Frequently Asked Questions & Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the minimum system requirements?
ScoutSMART was created with the robust FileMaker Pro database as its foundation. Minimum system requirements for installation on a computer hard drive can be found here. For our cloud users, a device with good internet service is required.
What is the cost?
ScoutSMART can be deployed in two different methods via our cloud services or on your local hard drive. ScoutSMART is licensed on a subscription basis. Pricing depends on the deployment method and the number of users within your organization. Book your demo to get your custom pricing.
Is there a mobile version of ScoutSMART?
The world is going mobile, and ScoutSMART Go is our cloud hosting service. Cloud hosting will make record sharing among multiple employees and/or devices simple and easy. With the download of the free Filemaker Go app, your database will also be available to you on your IOS device. Instead of typing in your field report comments, dictate to your IOS device.
How do I purchase the product?
Contact Us to book your demo!
Will I receive product updates?
After working with ScoutSMART since 2009, we are always improving and thinking of ways to make ScoutSMART handier. We appreciate all of our customer’s feedback and do our best to incorporate it into the software package you are using. Provide feedback here.
Can I send my reports via email?
Any report that you create with ScoutSMART can be sent easily as a pdf file attachment to an email.
I have the product. How do I start using it?
One of the first things that you will see on the Home Screen is a button that says Getting Started. Click that button and it will guide you through the simple and intuitive procedure for building a ScoutSMART database for your consulting business.
Are soil sample results integrated into ScoutSMART?
No, but I would not be without our companion database, SampleSMART. SampleSMART is used in conjunction with ScoutSMART as we write fertilizer recommendations. SampleSMART is the best place to store, find, sort, and analyze all your lab data including soil, tissue, manure, slurry, disease, and nematode tests. Test data can be imported to SampleSMART via multiple file formats – eliminating the need to enter data into your SampleSMART database manually.
Tips When Using ScoutSMART
Do you need extra help?
We have developed extensive help files within ScoutSMART. You can access them from the Home Page in ScoutSMART. They provide a wealth of information and help you build a clean and functional database.
Are you rummaging through piles of papers?
Learn to use the easy and powerful find features incorporated into ScoutSMART. We have a Help Section written for that purpose.
Utilize the Client Section and Miscellaneous Data section to help build client relationships.
Our consulting businesses are built on relationships. When you meet the new hired hand or the client’s son has a newborn record those names in our Client section. We even have a database field for Miscellaneous Data – you may even want to record the family dog’s name.
Enter vital information into the Permanent Field Data.
Enter vital information concerning field physical properties, irrigation, historical yields, and cropping practices in Permanent Field Data. Enter data once – use it for the rest of your crop consulting career.
Make entering data on mobile and tablet devices easy.
For those of you going mobile with iPhone and iPad try using the dictation feature by selecting the microphone on your IOS keyboard when making irrigation comments or field report comments. There are some great tutorials on the web explaining the power and rules of dictation with an IOS device.
Transferring Ownership of your business?
Maintain your ScoutSMART database and it will add value to your business when it is time to transfer ownership.
Improve Communications between you and your clients.
After you have completed your work in the Crop Planning Tab of Annual Field Data then print several copies of the Field Report titled Planting Records. Give these to your client to place in the planter tractors and seed tender. The Planting Records Report is designed to help your client implement your recommendations. If things do not go as planned, your client will have an area to record the changes that were made so that you can be made aware of those changes.
Plan your scouting route
Use the Scouting Tab of Annual Field Data to help prepare your scouting route. Enter the Day of the Week, Time of Day, and Scouting Order you expect to be scouting your fields. This information is then useful for printing the ScoutSMART Scouting forms in the order you would like to have them displayed.
Quickly refresh yourself on a field's history.
ScoutSMART scouting forms are one of the features I like the most about ScoutSMART. Our scouting forms are a condensed version of last week’s field reports. Take our scouting forms with you to the field and refresh your memory on field history prior to scouting. You can record your current scouting notes on this form if you wish.
Print reports in your desired order.
Many times the Printing Order is the same as the Scouting Order for field reports. Possibly you would like to have the ability to print in a custom order – such as printing all of a certain landlord’s field reports together in the print routine. Inserting your desired Printing Order in the Scouting tab of Annual Field Data and then sorting for Printing Order prior to implementing the print command will allow your field reports to print in the order you want.
Use the "Import..." and "Copy to..." buttons to your advantage.
The Planting Records tab in Annual Field Data is where you record what actually happened at planting. Notice the yellow button marked, “Import Crop Planning”. When you click this button your recommendations for hybrids, seed treatment, and seeding rates will be imported to this form and appear in the Field History section of all field reports.
In the Harvest section of Annual Field Data you will see another yellow button that is marked, “Copy to Permanent Field Data”. Once you have recorded average field yield just click the yellow button and a copy of the crop, yield and field notes will be transferred to the Crop Yield tab in Permanent Field Data.
See the fields full story.
Annual Field Data – History tab: This is an easy place to see the whole story. You should not have to add any data in this tab but you can alter data here if you need to make corrections. You can go to the Field History Field Report and print a professional appearing copy of this information for your client.
Use Siri to your advantage.
You can dictate field report comments using Siri.