ZAYAZ Integration Brief — SIE
How ZAYAZ integrates with the Swedish Standard Import and Export format
Overview
ZAYAZ integrates with SIE to provide a standardized route from Swedish accounting systems into the ZAYAZ sustainability data environment.
SIE — Standard Import and Export — is an open Swedish standard for transferring accounting information between financial systems. Because the format is supported across a broad range of Swedish accounting applications, it provides organizations with a practical way to use existing financial data as a starting point for ESG analysis without first undertaking a large system-integration project.
The integration enables ZAYAZ to use accounting records as part of a broader sustainability data model.
SIE data can support:
- financial transaction analysis;
- expenditure classification;
- emissions screening;
- Scope 3 analysis;
- supplier prioritization;
- ESG data reconciliation;
- VSME and ESRS data preparation;
- audit and evidence traceability.
SIE does not replace other sustainability data sources. Instead, it provides a structured financial foundation that ZAYAZ progressively enriches with invoices, activity data, supplier information and other evidence where greater precision is required.
1. Integration overview
SIE within the ZAYAZ architecture
SIE provides ZAYAZ with standardized accounting information independently of the accounting application that originally generated it.
This allows the same ZAYAZ processing architecture to operate across multiple source systems.
The basic flow is:
Accounting system → SIE → ZAYAZ Accounting Connectivity Framework → ZAYAZ canonical data model → ESG classification and enrichment → Calculation, reporting and traceability
The SIE integration therefore separates the source accounting application from the ESG processing layer.
Once the data is normalized inside ZAYAZ, downstream services interact with the ZAYAZ data model rather than with the original accounting-system structure.
Supported SIE formats
Different SIE formats provide different levels of accounting detail.
| Format | Typical information | ZAYAZ use |
|---|---|---|
| SIE 1 | Opening and closing account balances | High-level financial analysis |
| SIE 2 | Account balances and period movements | Period and trend analysis |
| SIE 3 | Balances with accounting dimensions | Cost-centre and project analysis |
| SIE 4 | Vouchers and transaction-level accounting data | Transaction and ESG screening |
| SIE 5 | Extended XML-based accounting information | Richer accounting and document integration |
For transaction-level sustainability analysis, SIE 4 and SIE 5 provide the most useful starting point.
2. Integration architecture
ZAYAZ separates the accounting-data format from the method used to transfer the information.
This allows SIE to be used through several integration models.
File import
An organization exports a SIE file from its accounting system and imports it into ZAYAZ.
This provides a straightforward onboarding method and is particularly suitable for:
- initial ESG assessments;
- historical analysis;
- periodic reporting;
- organizations without direct API integrations.
Automated transfer
Where the originating accounting platform supports automated exports or APIs, SIE data can be transferred into ZAYAZ without manual handling.
The originating accounting system provides the transport mechanism, while SIE remains the accounting-data format.
Scheduled synchronization
Recurring imports can be configured where the source accounting environment supports scheduled export or automated retrieval.
This enables accounting information to become part of an ongoing sustainability-data process rather than a once-a-year reporting exercise.
Source-system connectors
Where ZAYAZ provides a dedicated connector to the accounting platform, the source system's native API can provide additional information beyond the SIE dataset.
SIE can then remain available as:
- an onboarding mechanism;
- a historical-data source;
- a reconciliation source;
- a fallback integration route.
3. Data available to ZAYAZ
The information available depends on the SIE format and on how the originating accounting application populates the export.
Typical accounting information includes:
General ledger
ZAYAZ can process account structures and financial balances and map them into the ZAYAZ canonical financial model.
Transactions and vouchers
Transaction-level SIE data provides a basis for identifying ESG-relevant expenditure and linking sustainability calculations back to financial records.
Accounting dimensions
Where available, cost centres, projects and other accounting dimensions can support allocation by:
- business unit;
- location;
- department;
- project;
- activity.
Suppliers and customers
Where reliable supplier or customer identifiers are available, ZAYAZ links financial activity to the corresponding organization.
This supports supplier analysis, Scope 3 prioritization and supplier engagement.
Where the accounting data does not contain a sufficiently reliable identifier, ZAYAZ enriches the record from another authorized source before using it for supplier-specific analysis.
Invoices
Accounting transactions can be linked with invoice information where it is available through the SIE dataset, source accounting system or supporting document source.
Invoice information increases the precision of classification and calculation.
Invoice-line information
Detailed invoice-line data can provide information such as:
- product or service description;
- quantity;
- measurement unit;
- material;
- energy quantity;
- fuel type;
- transport information.
Where this level of detail is not available through SIE, ZAYAZ obtains it from another connected data source or supporting evidence.
Currency and tax information
Currency and relevant financial metadata are preserved when available and are used in calculation and reconciliation processes.
For spend-based emissions calculations, ZAYAZ also maintains the relationship between:
- transaction currency;
- conversion methodology;
- reporting currency;
- emission-factor currency;
- factor reference year.
