OVERVIEW
Country or Region: UK
Specialty: Livestock Farm
Customer Profile:
Andrew Dobin, owner of JA Dobin and Son based at Newhouse Farm in Alvechurch, Worcestershire, rears 200 dairy calves and runs a flock of 270 ewes.
Andrew first learned about Farmplan Business Cloud (FBC) in 2022 when the Farmplan team approached him about switching from Cash Focus.
Customer Challenge:
Having used Cash Focus for over 10 years, Andrew didn’t see the need to switch to FBC, and believed it wasn’t suitable for him. “I was concerned we’d start getting connection issues,” says Andrew. “We’re not a massive business so I thought, is it really going to benefit me?”
Solution:
After consulting with his accountant, who highlighted the potential benefits of reduced accountancy bills and the convenience of live bank feeds, Andrew made a decision to switch to FBC in May 2023 tying it in with his VAT quarter. Since then, he hasn’t looked back.
Andrew is the sole user of FBC on the farm and he relies on it to efficiently manage his business accounts, track costs for the cattle and sheep enterprises, use the bank feed to monitor the business bank account and allocate transactions accurately. Despite his initial reservations, he has experienced the considerable benefits first-hand.
“When we receive invoices or payments, I find it easy to input the information, check the bank transactions daily, and then allocate accordingly. So far, it’s all working very well.” says Andrew.
How Farmplan saved time and streamlined operations for a Worcestershire livestock farmer
What is Farmplan Business Cloud?
Simply smarter farm business accounts software tailor-made for agriculture.
On the farm or in the office, make your everyday business tasks easier with our cloud accounting package designed specifically to fit the growing needs of farmers and rural businesses. All underpinned by familiar terminology that means something to your business, and fully supported by our dedicated and experienced team.
This case study explores how Farmplan Business Cloud helped Worcestershire Farmer save time and help streamline operations.
Saving time and streamlining the business
For a busy farmer, time is precious. Anything that helps save time and streamlines the business, is not just welcome but essential. FBC not only reduces paperwork and makes information more accessible but also allows accountants to seamlessly access the farm accounts. This makes the year end far less stressful and eliminates the need for time-consuming trips to the accountant’s office.
Flexibility of access
The ability to access FBC anytime, anywhere has made a huge difference to Andrew’s business. No longer does he have to do his invoices in the farm office at the end of a long day. Now, he can handle them in minutes even while enjoying his breakfast! “Most mornings, I turn the laptop on, look at the bank transactions, and if any invoices have come through the post or online, I just enter them in,” says Andrew. “I don’t have to waste time finding my paperwork and everything is done in no time at all.”
Tailored Agriculture Accounting Software with Expert Support
Using software that caters for farmers is crucial to Andrew. Prior to switching to FBC, he tried a demo of a popular cloud-based accounting software for small businesses. However, he discovered that it didn’t allow him to select any categories that were specific to farming.
“If you enter a new category in FBC, it automatically knows what it is and tells you whether there’s VAT on it or not, or if it has reduced VAT. It’s clever. Programs outside of farming don’t understand farming in my opinion.” Andrew explains.
This is where Farmplan really differs. The team understand farming and farmers and likes to offer customers as much support as possible. Though Andrew hasn’t needed much support with FBC, he appreciates that others may need and want it. When he has needed help from the team, Andrew has had a positive experience.
“The Farmplan support was great when I needed it,” says Andrew. “The team are always quick to answer the phone and if I need to clarify something, I can just press the help button within the programme.”
From initially being a reluctant FBC user, Andrew is now an enthusiastic advocate and is keen to encourage other customers to make the switch. “If you’re hesitating about switching to FBC, I’d say trust the Farmplan experts and give it a go,” says Andrew. “For me, it’s definitely been worth the move.”