Staring at Gatekeeper!

[strip-till-phil]

I seem to spend hours on end staring at Gatekeeper trying to figure things out so to get the max from the system.

Ok I have the mapping modules including SOYL sampling maps/field boundarys/ yield maps/ A-B guidance lines e.t.c. imported so not basic GK, having said that I've had 2 half days training but still staring at it for hours as Iv'e forgot most of what we went through

Is it me being thick or is GK not as easy to use as they claim.....do others struggle with it?

Cheers

Phil

 

[Clive]

It's not easy, I hated it when we first moved to it from multicrop

Worth it though, just stick at it

I did no training. I just played with it for days on end and drove the helpline mental

 

[strip-till-phil]

Yes it's worth it In the end Clive, I get a bit fed up after a 4 or 5 hour stint!, I suppose once everything is in there it's just a case of keeping it updated.
What system do you use for adding stock Clive, on delivery or invoice? There's a number of ways it can be done but which is simplest to keep the stock running smoothly?

 

[Clive]

Yes it's worth it In the end Clive, I get a bit fed up after a 4 or 5 hour stint!, I suppose once everything is in there it's just a case of keeping it updated.
What system do you use for adding stock Clive, on delivery or invoice? There's a number of ways it can be done but which is simplest to keep the stock running smoothly?

I enter delivery notes and then add prices when invoice come in - we can do this via a fbm link but it's probably faster just enter them direct to gk

Web apps is great if your not using it ? Work plan to completed job without paper

Fert module keeps us legal and easy proof of that

Advanced mapping good, I make my own application maps baed on all sorts of base data and pre plan / fix ab lines etc.

Once it's all running it's pretty low maintenance really, getting all set up right in the first place is the hard / slow bit

 

[strip-till-phil]

Thanks for that Clive, will look at web apps

 

[The Son]

I have just purchased and do not find it very intuative at all, I have had one half day lesson which was very helpful, but have forgotten a lot of it already as I have had no data to put into it recently.
I will stick with it as I once there is a years worth of data should be a powerful tool, as long as I can work out how to get the data out!!
My main reason for purchase was my agronomist uses it so he can just send me recs into the system to save me entering all the info manually.

 

[horizontal]

Canned it and gone back to spreadsheets.

Way too complex for what is needed to record what we've done and plan what we do.

Life's too short! Would rather spend the time field walking where I can add some real value to my business.

 

[strip-till-phil]

Had another go this afternoon and think I've just about got it fully loaded with all stock/prices e.t.c. up to date, must have spent around 15 hours on it over last few days!

 

[Steevo]

Canned it and gone back to spreadsheets.

Way too complex for what is needed to record what we've done and plan what we do.

Life's too short! Would rather spend the time field walking where I can add some real value to my business.

Sounds expensive mistake!

Pity you cant transfer licences as i'd love to give it a try but don't fancy shelling out new price. :-/

 

[IANTO]

When I read the Thread Title, I thought it was about being at Death's Door!

 

[Monocock]

I still need to upgrade my software, and have been warned off Gatekeeper by quite a few.

I'm considering Muddy Boots 'Greenlight Grower' which has been specifically designed for farmers, and is apparently very intuitive.

 

[Henery]

I struggle with GK, with hindsight wouldn't have bought it, need to have another go at it, the help line is pretty good though.
Intuitive it certainly isn't

 

[Clive]

You have to use the helpline (lots).

When learning something new I reckon I must call them 6 times a day !

It's as complex as you make it IMO - you don't have to use all of it like trading or stores and stocks if you don't want to - I started using it in a quite basic way and then overtime started using more advanced features

They should offer a cheaper cut down version IMO for farms that don't need or have time for the more advanced features

It's a very powerful bit of software though - it's the hub of our farm business really with most things we do going through it. Makes accs inspection or ea visits very stress free !

 

[Spud]

We've had Gatekeeper for about four years, talk about how to make simple things complicated, its like having a full spec Fendt on the scraper when a Dexta will do! Whats irritating is duplication. Some potato processors have their own systems, yet we still have to use gatekeeper. Sentinel active is extra, as are lots of other bits. All this balls of being compatible with muddy boots hasnt happened either.
Im no philistine, but no computer expert either. To keep on top of how to use GK you really need to be using the thing every other day, something I dont have the time nor inclination to do. PITA it certainly is.
Very tempted to can the thing, but for the need to be professional and on top of things like harvest dates and SOLA's etc.
Spud

 

[strip-till-phil]

Thanks for the comments guys

Not just me struggled with it then

 

[Dockers]

Got a life, gone back to manual, all filled in by the operators, on completion of job. Great.