ESRS reporting software: what it does and how to choose it (2026)
What ESRS software has to handle now that the revised standards are published, the features that matter, the questions to put to vendors, and when a spreadsheet is still enough.
ESRS software helps a company collect sustainability data, run its materiality assessment, calculate emissions and produce a sustainability statement in the structure the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) require. No law says you must buy it. Many first-time reporters still do, because the data comes from many departments and the report has to stand up to assurance.
This page explains what to look for, with a shortlist of providers at the end. For the wider CSRD picture, see best CSRD reporting software and how to choose CSRD reporting software.
Where the standards stand
The Commission adopted a revised ESRS delegated act on 3 July 2026. It was published in the Official Journal on 21 September 2026 as Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1563 and enters into force on 10 November 2026. The revised standards apply to financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2027. For a financial year that starts in 2026, companies can use the existing ESRS, the revised ESRS early, or the existing ESRS with certain reliefs, and must say which they used.
Advisory sources report that the revision cuts mandatory datapoints by more than 60%, keeps double materiality, and adds reliefs such as undue cost or effort in the materiality assessment. Check the final text, because details matter for how a tool is set up.
Who has to report is a separate question. See who has to report under CSRD and when.
What good ESRS software does
| Capability | What to check |
|---|---|
| Standards library | Does it hold the current ESRS and the revised set, and can you switch between them for the FY2026 choice? How quickly does the vendor update it? |
| Materiality assessment | Can you record impacts, risks and opportunities, scoring, thresholds and sign-off, and carry the result into datapoint selection? See double materiality step by step. |
| Datapoint mapping | Does each datapoint have an owner, a status, a method note and evidence attached? |
| Data collection | Workflows for sites, subsidiaries and suppliers, with approvals and reminders |
| Calculations | Emission factors with source and year, and a visible calculation for every figure |
| Audit trail | Who changed what and when, with a read-only view for your assurance provider |
| Consolidation | Multiple legal entities, currencies and reporting boundaries |
| Digital output | Support for the digital format your report will need (see below) |
| Narrative | A place to write policies, actions and targets, with version history |
Digital tagging and the ESRS taxonomy
CSRD reports are to be filed in a digital format. EFRAG published a draft XBRL taxonomy for the revised ESRS on 17 September 2026, with consultation open until 11 November 2026, and plans to send the final version to ESMA and the Commission by the end of 2026. Digital tagging of ESRS disclosures is not yet mandatory because the regulatory framework is not in place. Ask vendors how they will handle tagging when it is, whether in the product or through a filing partner. Our guide to iXBRL and ESEF tagging explains the basics.
Questions to ask every vendor
- Which ESRS version does the product support today, and what is the date for the revised set?
- Can we see and export the calculation behind any figure?
- How is the audit trail kept, and can our assurance provider have read-only access?
- Have customers been through assurance using your outputs? Can we speak to one?
- How do you handle tagging, and who pays for it?
- What do implementation, extra entities, extra users and supplier requests cost over three years?
Use the ESG software RFP checklist to send the same written questions to each vendor, and read how to run an ESG software selection.
When a spreadsheet is still enough
A small number of entities, one reporting boundary and a handful of material topics can be managed in well-controlled spreadsheets, provided each figure has an owner, a method and evidence. The point where software pays for itself is usually multiple sites or entities, many data owners, or the first assurance engagement. Our CSRD readiness checklist shows what you need either way.
Common mistakes
- Buying before the materiality assessment is done, then finding the tool does not fit the topics.
- Treating the standard as fixed when the FY2026 and FY2027 sets differ.
- Ignoring supplier data collection until late in the process. See collecting Scope 3 data from suppliers.
- Choosing on the demo alone, without testing your own data.
ESRS software and service providers
Dcycle
Sustainability software for carbon footprint, CSRD reporting and supply chain due diligence.
GovEVA
AI-driven ESG management and reporting platform covering materiality, emissions and multi-framework disclosure.
Greenly
Carbon accounting platform with modules for CSRD reporting and CBAM compliance.
SustainGRC
AI-native GRC platform with an ESG reporting and carbon module set alongside risk and audit tools.
SmartTrackers
Dutch ESG software for setting sustainability goals, tracking footprint data and KPIs, and producing reports and audits.
Planted
German startup offering an AI-assisted ESG management platform for carbon accounting and CSRD reporting.
Position Green
European ESG reporting platform for CSRD/ESRS and SFDR. Acquired Greenomy in 2025.
Terrascope
Carbon accounting software for measuring corporate and product footprints, engaging suppliers and planning emissions reductions.
Ordered by verified reviews and relevance. Listings are never ranked by payment. See all 33 providers
Browse every ESRS provider, compare CSRD readiness consultants, or ask for a free shortlist.
Official sources
- Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1563 (revised ESRS), EUR-Lex
- EFRAG: draft ESRS XBRL taxonomy and consultation
- European Commission: corporate sustainability reporting
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice. Rules change; check the official sources and talk to an adviser before you rely on it.
Related guides
What assurance providers ask for in a sustainability report
The evidence, documentation and controls an assurance provider typically expects to see when reviewing a sustainability report, and how to prepare before they arrive.
How-to guideHow to prepare your first VSME sustainability report
A practical walkthrough for small and mid-sized companies answering customer and bank requests with a VSME-style report: which module, what data, who owns what, and how to avoid over-reporting.
How-to guideDouble materiality assessment: a step-by-step process
A working process for running a double materiality assessment, from scoping and stakeholder input to scoring, sign-off and documentation, with the evidence an auditor will want to see.