you have the ability to edit the Part Name, Proprietary, Product % by Weight, Material % by Weight, Weight, and Unit of Measure by selecting the cell you wish to edit at which point you will be able to type in the data you wish to add.
To edit the Chemical Registry Number cell, select the cell and then click on the pencil icon that appears within that cell.
A pop-up window will appear prompting you to search for your ingredient by chemical name, registry number, or European Commission number. After you input the chemical you’re looking for and select the magnifying glass icon, a list of options will appear that you may choose from. Click Select on the chemical you wish to add. This will then populate the Chemical Registry Number and Chemical Name fields.
The Chemical Name field is linked directly with the Chemical Registry Number field. Therefore, you are unable to edit the Chemical Name from this page.
In order to change the levels of an ingredient, you must select the row you wish to change. From there, select the Edit drop-down menu and choose Indent Selected Rows. This will move the selected row to the next level. For example, if it’s level was level 1, then it will go to level 2, but if it was already level 2, then the row will become level 3.
If you have opted to include the Custom Flag column, navigate to that column and select the pencil icon in the header.
A pop-up window will appear with a list of flags you can select by checking the box. For Declare, it is recommended that you select LBC Watch List - Priority for Red List Inclusion and Living Building Challenge 4.0 Red List. Once you have selected your custom flags, select Done to update that column in your BOM.
Now, if an ingredient on your BOM is on the Red List, Priority List, or Watch List, a red flag icon will appear in the cell under Custom Flag for that ingredient. You can click on the flag to see which list it appears on.
If at any point you need to add more rows, select the check box on the row above or below where you need to add a new row. Then select the Insert drop-down menu and select Row Above Selected Row or Row Below Selected Row.
One row will populate above or below the selected row depending on which option you selected. You will need to repeat this process multiple times if you need to add more than one row.
To remove rows, select the check box on each row you want to remove. Then select the Edit drop-down menu and select either Delete Just Selected Rows or Delete Selected Row and All Rows Underneath in the Level Hierarchy.
If you select Delete Selected Row and All Rows Underneath in the Level Hierarchy, then all level 2, 3, 4, etc. ingredients under the selected level 1 ingredient will also be deleted.
My BOM is Complete, What Now?
Now that you have a complete bill of materials in 3E Exchange with data in every Chemical Registry Number, Chemical Name, and Product % by Weight field and the sum of the Product % by Weight adds up to 100% then you are ready to submit your Declare label! For steps on submitting your Declare label, see Creating a Declare Label Start to Finish.
Getting Help
If you have questions about the Declare label process and information, contact declare.support@living-future.org. If you have questions about using 3E Exchange, reach out in chat in the bottom right-hand corner or email support@3eco.com.