What is agriculture-specific
Only the starter pack is specific to this sector. Choosing Agriculture & agro-dealers at registration adds:
- Cashier and Sales representative roles.
- Categories for seeds, fertilisers, agrochemicals, animal feeds, veterinary products, and farm tools and equipment.
- Bag and tonne as units.
- An Active ingredient product field for agrochemicals and veterinary products.
- A block on negative stock, plus go-live steps for price lists and delivery routes.
What is general-purpose
The rest is the same system every business uses. That is useful, but it is worth being clear about it. The features below are built for stock and trade in general, not for farming.
Batches and expiry dates
A product can be batch controlled or expiry controlled, and expiry-controlled products need an expiry date. Batch numbers are recorded when stock is received. When stock goes out with no batch chosen, the batch that expires first goes first. For example, an agro-dealer could receive a chemical in two batches and sell the one closest to expiry first.
Selling inputs
- POS for counter sales, and sales documents for larger orders.
- Pack sizes, so a dealer can buy by the carton and sell by the piece.
- Price lists per customer group, and time-limited promotions, which can suit a planting season offer.
- Credit limits, payment terms, statements and ageing for customers who pay after harvest.
Buying and importing
Purchase requisitions, purchase orders and goods received work as in any trading business. Imported inputs can go through the Imports module, with landed costs such as freight and duty added before release to a selling warehouse. Reorder analysis and fast and slow mover reports can help you plan stock for the season, though Navigate has no seasonal demand forecast.
Delivering to farms
Dispatch plans runs by route, prints a pick list and records proof of delivery on the driver's phone. A driver can take the receiver's signature and a photo, and the location where the phone allows it. Addresses open in the driver's maps app, so a farm location needs to be clear enough to find.
Other ways a farm business might use it
These are illustrations of general modules, not agriculture features.
- A farm could track a season as a project, with a budget and costs tagged to it. Projects were designed for client work, so test whether this suits you.
- A processor could use bills of materials and production orders to turn raw produce into packed goods, with batches and quality checks.
- Tractors and equipment can sit on the fixed asset register, with depreciation. Fleet management can track vehicles, fuel and service schedules.
- A farmers' cooperative could use the SACCO module for members, savings and loans. It does not record produce delivered by members or pay members for it.
- A food processor can use Customer experience to log complaints by batch. The industry library includes a dairy processing template.
Where Navigate may not fit
- There are no crop plans, field or plot records, livestock records or harvest tracking.
- There is no outgrower or contract farming management, and no produce intake, grading or member produce payments.
- There is no weighbridge or farm sensor link.
- There is no seasonal demand forecast. You plan from reports.
- The reports catalogue has no dedicated near-expiry stock report, so plan how you will watch expiring stock.
- Agrochemical rules, such as licensing or restricted products, are not checked by Navigate.
Frequently asked questions
Is Navigate farm management software?
No. It has no crop, field, livestock or harvest records. It handles the trading, stock, finance and payroll side of an agricultural business.
Can an agro-dealer track expiry dates on agrochemicals?
Yes. Set the product as expiry controlled and record batches at receipt. Stock going out takes the first-expiring batch unless you choose another.
Can farmers buy on credit and pay after harvest?
You can give a customer a credit limit and payment terms, and follow them up with statements and ageing. There is no input loan scheme tied to a harvest.
Can a cooperative pay members for delivered produce?
Not as a built-in process. The SACCO module covers savings and loans, and it does not record produce deliveries or grading.