This article provides simple step by step instructions to create a new recommendation as a grower if you do not receive recommendation from chemical distributor advisor.
1) Create A New Recommendation
From the Recs page under the Recommendation tab you can click on New Rec to get started.
2) Adding Dates, Title, and Customer
On the new page, begin by adding a title to your recommendation. This can be whatever you want it to be, but being specific to location/fields/crop can help with later searches.
As you are writing as a grower the Customer Name will already be filled out.
You can adjust the date of the recommendation to any date in the future or the past.
You may also set a date range that the recommendation is valid from by either changing the valid from and to dates of by changing the number of days.
By default the date will be set to the date you created the record, and have a valid date range of 7 days.
3A) Adding Locations via Wizard
Below the Customer Name is a set of boxes from which, you may select the crop(s), variety, field type, and state the recommendation is being applied to.
If you have multiple locations, you may now select which locations to apply the recommendation to.
Once you have made the selection(s), click add location to add all that match your filter selection.
It is important to note that you have to have a least one location to be able to write a recommendation
3B) Adding Location via Advanced Location Selector
You can also add a location by clicking the Advanced location selector button.
After you select the advanced location selector button, a new window will open and you can filter the location be crop, variety, and state.
Once you have filtered the location, select the ones you'd like and click add. This will add all of the selected locations and their related fields.
3C) Adding Locations Manually
You may also wish to manually add your location. If so, simply select one from the drop-down box.
Once your location has been added, select the detail box if you wish to define specific fields.
Click the green icon to select the fields. Here, you can also add field, band and field percent settings, which can also be adjusted in the details area next to the fields list.
You can add as many different field rows as you'd like. This is helpful when there are multiple fields containing different row and banding settings.
4) Spray Volume & Tank Size
Once the customer information has been entered, you can now adjust the Spray Volume and Tank size.
Select the application type: wet or dry. If you select dry, the spray volume and tanks size will be removed.
The default spray volume is 100 and the default tank size is 400. As a grower you can set a preference that will override this if there is an alternate preferred spray volume and tank size.
5) Adding Products
To enter a product, simply begin typing the product name in the PROD field and select the product from the auto-populating drop-down. You can also search by EPA in the same box.
Once the product is selected, the EPA number and AI boxes will be filled in automatically.
When selecting a product, you will see a small cross next to some products; this indicates the product is organic. If you try to add a non-organic product to an organic field, a warning will be displayed. You can choose to ignore the warning and continue adding the product. A notice will be placed at the bottom of the recommendation if a non-organic product was added to an organic field.
If you have trouble finding a product, try searching by the EPA number or use the advanced search (see step 6). Additionally, you can choose to manually enter the product information.
Once you have selected the product, you can adjust the target crop and pest. When the crop and pest changes, the product rate range will change according to what the product label recommends.
You can now adjust the product rate by a per acre of per 100 basis. If you mouse over the rate, you will be given the product rate range that appears on the product label.
The REI and PHI information will automatically populate once the product is selected. You can change the REI and PHI if needed by selecting edit.
The little "i" icon next to the rates indicates if the product uses a per acre or per 100 gallon rate
A warning will be displayed if you put in a rate that is outside the rate range. You may, however, choose to keep the information that you entered.
If you are editing the REI or PHI, a new window will pop up for you to make the change. Select Local Need or Other and enter the reason for the change to save the information.
When the REI and PHI information changes, a notice will appear at the bottom of the recommendation letting the grower know why it was changed.
If you want add a new product click on the paper and pencil icon.
To delete a product, click on the trash can to delete the highlighted product.
The arrow buttons allow you to change the order the products are added to the tank.
To view the label file, simply click on the piece of paper icon.
To view the SDS, click the radioactive icon.
6) Using the Advanced Product Selector
If you are having trouble finding a product, click on the green box next to the product line to open the advanced product selector.
Here, you can search via a keyword, name, EPA, AI, Manufacturer, owner or any combination of the six. Once you have found the product, select it and click submit.
6) Notes
Once your products have been added, you can enter the application timing notes and justifications. The justifications is a mutli-select drop-down. You may select as many as you'd like, but there must be a minimum of one justification.
You can also adjust the below and above temperatures and add crop, stage and timing.
The below and above temperatures are by default set to 40 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The justifications are set to Field Observation by default.
If you have notes that are not related to the application timing, you can enter them in the advisor comments. Here, you have the option to change font size, type, color and bold to help draw emphasis when needed.
Notices from the products will appear below the advisor comments in the notice section. These notices can not be edited.
8) Actions Button
Once the information for your recommendation is entered, click the Actions button and select complete.
Or, there are several other options in the actions button drop-down:
Preview will create a preview pdf of your recommendation
Save and Exit allows you to save your recommendation and go back to the RECS page if you plan to come back and finish it later
Save and Create template will allow you to turn your recommendation into a template that you can apply to multiple recommendations
Complete and Exit allows you to complete your recommendation and go back to the RECS page
Complete and Print/Send will complete your recommendation, take you back to the RECS page, and open a new window that will allow you to either print the completed recommendation or email to person in your operation
If you decide you don't want the recommendation you can click on trash to delete it.