Brand Owner Partner UPC Submission System

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Why doesn’t the model number submitted match the ENERGY STAR certification? For the system to match the submitted model number, brand and PD_ID, the information needs to exactly match the certified record. If there is an extra character (more specificity about the model than in the certified record) or not enough characters (only part of the model number provided that is in the certified record), the system is not able to establish a match. While actual model numbers provided will be matched against wildcards in the certified listing, there needs to be a one-to-one match for asterisks and characters and for hashtags and numbers.
  2. Can I submit a model number with wildcards to assist with the match process? The only case that wildcards may be submitted is if they exactly match what is in the certified record. Otherwise, the system will not be able to match them to the certified record.
  3. If the certification has wildcards, can the actual model number be submitted? Yes. So long as there is a one-to-one match between the wildcards in the certified record and what is submitted through the UPC submission system, the system will provide a match. For purposes of matching, one asterisk corresponds to one character and one hashtag corresponds to one number. The system will not be able to make a match if not enough characters or too many characters are provided in the model number provided relative to the wildcards in the certification record 
  4. What is a certified record? The certified record is the unique ENERGY STAR ID (or PD_ID) associated with a model name, number, brand, as well as additional models that have been submitted by the certification body with the same performance information for a given specification version. 
  5. Why is the UPC code provided for a model number matching multiple certification records? If the model number and brand combination is associated with a product certified to multiple versions of a specification, the UPC codes will match to all certified records in the system, even those no longer qualified due to a change in specification version. The match results indicate whether the model is matched to a currently certified model. Also, if the same model has been certified by more than one certification body, the system will match the UPC code to each record of that certification. To have the UPC code only associated with a specific certification record, the ES UID/PD_ID needs to be provided as that represents a certification record unique to a certification body and specification version. 
  6. If the model not sold in the US, can I still provide a UPC code? Currently the UPC codes are only being used by retailers in the US to help identify and promote ENERGY STAR certified models. While UPC codes for other markets are not prevented from being provided, they do not need to be provided.
  7. How do I submit multiple UPC codes for the same certified record? An example of this is when there are multiple configurations for the same certified model number and each has its own UPC code. For the different configurations that have the same model number but different UPCs, the same product record (model number in the ES certification record) needs to have an additional row for each UPC code (same PD/Brand and model number but a different UPC on each line).
  8. How do I submit the same UPC code for multiple model numbers? For models that share the same UPC, the code can be provided for one or more certifications so long as there isn't a non-ENERGY STAR configuration that shares the UPC code. For these submissions, the uploaded file needs to have one row for each PD_ID and model number record with the same UPC on each row.
  9. Am I able to submit the specific model numbers and corresponding UPC codes for models that are listed on the ENERGY STAR qualified product list using special syntax and allows for representations of many configurations? Currently the system is not able to match actual models against special syntax with brackets and bars. Until this match functionality is updated, the model number needs to be submitted exactly as listed on the certified record on the ENERGY STAR qualified product list.
  10. Do I need to provide all UPC codes associated with a unique certification? EPA recommends that partners focus on uploading the UPC codes that will be present in the US retail market, especially where they appear in online listings, rather than providing an exhaustive list. 
  11. How do I obtain a UPC code for a product? There is no website or organization that the EPA recommends for obtaining UPCs. EPA does not expect partners to obtain UPC codes for purposes of the ENERGY STAR program.
  12. Can I change the brand or update other typos on my certification listing through this process? No. When you upload UPC codes, we are taking those codes and model information provided and adding them to the matched certified record in our system. EPA is not able to change anything about the certified record since that data is controlled by the certification body and not by EPA. Therefore, the brand (and other information) submitted needs to match exactly what is in the certified record. If anything needs to be changed about the record, including the brand, it can only be updated through the certification body.
  13. Does the system allow for a leading zero in the UPC code? Yes, leading zeros are allowed for the UPC code and they are treated as a string of digits rather than a number.
  14. If the model listing has extra spaces, do those need to be included in the submission with the UPC code? No. For purposes of matching, any extra spaces provided in the model name, number or brand in the submitted or certified record are removed to aid in better matching.
  15. We don’t apply UPC codes during certification. Is there a deadline for providing UPCs for these products? If UPCs haven’t been assigned during certification, then brand owners should coordinate with their CBs to determine whether the brand owner will provide UPCs to EPA directly or via their CB at a later date. In these cases, brand owners must provide UPCs through CB or EPA before the product is available on the market.
  16. FOR EMAIL RESPONSE UNTIL WE REMOVE MODEL NAME: I’m using the QPL to get the information needed for the UPC templates, but the Model Name column is missing from the ___ dataset. We don’t keep records of submission, so how can I find out the exact model name to ensure proper matching? Model name is no longer required as of September 1, 2021. However if you wish to see the model name associated with your certification, you can find specific model names through your MESA account:
    1. Log in
    2. Select “Product Brand Owner”
    3. Scroll down, select “All Brand Owner Products”
    4. See “Model Name/Model Number” column