January 30-31, 2013
Gladstone Inn
111 2nd Street Northeast
Jamestown, ND 58401
(866) 748-446

The first series of classes will be Accounting and Stock, and will be held in Jamestown at the Gladstone Inn on Wednesday and Thursday, January 30-31, 2013.  The Accounting class will begin with registration at 8:30 am with the class to begin by 9:00 am.  We will go until about 4:30 on the first day.  The second day we will start the Accounting class at 8:30 and finish up at about 1:30 pm.  Stock will start at 2:00 pm and will go until about 5:00 pm.

February 6-7, 2013
Expressway Suites
4303 17th Ave S
Fargo, ND  58103
877-239-4303

The second series of classes will be Mapping and Surface to be held in Fargo at the Expressway Suites on Wednesday and Thursday, February 6-7, 2013.  The Mapping class will begin with registration at 8:30 am with the class to begin by 9:00 am.  We will go until about 4:30 on the first day.  The second day we will start the Mapping class at 8:30 and finish up at about 1:30 pm.  Surface will start at 2:00 pm and will go until about 5:00 pm.

February 19-20, 2013
Comfort Inn
1515 22nd Ave., S.W.
Minot, ND  58701
701-852-2201

The third series of classes will also be Mapping but this time followed with a Variable Rate Application Seminar, to be held in Minot at the Comfort Inn on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 19-20, 2013.  The Mapping class will begin with registration at 8:30 am with the class to begin by 9:00 am.  We will go until about 4:30 on the first day.  The second day we will start the Mapping class at 8:30 and finish up at about 1:30 pm.  The Variable Rate Application Seminar will start at 2:00 pm and will go until about 5:00 pm.

Click here to view a form for registrations or contact Paul Overby at (701) 656-3654 for more information.

January 3, 2013 - It will be a pivotal year for most farmers as they try to solve their information management puzzle.  As farms continue to expand acreage and deal with new complicated regulations, computerized record keeping will become even more important in 2013 and beyond.  Lorra and Jim Martens of Inman, Kansas have been using Farm Works™ Accounting and Mapping software on their farm since 1994.  “We wanted and needed a better way to manage our farm records”, says Lorra.  Information management was very different in 1994 because the personal computer was just starting to become accepted as a farming tool.  Lorra states, “We took advantage of training classes offered by Farm Works so that we could learn it quicker while meeting others in the classroom with the same concerns as us.”  Training classes are not necessary, but they do offer tips in accelerating the process of mastering the software while developing relationships with others in the classroom.   Soon Lorra started her own consulting business in 1995 to assist local farmers with their information management concerns.  Today she is one of the leading information management consultants in the Midwest.  Lorra has big plans for 2013 as she focuses on more training, sales, and consulting services for farmers throughout the United States.

December 3, 2012 - Farm Works Software® has released version 2013.03.538 of the Office software.

Enhancements include:

• Reading Data from Trimble's WM-Topo Survey System – Farm Works™ Surface software can read data collected with the WM-Topo™ Survey System. If the field already has topographic data, the user will be prompted to select whether they want to use the existing or new master benchmark.  Once this is completed, the data will be merged.

• Merging Topo Data from Multiple FmX Displays – Farm Works Surface software now supports reading topographic data from multiple FmX® displays for the same field. If the field already has topographic data, the user will be prompted to select whether they want to use the existing or new Master Benchmark.  Once this is completed, the data will be merged.

• Fix for Yield by Variety Report – Farm Works Mapping software includes additional support for printing the Yield by Variety report.

• Fix for Sending Resources via Connected Farm - Farm Works Mapping software includes a fix for sending out resources to the FmX or CFX-750™ displays via Connected Farm™.  Now all items in the inputs tab will flow to the displays seamlessly.

• Updated Esc Key when Editing Drainage Layers – Farm Works Surface software now allows you to use the Esc key if you are editing a drainage design layer.

• Updated Zero Optimum for Outlet Value  – Farm Works Surface now allows you to set zero for Optimum to Outlet where it would give an error. This has been fixed.

Customers of the Office software who are subscribed to the Update Service Plan (USP) will automatically receive these features by selecting “Check for Updates" located under the Help menu.  Another option is to use the download link: http://www.farmworks.com/support/downloads.php

December 12, 2012
Hilton Garden Inn
5300 S Grand Circle
Sioux Falls, SD 57108
605-444-4503

Level 1 (Basic) classroom style training on…

• Using basic features of Farm Works Surface software with Trimble® FmX® display

Contact James Mettler for details and to register - (605) 387-2323.

