Setup Sprayers and machines used in block applications
We highly recommend completing all fields highlighted in red below, as they contribute to other areas and calculations in GrowData. Blue fields will also be required in some scenarios:
What each field means
Description of Machine
This is the name that will appear in dropdown lists, reporting and instructions for operators. This is a required field.
Make & Model
These fields do not feed into any other areas of the program, but may be helpful information to store in here if you wish to do so.
Size
The tank size is essential information for the program to calculate spray rates and amounts per tank. The total tank capacity should be entered in here. If it's not a sprayer that you're entering, then a tank size may not be necessary.
Hourly Cost
This is only necessary to enter if you wish to track machine operating costs. If yes, we suggest entering in an average cost per hour for you to run the implement + tractor. This way, you won't need to set up tractors in addition to your implements, and when creating a spray record you'll just select the sprayer that you wish to use.
Do not include the cost of your operator here - that will be associated with the Employee (not the machine). Cost of inputs (i.e. chemicals) is also tracked separately, so don't include that in here.
Comments
This is an optional field which does not flow into any other areas of the program, however it may be a helpful place to keep information about your machine.
FAQ's
What if I'm setting up a herbicide unit?
Tick the box 'is this machine a herbicide unit', and enter the swath width in the 'spray width per row'.
For example, if each strip is 1.25m, enter 2.5m in the spray width per row.
Don't worry if spray widths vary, just put in the most common setting. You'll have the ability to adjust this within individual spray records.
What if I'm setting up a spot sprayer?
Spot sprayers don't rely on spray widths, but we still want to identify it as a herbicide sprayer. Therefore, tick the box 'is this machine a herbicide unit', and enter the number 1 in the 'spray width per row'.
We will provide further guidance on how to record spot spray jobs in the Enter Data section.
What if I want to track the costs of tractors separately?
Many growers will have the one tractor and multiple implements, therefore it's not generally necessary to record the extra level of detail in separating operating costs for the tractor (in addition to the implement).
By default, GrowData tracks the one machine in a Spray record, however if you wish to set these up separately, please reach out to our Grower Success Team and we may be able to provide a plug in which will allow you to track both implement+machine.
How do I delete or deactivate a machine?
The delete button is located on the lower left, it's an arrow with a X next to it. Machines can only be deleted if they haven't got any activities associated with it, this is because we don't want to lose historical data.
If a machine has historical records but it's no longer in use, it'll need to be deactivated. To do this, select the tick box for 'Discontinued' and the machine will no longer appear in selection lists.