This document will cover some of the key features available only in SMS Advanced, including:

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1 Key Differences between SMS Basic and SMS Advanced SMS Advanced includes all of the same functionality as the SMS Basic Software as well as adding numerous tools that provide management solutions for multiple users, powerful analysis tools, batch functionality and unique visualization and management tools. Upgrading to SMS Advanced is as simple as running an installation wizard- all of your existing data will be moved into SMS Advanced automatically. This document will cover some of the key features available only in SMS Advanced, including: Advanced Data Management Advanced Analysis Tools Advanced Visualization Advanced Work Flow 1

2 Advanced Data Management [Back to Top] Projects When managing information from multiple clients, the ability to separate their information into different projects is vital to data management and integrity. In SMS Basic, users are limited to five projects. In SMS Advanced however, you have an unlimited number of projects, meaning you can separate each client into their own project, allowing you to maintain their data in a confidential manner. Having multiple projects also allows you to customize each customer s data to best fit their business model without affecting anyone else s information. SMS Advanced allows users to work with multiple Data Locations. This means that you can keep data stored on your local computer and also on network locations. When accessing data stored on a network, users can check out a project onto their laptop and work with customers at various locations without being tied to their office computer. SMS Advanced offers a check in/check out process to give users the flexibility and power to take SMS Advanced wherever they need to be working at. Once the user has updated the project and is back in the office, or connected to the network, they can check that project in and all updates and changes will be added to the network database. Backup Scheduling Creating backups on a routine basis is imperative to insure that data is never lost due to a computer failure. In SMS Advanced, you can setup automatic backup creation on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Backup scheduling insures that your data is always protected without any extra work from you. 2

3 Advanced Analysis Tools [Back to Top] The tools in the Analysis Wizard will make quick work of dissecting layers and helping you analyze information to make better management decisions. Several of these tools can be run for multiple fields at a time making your work more efficient and once an analysis function has been created all the settings are saved and can be used over in the future with no extra setup time. Correlation Analysis Generates a correlation matrix for attributes from the user selected datasets. Correlation analyses generate values between -1 and 1 for each pair of attributes being compared. A value of -1 indicates a negative correlation, a value of positive 1 indicates a strong positive correlation, and a value of 0 indicates that there is little to no correlation between the pair. This statistical comparison allows users to easily view how different attributes relate to each other. In this example we are viewing the relationship between yield response to organic matter, soil ph, phosphorus and potassium levels. Example Yield Response to Grid Soil Testing: P1 had a closer relationship to Yield than other nutrients. Cluster Analysis Generating a Cluster Analysis helps group data into regions and zones based on the relationships and similarities of the information. The result is a polygon, or region, map that can be used to help define management zones within a field. This tool allows you to combine any type of data, such as soil types, soil fertility results, yield data, NDVI images, etc. Example Yield Data combined with Soil Survey Maps: Combining the soil types and the yield values into different zones to match the management of land to the quality of each area of the field. 3

4 Comparison Analysis Generates a report comparing attributes or properties to other attributes/properties contained in your datasets. For example, you can compare a Soil Type Map against Yield and Moisture values from your Grain Harvest Data for one or multiple fields. The result would list all soil types and then display the yield and moisture statistics in both a text and graphical report. This analysis can also be run across multiple projects, which means you can compare how a certain variety yielded across all the soil types for all the customers in all of your different projects, allowing you to analyze data to an almost unlimited degree. Example Yield Data divided out by Soil Types of a Field: This feature can be extended to compare anything that can be mapped to Yield to find if there are management areas that can be improved on. In this example, if a field had a predominant soil type, and a hybrid responded well to that soil type, it would be beneficial to place that hybrid on that field to take advantage of the relationship. 4

5 Equation Based Analysis Allows users to build equations using any dataset stored in the management tree to generate a new dataset with a specific output. For example, you can build an equation that uses yield goals and soil type to generate a variable rate prescription for a field(s). Another example would be adding two application of fertilizing together for a given year to determine the total amount applied throughout the field. SMS Advanced allows you to generate multiple outputs with the same analysis, cutting down the time it takes to generate all of your desired results. Example Build a Custom Equation to use for your Fertilizer Prescriptions: Take results from Soil Testing, Yield Data, Soil Type Data, or other prescriptions (or all the above) and create the prescription that fits your needs the best. 5

6 Multi-Year Averages Analysis Generates a new dataset that averages together as many different years of information as defined by the user. The results can be normalized to provide more consistent results across data that has large variations in values and does not normally scale directly, such as Corn and Soybean yield values. For example, you can average the last 5 years of yield information to determine the areas of the field that perform most consistently. Example Yield Maps year after year can provide visuals for how you manage your ground. Knowing where your fields are historically more productive, or not as productive, can create management considerations that maximize the potential for those areas of the field. Generate NDVI Dataset Allows the input of a NIR satellite or photo image to generate an index or crop health/vigor dataset that indicates where vegetation is present and/or healthy. Example NIR imagery can indicate crop health. Using Near Infrared imagery during the growing season can outline areas that need attention during or after harvest to help correct for the following year. 6

