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Accounting Academy

MODULE 1: Fundamentals

MODULE 2: Calculations

MODULE 3: Batch Partitioning & LCA

MODULE 4: Mass Balance with Ledgers

MODULE 5: Integration Testing

MODULE 6: Advanced Patterns & Production

Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mangrovesystems.com/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

What you’ll learn in this lesson:
  • Define what a batch is and why it’s the core reporting unit
  • Identify the key attributes of every batch
  • Distinguish discrete batches (per-delivery) from flow batches (time-based)
  • Determine the right batch definition for your project type
In Modules 1 and 2 you built event types and models that calculate outputs. But how do those outputs become reportable, auditable units? That’s where batches come in. A batch is the organizing unit that ties together all the data, calculations, and evidence supporting a discrete piece of production.

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What is a batch?

A batch is a discrete, traceable quantity of a project’s output that the project tracks, allocates from stage to stage, and reports. It is the fundamental unit of production accounting in Mangrove. Think of it this way: a batch is often directly mapped to a discrete quantity of physical output or production within the project’s operations:
  • A truckload of biochar delivered
  • A day’s worth of fuel injected into a pipeline
  • A month’s production from a facility
Each batch contains the underlying calculations and MRV data supporting that output. In Mangrove, the batch is the organizing unit linked to all data inputs, evidence files, and related associations like locations, feedstocks, and reports.
A batch’s primary purpose is to be reviewed and reported from Mangrove. But batches can also be used for mass balance tracking and custody transfer between project stages (covered in Module 4).

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Key attributes of every batch

Every batch in Mangrove has:
AttributeDescription
Production periodThe time range the batch covers (usually a set cadence)
Tracking IDDefaults to a Mangrove-generated ID unless configured otherwise
Output datapointsCalculated values backed by traceable calculations all the way to the inputs
Feedstock(Optional) The feedstock associated with this batch
AssociationsLocations, evidence, and other linked objects from the input events
AllocationsLinks to reports or downstream batches (for mass balance)
Mangrove tracks batches within an ongoing Ledger. You’ll learn about ledgers in Module 4.

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Discrete vs. flow batches

Different project types define batches differently. The two main patterns are discrete (per-event) and flow (time-based).
Each physical event produces its own batch. Typical for projects with distinct, countable production units.Example — Biochar Sequestered:
AttributeValue
CadencePer trip (per tracking ID)
Production periodJan 1–Jan 3, 2026 (travel time)
Primary outputNet tCO2e removed
Secondary outputDry mass of biochar applied (U.S. ton)
EvidenceDelivery ticket
FeedstockAgricultural waste
Each delivery = one batch. The tracking ID is the delivery ticket number.

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How to determine the right batch definition

The right batch definition depends on your project type and methodology:
1

Check the methodology

Most standards bodies (e.g., Isometric, Puro.earth, CARB, RED II) define what constitutes a reportable unit. For CDR projects, the batch is usually the removal. For fuel projects, it’s the fuel batch or fuel transaction.
2

Identify the natural production unit

What is the smallest discrete unit of production that makes sense to track? A single delivery? A day’s output? A production run?
3

Consider verification needs

Verifiers trace reported tonnes from source events through processing and into batches. The batch granularity should make this traceability straightforward.
Refer to the Mangrove Project Template Library for examples of how specific project types define their batches. When in doubt, start with the granularity the methodology requires — you can always aggregate batches into reports later.

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Batch vs. reporting period

These two concepts are related but distinct:
ConceptDefinitionExample
BatchA discrete production and reporting unit. Many batches happen within a reporting period.One biochar delivery (3 tonnes, Jan 15)
Reporting periodA defined time window used to aggregate and report activity for auditors and regulators.Q1 2026 (all batches from Jan–Mar)
The ideal state of MRV is continuous reporting — projects would immediately report and convert each batch into deliverable, sellable credits the moment it is produced. Mangrove’s batch-level tracking is designed to support this.

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Check your understanding

A batch is reportable because it contains output datapoints backed by traceable calculations all the way to the source events and evidence. It represents a discrete, verifiable unit of production that can be included in a report for verification and, ultimately, credit issuance.
A batch is a single production unit (e.g., one delivery, one day’s injection). A reporting period is a time window (e.g., a quarter or year) that groups many batches together for aggregate reporting to auditors. Many batches happen within one reporting period.
Next, you’ll learn how to configure batch partitioning strategies in Mangrove in Lesson 3.2: Batch Partitioning Strategies.