If you have questions about Intuit Green
Snapshot, we’ve done our best to answer them below.
Have more questions, feedback, or just want to say ‘hi’? Email us at green@intuit.com
We would love to hear from you!
Support and Technical Questions
Need more help?
Email green@intuit.com and we’ll
do our best to answer your questions.
Intuit
Green Snapshot Support >>>Back to Top
Frequently Asked Questions for
Support
1. What if I
don’t have QuickBooks
You can get instructions for
downloading a copy of QuickBooks and using a demonstration file by
clicking here.
2. The
application just freezesIs there a
demonstration file that I can use?
If the application doesn’t download expenses
from your file, we recommend trying with a demonstration file.
You can
download and get instructions for using a demonstration file by clicking
here.
3. Getting
Started with Intuit Green Snapshot
Step
1: Open Internet
Explorer and QuickBooks. Log in as
Administrator in the Company Profile you would like to use for Intuit Green
Snapshot.
Step 2: Use Internet Explorer to go to http://greensnapshot.homestead.com/
a. Click on “Get Started”
Step 3: Sign in to Intuit Workplace.
a. If you do not have a Workplace account
fill in the required information to register.
We will send an
email to your account to confirm your registration. Please confirm by following the link to
continue
b. If you already have a Workplace account or once you have
confirmed your registration, login to your account.
Step 4: Confirm your subscription to
Intuit Green Snapshot
a. Confirm your order by clicking Next.
The subscription to the product is free
b. Once you see your order is confirmed, click
“Go to this Application.” The
application will now begin uploading your information.
Step 5: Install QuickBooks Connector (if you already
have Connector installed, you may skip this step). Be
sure QuickBooks is running and you are logged in as Administrator.
a. Click the Internet Explorer Information bar to
allow QB Connector to be installed. It
is located at the top of the page.
b. Select the menu item to Install ActiveX
control.
c. Once you have completed registration, or if you already have an account, simply
sign-in with your email and password.
Step 6: Once your QuickBooks data has been
successfully uploaded, you will be taken to the homepage for Intuit Green
Snapshot and you are ready to get
started.
4.
I use Microsoft Vista and am having trouble
QuickBooks
Connector sometimes has issues working with Vista. We are working to resolve this issue.
5. How do I find the application when I want to use it again?
Go to
greensnapshot.homestead.com, and you can log in from the “login” button on the
top right of the screen.
6. What are the system requirements to run this application and where can I
download them?
·
Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher Download
now
·
Adobe Flash Player 9 or higher Download now
·
Javascripts enabled
o In Internet
Explorer, go to Tools, Internet Options, and Security. Then scroll down to make sure the box to enable
Javascripts is checked).
7.
Does this
application work with QuickBooks Online?
No, this
application currently only works for QuickBooks Desktop. We are continuously working to develop and
expand the product and hope to make it available for users of QuickBooks
Online.
8. Will this application work with Safari, Firefox, or Chrome?
No, this
application currently only works for Internet Explorer on Windows.
1.
The application is
asking to give QuickBooks Connector access to my QuickBooks
data. Is it going to change my data?
No, the
QuickBooks Connector for Intuit Green Snapshot only reads your QuickBooks
expense information. It does not change
your QuickBooks data in any way.
2.
How do I give QuickBooks
Connector access to my QuickBooks data if QuickBooks does not ask me if I want
to grant access automatically?
3.
I hit the back browser and navigated away
from my application. What happened?
The back browser
in the application does not work in the same way as the back button on your
browser. To navigate in the application,
click the tabs on the menu bar to see the different sections for “Overview”,
“Savings”, “Footprint Details”, and “Green Profile.”
4. How can I
save my information in Intuit Green Snapshot?
Currently, the actions you select
are not saved in Intuit Green Snapshot
5. When I try
to load the application, it looks stuck at 100% matches ready. What should I do?
Try hitting
“refresh” on your Internet Explorer web browser. If this does not work, email green@intuit.com.
6. Will this
application work with the Mac or Canadian versions of QuickBooks?
Unfortunately, Intuit Green
Snapshot does not work with QuickBooks for Macs or for the Canadian versions,
but we’re working on it.
About Intuit Green Snapshot >>>Back to Top
What is Intuit Green Snapshot?
Intuit Green Snapshot is an
online application that will help you profit from going greener. The Green
Snapshot uses your QuickBooks data to estimate your businesses carbon
footprint, provides customized recommendations that will help you go greener
and save money and produces marketing material your business can use to help
attract and retain customers.
How does it work?
Intuit Green Snapshot
automatically pulls expense data from your QuickBooks file, provides an
estimate of your business’s carbon footprint, and generates actionable
recommendations to help business save money and benefit the environment. The more actions you take, the more carbon
(and dollars) you can save – and you can tell your customers about your green
efforts!
How do my business expenses relate to my
carbon footprint?