December 12, 2012
Annawan, IL

Level 1 (Basic) classroom style training on…

• Using basic features of Farm Works™ Mapping in the morning and Farm Works Surface in the afternoon

December 13, 2012
Annawan, IL

Level 1 (Basic) classroom style training on…

• Using basic features of Farm Works Surface software with Trimble® FmX® display

Contact Jenifer Brandner for details and to register - (815) 915-6505 or jenifer@brandnermapping.com.

Farm Works has released Version 2013.  Some of the major additions to the office solutions include:

• Advanced Guidance Line Management - Available in Surface for planning and managing guidance lines for planting, record as-driven lines, and distribution of lines for harvest. This feature allows you to take lines from another source (such as elevation contours created with the Surface Levee Tool) and generate parallel lines that can be used for planting and other functions. You can then take as planted (and other lines) and automatically create row lines that can be used for applications that are done on a row by row basis. This functionality is particularly useful for sugarcane farms and requires version 6.6 of the Trimble FmX display.

• Guidance Line Integration Between Trimble and CNH Displays
  
  • Create, edit, and delete Straight and Curved A/B lines.
  • Exchange guidance lines between CNH (Pro600, 700, & Intelliview) and Trimble® displays (FmX, CFX & EZ-Guide 500).

• Support for CNH Trip Computer Data

• Reading CNH Data through the “Data Repository”

• Additional Support for the CFX-750™ Display - CFX-750 display version 3.0 or later is now supported using the Mapping software.  The attributes appear in the Job Summary report and can be edited using the Notes button in the Job Properties dialog.

• Enhanced Profile View - When editing a completed drainage line layer in Surface, the profile view does not show the pipe profile for any section that has been moved. Additionally, the Surface profile will not appear if a line is moved outside an area where elevation data is available.

• Split by Percent Using Templates - Available in Accounting for splitting allocations amounts by percent for reoccurring transactions.  Useful for utility bills where the total amount changes monthly but the percent of allocation for farm versus non-farm stays the same.

• Enterprise Statement Quick Click- Available in Mapping and/or Accounting for quick access to the field enterprise statement reports through the client/farm/field interface.

• Support for the Connected Farm™ App - Available in Mapping for wireless syncing of data from the free Connected Farm app.  Use your smartphone to map field boundaries, flag points of interest, and collect scouting information while displaying that information in Farm Works Mapping.NEW!Read the FAQ

To view additional features in Version 2013, please click here. 

To download version 2013, click here.  In order to download the latest version, you must be subscribed to the Update Service Plan (USP).  If you are not subscribed to the USP, you can order one by utilizing the Farm Works Store or by calling 1-800-225-2848.

October 16, 2012 - Use the free Connected Farm™ app on your smartphone to map field boundaries, flag points of interest, and enter scouting information.  Scouting attributes include an extensive list of weeds, insects and diseases, and allows you to log the severity of a problem, crop conditions, and more.

October 3, 2012 - Scott Cogdill of Huxley, IA was randomly selected as the winner of the Juno SC handheld computer.  Thanks to everyone for participating in the Mobile Technology Survey Contest.

September 17, 2012 - New lesson plans for schools are now available for those who are subscribed to the Educational Update Service Plan (EUSP).  The lesson plans include five new chapters while updating the ten previous ones. 

Lessons include:

1. Restoring a Backup Project
2. Setting up Farms and Fields
3. Entering a Field Record - Planting
4. Entering a Field Record - Spraying
5. Entering a Field Record - Harvesting and Enterprising
6. Purchasing Supplies with Accounting
7. Purchasing Equipment with Accounting
8. Drawing a Field Boundary Using Aerial Imagery
9. Creating a Soil Sample Map
10. Importing Yield Data
11. Importing Soil Type Maps
12. Importing Soil Lab Data
13. Creating a Basic Prescription Map
14. Creating a Prescription Map Using a Formula
15. Entering a Harvested Crop Sales Contract

What are lesson plans?

Lesson plans are included with the EUSP.  The lesson plans include a printable student workbook, precision ag data that is used with the student workbook, and a teacher guide that provides the instructor with helpful suggestions including the answer key for each chapter.  Each chapter provides students a hands-on learning experience with precision agriculture and farm business management.  Lesson plans are updated every year to match the most current version.

September 6, 2012: Andy Zimmerman of Hicksville, Ohio explains how he uses Trimble's WM-Drain™ farm drainage solution to survey, analyze, design, install, and map surface and subsurface drainage. The solution helps him drain water efficiently and accurately for his customers.