[ ] Alan will work on using N tool intro page as an example.
2. Field and Farm
[x] a) Labor Value - can you trace where this input is used and let me know so I can confirm it is changing the costs I expect to see changed?
[x] b) Add input box for diesel price – will need to be linked to equipment calcs. Note: Power tab on AirTable has a column called “Fuel Use (gal/PTO hp.” The diesel price entered on the Farm and Field tab of the DST will interact with Fuel Use to estimate fuel expense. I don’t know how this is done in the program equations but can give help to make sure the fuel price is used properly.
[x] c) Delete – (these may be used in versions 2 or 3 so save whatever coding exists):
i) Field description
ii) Prior crop
[x] d) Make it where the user can’t advance to the next screen until the following input boxes are filled. Input into these fields are used in subsequent screens
i) Acres – no default suggested
ii) intended crop – no default suggested
iii) labor value – suggest a default of $15
iv) diesel price – suggest a default of $4.00
3. Seeds
Note: prices have been updated as of 4/17/23. A column was added to AirTable Seedlist tab documenting date updated and how updated.
Seed prices (really all prices) are going to be a constant struggle to keep up. Need to develop a plan.
[x] When possible, link “Cover Crop Seeding Rate Calculator” in last sentence of second paragraph to the PSA seeding rate calculator.
[x] I am uncertain how the decimal points are used in AirTable. SeedList prices are to one decimal place but dollars and cents usually use 2 decimal places. Please set as two decimal places.
4. Planting decisions
[x] a) In AirTables/Cost Defaults we added “aerial seeding” and “drone seeding” custom costs using ISU custom rate publication. However, they do not appear in the DST in the “how will planting be done?” dropdown box. I suggest a column in the table that specifies what cost defaults will show up in specific DST dropdowns.
[x] b) I am adding ways to plant – e.g. behind the combine, within tillage, etc. – to AirTables/Implements. I will need to know how to make this appear in the “how will planting be done?” dropdown box. I suggest a column in the table that specifies what cost defaults will show up in specific DST dropdowns.
[x] c) DST allows for overriding annual use on implement and power. How is this integrated into AirTable? Knowing the answer to this will help me
i) confirm that the calculations are being done correctly and
ii) how to integrate costs such as fuel and labor prices. Currently Rates tab in AirTable contains defaults for skilled and unskilled labor. But when I put in a different number in Field and Farm, it does not show up in Rates page differently. Which is being used in the calculations for equipment?
[x] d) Can we have the machinery cost table come up with certain costs blocked off when they choose predetermined “how will planting be done?” Alan and I would provide a determination of which default costs appear but it might change for different prior decisions of the user. If this is something possible, we would probably determine a set of costs that are turned off for certain decisions. But we don’t want to spend our time doing this if we can’t get it incorporated. For example, we would unclick “taxes,” “insurance” and “storage shed” for both implement and power as a default. The user would need to purposefully click on those costs in order for them to be used.
5. Termination
[x] Termination method = Tillage
i) Eventually we need the DST to handle the option for a second tillage pass? This will only occasionally be used (e.g. organic production or late termination that requires more than one tillage to terminate the cover crop) but in some cases it will be. Suggestion:
(1) After the user answers “how will this tillage be done” and the “tillage equipment cost” is calculated, have another line below that asks, “will you be adding another tillage activity because of planting a cover crop?” Default is “no.” If the user selects “yes” the program logic repeats itself.
(2) Note: I think the logic used when the user selects Termination method = Roller with followup herbicide can be used for multiple tillage passes because Roller with followup herbicide allows for two different activities to be entered. Our request is that the second activity does not show up unless the user selects “yes” to “will you be adding another tillage …?”
(3) Note this logic would need to be repeated on the Tillage tab.
[x] Termination method = Herbicide application
i) Product line. The dropdown would be changed to
(1) burndown,
(2) residual,
(3) tank mix of burndown and residual,
(4) input specific herbicide
ii) The next line will be “estimated per acre herbicide cost.” The Cost/lb product and application rate are no longer needed. The input box will be for estimated per acre cost of herbicide.
iii) If “input specific herbicide” is selected, a text box would appear (Note: same as when Other is chosen on Field&Farm/intended crop/other). The user would be allowed to note what they are doing but it would simply be a note so they have a more complete record of what their thought process was.
c) If they change an existing herbicide program (this can be seen in Test Herbicide 2), have them input the herbicide name and then allow them to enter $/acre. Do not provide a dropdown with options.
d) Do the same changes to the choice of “roller with follow up herbicide.”
6. Fertility
[x] Move Fertilizer Value row to the top of the table.
[x] I added default values for P2O5 and K2O in AirTable Rates tab. Link these default values to the Fertility table in DST.
[x] I am uncertain how the decimal points are used in AirTable. Rates shows 8 decimal places. I would suggest that Rates show 4 decimal places.
Cost Of Fertilizer Application
[x] i) Should not appear unless “will you add fertilizer specifically for cover crop production?” is yes.
