Making data more accessible
What is the problem?
Farm records are often scattered across paper files, USBs and a single computer, making them hard to share and easy to lose. Limited access to data reduces transparency and teamwork. As technology applications grow and evolve, ensuring compatibility across applications and with foundational operating systems becomes more challenging and more important.
Why is it important?
Effective management relies on accurate, accessible data for you, your family and staff. Buyers and consumers increasingly expect transparent records.
What does success look like?
You and your team can securely access farm data from anywhere. Records are backed up, stored via the Cloud, and protected, reducing risk and supporting better decisions. Operating systems are updated to ensure compatibility with new technology applications and/or software upgrades.
Encompassed technologies
Cloud-based productivity suites
- Centralises farm records in a secure, accessible environment
- Enables real-time document sharing and collaboration among multiple users
- Simplifies compliance reporting through easy retrieval of stored records
- Reduces key person risk by ensuring data access isn’t dependent on one individual
Microsoft 365
- Full suite of cloud-enabled apps including Outlook, Excel, Word, Teams, and OneDrive for storage and collaboration.
- Supports secure file sharing, real-time co-authoring, and integration with other farm and business tools.
Estimated Cost
AUD9.00 / user / month for Business Basic (annual billing)
AUD18.70 / user / month for Business Standard (annual billing)
AUD32.90 / user / month for Business Premium (annual billing)
Google Workspace
- Cloud-based productivity suite with Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, and integrated collaboration features.
- Enables easy sharing, editing, and access to documents across devices and users, with flexible subscription options.
Estimated Cost
~ AUD19.20 / user / month
Cloud storage
- Provides secure, scalable storage for large volumes of farm data
- Ensures data backup and recovery in case of device loss or damage
- Facilitates traceability by keeping records in a central, accessible location
Dropbox
- Simple, cloud-based file storage solution for organising and sharing farm or business documents.
- Best suited for standalone storage needs; lacks built-in collaboration features and is often paired with Microsoft or Google tools for full functionality.
Estimated Cost
~ AUD$17.80 / user / month
Advanced cloud storage
- Offers Innovatively scalable, cost-effective storage for unstructured data such as images, maps, and sensor readings
- Supports integration with analytics tools for deeper insights
- Ensures long-term data preservation in standardised formats
- May require data engineering skills to set up, configure, and integrate, which may impact expected ROI.
Microsoft Azure Blob Storage
- Azure Blob Storage helps you create and store data lakes to bring together disparate, unstructured data sources at scale.
- Requires knowledge of data engineering to set up.
Estimated Cost
~ AUD0.026 / GB / month for “Hot” tier
Amazon S3
- Reliable cloud storage service commonly used to store large volumes of farm data like sensor logs or drone imagery.
- Requires knowledge of data engineering to set up.
Estimated Cost
~ AUD0.035 / GB / month for “Standard” class
Middleware and data integration
- Connects and integrates data from multiple farm systems into a unified view
- Automates background data transfer to reduce manual entry
- Enhances decision-making by making disparate datasets compatible and actionable
- May require custom design, on-farm installation, and support, making adoption typically more complex than cloud software
Pairtree intelligence
- Delivers a universal computer dashboard to centralise all farm data into a single log in space.
- View, navigate and analyse all data, no matter the source, across the entire farm operation and supply chain.
- Integrate data feeds from your existing and future agtech devices and services, from 100+ different providers.
Estimated Cost
~ AUD$440 / year
FarmPulse
- Cloud-based platform with IoT hardware to integrate soil moisture, water use, livestock, and environmental data.
- Visualises real-time data through custom dashboards to support decisions on irrigation, grazing, and farm logistics.
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
Data Visualisation tools
- Translates complex datasets into clear, user-friendly charts and dashboards
- Helps farmers track performance trends and make data-driven decisions
- Reduces data overwhelm by Innovativelighting key metrics and insights
- Specialised farm mapping apps may also be available to quickly draw or upload your farm layout. Digital maps can save time when service providers install or integrate new tech
Microsoft Power BI
- Interactive data analytics and viualisation tool
- It can connect to and integrate with excel and many other data sources
- Helpful for visualising data to create customised business intelligence solutions; can also provide insights to support decisions
Estimated Cost
Power BI Monthly Costs (AUD):
- Small business (10 users):
With Office 365: $240 for full features - Without Office 365: $140 for basic features
- Medium business (50 users):
With Office 365: $1,200 for full features - Without Office 365: $700 for basic features
Large business (200 users):
- With Office 365: $4,800 for full features
- Without Office 365: $2,800 for basic features
Tableau
- Data visualisation and business intelligence tool that enables users to connect, visualise and share data in an interactive way.
- Tableau has supporting products to prepare and clean data and turn it into insights
Estimated Cost
~ AUD115 / user / month for “Creator” tier (billed annually)
~ AUD65 / user / month for “Explorer” tier
~ AUD23 / user / month for “Viewer” tier
Indicium Dynamics
- Integrates data from sensors, assets, and external sources into one platform.
