The Excel Unicorn Farm Operations Management Tool

The Problem:
- Our farm is a dynamic environment with various business areas. How can we best visualize all the data we generate and report on our key metrics to enhance management- and operating-level controls and decision making relating to costs, expenses and profitability?
- The tool must help us forecast our picking and yield totals so we can set staff expectations per orchard.
- The tool must also be cost effective and allow for "live" views of currently entered farm data.

The Solution:
- Design, structure and create a data-rich dashboard broken down into specific modules to report on key business areas.
- Modular design reflects each farm business unit.
- Each module uses a mixture of informative graphics and aggregated filters to provide a high-level management view as well as allows for drilling down to answer the main business question.

- Data is "live" and is drawn via queries from a constantly updated Google Sheet. This enables up to date information at all times.
- Macro-enabled buttons to refresh all tables or reset all filters.

- Integrated forecast calculations uses past farm data to estimate current picking and yield patterns informing minimum picking totals for farm teams per orchard.

- Graphics include Bar and Line Graphs.
- Use Call-Out-Cards to highlight Key Statistics.
- Icon buttons to quickly navigate to different views (e.g. Home Screen, Modules, Data Tables or Raw Data).

The Data Tool:
- Visualization in Microsoft Excel.
- Data refreshed at 10 minute intervals from Google Sheets or manually when a button is pressed.
- Note: Only one Module is currently built. Watch this space for updated Modules as they re built!