Electronic documents
Where the SIE implementation provides references to supporting documents, ZAYAZ can connect those documents to the corresponding accounting record and include them in the evidence chain.
4. How ZAYAZ processes SIE data
The SIE integration follows a controlled processing pipeline.
Ingestion
ZAYAZ receives the SIE dataset and registers its source, accounting period, organization and import context.
The original source remains linked to the resulting records.
Validation
The incoming information is checked for:
- structural validity;
- accounting consistency;
- completeness;
- duplicate records;
- valid account relationships;
- supported accounting dimensions.
A technically valid accounting file and an ESG-ready dataset are treated as separate concepts.
A SIE file can be structurally valid while additional sustainability evidence is still required.
Schema mapping
SIE-specific fields are mapped to the ZAYAZ canonical data model.
For example:
SIE transaction → ZAYAZ financial transaction
SIE account → ZAYAZ financial account
SIE accounting object → ZAYAZ financial dimension
This means ESG applications do not need to understand individual SIE structures.
They interact with standardized ZAYAZ data.
Normalization
ZAYAZ normalizes elements such as:
- dates;
- monetary values;
- accounting periods;
- account structures;
- dimensions;
- organization references;
- supplier identities;
- currencies.
Both the original and normalized values remain traceable.
ESG classification
Financial transactions are analyzed to identify potential sustainability relevance.
Examples include:
- electricity;
- fuel;
- business travel;
- freight;
- waste management;
- purchased materials;
- purchased services;
- leasing;
- capital equipment.
Classification can combine financial accounts, transaction descriptions, supplier information, invoice evidence and governed ZAYAZ classification rules.
ESG enrichment
Where financial data identifies an activity but does not provide sufficient detail, ZAYAZ requests or retrieves richer evidence.
For example:
Accounting information
Electricity expenditure: SEK 125,000
may be enriched with:
Activity information
Electricity consumption: 86,400 kWh
The original financial information remains available for reconciliation.
Calculation
ZAYAZ selects the appropriate calculation method based on the available evidence.
Examples include:
Spend-based
Financial expenditure × emission factor = estimated emissions
or:
Activity-based
Physical quantity × activity-specific emission factor = calculated emissions
The calculation retains its method, source data, emission factor and version history.
Evidence linkage
Every resulting ESG datapoint can be traced through its processing history.
For example:
Reported CO₂e result
→ calculation → calculation method → emission factor → activity or expenditure data → normalized accounting record → original transaction → original SIE source
Where invoices or supplier evidence have been added, these become part of the same evidence chain.
5. ESG use cases
Emissions screening
Accounting information provides a practical way to identify where significant emissions are likely to occur.
ZAYAZ analyzes expenditure categories and financial activity to identify likely emissions hotspots and determine where more specific information should be collected.
Scope 1
Accounting data can help identify activities associated with:
- fuel;
- natural gas;
- company vehicles;
- combustion;
- refrigerant-related services.
ZAYAZ combines this information with activity data where required for more precise emissions calculation.
Scope 2
Energy-related accounting transactions can identify electricity, heating and cooling expenditure.
ZAYAZ can enrich these records with:
- consumption in kWh;
- location;
- energy source;
- supplier information;
- contractual energy attributes.
Scope 3
Accounting data is particularly useful for initial Scope 3 analysis.
Financial transactions can support analysis of:
- purchased goods and services;
- capital goods;
- transportation;
- business travel;
- waste;
- leased assets;
- fuel- and energy-related activities.
ZAYAZ can initially use financial information for screening and subsequently upgrade calculations as higher-quality data becomes available.
Purchased goods and services
Supplier expenditure can be classified and ranked to identify the categories and suppliers with the greatest potential sustainability impact.
This enables a targeted approach to supplier data collection.
Instead of requesting detailed information from every supplier equally, organizations can prioritize the suppliers and categories where better information creates the greatest value.
Supplier analysis
Reliable supplier identifiers allow ZAYAZ to connect accounting activity with supplier sustainability information.
This supports:
- supplier-spend analysis;
- Scope 3 hotspot identification;
- supplier prioritization;
- supplier ESG requests;
- supplier-specific emissions data;
- value-chain reporting.
VSME and ESRS
Validated accounting information can populate or support sustainability disclosures where financial or activity information is relevant.
ZAYAZ combines SIE-derived information with other ESG data sources for disclosures that require:
- policies;
- workforce information;
- governance;
- targets;
- transition plans;
- stakeholder information;
- environmental activity data;
- supplier information.
The result is a unified reporting dataset rather than separate accounting and ESG datasets.
6. Data-quality hierarchy
ZAYAZ treats sustainability data quality as progressive rather than binary.
A financial transaction can therefore provide useful information even when more precise data will ultimately replace the initial estimate.
Level 1 — Accounting-based estimate
Example:
SEK 500,000 spent on business travel
Useful for:
- screening;
- prioritization;
- initial estimates.
