Spreadsheets are a natural place to start collecting battery data, and they remain useful for internal record keeping. The gap appears at the moment of compliance: the Batteries Regulation requires a publicly resolvable passport per individual battery, with a QR-linked data carrier, server-side access tiers and long-term persistence. A spreadsheet stores data; it does not publish a regulated passport.
| Requirement | Spreadsheet | Battery passport tool |
|---|---|---|
| Public passport at a stable URL | No | Yes, immutable per-battery URL |
| QR data carrier | Manual, not linked to a live page | Generated, print-grade, links to the passport |
| Annex XIII access tiers | No enforcement | Enforced server-side |
| Per-battery passport (Art. 77(1)) | Possible to list, but not to publish | Native |
| 10-year retention guarantee | On you | Provided |
| Unique identifiers (ISO/IEC 15459) | Manual | Structured and validated |
A dedicated tool does not replace your internal records — it turns them into a compliant, published passport with a QR code per battery, so the same data finally becomes the artefact the regulation asks for.
Frequently asked
Can I just keep my battery data in a spreadsheet?
You can keep data in a spreadsheet, but it does not satisfy the regulation. The Batteries Regulation requires a publicly resolvable, QR-linked passport per individual battery with tiered access and long-term retention, which a spreadsheet cannot provide on its own.
Does a battery passport tool replace my spreadsheet?
Not necessarily. You can continue using internal records and use the tool to publish a compliant, tier-gated passport with a QR code for each battery.