Dairy Ration Software and Library Linking

If you've used dairy ration software in the past, you're probably familiar with routine of setting up a "ration file". You're probably also well acquainted with the hassles and frustrations associated with creating separate "ration files" for each ration in a feeding program.

In the data storage scenario most commonly employed by ration software, each ration file is essentially an island unto itself with no intrinsic association with any other ration file, even those that are part of the same feeding program.

When ingredient prices or analyses change, either each ration file in a feeding program must be updated individually or some action outside the normal flow of data handling must be implemented to effect the needed changes.

Feed Library Linking

Formulate2 takes the hassle out of creating rations and maintaining accurate ingredient pricing and analyses dramatically reducing the time required to implement changes.

With little more than the keystrokes required to actually enter new values, you won't even realize the changes you've made are global changes.

Here's What You Do ...

When viewing a ration record, click on the Feed Constraints tab then left click to highlight the feed you wish to work with. At this point, right click on the mouse to display the popup menu shown below and click on the View Highlighted Feed option.

This action retrieves and displays the selected feed record so that you can make the needed changes.

When you're finished, save the changes by clicking on the toolbar Save button. Then position the mouse over the feed record nutrient grid and press the right mouse key to display the popup menu and click on Ration Library to return you to the ration record. You can also use the Ration Library option in the Files menu.

That's it!

Here's How It Works ...

When it is initially created, each ration record is "linked" to an existing feed library by clicking on the Feed Library field on the Ration ID & Financials tab of the ration record form as shown below and selecting then clicking on the desired feed library name.

Once the ration record is "linked" with a given feed library, all actions requiring feeds will be directed to the linked feed library. As an example, all of the feed items in the first screen image shown at the beginning of this topic were imported into the ration record from the linked feed library. Consequently, when you select a menu option requiring feed information for any ration linked to the feed library, values that have been updated are automatically inherited by the process accessing the feed library.

Any ration record linked to a feed library will provide access to the prices and analyses of the feeds in the library so long as the feed appears in the Feed Constraints grid of the ration record.

You can change the linked library any time you wish but if you do all feed items imported from the library will be deleted from the Feed Constraints grid. If you later decide to re-link to the previous library, you will have to re-import the feeds; they cannot be automatically restored.

(for additional information on this topic see Instant Record Replication)