Gatekeeper now has a ‘multi-update’ option to the cropping planner, to enable users to bulk update fields with new cropping details.
The multi-update option is designed to allow a quicker and easier way to change the cropping details for fields. It is the second step of the new cropping year process – the first is to move across the fields you wish to have in the new year, and make sure that their structure (e.g., split fields etc) is correct.
Using Multi Update
Multi update allows you to assign crop and variety to multiple cropping records at the same time. During the process you can also specify the target yield and crop residue policy for nutrient management purposes.
To use multi update, from the main Gatekeeper screen:
1. Open the fields module
2. Select ‘Setup Fields’
3. In the cropping summary grid, click once in the column for the cropping year to be set up.
4. Select ‘Multi Update’
5. If you do not have any fields in the new year, you will be presented with an information message that all fields will be copied over. Click ‘Yes’ to accept, or ‘No’ to exit multi update and setup fields before proceeding.
6. The ‘Field Selector’ window will appear. Select the first group of fields which will have the same crop and variety (and, if required, target yield and crop residue policy). All standard field selection options are available at this point. The list can be filtered by holding, field group, crop, variety, or tag, and the ‘Field Search’ functionality is available. Remember that fields are copied over exactly as they were in the previous cropping year, so at this point the ‘Crop’ and ‘Variety’ filters are working on a copy of the previous year’s crop for that field.
7. Click the single right facing blue arrow
8. The ‘Field Crop Update’ window will appear:
a. Tick the box to activate ‘Crop’ dropdown list, and select crop required
b. If variety is known, repeat for variety
c. Optional: to add a target yield, tick the box to activate, and enter the yield figure
d. Optional: to change the crop residue policy, select ‘Removed post harvest’ or ‘Not removed post harvest’. If no selection is made, the default ‘Not changed’ will apply.
e. Click ‘OK’
9. You will be returned to the ‘Field Selector’ window: repeat as required. The new cropping details will build up on screen:
If you are using the crop and variety filters on the field list, be aware that clicking ‘Save’ part way through this process will cause any cropping updates to be saved. The new crops will be allocated to the selected fields, so they will now appear under the newly allocated crops in a filtered field list.
How should I use Multi Update?
Multi update gives users new flexibility for allocating cropping to many fields at the same time, but at first the process may seem like a big change for anybody who is used to the old method. The key thing to bear in mind is that unless your fields will be set up identically in the new cropping year, you need to copy fields into the new year, and make any changes to the cropping record using the existing methods, before using multi update.
The table below looks at some common scenarios, and the best way to use multi update for users in similar situations. For this table, ‘field structure’ means which fields are present and how they are split in the current year.
Tip: users with a large number of cropping records may wish to consider using multi update to assign all arable cropping records with ‘Unallocated’ as a first step. This will make it easier to see which cropping records have been updated as you work through adding new cropping.