Whether it’s a computer or
advertising that you’ve purchased for your business, that product or service
has a carbon footprint. To give you an estimate of your carbon footprint,
Intuit has partnered with a leading environmental software company, Cooler,
using your business expenses from QuickBooks.
Cooler’s scientific methodology
is backed by leading environmental organizations such as the Natural Resources
Defense Council, The Environmental Defense Fund, the National Wildlife
Federation, and The Gold Standard.
Cooler uses a methodology known as the Economic Input-Output Life Cycle
Analysis (EIO-LCA), which calculates emissions based on financial and economic
data.
Who is Intuit’s environmental partner,
Cooler?
Intuit is partnering with Cooler,
a climate change software company whose methodology and approach to
neutralizing the global warming impact of products and services is backed by
leading environmental organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense
Council, The Environmental Defense Fund, the National Wildlife Federation, and
The Gold Standard. Cooler uses a
methodology known as the Economic Input-Output Life Cycle Analysis (EIO-LCA),
which calculates emissions based on financial and economic data. For more information about Cooler, go
to: http://intuit.climatecooler.com.
When is it available?
A beta version of Intuit Green
Snapshot is available starting April 2009.
Which versions of QuickBooks does it work
with?
Intuit Green Snapshot will work
for the most recent versions of QuickBooks to 2006, including Simple Start Free
Edition.
Does Intuit Green Snapshot work with
QuickBooks Online?
Not currently, but we are excited
to learn what you think of this version of Intuit Green Snapshot, so we know
how we can make it better.
Is QuickBooks required to use Intuit Green
Snapshot?
Yes. Intuit Green Snapshot uses expense
information from QuickBooks in order to analyze the small business’s carbon
footprint and generate customized recommendations.
Why am I required to sign up for a Workplace
account in order to sign up for Intuit Green Snapshot?
Once you sign up for a Workplace
account, you can access Intuit Green Snapshot, as well as other business
software available on the Intuit Workplace.
Intuit Green Snapshot is a part of a growing group of applications for
small businesses, hosted on the secure Intuit Partner Platform. To learn more about Workplace and the applications
available, visit http://workplace.intuit.com/.
How does the application obtain QuickBooks
data?
You control when and how often
they want to send your QuickBooks expense data to the web application. Data is sent from QB to the web application
when the user initiates data upload.
Is my data secure?
Yes, data is secure and protected
by Intuit.
How does Intuit Green Snapshot use my data?
Your expense data from QuickBooks
is securely transmitted to Intuit Green Snapshot. The program automatically runs 4 different
reports to make sure we pull all types of expenses … including typical expenses
such as Utilities and Auto, plus products or parts you may sell to customers.
The data is then analyzed and matched to over 100 categories of carbon emissions
impact. Once expenses are matched to
carbon categories, it is then used to calculate a footprint of emissions, and a
list of customized recommendations for the user. For example, a purchase from Shell Oil would
be categorized in the fuel category, and we would give you recommendations for
how to save money and reduce your emissions on auto fuel.
Do you store my data?
No, we do not store your expense
information.
Does Intuit Green Snapshot cost anything?
No. Intuit Green Snapshot is a free
web application for QuickBooks users.
Does Intuit or Cooler make money through this
product?
Intuit and Cooler generate
revenue through affiliate fees from partners whose products can genuinely
reduce your impact on the environment
For example, when a smart power strip is purchased from Amazon through
Intuit Green Snapshot, Intuit & Cooler receive a commission on the
purchase. All recommended items and
actions are carefully screened to be sure that they make a real difference in
reducing emissions and saving you money.
How are my business expenses related to my
impact on the environment? How are they used to create an estimate of my carbon
footprint?
Whether it’s a computer or
advertising that you’ve purchased for your business, your business expenses
have an environmental impact. To give
you an estimate of your environmental impact, Intuit has partnered with a
leading environmental software company, Cooler, using your expenses from
QuickBooks.
Cooler uses a methodology known
as the Economic Input-Output Life Cycle Analysis (EIO-LCA), which calculates
emissions based on financial and economic data. This method is, on average,
more accurate than any other. More importantly, this method is the only one
that captures the total impact of any product, service, or activity.
For more information on how your
business expenses are translated into a carbon footprint, or about the Economic
Input-Output Life Cycle Analysis method, see additional FAQs on
Methodology.
How are the recommendations for my business
generated?
Based on your carbon footprint,
spending, Intuit Green Snapshot generates actions that you can take, and
calculates the potential environmental and cost savings benefits you’d receive
by taking that action. The database of
actions will grow over time with contributions from all of you
How accurate are the estimated dollar savings
and carbon emissions reductions?
Dollar savings and carbon
emission reductions are estimated in a few different ways using the best
possible science and data. We have
assumptions listed along with each action.
How do you total the carbon savings for
actions that I take at my business?
When you tell us that you do an
action by clicking on “Done”, we will start calculating your savings if you do
that action for one year. We are open to
your feedback on how we can make this better and more accurate.
