COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR THE SMALL GROWER 



Bill Cemy 



Edited from GrowerTalks, April. 1992 



I'VE GONE through many stages of 

 computer awareness. Computers were 

 the demons that screwed up your 

 telephone bill or mixed up your in- 

 come taxes, and it always took about 

 six months to correct the error. Then 

 I went through a stage where compu- 

 ters intrigued me. I began to see the 

 benefits they offered. But Cerny's 

 Greenhouse is approximately 20,000 

 square feet — far too small, 1 thought, 

 to efficiently utilize a computer. 



Keeping track of crops is a paper- 

 work nightmare In the past year we 

 have computerized our inventory 

 management and our bookkeeping 

 and payroll records. In our small 

 business, we produce approximately 

 400,000 cuttings — mainly geraniums 

 — for a regional wholesale market. 

 These are all presold. Keeping track 

 of when to plant, harvest and ship all 

 these orders was a paperwork night- 

 mare. At a trade show, a computer 

 company salesman showed me how 

 his software could benefit our opera- 

 tion. After that 1 thought about it for 

 almost a year — 1 had to be assured 

 that it would save me both time and 

 money. 



No experience required for 

 computerization Finally, we took 

 the plunge. We purchased Starcom 

 Plant Partner System, although there 

 are many fine companies in the 

 greenhouse software market. 1 highly 

 recommend choosing a company that 

 creates greenhouse applications in- 

 stead of using over-the counter soft- 

 ware. The support and expertise you 

 receive from people familiar with our 

 field is invaluable. There are many 

 ways to purchase these systems. 

 Someone with limited computer 

 experience might be able to purchase 

 software only. Some phone support 

 and reading might be all you need to 

 get started with a new system. We 

 didn't have this experience, so we 

 purchased a more complete package. 

 This included all hardware, software 

 setup and instruction. Having some- 

 one spend a week installing the sys- 

 tem on-site isn't cheap. But for me, 



28 THE PlANTSMAN 



having never used a computer before, 

 this service was invaluable. It allowed 

 us to be fully operational within one 

 week. 



Software is available for inventory 

 management Here's an example of 

 how we use the software: Generally, 

 we enter the order into the computer 

 during the phone sale by using a laser 

 pen on a bar code price sheet. This is 

 quicker than writing it out and en- 

 tering later. From that one simple 

 entry, the system generates acknow- 

 ledgments, invoices, picking tickets 

 and statements. It also prints work 

 schedules so we know exactly what 

 cuttings to harvest or ship each week. 

 Whenever an item is entered, we get 

 an up-to-date inventory status so you 

 know exactly what's available. Using 

 this greenhouse-oriented software, 

 there's a wide array of detailed sales 

 and plant reports at your fingertips. 

 "Flexibility " is the key word with 

 this system. The software is updated 

 periodically, so you needn't fear 

 buying a system that will become 

 obsolete. 



Another valuable asset is the 800 

 number telephone support line. Help 

 is only a phone call away for any 

 questions or problems you may have. 



Do-it-yourself financial reports Our 



other software package, called Ag- 

 base, is from Farm Credit Services — 

 formerly Production Credit Associa- 

 tion. Before computerizing, I would 

 send my accountant deposit and 

 disbursement information, and he 

 provided me with a monthly finan- 

 cial report for a fee of approximately 

 $1,000 per year. But when my ac- 

 countant saw my computer invest- 

 ment, he said 1 should really be doing 

 it myself. Again 1 asked that dreaded 

 question, "Will it mean more time in 

 the office?" He tried to assure me that 

 it would mean less time. 



We took the plunge again. For 

 approximately a $1,000, one-time 

 fee, we now own the software that 

 produces the same financial reports 

 and does our payroll. If it's the time 

 of month to pay bills, I erter the in- 

 formation into the computer. When 

 all the check amounts are entered, 



the system prints them out. All 

 company names and addresses are 

 already in the computer, so very little 

 typing is involved. I put the check 

 into a windowed envelope, and I've 

 eliminated writing the check and 

 addressing the envelope. 



My time spent paying bills has 

 been cut in half. All bank deposits 

 are also entered in the computer. 

 From these simple entries, it prints 

 out monthly financial reports includ- 

 ing General Ledger, Profit and Loss 

 Statement and Cash Flow Forecasts. 

 It even helps balance the checkbook. 



Time-saving payroll program The 



payroll program is another great labor 

 saver. 1 usually write only about 10 

 payroll checks each pay period. But 

 making computations and looking up 

 deductions still took plenty of time. 

 Then each month I'd sort through 

 the figures to make a federal tax de- 

 posit. Once again, I'd be sorting 

 through the figures to make quarterly 

 reports. 



Now 1 simply enter in hours each 

 employee's worked, and it prints out 

 their checks. It gives me the monthly 

 deposit and quarterly report informa- 

 tion for state and federal taxes. All 

 that comes basically from one entry. 



All the financial and payroll re- 

 ports this system generates are very 

 clear and concise. You don't need to 

 be a CPA to understand them. This 

 software also has periodic updates 

 and phone support. Likewise, it's 

 comforting to know that when I do 

 call for help, I'm talking to my ac- 

 countant, who is already familiar 

 with my situation. 



Computers can accomplish some 

 great tasks, but simple, little things 

 benefit you also. Not writing checks 

 by hand or telling a customer on the 

 phone immediately what they bought 

 from you last year without searching 

 through filing cabinets are little 

 things that mean a lot. 



It's time for small growers to open 

 their minds to the technology avail- 

 able to them and realize that they, 

 too, can take advantage of it, to 

 survive and prosper in years ahead. 



Bill Ceri'v IS oiimer of Cemy's Greenhousi. 

 m Tomahawk, Wisconsin, 



