MERRY CHRISTMAS 2009

John's Report for 2009

A lot has been going on behind the scenes at i.Agri to keep Landmark products out in front. In recent times we have focused on improving the importation of data into the cashbook by engineering more specific download formats for each bank and trading company. Yes, importing data from the likes of RD1 and Farmlands is now possible. For more information about these processes, get in touch with the help desk either by phone 0800 617 788 or email hq@iagri.com. We have been in touch with CRT and they assure us they will provide the same facility by the end of the year. For the very few who are interested in using the Bank Link facility through their accountants (heaven knows why?) we will accommodate them early in the New Year too.

Further to these developments, is an added ability to import coded cheques and coded electronic payments into LandMark and have these payments automatically edited and analysed in the cashbook. Once again, check with the help desk if you want to use these features.

Don’t forget to get into our Web Site www.iagri.com frequently. With more and more of our subscribers using broadband we are putting a lot of information there. As many of you know, you can now download service packs from the web site. How many of you have read the “Release notes” or looked at the Video that explained Service Pack 9?

A new Service Pack 10 isn’t far away so keep an eye out for it. After that we will rename LandMark 2007, LandMark 2010 and then restart the numbering of Service Packs from 1.

Have A Go - We’ll make it worth your while

Despite the fact that LandMark caters for every aspect of farm or business financial management, it is a sad day when farmers believe that that’s all there is to farm management. LandMark offers much more and if used wisely as a tool by farmers can give a greater return on investment than many of the other farm investments. At i.Agri, we don’t believe in pushing technology for technology’s sake. So much of the technology offered to farmers in this digital age is gimmicky, and is in many cases “a solution looking for a problem”. Our whole policy is about creating tools to meet the needs of farmers.

Despite having plenty of ideas of our own which we want to show you (have a look at www.iagri.com/future-features.htm and let us know what you think), we are seeking new ideas from subscribers for incorporation into LandMark programs in the 2010 year. The best idea must be original, of genuine use across the board, focused mainly on farm management as opposed to financial management and be capable of being incorporated into LandMark. The decision as to which is the best idea will be made by a panel of farmers and the originator of the successful idea will be rewarded with a three year moratorium on their subscription. All it takes is a phone call or an email.

LIC Data

As a matter of interest, we are well down the track towards incorporating LIC data into LandMark. When we get this in place we will take on their “Minda” program head on.

Pocket Diary Software

A lot of work is being done on the Pocket Diary program with the National Animal Identification and Traceability (NAIT) scheme in mind. For the same reason we are also smartening up the Diary in our LandMark Desktop program. It’s worth noting we have added “Map & Diary” i.e. LandMark without the financial module to our list of program options.

Panasonic Toughbook

Recently we purchased a Panasonic Toughbook through Trademe. These things can be dropped onto concrete from six feet, bounce into a water trough and survive. Team New Zealand use them as an essential tool in their campaign. Ours is ex lease and cost $1100.00 which we thought was good value for money. (Perhaps ours is ex Team New Zealand) New they are anything from $5000 - $6000 depending on the model. It’s a fantastic tool and can run any, or all, of the LandMark programs. i.e. Farm: Money: Map & Diary: and Pocket Diary. Leasing computers and/or Pocket Diaries with LandMark Software (a total package) is something we might have a look at if there is sufficient interest from subscribers in the concept. In the meantime, Trademe isn’t a bad place to keep an eye open for bargains.

Bureau Service

We have formed an association with a company called SMART. They are franchisors with franchisees dotted around New Zealand. They offer small businesses an office and an expert admin team without taking on extra staff and overheads. Smart’s team ensures every detail is covered - from taking phone calls to invoicing sales - and everything in between. With small businesses, they take care of day-to-day work like answering the phone, fielding email and website inquiries, payroll, book keeping, invoicing, banking and paying the bills. That means the small business owner/manager can get on with delivering what they are good at, such as producing their products and providing their services and in doing so,  build their business.

Their modus operandi is so similar to the Rural Administration Service that we have been promoting that we have joined forces for a trial period. Using LandMark they will offer a similar nationwide service to farmers.

Credit Card payments VIA website

It’s great to see more and more of our subscribers paying their subscription directly using the internet. We’ve also made paying subscription by credit card a lot easier. We are working through a Westpac secure payment system. Subscribers can simply go onto our web site here, fill in their details and “Voila !! payment is made without fuss.  It’s a particularly useful tool for our international clients.

Backing up your data

Every newsletter we have a paragraph or two on the importance of keeping your data backed up. Still we receive phone calls from clients who have a problem with their dataset and have not got a recent back up to revert to if something goes wrong!

It is so easy to do a backup.  All you need is a memory stick (available from most book shops, electrical stores etc).

 

• Plug the memory stick into the USB drive in your computer.
• Open LandMark
• Click Exit
• Click Backup
• Make sure there is NOT a tick in the “Financial Data Only” box
• Click Backup
• Click on “My Computer”
• Find the Drive Letter that the memory stick is plugged into and click on it
• Click Back up
• Click OK
• Backup completed, easy.

Service Packs

We are continuously updating the LandMark program with new features/requests.  Service Packs can be downloaded from our websites www.iagri.com/support/downloads page or posted to you.

It is MOST important that a BACKUP is done before downloading the service packs. It is even MORE important that your databases are updated after download.  If you are having “problems” after downloading an update it is more than likely that your databases have not been updated, or need a further update.To Update a Database:

• Make sure the LandMark program is not open,
• Click on Green Start button at the bottom left of your computer screen,
• Go to All programs,
• Landmark Farm/Money 2007,
• Support,
• Click on update databases.
• Update completed, easy.

Tips

Keep an eye on our website, this will keep you up to date with anything new you may need to know about.  Also you may find answers to a question you may have under the FAQ page or Tips & Tricks page.

Editing paddocks – when subdividing a paddock you need to make the original paddock smaller, then add the “new” paddock/s.  This allows the history to be kept.  For example, original paddock name is 3, it has all the history entered into it.  It needs to be split in two.  Make paddock 3 smaller, add new lines to make paddock 3b.  This way “old” history for 3b is in history for paddock 3.  If you were to delete paddock 3 and draw new paddocks, all history would be lost.

Christmas / New Years Hours

Thursday 24 December, Christmas Eve : normal hours

Friday 25 December, Christmas Day till Tuesday 5 January : CLOSED