- Helps farmers access real-time insights through custom dashboards and alerts.
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
Data Visualisation tools
- Provides visual access to NDVI, rainfall, and other satellite data to support climate risk awareness and spatial planning.
- Enables time-series comparisons to track crop condition, detect stress, or assess recovery post-extreme events.
Copernicus Browser
Web-based Earth observation browsing and analysis platform serving Copernicus satellite data using intuitive, map-based tools.
Offers customizable visualisations—true-colour, spectral indices like NDVI—and supports time-lapse comparisons, download, and simple area analyses.
Estimated Cost
Free
OneSoil
A free phone app using satellite data to automatically map field boundaries and use NDVI to remotely identify paddock problem areas, like those related to soil erosion or poor drainage. It also provides geolocated notes for in-field scouting and offers weather data (forecasts, growing degree-days, and precipitation) for better planning
Estimated Cost
Free
A.I. powered chatbot platforms (Large Language Models - LLM's)
- A.I. search engine and chat tools to rapidly generate responses based on prompts and data provided and public information on the internet.
- Can be a powerful tool for problem-solving and to summarise, analyse, simplify, write and track information.
- Note - always include detailed prompts (questions) and accurate data, assess responses (answers) and verify with on-ground expertise and experiences.
- Free versions available with advanced models and pro features at a premium."
ChatGPT / OpenAI
Conversational AI for general-purpose tasks, coding, writing, and reasoning. Known for broad capabilities and GPT-4 turbo performance. Can help with anything from drafting emails to exploring agtech innovations or weather-related planning.
Estimated Cost
- Free (Basic version)
- $359.88 AUD / year for advanced models)
Gemini / Google
Useful for organizing farm photos, accessing AI tools on mobile, and managing documents with Google Drive and Gmail integration. Handy if you are already using google systems.
Estimated Cost
- Free (Basic version)
- $359.88 AUD / year (Advanced for best models)
Copilot / Microsoft
Integrated into Microsoft 365 apps, enhancing productivity with AI-powered writing, data analysis, and task automation across Word, Excel, and more. Handy if you already use Microsoft 365.
Estimated Cost
- Free (Basic web version)
- Cost varies from ~ $159 AUD / year (depending on M365 integration)
Claude / Anthropic
Ideal for thoughtful writing, summarisation, and ethical reasoning with a user-friendly tone. Great for farmers who want reliable, easy-to-understand help with writing or learning.
Estimated Cost
- Free (Basic version)
- $306 AUD / year (Pro for best models and features)
Perplexity / Perplexity AI
Acts like a smart search engine with AI. Ideal for quick, trustworthy research on farming questions or agtech tools. It provides fast, cited answers from the web.
Estimated Cost
- Free (Basic version)
- $306 AUD/ year (Pro for best models and features)
A.I. powered farm management platforms
- Integrates operational, financial, and environmental data into one platform
- Improves planning for labour, inputs, and harvest through real-time updates
- Supports productivity gains via AI and machine learning features for yield prediction and risk management
AgriERP
- Farm management system with built-in AI to forecast yields, detect pests/disease early, and optimise inputs.
- Goes further than classic visualisation platforms to also automate data interpretation, prioritisation, and support decision-making.
- Integrates data across operations to support real-time, data-driven decisions.
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
ListenField
- Precision farming platform that integrates farmer-entered data, satellite imagery, and environmental metrics into an AI-driven dashboard.
- Offers soil nutrition analysis, crop growth prediction, and field activity tracking via a mobile app and web portal.
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
Farmonaut
- Satellite-driven digital agriculture platform offering crop health monitoring, yield forecasting, soil moisture mapping, AI-powered advisory, and blockchain traceability.
- Combines data from satellite imagery, weather stations, and field sources to support resource optimisation and proactive farm management.
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
Figured
- Connects farm production data with accounting platforms to enable real-time budgeting and forecasting.
- Helps farmers and advisors plan, track, and report on financial performance across seasons.
Estimated Cost
Free
Data Visualisation tools
ListMap
A free mapping website with hundreds of authoritative spatial dataset layers to choose from, including soil analyses, geology types, topography, frost risk, viable future crop regions, and much more!
ArcGIS - Tasmania Soil Map
A freely available mapping and data visulaisation tool.
Tasmania digital soil map is a collection of Innovative-resolution soil attribute data for land areas in Tasmania. There are 17 soil data layers available that delineate specific soil properties, types and PH at standardised soil depths
Estimated Cost
Free
Climate and pasture forecasting tools
- Provides Innovative-resolution weather and pasture growth forecasts tailored to farm locations
- Assists in optimising planting, grazing, and harvest timing
- Reduces losses by enabling proactive responses to climate risks
Farming Forecaster
Freely available Innovative-res, live map of Tasmanian weather using machine learning interpolation
Estimated Cost
Free