Farm Reporting Packs: Turn Your Numbers Into Decisions

Farm Finance

A screen full of numbers means nothing until you sit with it and see your own business in it.

Reports are only useful if they change what you do next.

In this clip, Sarah Parkinson, founder of AgBooks, walks through what good farm reporting can look like in Figured, from reporting packs to cash flow against budget to margins by crop.

Sarah Parkinson on farm reporting in Figured, from a Figured webinar.

Quick reality check A report that looks like a heap of numbers isn't a bad report. It's an unread one. The value comes when you sit with it and connect it to how your business actually runs.

Reporting Packs and AI Commentary

Sarah says you can build reporting packs, and Figured now has AI commentary on your numbers.

That means the figures don't have to land on your desk with no explanation attached.

Cash Flow, Budget and Variance

Sarah's example shows the last quarter against budget, with the forecast going forward and the variance between the two.

On screen it looks like a lot. But once you understand your business, each line tells you something: where you're ahead, where you're behind, and what's coming.

Last quarter

What actually happened against what you planned.

Forecast

Where the cash is heading from here.

Variance

The gap between plan and result, and your cue to ask why.

Margins by Crop

The cropping example shows total crop income and gross margin, broken down crop by crop.

Sarah calls it really powerful information for benchmarking and for your own decisions. You see which crops are earning their place in the program, not just what the farm made overall.

She also shows an equivalent report for livestock.

What Good Reporting Gives You

• Reporting packs, so your numbers arrive in a format you can use.
• AI commentary, so the figures come with an explanation.
• Cash flow against budget, so you can see variance early.
• Gross margin by enterprise, so you know what's earning and what isn't.

So What Does This Mean for You?

Good reporting isn't about more numbers. It's about numbers you can read, trust and act on.

When you can see margins and cash flow clearly, you make better calls on what to grow, what to run and when to spend.

Want Reports You Can Actually Use?

Book a Discovery Call and we'll look at what reporting you have now and what it could tell you.

Book Your Discovery Call

Source: Sarah Parkinson, AgBooks Australia, in a webinar hosted by Figured. Watch the clip on YouTube. All or any advice contained in this article is of a general nature only and may not apply to your individual business circumstances. For specific advice relating to your situation, please contact your accountant or the AgBooks team.