Ensuring Success BEFORE Going to the Field
This morning I glanced at the calendar on my office wall, and it dawned on me that roughly 60 days from now its likely growers will begin putting in the 2024 crop. Anticipation of the potential opportunity and excitement that each growing season brings, quickly gave way to thoughts of the wild scramble that ensues during the first few days of planting. Everyone reading this has heard, and likely understands, the old adage “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” Growers and Dealers alike have the opportunity to overdetermine a successful spring planting season by planning ahead and ensuring the equipment and technology is ready to go and functioning correctly, BEFORE going to the field when resources and tempers are stretched thin.
Below is a consolidation of a couple of technology checklists we utilize at the dealership level to ensure customer success. Please feel free to utilize and / or modify as you see fit as you prepare for a successful planting season.
Spring Technology Readiness Checklist
- Planter Inspection scheduled with local Sinclair Tractor Location?
- Planter and tractor software compatible?
- Clean last year’s data off displays (Gen 4 & 5)
- Display Software updated?
- Receiver and rate controller software is embedded in the download, just ensure the components are connected during the updating process
- Software updates can be accessed over-the-air on connected machines and through Stellar Support on non-connected components
- Operations Center
- Current boundaries active?
- Current year’s varieties loaded?
- Current machinery loaded?
- Setup files Created and Exported (Gen 2 & 3 displays)
- Work Planner utilized and sent (Gen 4 & 5 displays)
- All Rx loaded on displays?
- Planter and tractor pulling it hooked together?
- Functions verified (downforce, row unit runoffs, etc.)
If you have any questions or would like assistance, please reach out. Sinclair Tractor is excited about technology and wants to be your partner in achieving success.