Presented By: Hussein Marei
The Question
• How to create a computer software program to
manage the entire Nursery production cycle up to
the sales?
– How to make it user friendly?
– How to make it universally applicable?
– How to make it accessible to the various members of staff
with limitations, whenever and wherever?
Why do you need the software?
1. It is more economical: You save paper, your data is in one
secure location, and overall it is more organized.
2. Ease of access
i.
A user friendly interface insures that the entire structural process
takes place and no steps or rules are ignored along the way.
ii. Automatic alerting system to increase efficiency in the production
cycle.
iii. All the data is made accessible from one point so there is no need to
dig through archives.
iv. All the data is exportable to spreadsheet or report format and so the
computer is able to analyze and present the data rapidly and more
efficiently.
Why do you need the software?
3. Ease of Input.
i. Everything in the program could be done by one person or more.
ii. Everything is done by a mouse click only having to enter sensitive
numerical data.
iii. The program automatically analyzes user input and is able to more
accurately represent the real life situation in the nursery.
4. Better security/management
i.
ii.
Clearly defined user roles and parameters.
A backup of the program happens automatically regularly so that the
data is always safe.
iii. User input is always restricted to certain variable limitations which
guarantees no erroneous data.
Different Approaches to create the software
1. The Sales/Financial Approach
i.
Here the base of the program is purely financial. Therefore all
variables have to relate to a numerical figure which in part add up to
the cost of producing a single plant. The program goes through the
cycle until the initial cost is brought to a zero by the sales or
consumption and a profit is made over that.
a. Pros: It is a good way of tracking everything in the nursery and
the cost value helps you to plan your spending more efficiently.
b. Cons: Its an over glorified accounting system that at the end
requires a value attached to everything even if it is a zero and
therefore neglects the main essence of nursery management
which is management of the production cycle itself and all the
processes involved.
Different Approaches to create the software
2. The Forecast Plan Approach
i.
Using this approach the user has to have a projected plan of
production for the next period (monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or
annually). The plan with the goals are then fed into the program and
the program then determines for the user based on certain predefined
variables when the best time would be to carry out certain actions in
order to accomplish the preset plan.
a) Pros: It is a very organized way of managing the system and it
helps keep track of targets for production and monitors it closely.
b) Cons: It is a very rigid program structure that does not allow for
too much flexibility or spontaneity.
Different Approaches to create the software
3. The Integrated Solutions Approach
i.
The program accepts certain input from the user according to preset
variables so that the input has to correspond to a certain framework.
It sometimes relies on external things such as barcode scanning or a
coding system that is predefined in the program build. Basically, the
program is constructed as a framework for a nursery and all actions
are limited to certain predefined restrictions.
a) Pros: It allows for a more accurate depiction of the nursery and
the various actions taking place within it.
b) Cons: Unfortunately the programs that use such an approach still
take a warehouse management system and twist it around to
function as a nursery which again comes with a lot of flaws.
The Marei Approach
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Our approach to the software incorporates elements from all three
previous approaches adding more features to them.
The central focus of the program is the production cycle itself and not
sales or plans.
The cycle of production (from seed up to sellable tree) includes many
variables along the way some fixed while others are somewhat alternating
and some that have to be manually determined each time. We have
carefully considered each and placed them in the program.
The program is fully customizable by the user to meet any nurseries need
for almost any type of crop.
All the data is stored on one central server and is made accessible from
anywhere in the world all you need is a copy of the program.
The database of information is encrypted by a password that you choose
and the program itself has different levels of access.
The program itself is being built in three versions.
The Marei Program V1 (complete)
•
The first version of the program was made to track the production cycle
for every plant in the nursery going through all the stages from seed to
sold.
• First the Superadmin builds the framework of the nursery
(Greenhouses their types and rows, defines seasons, container sizes,
storehouses, stages, etc.)
• The Admin and Superadmin can then enter the relevant data within
the constructed framework (incoming seeds, movement of plants from
stage to stage, placing a customer order, etc.)
• The program analyzes all the data and has an alerts system set up in
order to notify the user that certain actions need to happen (the alert
remains until addressed by the user).
• The program also generates graphical reports for various things such
as GH inventory, customer orders, or tracking each individual plant
through its life cycle until it is sold.
The Marei Program V2 (in progress)
•
The second version of the program due to be complete by the end of this
year deals with the three elements of Irrigation, Fertigation, and Pesticide.
• The items pertaining to these three actions will be stored with their
quantities in their respective virtual storehouses and will be used
accordingly.
• The user will have 2 options:
• Defining an automatic custom program for any of the above,
even combining two of them or creating a custom mix of
chemicals in stock, that takes place on a routinely basis.
• Manual use i.e. Scout and solve whereby scouting reveals a
problem which is recorded in the system producing an alert
which does not go away until dealt with.
• Also added is a smart tracking system where the program analyzes
certain patterns of occurrences over the years (i.e. pests or nutritional
deficiencies) and is able to notify the user when to expect an issue.
The Marei Program V3 (4th Qtr 2012)
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The third and final version of the program will deal with the financial
framework and forecast planning of the nursery.
• Anything in the nursery that has a cost attached value will be
considered so that a running cost is created for the production cycle.
• Salary and bonus structural framework will be created.
• Accounts management system will be integrated.
• We will allow the user to input forecasted plan objectives and the
program can calculate budget expenses and such while using the plan
to help alert the user when certain operations need to be taken care of
and when an operation is out of the forecast plan.
• Finally the program will be able to encompass the whole entire
nursery management system and with it you will be able to see what
is happening in the nursery on a daily basis.
Conclusion and Remarks
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What we would like to achieve with such a program is to take the model
which Blackberry perfected and introduce it to Nursery Management.
Imagine hundreds of Nurseries in the world running this same
management program and through it being able to communicate with
other nurseries around the world.
The reporting format will be unified and so we would all be able to
compare our reports without having to decipher them first.
Overall it will present the chance for a Global Nursery network that would
benefit all nurseries in the world to advance and create a more efficient
production cycle.
Thank you for your attention.
Please visit us on http://www.mareinursery.com