Taking Desktop Customers to the Cloud: Where Farm Data Truly Drives Profits

November 27, 2017

When I first began working in the ag software space in 1996, farmers were excited to use their desktop computers to track their field records, maps and accounting entries. Compared to a notepad and scattered pieces of paper tucked in drawers in their home office and the glove box of their pickup truck, desktop software made farm management a whole lot simpler.

That was then. Now, farmers need to be able to track and manage their operation in real time, from their mobile device. That means the data being collected from the field has to show up in the system whether they’re at their office computer, in the shop fixing machinery or with their trusted advisor discussing crop plans for the coming year. Farm data needs to be close to the farmer at all times — 24/7.

This is why I’m so excited about Trimble Ag Software’s new syncing upgrades. Now, farmers can have their cake and eat it too. Whether they are using our desktop software in the office or on their smartphone in the fields, data can be utilized from multiple locations so that informed decisions can be made.

And for farmers who wants to avoid desktop software completely, Trimble offers a full online solution that works without the desktop software. This is what is cool about Trimble Ag Software, you have the opportunity to pick where you want to start.

Here’s just a few syncing enhancements we’ve made with the latest version of Trimble Ag Software:

▪                Downloading Field Tasks from the Trimble Ag Mobile App — when entering field task on the mobile app (seeding, fertility, crop protection and other), data can now download into the desktop software. Previous versions was only syncing data to the online platform. This is an important enhancement as desktop customers can now leverage their smartphone for entering field records.

▪                New Task Syncing from Desktop — now you can select tasks (field records and maps) in the desktop software and upload them to the online platform. Why is this important? We have over 30,000 legacy desktop customers who have years of as-applied maps (example: yield, multi-variety seed, fertilizer rates, etc.) that they accumulated for a field. With a click of a button, those as-applied maps can be viewed on the smartphone. This is perfect for field scouting when you can see a yield map or a hybrid change when navigating to low yielding areas.

▪                Read Completed and Planned Soil Test Locations from Trimble Ag Mobile App — soil sampling just got easier with our new syncing tools. If you laid out a planned target sampling job on the desktop, it can now sync with the Trimble Ag Mobile app. And once you log the actual locations on the mobile app, that data syncs back to the desktop where you can import soil test results to those logged points. This eliminates the need for legacy in-field Windows Mobile software, such as Farm Works Mobile, giving you more flexibility in using a Android or iOS tablet or smartphone for soil sampling tasks.

But don’t take my word for it. Tour these upgrades for yourself and let us know what you think at TABS_News@Trimble.com.

Brian Stark is a farmer and worked with Farm Works Software until July 2009 when it was acquired by Trimble Inc. He now works in marketing and communications with Trimble Ag Software out of Hamilton, Indiana and can be reached at brian_stark@trimble.com.