Data Provider Toolkit


The ecoSpold2 format is used to create life cycle inventories for ecoinvent version 3. This format sets up standards on what are mandatory and what are optional fields for a standard life cycle inventory.

Introduction to the ecoSpold2 Format

Supporting Files & Documents

Introduction to the ecoSpold2 Format

The ecoSpold2 format replaces the ecoSpold1 format for ecoinvent version 3 released in May 2013. While the ecoSpold 1 format is used for ecoinvent version 1 and 2, the ecoSpold2 format is used for ecoinvent version 3. The ecoSpold2 format offers many new fields, such as mathematical relation, variable names or properties of an exchange which were not available in the older ecoSpold1 format.

A tool converting ecoSpold1 files into ecoSpold2 files is included in the ecoEditor software, which is used to create and edit datasets for the ecoinvent database version 3.


Providers of a dedicated LCA software which have widely adopted the ecoSpold1 format were assumed to implement import functions for ecoSpold2 data before the release of the ecoinvent database version 3. Software providers can contact the ecoinvent team for help to become ecoSpold2 compatible.


The open source ecoSpold data format version 1 (ecoSpold1) was launched in 2000 and has been the most widely used data exchange format for LCI data. ecoinvent was the first to use this data format for their own LCI database.

Other databases adopted the format and all important LCA software tools have an interface to use datasets in ecoSpold format.


However, LCA software have developed since the release of ecoSpold1. To take advantage of all the new developments a new revision of the ecoSpold format became necessary. An ad-hoc expert working group was formed by ecoinvent to guide the revision process, and an open hearing has been conducted among users of the ecoSpold format, in order to collect their input and wishes for a new ecoSpold format version 2. The result of this hearing and the way the input has been treated can be seen in a public report.

Supporting Files & Documents

Supporting Documents


Documentation on ecoSpold2 format

This zip file contains the following files describing datasets and master data files:

  • schema definition (xsd)
  • stylesheets (xsl)
  • user-friendly description of the formats (html)


Geography Master File

Supporting User Manuals


ecoEditor User Manual


Dataset Documentation Manual


Formula Language Specification

The ecoSpold2 format introduces the new field "mathematicalRelation" for exchanges, properties and parameters. The allowed content for this field is described in this document.