The Rural Voice, 2004-01, Page 39AgriTech
Improving business management
There is also an invoice manager.
but unfortunately. my research into
the usefulness of the products was
curtailed whenI discovered it would
take almost two hours to download
the demos with my dial-up system.
If you have the patience or a high-
speed connection. give it a try and let
me know what you think.
Also, check Rural Living Canada
at memhers.attcanada.ca/
-kenruss/frontlhtm, then click on the
computer software link in the left
column for more potentially helpful
packages.
Just as a side none. I eagerly av,att
the day when high-speed ti lreless
service comes to my region. If \uu
are in a similar position as I find
myself. hut you have not \et informed
Huron -Perth Connects. the group
spearheading the effort to bring the
latest technology to rural residents.
may he time to send that email .idol
make a commitment.
You can contact the pr(ote,t
manager at hrockAodden(a t on ,
There are times when I start
heading in one direction, but am
drawn in another simply by
circumstances and the random click
of the mouse.
That is what happened as I
scanned the web recently. I came
across a website 1 had first looked at
more than two years ago, soon after I
had learned of its existence and just
as it was going on-line. At that time.
the site for Manage The Farm
software, www.managethefarm.com
had very little to offer. It told of the
newly -created product that was to
help farmers become more efficient,
but there was little else, as I recall.
With its home base in Minnesota, I
was not anxious to make the early
morning call to learn more about the
product and eventually, the
information disappeared from my
memory bank.
However, revisiting the site three
years after its inception, I found
Manage the Farm to be a very good
resource. It is now a "browser -based
platform" that enables registered
users to input data from their
operation then share with partners,
suppliers and buyers in a time and
cost-effective, efficient manner.
The site advises users that the
product will "streamline the business
process" by improving commun-
ication. decreasing paperwork and
eliminating phone tag. Smart
CropPlan apparently even does the
administrative and follow-up work
for you.
Some of the software features
include standardizing practices and
processes, correlating needs by
product, supplier or farm, tracking
historical purchasing habits and
forecasts for future crop plans. There
is also auto invoicing.
The software also has the
capabilities to share information with
other internal programs such as
accounting packages. Tech support is
available on-line or with a toll-free
number. Registered users are kept up-
to-date monthly with new features.
Unfortunately. I was unable to
learn more about the product or try it,
as the demo is not yet on-line.
Wanting a little more assurance that
the program worked for Canadian
farmers as well as their American
Janice
Becker is a
computer
enthusiast
and
journalist
living near
Walton. ON.
counterparts. I checked out the
customers and partners section and
found some familiar names. Listed
among them were Farms.com, an
often used Canadian site and Agri -
Foe. Innovations out of Guelph.
Other supporters include companies
such as Garst. BASF, Dupont. Dow
and Dekalb, just to mention a few.
Another source for farm
management tools can be found at
www.cashflowmanager.com, under
the Canadian flag. Geared to small
business owners with little or no
accounting knowledge. Cash Flow
Manager is purported to be "perfect"
if engaged in network marketing.
JANUARY 2004 35
Thank You
.11
�lft ,,�;
`'I. ra-:. Mu: vrp ., .-.:.u4: Ike., d •..
We'd like to take this time to express our sincere
appreciation for your business in 2003 and wish you and
your family a safe and happy holiday season.
`pA Bruce & Brian Osterndorff
Q9 &Staff
PEW 14041A t)
I ` ROBERT'S
// j 1 \\ . FARM & RECREATION
,•i t• its F.K$ sUZUKI 1<vJb1t1
519-363-3192
1-800-265-4773 Chesley 519-363-2321
JANUARY 2004 35