How do I know that the recommendations that
suggest a purchase are actually green?
Items suggested for purchase can
help reduce your business’s energy and environmental footprint. For example, a
smart power strip both reduces energy usage and reduces carbon emissions.
What does it mean when something I purchase
is carbon-neutral?
Some items can be purchased
through the site through affiliate relationships in which our commission is
used to neutralize the carbon footprint of the purchase. This is done by first calculating the carbon
impact of that purchase and then investing in renewable energy and pollution
prevention projects approved by Cooler’s environmental partners.
How can small businesses contribute the
“green” products and services they sell to the list of actions?
Intuit Green Snapshot users who
sell green products or services can submit their product or service to be included
in the application, so that other users can reduce their footprint by buying
from other Intuit small businesses using Intuit Green Snapshot. Interested businesses who are not Intuit
Green Snapshot users should contact Intuit at green@intuit.com
Intuit &
Green >>>Back to Top
Why is Intuit doing something “green”?
Intuit is committed to corporate
social responsibility and solving important customer problems. Intuit Green Snapshot
makes it easier for our customers to save money and be environmentally
responsible.
Are you planning on creating any additional
green product offerings?
We are currently focusing on
Intuit Green Snapshot to help QuickBooks small businesses.
What do you mean by “green”? Does “green” mean anything that benefits the
environment?
We use “green” to describe
actions that reduce environmental impact, measured in carbon dioxide gas
emission (also know as carbon or Carbon dioxide
equivalents – CO2e). Because of their global impact, greenhouse gasses
represent a highly standardized and widely recognized measure of impact.
Partnership with Cooler >>>Back to Top
Why did you choose to partner with Cooler on
Intuit Green Snapshot?
Cooler has expertise in a number
of environmental fields including carbon calculation methodology, software
development, environmental law and climate science.
Is Cooler affiliated with other environmental
partners?
Cooler’s Technical Advisory
Committee includes the Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense
Fund, National Wildlife Fund and the Gold Standard.
How does Cooler know the environmental impact
associated with each purchase?
Cooler’s technology analyzes and
categorizes business expenses according to the vendor and the expense category.
Each business expense is assigned to one of almost 1,000 different emissions
categories. These estimates and
calculations are validated by members of Cooler's Technical Advisory Committee
who come from leading environmental organizations, including the Natural
Resources Defense Council, the National Wildlife Federation the Environmental
Defense Fund and
Carbon/Greenhouse Gases 101
>>>Back to Top
What are greenhouse gases?
Greenhouse gases, often measured
as CO2 equivalents, or carbon, are emitted from many different sources, but
predominantly from burning fossil fuels and clear-cutting forests. Over time,
humans have disrupted the natural, long-term balance of these gases in the
atmosphere.
Why do you use carbon (and not other types of
gases) as a measurement?
We express the amount of
greenhouse gases emitted in terms of “CO2 Equivalent (CO2e).” Different
greenhouse gases cause different levels of warming. CO2e is used as a common
unit of measurement.
How does Cooler calculate my estimated
footprint?
Cooler uses sophisticated
economic tools to translate expense data into carbon impact. The methodology is based on Input-Output Life
Cycle Analysis (IO-LCA), which calculates emissions based on financial and
economic data. This method is, on average, more accurate than any other. More
importantly, this method is the only one that captures the total impact of any
product, service, or activity.
Your business expenses are
categorized according to the vendor and the chart of accounts you’ve
assigned. Each business expense is
categorized to one of almost 1,000 different emissions categories. These estimates and calculations are validated
by members of Cooler's Technical Advisory Committee who come from leading
environmental organizations, including the Natural Resources Defense Council,
the National Wildlife Federation, the Environmental Defense Fund and
What is the Economic Input/Output
model?
An economic input/output model is
a model that estimates the dollars flowing into a single industry from all the
other industries in the economy and also the dollars flowing out of a single
industry to all the other industries in the economy. Scientists can then
combine the input/output table with pollution data from the Energy Information
Administration to account for both direct and direct greenhouse gas emissions
for all economic sectors in the
How do you categorize my expenses?
Cooler has built a secure
matching and calculation engine that analyzes and categorizes business expenses
according to the vendor and the expense category. We then link that category to
an authoritative calculation of its carbon impact.
How do you translate my expense categories
into environmental impact?
Cooler uses IO-LCA (defined
above) to combine data about the
How accurate are the calculations of my
environmental impact?
Cooler uses the most
comprehensive methodology available to calculate an estimate of your entire
carbon footprint. Some estimation is inevitable due to factors that include
uncertainty in the governmental and economic data we use, and errors in how you
enter or we categorize transactions. But
every time you use the system, Cooler uses that data to get better at
estimating your impact.
How is my carbon footprint compared to other
small businesses?
Your footprint is compared to
other companies in your industry, based on the carbon impact per dollar you
spend so you have an idea of how your business compares to others. As we acquire additional users, we will be
able to give you increasingly more accurate comparisons.