Which cropwalking software?

[Grower Tesque]

My agronomist has told me he's planning on retiring in the next few months, I don't want to look round for another one and whilst I have my BASIS I quite fancy doing it myself.
Farm Assurance aren't keen on hand written crop reports and want the computer generated ones, as the software has 'idiot checkers' on. (to ensure no overdosing of AI's and chemical compatibility checks)
We use Sum-It farm management software at the moment, and it can generate crop reports, I'm not sure it has this 'idiot checker' on .
Current agronomist uses Muddyboots, but looked on their website and can't find the cropwalker program.
What other options are there and prices please? (DON'T want to use Gatekeeper!)

 

[jon9000]

The muddy boots website it rubbish.

You need green light grower management by muddy boots

 

[Boysground]

Crop walker is being phased out over the next few years. It is being replaced by greenlight grower which syncs with crop walker. I have used cropwalker for a number of years. There is a new app for greenlight which I think is just out. this brings fertiliser onto the new software for the first time. The mobile app only works on ios. I have never been happy with the NVZ side of crop walker so would like to see this improve.

I am looking at my options before I commit to green light. Gate keeper seems to be the best but is very expensive. There are a couple of systems in development which have been mentioned on tff but I don't think they are ready to compete just yet.

I am interested in any comments.

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[Mad Farmer]

The muddy boots website it rubbish.

You need green light grower management by muddy boots

Green light has got a long way to go before it resembles anything useful.

 

[Boysground]

Green light has got a long way to go before it resembles anything useful.

Any more detail on that. Could help me make up.my mind. I'm a little concerned that greenlight has been on the market for a couple of years and they have only just put fertiliser on it.

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[Mad Farmer]

You can not do seed on it or costings Muddy boots have focused on the supermarket auditing and neglected the farmers. I have been using Muddy Boots for years and was eagerly awaiting the Greenlight Grower management, but have been thougherly disappointed with it. I am seriously considering going with gatekeeper.

 

[Boysground]

That makes 2 of us. I used to have a netbook in the cab with cropwalker on it. I could update everything when I wanted. Netbook has now died and I'm looking at options. Just not sure on greenlight and gatekeeper is expensive.

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[Jetemp]

Current green light offering has no financial recording capabilities unless you use the old muddy boots

James

 

[B'o'B]

You could look at fieldman
http://pearsupport.co.uk/brochures/FieldmanCropPearAgri.pdf
I'm in a similar situation but a couple of years ahead. I looked at fieldman pretty closely a couple of years ago as I would really like a double check on what I decide to use. But I didn't go for it in the end.
ACCS have never had a problem with the records I have shown them in Sum-It (or the lady from Natural England who did an ELS inspection), I just put the reason for treatment in the comments box when applying the chemical in Sum-It

 

[Pear John]

B'o'B thanks for the plug. You can download free 30 day evaluation copies of Fieldman crop management, Adviser agronomy and Contractor software at www.pearagri.co.uk

We have users with Fieldman Pro plus SafeCheck doing cropwalking and generating recommendation sheets, plus comprehensive crop records with automatic operation/machine costs.

If you require a full blown professional agronomy program, as used by several companies and leading independent agronomists. Pear Agri Adviser will match any of the other leading programs.
Please contact us for more information.
John

 

[mikeparsons84]

We're still here for £30 a copy!

www.cropexcel.co.uk

 

[Brisel]

If you choose the pricey option of Gatekeeper you'll need the Sentinel Active module for the Idiot Checker. Unfortunately since RBI bought Farmade the quality of Sentinel has gone to the sh*thouse. I find my recs giving Fail warnings regularly even though the labels are fine. Turnips Stubble instead of Stubble Turnips is a prime example.

 

[Boysground]

As i have already posted I am not confident in the current offering from muddy boots. I have now had a serious look at changing to gatekeeper. I want cropping software that is easy to learn and quick to input data, gives full integration with planet as I have lots of slurry & fym to record and everything is in a NVZ. I also want something that I can use in the field, I am the only one who does spray or fertilizer here and if i have to do data entry at night it does not always get done.

