Join the PACT Network
To simplify the journey, we have developed detailed step-by-step guidance for you to become a PACT Conformant Solution:
Review conformance documentation
Key documents,
- PACT Technical Specifications:
This document contains the necessary technical foundation your solution needs to follow to become PACT Conformant - Conformance Checklist:
This document highlights two key aspects,- The scope and preparation of conformance testing with partners
- A comprehensive list of test cases that you can use to conduct testing with partners
Additional documents,
Build a solution
- Build a solution as per the PACT Technical Specifications (this is a prerequisite for Step 3- Join a Connect Hub)
- Register your interest to join the PACT Connect Hub
Join the Connect Hub
What is a Connect Hub?
A 1-hour call where you can meet other solutions that are ready to begin testing. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions to the PACT team in an open Q&A format regarding conformance testing. We conduct a Connect Hub every two months.
Important Reminder: Please do not join a Connect Hub if you do not have a solution ready to begin testing!
How do you Initiate Testing?
- Pair up with 2 testing partners within 48 hours
- Align on timeline and mode of communication with each partner
- Set up test plan, test environment and test data
Test, evaluate and share conformance results
Test results:
- Conduct testing using the provided Conformance Checklist and Test Cases
- Validate interoperability between your solutions by exchanging test PCF data via the API
Evaluate results:
- Raise issues/errors to your testing partner, resolve, and re-test
- Report any unresolved issues or questions to the PACT team
Share results:
- Share your results using the Conformance Results form
- For each of your testing partners, submit the form to indicate they have PASSED
- Once we have received two test results from your peers will we deem your solution CONFORMANT
Share content for the PACT website
Share content using the Solution Submission Form
Few things to keep in mind:
Can we share content before becoming PACT Conformant?
You are free to share content for the website before becoming PACT Conformant, but your solution will be listed only once we receive two PASS results from your peers. Please use the Solution Submission Form
How will I know when my solution becomes PACT Conformant?
After we have received two PASS results from your testing partners, you will be deemed PACT Conformant and receive an email from us. In the email you will also receive the PACT Conformant Badge along with a Press Kit that you can use for press releases, social media etc.
FAQs:
Conformance testing is a voluntary process of verifying if a product or service meets specific standards or specifications. In the context of PACT, this is the process of verifying that a solution or system correctly implements the PACT Technical Specifications. By doing so, Conformance Testing verifies that a solution can exchange PCF data in an interoperable way with any other PACT Conformant Solution for the Tech Specs version being tested.
Compliance is a legal requirement; Conformance refers to voluntary adherence to standards
A PACT Conformant solution has completed the technical interoperability test with two independent solutions for a specific version of the PACT Technical Specifications. By passing conformance the solution can both share and receive PCF data via API.
Details of each solution can be found by clicking on a solution card. All PACT Conformant technology solutions have features listed on the respective page and you can visit their website and get in touch for a demo.
Most organizations are already partnering with a technology solution to measure and manage emissions data. We encourage all corporations to invite vendors and solutions you are working with to pursue PACT Conformance testing. This will ensure that the solution can exchange data using the PACT data model.
Evaluating the calculation engine is significantly higher complexity than the exchange, and therefore deemed out of scope. We plan to expand conformance testing to the PCF calculation engine in the future.
No, PACT Conformance testing is completely free. We have a peer-to-peer testing process with the community through which we test for conformance.
PACT does not provide any certifications for aligning with the standard. Hence, we do not use the terminology 'PACT Certified' or 'PACT Compliant' since it is not a legal requirement. We use 'PACT Conformant' to highlight voluntary adherence to the standard
PACT is not building a product or a platform that stores any centralised data. PACT Technology is fundamentally an API that enable standardized emissions data exchange which is done in a peer-to-peer manner by individual host systems
1. Solution has implemented all mandatory aspects of a specific version of the PACT Technical Specifications
2. Solution can both share and receive PCF data via API
3. Two independent solutions confirm technical interoperability with your solution
1. Any aspect of the calculation engine (i.e. PCF calculation according to PACT Methodology)
2. User Interface and/or front-end user experience
Yes, conformance is relative to a specific version. Solutions must re-test to become conformant to major versions of the Technical Specifications (i.e. v1, v2, v3). You may only test conformance to a stable released version (not to a draft version). For the list of releases, see here
Yes! We invite you to retest as you identify issues and bugs with your implementation, as this is an intended outcome of the Conformance Testing process.
Evaluating the calculation engine is significantly higher complexity than the exchange, and therefore deemed out of scope. We plan to expand conformance testing to the PCF calculation engine in the future.
We do plan to extend conformance testing to Data Model Extensions once these become more widely available and adopted by solutions.
No, currently the requirement for PACT Conformance is a given solution must be able to implement all mandatory functionality of the Technical Specifications which includes both send and receive API functionality. The above said, you are invited to nevertheless participate in Conformance Testing and may contribute test results for other solutions as well as evaluate (partially) your solution.
No, the interoperability test needs to be conducted by solutions built on the same version. For example, a v3 solution cannot be tested with a v2.