> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nectarclimate.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Custom variables

> Define monthly metrics and fixed site attributes for intensity analytics and portfolio filtering.

<Tip>
  Need help in this area? See [Settings FAQ](/platform/settings/faq).
</Tip>

[Custom variables](/platform/glossary#custom-variable) let you track company-specific site metrics — for example production volume, headcount, or a region label — alongside utility data. Number variables (monthly or fixed) can power [EUI & Intensity](/platform/analytics/intensity) as a custom denominator. Fixed attributes appear as optional columns on the [Sites](/platform/sites/overview) list, and fixed text attributes can be used in the filter bar.

Open [**Settings > Company > Sites > General**](https://dash.nectarclimate.com/settings/company/sites).

## Variable definitions

The **Custom variables** card lists each definition with its cadence, type, unit, and **coverage** (how many sites already have at least one value).

Company admins can create, edit, and delete definitions. Cadence and value type are set at creation and cannot be changed later — delete and recreate if you need a different shape.

| Field                     | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| ------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Name**                  | Display name (for example, Production Volume or Region)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| **Cadence**               | **Monthly** — one value per site per month; **Fixed** — one value per site                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| **Type**                  | **Number** — can drive intensity analytics; **Text** — labels and attributes                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| **Unit**                  | Optional display unit for numbers (for example, cwt or FTE); leave blank for text or unitless metrics                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| **When combining months** | For monthly **number** variables only: **Total (sum)** for flow metrics (for example production) or **Average** for level metrics (for example headcount). Used when intensity or custom dashboards roll months into quarters or years. You can change this later without re-importing values. |

Coverage shows `sites with values / total sites` so you can see how complete each series is.

## Enter values per site

Open a site from [**Settings > Company > Sites > Individual Sites**](https://dash.nectarclimate.com/settings/company/sites/list), then use the site’s **Variables** tab to enter or edit values for that site.

* **Monthly** variables use a year/month grid.
* **Fixed** variables store a single value per site.

## Bulk import

From [**Settings > Company > Sites > General**](https://dash.nectarclimate.com/settings/company/sites), use the upload icon on a variable row to import a CSV or spreadsheet of site values. Use this when seeding many sites or backfilling historical months.

Import **overwrites** any existing values for matching sites (and year/month for monthly variables). Sites or periods not in the file are left unchanged; empty values remove the stored value.

The import page offers downloadable **XLSX** and **CSV** templates matched to the variable's cadence — the monthly template has one row per site per month (`siteName`, `year`, `month`, `value`); the fixed template has one row per site (`siteName`, `value`). The same template works for number and text variables.

## Sites list columns and filters

On the [Sites](/platform/sites/overview) page, fixed attributes appear as optional columns under **Attributes** in the column picker (Table and Regional views). Fixed **text** attributes also appear in the Sites filter bar so you can narrow the portfolio by attribute value (contains match) in any view.

## Intensity analytics

On [**Analytics > EUI & Intensity**](https://dash.nectarclimate.com/analytics/intensity), the **Denominator** filter defaults to square footage. Choose a numeric custom variable to rank sites by usage per unit of that metric — for example, kWh per cwt of production. Sites missing denominator coverage for the selected window appear in a separate missing-coverage section.

See [EUI & Intensity](/platform/analytics/intensity) for chart details.

## Related pages

* [Company settings](/platform/settings/company-settings) — other company-scoped settings
* [Sites overview](/platform/sites/overview) — portfolio views and filters
* [EUI & Intensity](/platform/analytics/intensity) — intensity rankings with custom denominators
* [Glossary — Custom variable](/platform/glossary#custom-variable)