How to assign worker names in the field on the ABCgrower Mobile App

What’s in a name?

Another goal has been achieved in our relentless pursuit for information automation – you can now assign Worker Names in the field on the ABCgrower Mobile App!

Why is this useful?

Where you have a bunch of new pickers arrive (excuse the pun), you can have a handful of worker cards with unique identification numbers loaded and ready to go.  Scan the card on the App, enter their name, handover the card and they can get picking!

How do I do this?

First up, create and print Worker Cards via Worker > Worker > Bulk Create on the website.

Then, on the App, tap Download Settings > Workers.

Scan the Worker Card via the new Worker Name function and enter the worker’s name.

The information will be sent to the website when you upload Data.  Worker names remain editable on the App until they’re uploaded.   

To add more information, such as payroll numbers or to assign pay rates, do this via the website in the usual way.

I’m interested, how do I get it?

Where you have a bunch of new pickers arrive (excuse the pun), you can have a handful of worker cards with unique identification numbers loaded and ready to go.  Scan the card on the App, enter their name, handover the card and they can get picking!

How to set worker time worked hours warning

Long day?

If you enter workers’ hours via Worker > Set Worker Time a warning message pops up if the shift is 11 hours or more.

This can be a handy reminder – for example you enter a Start Time of 6:00 AM and intend to enter an End Time of 11:00 AM but the default is PM and suddenly you’re paying your crew for 17 hours when they only worked 5.

But…it’s not necessarily so helpful if you often have workers doing long shifts.

What’s new?

You can now control the length of time before a warning is triggered. Go to Settings > Control > Worker Time Section: Worked Time Warning (hours).  Enter the number of hours you want to allow before you get the warning message.

How to know if there are updates to the ABCgrower Mobile App

Growth spurt

We’re constantly growing ABCgrower and ABCspray to help you grow your produce.  If there is an enhancement to the ABCgrower Mobile App we’ll let you know in the Release notes.

How do I get it?

You can set your device to auto-update apps.  If this is not active you will need to manually download updates from the Google Play Store.

  1. Open the Google Play Store App.
  2. Search for ABCgrower Mobile App and tap to select.
  3. If the right hand button says Update, tap to update.
  4. If the right hand button says Open, you’re up-to-date!

Staging tables – how the data gets from the app to the website

Missing Records?

Where are they?

When you collect information on the ABCgrower mobile App and upload it to the website, the data is passed through staging tables where the records are checked for errors before they are passed to the relevant data tables.  If any records are in error the uploaded batch is held in the staging table.  Examples include double scanning of a unique bin number and scanning a worker who has been marked inactive. 

How do I see them?

The staging tables are on the relevant menu, for example Picking Staging is on the Activity menu and Worker Time Staging is on the Worker menu.  Staging tables are permission based so you need to have the relevant role assigned to your user profile to see them.

What do I do with them?

Records are automatically processed every few minutes.  If you’re super speedy and find records in a staging table, and none are in error, click [Re-process] to push them through (in this case all records will show in red, but there will be no error messages).

If there are records in error there will be a message to tell you what’s wrong.   You can delete a record by clicking the adjacent rubbish bin icon.  Then you can click [Re-process] to push any remaining records through (or wait for them to auto-process).  Remember to re-enter the corrected record via the the appropriate page (e.g. Activity > Worker Activity) if necessary.

Warnings that prevent creation of a pay run

Pay day…panic!!!

You’ve Authorised your records, checked them twice, Create the Pay Run aaaaaand….Warning!!!!  

Open Work Activities exist and have been excluded

When creating a Pay Run ABCgrower looks for all Open records up to the Pay Run end date.  Top tip!  When searching Work Activity for the open records to fix, authorise or delete, don’t enter a ‘Work Date From’ in case there’s some erroneous data from way back.  We’ve seen records entered as birth years, typos where 2021 was recorded as 2012 and so on!   

There are timesheet records with no work activity in this section

Still can’t see them?  If your User profile is Restricted to a Grower (see Settings > User) you will not see timesheet records with no work activity.  You can change this if it suits your organisation to do so.