7 Generate Profit/Loss Dataset Generates a new dataset based on expense and income entries from the selected datasets that contain financial tracking information. The result is strictly based on spatial data and is intended to show profit/loss trends. Terrain Analysis Allows the generation of a terrain dataset from data in the system that is automatically generated for the 3D grid. The terrain dataset can then be used as an input into an equation for generation of another attribute, such as erosion class, etc. The tool will take elevation data from field operations to create a map which physical characteristics, slope, and drainage direction. Example Showing where a field will drain water can help direct many management decisions. 7

8 Advanced Visualization [Back to Top] Calendar View This is a unique and exclusive way to look at the data you have collected, or imported into the program. Using the calendar view allows you to view when data was recorded in the field, map this information and view summary data about this operation. This can be very handy to look at application records of fields sprayed in a certain order, or with certain tank mixes that may have affected other fields. The calendar can be grouped and filtered to show the exact information you are after via the calendar interface. 8

9 3-D Terrain View Having the ability to see the layout of a field and where the high and low areas are can be of great benefit to helping make sound management decisions based on topography. A 3-D view of the field will allow you to use logged data (from harvest or planting operations) to overlay on top of the actual terrain of your fields. 3-D reference data can even be downloaded from the internet and imported if you don t have accurate GPS data to make your 3-D terrain maps from. Example See the topography of the layout of the field in 3-D. Seeing where the hills and valleys are can assist greatly in knowing why there was a change in yield In the SE corner where the map has some red colors of this field is a waterway. 3-D Plot Any data that has been collected can also be viewed as a 3D plot to see where the highs and lows of the data are, in a more visual form. This can be beneficial to see how parts of a field compare to other parts on a plot style map. 9

10 Dataset Playback Having the ability to watch how a field was planted or applied can be of great benefit when coming back to harvest the field. Areas where contours can alter where rows are started, knowing how the field was planted, can increase the efficiency when other operations are done to the field. 10

11 Image Editor/Mosaic Layer Sometimes images need fine tuning as well. There are options in the software that can make images more useful with brightness control, clipping, twisting, and stretching. There are also tools to merge 2 or more images together. This can be useful in taking many small, high resolution images into making 1 larger high quality image for multiple fields. 11

12 Advanced Work Flow Booklet Printing Module [Back to Top] The Booklet Printing Module combines most of the printing functions used throughout the software into a single tool. It also adds the ability to add a custom cover and a table of contents to the front of a multi-page document that allows you to generate a combined output into what we call a booklet. Some customers have used this feature to be able to display soil testing results and fertilizer recommendations all at once. Custom print layouts are used to add layers from maps in the management tree in any sequence and style. Analysis comparisons and summary reports for the year can also be linked and used for a harvested inventory of commodities available to sell. Water Management Module Plot Prescription Modules The Water Management Module includes a tile plan editor that allows you to map out and plan tile lines to be installed. When creating new tile plans, any reference layer, such as soil survey, can be displayed to help strategically place tile lines. Tile plans include placing new tile mains, sub mains and laterals utilizing the tiling diameters to define ideal placement. Also, existing tile surveys can be edited and redefined using the tile plan editor. Once completed, tile plans can be exported for in-field installation. Tile plans can be easily printed for prospective land owners, or used to assist with tile installation proposals. The Plot Prescription Module allows you to strategically place and define in-field research plots in the office, and use these plot prescriptions to plant in the field. By utilizing SMS ability to import yield, application, soil survey, elevation and imagery, you will have greater awareness of the in-field variances that can affect a crops yield. You can use all of these precision data types to precisely place your plots in the field, and even include buffers to account for setback distances for pollination isolation. When defining the plot parameters, you can input the number of rows per plot, field width and depth, base trip and alley 12

13 length and row spacing. You can easily adjust where the plot is located in the field by entering in GPS coordinates, a heading or even by drawing the location of the plot on the reference map. Once plots have been created, they can be exported to the ALMACO SeedPro 360 display, or exported as a shape or KML/KMZ files to share with others. Batch Processing A number of functions can be done in batch in the SMS Basic program, but there are more options in SMS Advanced that make other processes more streamlined. Batch Importing, and Batch Exporting files are 2 that are frequently used in SMS Advanced. For generic file types like shape files, or text files, this is a way to get a lot of information that is common (i.e. multiple shape files from another program for boundaries) into the software without importing them 1 file at a time. Other batch functions will also speed processing of repeated functions in the program. Customized Operations Sometimes when working with specific operations, it is nice to be able to setup a template of attributes or settings that you will be using frequently. An example may be with management zones, to be able to have soil texture, slope, Zone ID, or management level to be items that are filled out for each zone of a field. In SMS Advanced you can specify settings or attributes that need to be setup ahead of time to make entry easier for each field and thus define your own custom operations that don t ship standard with the software. Customized Reports and Charts Reports and Charts can also be customized to have specific settings, for items that you want to appear or be grouped differently than the factory defaults. New reports and charts can be created from scratch so that they look and filter exactly like you want. Spatial Data Finder Sometimes it is desirable to make a map of many fields together to use to compare them to each other. For example, a map of 5 fields showing yield data for the previous year. The SMS Advanced version will allow you to build a filter, and use it to narrow your search for maps from within the management tree, rather than clicking on each 1 at a time. Mapping Tools Other tools such as our buffering tool, vector overlay, and averaging data by polygons will allow you to make any custom maps that are needed for specialized analysis. 13