[x] ii) Autopopulate with blank value then add green ? button and add following text. “If additional fertilizer requires an additional trip or trips through the field, enter your expected application cost. If additional fertilizer will be added, even to a cover crop, with an activity that would be done even if you did not plant a cover crop, enter a zero value.”
[x] iii) With Cost Of Fertilizer Application having no value, no value of fertilizer results show up in Summary table at right hand top of Fertility tab. We want the default for Cost of Fertilizer Application to be empty (including not having $0 as a value). Please make the fertilizer credit and product cost show up without an Application cost? Even if fertilizer is added, it may have no application cost due to it being added to an activity already being done. Note: When I go to the Summary tab, the Fertilizer credit shows up even though it does not show up in the Summary table that appears at the top right of each input tab.
7. Erosion Control
[x] Currently have 3 ways to do soil repair. Where are the default numbers for this in AirTable so that they can be changed? I would like to be able to add ways to do soil repair and change the default values for those activities.
[x] Should there be a Clear inputs button for this table?
8. Other
[x] User can enter input into Additional considerations table but they never show up in the Summary box at the top right or the Summary tab.
[ ] Grazing could be elevated to its own tab. I have a student working on the logic and default values for this.
9. Summary
[x] Show lat and long to only four decimal places.
[x] The text at the top (e.g. Farm, Field) have spacing problems.
[x] Costs/line item and Benefits/line item are peculiar headings. Replace “/” with “by”?
10. Generic question for multiple pages
[x] When a popup box appears (e.g. user clicks on green ? button or when machinery cost table appears), should we have an “x” in the upper right of the box to make it disappear?
[x] When it is closed, how to it be brought back up? E.g. when a machinery cost table is up on a tab and I move to another tab then back to the first tab, the machinery cost table no longer appears. I have learned that I can get it back up by just clicking in the drop down boxes. But others may not think of this and wonder how to get it back.
[x] Can the AirTable database of activities be organized so that only certain implements show up in different tabs? Some implements would show up on only one tab; others might show up in multiple tabs. If so, please show Ray Massey how to designate which implements show up on different tabs and he will make the determination.
11. AirTable updates and thoughts
Seedlist
i) Typical seeding rate will eventually be integrated into seed selection tool. Leave typical rate alone until then.
ii) Currently has seed prices as of 4/17/23.
iii) Seedlist unique to CC DST. But may combine with API for other tools.
[ ] Cost defaults – change name to Custom Rates?
i) Will have student look at custom rate publications across different regions to see if they should be region specific defaults.
Rates –
i) Currently has N price which is used in fertility tab. I added P2O5 and K2O since they also are on the fertility tab.
Herbicides – we are rethinking how to do herbicides. This table will likely be deleted.
Implements
i) purchase prices are for 2020. Will update in a year or two.
ii) My student has been adding new implements for termination options. He will also be adding new implements for planting options. We will need to make sure that they show up properly in their respective tabs.
[x] Commodities
i) Current prices are from RMA. Please add a Notes column so that I can record date and source of default values.
ii) Will need to add more commodities to match the dropdown list from Field and Farm.
(1) Where did the dropdown list come from? Hard code? Or from the commodities airtable?
Tabs not needing any changes
i) Coefficients – these are ASABE values and will not change anytime soon
ii) StateRegions – probably a static page that never or only rarely changes
iii) Power – purchase prices are for 2020. Will update in a year or two.
iv) EQIP will likely need to be changed to accommodate the Inflation Reduction Act money for EQIP. But not now.
Review of DST on 5-10-23.docx (from Ray Massey)
1. Splash (intro) page
2. Field and Farm
3. Seeds
Note: prices have been updated as of 4/17/23. A column was added to AirTable Seedlist tab documenting date updated and how updated.
Seed prices (really all prices) are going to be a constant struggle to keep up. Need to develop a plan.
4. Planting decisions
5. Termination
6. Fertility
Cost Of Fertilizer Application
7. Erosion Control
8. Other
9. Summary
10. Generic question for multiple pages
11. AirTable updates and thoughts
Seedlist i) Typical seeding rate will eventually be integrated into seed selection tool. Leave typical rate alone until then. ii) Currently has seed prices as of 4/17/23. iii) Seedlist unique to CC DST. But may combine with API for other tools.
Rates – i) Currently has N price which is used in fertility tab. I added P2O5 and K2O since they also are on the fertility tab.
Herbicides – we are rethinking how to do herbicides. This table will likely be deleted.
Implements i) purchase prices are for 2020. Will update in a year or two. ii) My student has been adding new implements for termination options. He will also be adding new implements for planting options. We will need to make sure that they show up properly in their respective tabs.
Tabs not needing any changes i) Coefficients – these are ASABE values and will not change anytime soon ii) StateRegions – probably a static page that never or only rarely changes iii) Power – purchase prices are for 2020. Will update in a year or two. iv) EQIP will likely need to be changed to accommodate the Inflation Reduction Act money for EQIP. But not now.