There are employees with an hourly rate less than the minimum rate of 25.41

This is warning you that there are records less than the minimum rate set for your organisation.  And, it’s just a warning – you should check your records are correct but this one won’t prevent you from creating a Pay Run (…phew!).

How to use pay grades

Pay grades

Might sound like a bore, don’t make it a chore…ABCgrower supports using pay grades instead of, or in combination with, hourly rates. 

Hey Aussies! Use this to maintain award levels

By using pay grades for the award Levels, if the pay rate changes you’ll enter the new rate for the award level and this will be applied to all applicable workers, no need to update each worker.

You set up your pay grades, for example Level 1 Casual 20 years and over = $25.41.  Go into each worker you want to use pay grades, set the pay grades flag, and choose the applicable pay grade.

Pay different rates for different tasks?

No problem! This is another use for pay grades.  For example, a worker earns $25.41 per hour, but when they clean the tanks they get $29 per hour (it’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it!).  Attach a pay grade to an activity type and ABCgrower will auto-calculate the right pay rate for the job.  This can be used if workers have a pay grade set or not.

The rate per hour is calculated using the higher of the activity type’s pay grade, or the worker’s hourly rate (or worker’s pay grade if using this). 

This way, if the manager is called in to clean the tanks she’ll get her usual $32 per hour, not the $29 cleaning rate.

Sound good?

This module has already been activated for you.  You’ll just need to add the pay grade role to each user or role you want to be able to set the pay grades.

How to see comments on worker activity records

No Comment!

Did you know you can add a Comment to a Work Activity Record?

Entering Comments

You can enter a Comment against a Non Picking Activity record on the App and it will be uploaded to the website with the record.

On the website you can add a Comment when entering a record via Worker Activity > [New], or Bulk Create.

You can enter a Comment on any Activity record via a Workers Timesheet Activities.  Click the Comment icon and a pop up box will open where you type the Comment. 

But which records have comments?

The Comment icon will show in green for any records with comments recorded, and in blue for records without comments.  This is especially handy where your team in the field add comments to records and you need to check them on the website.

How do I read it?

Click the icon and the Comment will show. 

How to access the new online help manual

Help!

We’re excited to let you know we have released a brand spanking new online Help manual.  It’s comprehensive, up-to-date and covers all modules in ABCgrower and ABCspray.   

Where is it?

It’s accessed the same way as the existing manual.  Click the question mark icon to the right of the top blue banner in ABCgrower.  Whether you consider Help manuals your first port of call, or your place of last resort, check it out, it is helpful!

How to set a default container label printer

Is it your job to print container labels?

Did you know you can set a default container printer?  Whether your organisation has one label printer or a dozen of them, setting a default printer means you don’t have to select the printer when you go to print container labels.  That’s one less step every time you print your labels. 

Sound good? 

Go to Settings > User > click your Username, and then choose the printer from the Container Printer dropdown list. Click Save and it’s done!  If you don’t have user management permissions ask your manager to do this for you.

Get printing! 

Now when you go to Inventory > Print Container Label the Printer field will be pre-populated with your printer. 

It’s not set in stone though, so if you did need to choose another printer the dropdown list remains available to you.

How to control the default ‘work date from’ date

Dating Tips 

‘Work Date From’ is a common filter in ABCgrower, like in Worker Activity Search for example.  It’s set to 3 months by default, but you have control over this.

Fancy a change? 

Go to Settings > Control and change the setting in Work Date Default.  To set the default to the current date leave the field blank.   Just be aware that this setting applies to all users across all searches, so check with the bill payer first!

Hey Aussie citrus growers, listen up!

Wim van Niekerk, Managing Director Widem Farming, has been invited by Citrus Australia to speak about ABC at the upcoming forum.  Wim already uses ABCgrower’s top up function to ensure pieceworkers are paid minimum wage, and the productivity information grower provides has meant big savings on the bottom line.  We are very appreciative to Wim and his team!