Soil Test Automation: Understanding the Process

The process of soil sample planning, collection and analysis is a key component of effective agronomy management, and is essential for the efficient and economic production of crops. The AgStudio™ Soil Test Automation solution integrates desktop, server and mobile solutions to make the soil testing process smoother, faster and more accurate.

1. Control sampling by creating directed sampling layers with common grid patterns, manually drawn zones or placed sites, polygons from other layers, or replicated historical sampling locations.
   • Create new or load existing soil test layers
   • Customize samples based on characteristics of each field
   • Identify fields to sample using advanced filters
   • Identifies number of samples when loading and renumbers them as you adjust your plan
2. Work Seamlessly With Most Major Labs
   • AgStudio™ Sampling Work Order extension is designed to work with a variety of labs, and is programmed to work with each lab’s specific services and requirements.
   • Lab-specific properties and reports
   • Submit samples and get results electronically
   • Your lab can email soil test results directly to your database.
   • Save data input time and avoid errors: Soil test layers are automatically updated with resulting data via links to GPS location layers
   • Be confident data is up to date: emails with the current status of all linked data are automatically sent to you and your lab
3. Export Options
   • With a single click, boundaries and directed sampling layers can be turned into a work order and synced with AgStudio™ MAP (link to AgStudio™ MAP end page) or exported as shapefiles for other field devices.
4. Create and Print Everything You Need
   • Easily generate bag labels, lab submittal sheets, field sheets, master sheets and reports for fields – with or without boundaries or previous soil test layers.

See the comprehensive online Help within the AgStudio Sampling Work Order extension for details on performing all of these steps.

5. Use AgStudio MAP to enhance the soil test automation process by increasing the accuracy and efficiency of the soil sampling function by connecting field and office operations.
6. Use the reporting features in AgStudio™ to customize your reports to suit your specific needs. Create report templates once and reuse them whenever needed.
   • Create highly detailed single field and single page reports as well as grower level summaries
   • Print your reports, save them as PDFs or email them directly from AgStudio™ or AgStudio™ Select to your smart phone, tablet or other recipient
   • Generate surface maps when needed

See the comprehensive online Help within the AgStudio Report Books extension for details on performing all of these steps or watch the video Creating a Report Book.