What's new in Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability May 2024
Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability - Free trial
Important
Some or all of this functionality is available as part of a preview release. The content and the functionality are subject to change.
The May 2024 release of Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability includes the following updates. Check back throughout the month for new updates and links to documentation as it becomes available.
To see what's new in previous months, go to What's new in Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability overview.
Microsoft Sustainability Manager
This section provides information about release schedules, updates, fixes, and learning resources for Sustainability Manager.
Important
In general, updates start releasing around the first of the month with a staggered rollout to different countries/regions. Some updates aren't available until later in the month. Occasionally, we might have to delay an update to a future date. We support versions of Microsoft Sustainability Manager that are version 2.16 or later. The May release is version 2.19. For more information, go to Supported versions.
Updates
This table shows the May 2024 updates for Microsoft Sustainability Manager. We update it with documentation links as they become available.
For information about features that are available in Sustainability Manager Essentials and Premium, go to Microsoft Sustainability Manager plans.
| Feature | Description of update |
|---|---|
| Analytical reporting extensibility | Customize built-in analytical reports. |
| Reporting enhancements | Create a Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) preparation report that complies with European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) guidelines. Easily map the report to a Purview Compliance Manager CSRD assessment. |
| Natural language preparation report (preview) | Report preparation with Copilot in Microsoft Sustainability Manager supports water and waste reports. Available in Sustainability Manager Premium only. |
| Country/region mapping in activity data | Associate activity or emissions records with a country/region. Design and run calculations that are specific to that country/region. |
Fixes
This section lists fixes included in May releases of Sustainability Manager.
| Release | Problem description | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| 2.19.x.x | Unable to log calculation failure for calculations for value chain partner carbon activities. | Fixed an issue where the system can't write an error message if it occurred during a calculation that involves value chain partner carbon activities. |
| 2.19.x.x | If the base units of unit groups are customized and you installed factor packages versions 2.17.x or 2.18.x, the conversion factors of units inadvertently changed back to the default values. | Determine whether you customized the base units of any unit groups, and then determine whether you installed a factor package version 2.17.x or 2.18.x. You can check the version within the Power Apps portal or the Power Platform admin center. If both of these items are true, then you need to reset the conversion factors of your units to what you customized them to. Then you need to rerun any calculations, preparation reports, or goals that ran after you installed the first factor package version 2.17.x or 2.18.x. |
Sustainability reporting regulations (preview)
This table shows the May 2024 updates for Sustainability reporting regulations (preview). We update it with documentation links as they become available.
| Feature | Description of update |
|---|---|
| Enable audit of CSRD disclosure requirements in Compliance Manager | You can automate the import and mapping of prepared data from Sustainability Data Solutions in Microsoft Fabric to CSRD disclosure requirements in Compliance Manager for audit. Auditors can review the data and evidence docs in Compliance Manager against the CSRD disclosure requirements and input their approval status along with comments. |
Training, videos, and documentation
This section lists new and updated documentation, training, and videos.
Videos
| Video | Description |
|---|---|
| Maximize efficiency with Power Query templates | Technical Summit presentation about using Power Query templates to import data in Sustainability Manager. |
| Sustainability data solutions in Fabric + Azure OpenAI service + Azure AI Studio = An open platform for Copilot | Technical Summit presentation about using AI in sustainability analytics use cases. |
| How to pursue water positive and zero waste objectives | Technical Summit presentation about the water and waste features in Sustainability Manager. |
| Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability: Troubleshooting essentials | Technical Summit presentation about troubleshooting Cloud for Sustainability. |
| Product carbon footprint in Microsoft Sustainability Manager | Technical Summit presentation about working with product carbon footprints in Sustainability Manager. |
| Sustainability data solutions in Fabric: Microsoft Azure emissions insights + Azure Carbon Optimization | Technical Summit presentation about using the Emission Insights Dashboard for Azure and Azure Carbon Optimization. |
| Sustainability data solutions in Fabric: Transform your data with the ESG data estate | Technical Summit presentation about using the ESG data estate in Sustainability data solutions in Fabric. |
| Harness the power of the Energy data model | Technical Summit presentation about the Cloud for Sustainability data model. |
| Save time with Copilot in Microsoft Sustainability Manager | Technical Summit presentation about Copilot in Microsoft Sustainability Manager. |
| Deploy and configure your ESG value chain solution | Technical Summit presentation about the ESG value chain solution. |
| Audit compliance for sustainability regulations | Technical Summit presentation that shows how to use Cloud for Sustainability to enhance the audit process for disclosure reporting requirements. |
| Introduction to Sustainability data solutions in Microsoft Fabric | Technical Summit presentation that provides an introduction to Sustainability data solutions in Fabric. |
| ALM for Microsoft Sustainability Manager | Technical Summit presentation about using application lifecycle management (ALM) for Sustainability Manager. |
| Deployment and license management of Microsoft Sustainability Manager | Technical Summit presentation about deploying and managing licenses for Microsoft Sustainability Manager. |
| Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability Technical Summit May 2024 Keynote | Keynote for the Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability Technical Summit. |
| Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability Technical Summit May 2024 Introduction | Introduction to the Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability Technical Summit. |
| Audit ESG disclosures | Demonstrates preparing, visualizing, and auditing ESG data for disclosure requirements such as CSRD. |
Documentation
| Article | Description of updates |
|---|---|
| Cloud for Sustainability API (preview) overview | In step 4 of Try Export APIs, changed the SAS URL expiration time to one hour instead of two hours. |
| Supported versions | New article that provides information about version support for Sustainability Manager. |
| Create reports with Copilot in Microsoft Sustainability Manager | Added instructions with prompts for generating water and waste reports with Copilot. |
| Cloud for Sustainability carbon data model | Updated carbon data model reference docs. |
| Cloud for Sustainability energy data model | Updated energy data model reference docs. |
| Cloud for Sustainability shared data model | Updated shared data model reference docs. |
| Cloud for Sustainability waste data model | Updated waste data model reference docs. |
| Cloud for Sustainability water data model | Updated water data model reference docs. |
| Standardize reporting date | New article that clarifies how Sustainability Manager uses the Reporting date field to standardize dates from multiple sources for reports. |
| Emission factors | Add factor sets that are available in Sustainability Manager. |
| Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability readiness hub | New readiness hub where you can find training, videos, e-books, and whitepapers to help get you started on your journey with Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability. |
| Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability Technical Summit | Experts present deep dives into key solutions in Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability. |
| Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability training | New article listing training courses that contain detailed concepts and walkthroughs to help you learn about Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability. |
| Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability videos | New article listing free videos provide information about key sustainability concepts, sustainability at Microsoft, and Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability. |
| Sustainability at Microsoft | New article listing e-books, white papers, customer stories, and case studies to help you with your readiness goals. |
| Analytical reporting extensibility | New article that explains how to customize built-in analytical reports. |
| Generate a quantitative preparation report | Updated article with information about creating a Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) preparation report. |
| What's new in Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability May 2024 | New article listing updates in the May 2024 release. |
