How to Handle Your EMR Return

If you work in space management, you may be responsible for filling out your university’s annual estate management report (EMR) return.
And like a tax return, filling out an EMR one can feel daunting, whether you’re new to the process or not.
With this in mind, we asked our expert Dave Beavis for his lowdown on all-things EMR, including some handy advice if you’re submitting a return for the first time.
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Your easy-to-understand EMR guide

What is an EMR?

Not a bad question, because they’re not compulsory unless you’re in Wales (but are worth doing… more on that below). 

EMRs are data records covering the use of spaces (as well as other things like energy and transport). Returns are submitted at the start of each year, with results published in the summer.

Why are they useful?

Although not mandatory, most universities take the time to submit them because they’re a good benchmarking resource. 

Crunching your own data helps you understand how your space use is changing over time. And by taking part, we all have an opportunity to make comparisons and consider best practice as a sector. 

If I’m new to them, what do I need to know?

Make sure you have the right data to hand. Each return covers the period August through to the following July although in practice, your data is normally asked to reflect a ‘snapshot’ as at 31 July. 

Be prepared to check that data – again and again! There are lots of data quality cross-checks and reconciliations in the EMR return process (with many fields 'nested' one inside the other).

Familiarise yourself with the various EMR definitions – the Higher Education Statistics Agency website (HESA) has a handy run down of all of these.

And finally…

Become an EMR whizz when you join our workshop

If you’re an EMR newbie or would like some support to guide you through the returns process, join us for an interactive session on this very topic. We cover all things EMR as part of our Space Management Basecamp Level 1 course and you can find out more right here.

Tell me more about Space Management Basecamp Level 1.

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