There’s an App for that Farming is getting more and more complicated every year, not the foundational skills but keeping up with the reporting, recording information and what used to be called paperwork – what now could be called ‘digital-work’. Luckily, there’s an app for that. Te-Anau basin sheep and beef farm manager and Resolution software co-Director Paul Ruddenklau says it all started when he himself needed a simple and intuitive data management solution for the properties he manages and his other business, to help keep track of everything and also for regulation compliance purposes. “I manage 7,500 stock units across two farms and own an agronomy business, so at the time I really just needed a simple way to collect and share information for myself and my clients,” he explains. “The software and App we developed was only intended to be used by a small group at the start, but the result was so good and so easy to use that other users quickly got on board.” The aim has been to enable farm workers to solve the problem of recording the data as they are doing it, with a focus on it being as user-friendly and as fast and simple as possible for farm employees, managers and owners to use. “It’s about allowing farmers and their sta to get on with their day without creating a whole other job when you come home at night,” Paul explains. The ability to take a photo and add in a timeline so that they can visually see what’s been done. That visual aspect is also key because many farmers struggle with reading and writing. “When we pushed the program out initially we started with 100 really good farmers who wanted to stay up with the times and that gave us the ability to test Resolution among sheep and beef, dairy deer and crop farmers. “It spread virally through Southland and Otago through our connections and word of mouth. People are loving it and telling their neighbours. It makes it easier to manage sta and record information in a way that anybody can find on their smart phone and understand, so that has been key really. “We really do understand that every farmer is di erent and every farm is di erent, so if you have an app that’s not flexible and can’t be changed to suit the farmer the way he wants to record...then you’ll find resistance.” A fairly recent development is the addition of voice to text functionality, so that you can speak the word and it spells it for you. “It’s all about removing those limitations for people to being able to use the software.” A lot of bigger organisations are now using the software to record their weekly health and safety meetings as a voice recording and taking a photo to show everyone is in attendance. Resolution software Co-Director Henry Douglas, part of the well known family-run Monymusk Hereford Stud (890ha, 9000 stock units), says it solved a lot of his problems on-farm and both Directors could see that it would solve problems for many farmers around New Zealand and beyond. “About 70 per cent of our current users are sheep and beef farmers, but this is a tool that is just as useful to a dairy farmer or to stay on top of operations on a horticultural block as well,” Henry says. A standout feature for many farmers is map laying, which allows sta to identify hazards on a map, by pushing locate which shows where you are on the map and then entering in the hazard for all to see. Also for the allocation of jobs; farmers can mark where they want an electric fence on the map and then push locate and put that fence exactly where he wants it. “Our tagging system is what makes it so simple for our guys to bring data back. It just enables you to make accurate on the spot decisions, because all the information you need is in your pocket.” For more information visit https://resolutionapp.co.nz/ or contact the founders directly at https://resolutionapp.co.nz/#contact
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