Level 2 — Invoice-level information
Example:
Specific supplier + invoice + travel expenditure
Improves attribution and classification.
Level 3 — Activity information
Example:
Flight route + passenger class
or:
Electricity consumption in kWh
Enables activity-based calculation.
Level 4 — Supplier-specific information
A supplier provides emissions or product information relating directly to the purchased product or service.
Level 5 — Verified primary information
Primary data is supported by defined validation or verification evidence.
The progression is:
Accounting data → Invoice data → Activity data → Supplier-specific data → Verified primary data
ZAYAZ retains the history when a lower-quality calculation is replaced by a higher-quality calculation.
This distinguishes an improvement in data quality from an actual change in environmental performance.
7. Traceability and audit trail
Traceability is maintained from the original accounting information through to the resulting ESG datapoint.
The evidence chain can include:
Source system
- accounting application;
- organization;
- accounting period;
- source format.
Source record
- voucher;
- transaction;
- account;
- accounting dimension.
Transformation
- original value;
- normalized value;
- transformation rule;
- transformation version.
Classification
- ESG category;
- classification rule;
- classification confidence;
- supporting evidence.
Emission factor
- factor;
- source dataset;
- geographical applicability;
- reference year;
- unit.
Calculation
- input data;
- formula;
- conversion;
- method;
- result;
- calculation version.
Verification
- validation status;
- supporting evidence;
- review status;
- verification status.
This allows users, advisors and assurance professionals to understand how a reported result was produced and what evidence supports it.
8. Integration boundaries
SIE is an accounting-data standard. It is therefore highly valuable as a financial-data source, but it does not represent the complete sustainability-data environment.
For example, accounting information does not inherently provide:
- physical fuel quantity;
- electricity consumption;
- material weight;
- transport distance;
- product composition;
- workforce policies;
- governance information;
- biodiversity impacts;
- sustainability targets.
ZAYAZ handles these boundaries through data enrichment.
When a required datapoint is not available from SIE, the platform obtains it through another appropriate source, such as:
- invoice data;
- source-system API;
- supplier information;
- meter data;
- procurement systems;
- IoT systems;
- manual evidence;
- external datasets.
ZAYAZ does not convert absence of evidence into assumed data.
This is an important principle of the integration architecture.
9. Security and controls
SIE data is processed within the same ZAYAZ security and governance architecture as other financial and ESG information.
Controls include:
Authentication
Access to the ZAYAZ environment requires authenticated users or authorized system connections.
Authorization
Access rights are controlled according to organization, tenant, role and permitted operation.
Encryption
Data is protected during transfer and while stored within the platform.
Tenant isolation
Client data remains logically separated between organizations unless an explicitly authorized data-sharing relationship exists.
Source integrity
Original source information is retained and associated with its ingestion history.
Audit logging
Relevant actions are recorded, including:
- imports;
- validation;
- transformations;
- classifications;
- enrichment;
- manual changes;
- calculations;
- reviews;
- exports.
Integration monitoring
Automated integration configurations can be monitored for:
- successful data transfer;
- failed imports;
- duplicate datasets;
- missing periods;
- abnormal record counts;
- source changes.
10. Implementation models
Quick-start integration
The simplest deployment model is:
Accounting system → SIE export → ZAYAZ
This provides an efficient entry point for organizations that want to begin ESG analysis without first implementing a direct system integration.
Managed production integration
For recurring use, SIE transfers can be incorporated into a managed data process.
Example:
Accounting platform
→ scheduled export → ZAYAZ Accounting Connectivity Framework → automated validation → ESG processing
Direct accounting-system integration
Where a dedicated ZAYAZ connector exists, the platform can use the accounting system's native integration capabilities.
This can provide:
- more frequent data;
- richer invoice information;
- supplier records;
- attachments;
- additional transaction metadata.
SIE remains useful for migration, reconciliation, historical information and fallback.
Hybrid integration
Organizations can combine multiple sources.
For example:
SIE → financial transaction backbone Accounting API → supplier and invoice information Invoice documents → activity data Supplier portal → supplier-specific ESG data
All sources converge in the same ZAYAZ canonical data environment.
11. Integration outcome
The purpose of the SIE integration is not simply to import accounting files.
It enables ZAYAZ to convert existing financial information into a structured starting point for sustainability management.
The integration provides a pathway from:
existing accounting records
to:
ESG classification
to:
higher-quality evidence
to:
calculation
to:
reporting
to:
assurance-ready traceability
while preserving the connection to the original accounting information.
The result is a progressive data architecture in which organizations can begin with the information they already have and improve data quality over time without rebuilding the reporting model.
Integration principle
SIE provides the accounting backbone. ZAYAZ adds the sustainability intelligence, enrichment, calculations and evidence chain around it.
This allows accounting data to become part of an integrated ESG information environment rather than remaining isolated in the financial system.