My initial feeling are that it seems overly complex to create a spray application in GK I may be wrong but could it not be easier, Planet integration looks better than Muddy Boots which is a plus. Stock administration also looks complicated. I liked seeing a box for eamu s. I also came away thinking that if legislation was to change the software would be updated fairly quickly. I had originally thought that I could run the mobile app on my phone or a cheap tablet but that does not offer full integration so a full version working on a windows tablet may be better for me. This would sync much better than the system I have been using. So after I had my demonstration I thought Gatekeeper may be the way to go. Then I started thinking and comparing. Why do I have to pay more because I have 2 farms which need to be separate its still 1 piece of software.

In the last year we have added Uniform agri to our dairy software to improve our system. Many of the dairy farmers on here will use it and it is seen as one of the best. You could argue that it is more sophisticated than gate keeper. It collects data 3 times a day from the parlour automatically. Including yeild, activity meters on the cows and feeding. It has links which work every time with BCMS, CIS for us and all the main milk recording companies. I also do all the pedigrees direct with Holstein Uk. Also does medicine stock. The best bit is I am sat here in my office and it all works on this computer as well as the parlour one. It is easy to use much easier to learn than GK because the layout is good and simple. Pick a cow pick a treatment or 2 and add it. Last week we vaccinated 330 head. It took me less than 2 minutes to record the data for all of them.

I bought the software for half the price of gatekeeper and the initial training was free (GK £320/ half day £450 full day) 4 of us spent a couple of hours doing some remote training on the basics and were then told the easiest think to do is start using it and phone when there are problems or stuck, the helpline is excellent. While we are talking training the Uniform workshops are free. Why if I want GK on a tablet in my office should it cost me another £200 and then a further £200 for the support on that second machine. My uniform link cost me an extra £25/ year on the support, (support still half the price of GK) nothing for them to put it on the computer. Uniform also backs up to their servers as part of the support and they dont sell my data.

So I am now thinking GK is far too expensive for what it is and farmplan should have a look at what other sectors in the industry are doing.

Sorry for the rant

BG

 

[GM_Devtech]

Has anyone tried Muddyboots grower management system recently, interested on feedback on the financial functionality released a few weeks ago. Only cost currently but net and gross functionality due soon?

 

[Boysground]

There has been an update today think it included changes to the financial side. Not looked though just scanned the email. I am still liking GLM but more interested in updates to nvz data.

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[Steevo]

Has anyone tried Muddyboots grower management system recently, interested on feedback on the financial functionality released a few weeks ago. Only cost currently but net and gross functionality due soon?

Nice to see a firm on here actively asking for feedback! Keep it up.

 

[GM_Devtech]

There has been an update today think it included changes to the financial side. Not looked though just scanned the email. I am still liking GLM but more interested in updates to nvz data.

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NVZ, really interesting, we are just scoping NVZ, NMax and RB209. Big ask but in context of our platform we're would the display of NVZ information be most valuable to you? Thanks for your replyBoysground

 

[GM_Devtech]

Nice to see a firm on here actively asking for feedback! Keep it up.

Hi Steevo, your feedback is critical to us, we have been a little guilty of not communicating this well but please feedback and spread the word.

Thanks

 

[yellow belly]

I am still using muddy boots crop walker for call machinery chemicals nutrients and weather recording planit nutrient planning also works well on it no need to input any information to generate reports
if your agronomist use crop walker you can load all his previous records on to your pc and have that information to hand which will be very valuable

 

[GM_Devtech]

Hiya Yellow, your an interesting user from my perspective, having been involved heavily in the development of CropWalker over the last years. We are currently on scoping of adding RB209/planet to Grower Management. Have you had the opportunity to look at Grower management? I won't go into detail but would be very interested in further catch ups with you thanks for msging