Logging events¶

Logs are records of all kinds of events. You can be as granular as you want: the more information you're recording, the more you can look back on and learn from in the future.

Planning ahead¶

Planning ahead in farmOS is exactly the same as recording things that already happened. The only difference is that the date is in the future, and the log is "not done".

All events in farmOS are entered as logs, and all logs can be marked as "done" or "not done". So to plan an event in the future, create a log with a future date, and make sure the "done" box is not checked.

Logs that are in the future and "not done" will appear in your "Upcoming Tasks" list on the dashboard. Underneath that is a "Late tasks" list, which shows all "not done" logs with a date in the past. So as time goes by, you can mark your logs as done (or not), and it will keep track of what happened and what didn't.

Calendar¶

In addition to the standard lists by log type, you can also view all logs in a calendar format. This is available via the main menu, next to "My Account", or directly at farm/calendar. Month, week, day, and year views are all available.

Standard log types¶

There are a number of different type of logs in farmOS - each with it's own purpose and set of fields. Some of the general log types are described below, but there are also other log types that pertain to specific asset types.

Activities¶

Activities are a sort of catch-all, or default, log type, which can be used for general planning and recordkeeping of activities that don't fit any of the other, more specific, log types.

Observations¶

Observations are used to record any kind of passive observation on the farm. For example, seeing that a planting has germinated is an observation. This is a very flexible log type that can be used for a lot of different things. It comes with it's own "Observation Type" vocabulary for defining your own custom categorizations.

Inputs¶

Input logs are used to record resources that are put into an asset. Fertlizer (for plantings) or feed (for animals) can be recorded with input logs.

Harvests¶

Harvest logs are used to record harvests.

Other log types¶

In addition to the standard log types described above, there are a few other types provided for specific purposes. Note that these log types are provided by modules that may not be turned on by default in your farmOS. If you do not see these types in your farmOS, turn on the applicable module (or ask you farmOS host to do so for you).

Soil tests¶

Soil test logs can be used to record when you have a soil test performed. They can be linked to a specific field or area, and you can specify the exact points on a map where samples were taken from. Integration is also provided with the US NRCS Soil Survey API, which allows you to view soil type map overlays, as well as look up soil name for the specific sample points in your soil tests.

Sales and purchases¶

Sale and purchase logs can be used to record a sales/purchases, optionally associated with assets and/or areas. These can be enabled with the farmOS Ledger module.

Water tests¶

Water test logs can be used to record when you have a water test performed. Similar to soil test logs, they can be linked to a specific field or area, and you can specify the lab that performed the test. Some regulatory guidelines require that water tests are taken for both field and pack house water sources.

Sales¶

Sale logs provide the ability to record the sale of specific assets. You can specify quantity sold, unit price, total price, customer, and invoice number. Sales logs can only represent the sale of a single item, and are not intended for use as multi-item invoices. The primary purpose of sale logs is to connect the final dots for food traceability.

Log features¶

Task assignment¶

Logs can be assigned to one or more person(s) in farmOS using the log's Owner field. Users can view a list of all logs assigned to them by clicking "My Account" in the menu and then selecting the "Logs" tab of their user profile.

Categorization¶

Logs can be assigned to one or more categories. A set of pre-defined categories are provided by farmOS, and more can be added by users. Log categories enable you to organize, sort, and filter your logs in ways that make sense to you, so you can find the logs you need easily in the future.

Bulk asset association¶

If you want to create a log that references multiple assets, you can either create the log and then add each asset to it individually, or you can select multiple assets in a list and click the "Log" button that appears at the bottom. This will open up a new log form with the assets pre-selected.