How does a farm operation make the leap from one data management system to another? It might be best to change the current approach, but for some stakeholders, it’s not something to proceed with any time soon. So what might help everyone get on the same page about new tools?
The productivity gains from a new management system can greatly outweigh the initial work involved, especially with intermediate options like software integrations being a viable option. Linking the old with the new provides optimization without abandoning what’s already going well. Croptracker’s custom API integrations offer a forward solution that every team member can support.
What is an API?
API stands for Application Programming Interface, and it’s a piece of code that enables the majority of the web-based tools relied upon today. APIs allow for applications to send and receive data between each other. The technology offers broad use cases: devices can connect to the internet, define networks, and allow for IoT devices to function. But APIs also allow a user to build the ideal digital systems and workflows for their business, by linking information through integration from different programs to enhance the utility of tools at hand.
When conducting initial discussions about how an integration with Croptracker could work, technical members of your team may wonder what type of architectural style the API would be. Croptracker utilizes REpresentation State Transfer (REST), which is the most commonly used format due to its simple interface. REST APIs allow data to be available through web URLs. These digital resources can then be consumed within web, mobile, and device applications. REST APIs establish a shared language for the transfer and coherent representation of information from one distinct application to another.
Webapps like Facebook use APIs to enable sharing a user profile with other applications for consensual third-party functions, like speeding up the setup process for new users. For a business like a packhouse for the fresh market, an API integration will connect data tracking from one end of the production chain to another, so the information can be easily managed within a central view.
Case Study: Little Bear Produce integrates Famous accounting tools with Croptracker
Little Bear Produce sells a wide range of fruits and vegetables grown on 7,000 acres of farms across three countries, and four states. Having used Famous accounting software as a primary administrative tool for decades, it was fulfilling most of the company’s needs keeping everything organized per farm. But a good chunk of the data still required manual entry. With an API connecting Croptracker’s Spray module to Famous, Little Bear’s team can now view spray records entered from the farm field within each location’s account. This integration is presently used in two locations as a starting point, with plans to expand usage in the future.
“Having spray records by block in each linked farm account is a huge time saver,” says Marcos Garza. “A lot of the farmers we are affiliated with have been using Famous for a really long time, so they’re used to it. Not having to implement an entirely new tool on the grower side allows us to benefit from the additional tracking power of Croptracker without the drain of migrating to an entirely new administrative platform. Sprays happen 40-50 times per day at the scale we’re at, meaning that’s a lot of paperwork to take care of if it’s manually documented on site, and then entered into a database later. Croptracker has reduced the processing burden exponentially.”
Getting started: integrating Croptracker with an existing system
Lining up data points from every stage of production allows for more robust reporting with less confusion. If your operation isn’t ready to migrate over to Croptracker’s complete ERP, planning out a custom integration is another great option. Our development team will provide the technical and inquisitive support required to determine the best touch points between Croptracker’s module(s) and your current tools. An integration’s success depends on attention to details, and with the open design of Croptracker’s API there’s hundreds of possibilities available for the best suited organization of your information.
Securely augment payroll with harvest production practice records per employee. Connect Harvest Quality Vision scan data with a custom storage database. Or dream up something new! Tell us your workflow and we’ll figure out how to best augment your system.
Croptracker develops agtech solutions for industry leaders. Our mission is to make crop production safer, more efficient, and more profitable. Designed with fresh market producers and distributors in mind, every tool we create is based on direct industry feedback. Croptracker’s award-winning farm software optimizes recordkeeping, labor tracking, production and cost management. Our integrative Harvest Quality Vision technology offers instant empirical analysis of crop samples exactly when you need it.
Optimize your harvest season with Croptracker’s customizable solutions: learn more about our Farm Management Software, or book a demonstration to schedule a meeting with our product experts.
