Note:  As the system is updated, tabs and fields may get moved around.  Use the table of contents to navigate to the tab you want more information.  Depending on what industry you are, some tab's will be hidden from view, such as egg production information if you are a broiler farm.

Manage groups in the AeLive application through the Flock/Group screen. To do so, navigate to the farm screen by clicking Live Inventory.  From there the user will have to select a division the flock/group belongs. The user can either add a new flock/group by clicking the Add Flock button on the top ribbon bar menu under the Inventory Options tab.

The user will then select the Farm and Industry type the flock/group is associated with and click Accept to Add.

• Farm.  The farm the flock/group belongs to.  This is a required field.

• Industry Type.  The industry type of the flock/group. This is a required field.

Fig. 6.1 – Flock/Group Demographics

Details Tab

The flock/group screen will then be displayed as shown in Fig. 6.1. The user can then enter or edit the following fields in the demographics tab:

• Contract.  The contract of the flock/group that you want to apply.  Applying a contract will set that contracts defaults.  See more information on Contracts here.

• Flock Code. The code or short name of the flock/group. This is a way to identify the flock/group through the application.This is a required field.

• Description.  A description of the flock/group the user wishes to input.

• Account Close Date. Read only field and this is controlled through the Transaction Locking Wizard.  This shows you the flocks currently set accounting close date.

• Status.  The current status of the flock/group. The current selections are Active, Closed (Settled), Closed (No Contract), Closed (Aborted), Pending and Settlement.  This is a required field.

• Active. All flock transactions may be performed in this status.

• Closed (Settled). The flock was closed and contract settlements have been completed.

• Closed (No Contract). The flock was closed and there is no contract to settle.

• Closed (Aborted). The flock was created in the software and the user has no intention of working with the flock.  The user may also decide to reactivate it at a later date and chose not to delete.

• Pending. The flock has been created as a placeholder but no birds have been placed into a house.  This helps the system determine feed requirements prior to placement and also works with projected flocks.

• Settlement. A flock has been sold or removed from the houses and there are still pending transactions to enter prior to closing the flock out.

• Flock Sex.  The sex of the flock/group.

• Primary Breed.  The primary breed of the flock/group.

• Bird Type.  The flock/group type of the flock/group.

• Program.  The program of the flock/group. These values come from a list defined by the user in the Business Types management screen.

• Settlement ID.  The settlement ID of the flock/group.

• Service Person.  The service person of the flock/group. This list is defined by the user in the Personnel management screen under the System menu tab on the ribbon bar.

Status of Estimates

• All Placements are finalized.  Estimates will not be included in schedules.  If this box is not checked AeLive will include estimated placements when suggesting feed deliveries otherwise it will start using actual placement numbers.

• This flock has been sold or transferred (finalized). Once a flock has been sold or transferred and the finalized button has been clicked, this box will become checked.  This is important for things such as expenses, ending house counts, and feed deliveries.

Initial Inventory Amount

• Invoiced Amount. The number of animals that you are being invoiced.  This helps determine how many animals were lost during placements.

• Actual Placements.  This field automatically updates based on the placements recorded in the Inventory Transactions section section.  This is a read only field and will be populated when data is entered in the placement form.

• Variance. The variance of the invoiced quantity and the actual placements.  This field automatically updates.

Settlement Information

• Status.  The status of the settlement, whether it has been committed or not.
• Settlement Batch.  Once a Settlement has been created for a flock, it will have an associated Batch number that will show up here.  You can then easily find this batch within the view existing settlements form.
• Settlement ID.  Once a Settlement has been created for a flock, it will have an associated ID that will show up here.  This is for database purposed.

To save, the user will click on the Save button to save their changes if editing a flock/group.  The Save button will only be enabled if a change is made on the form. If adding a new flock/group, the Add button will be displayed instead of the Save button.  You can also delete an existing flock/group by selecting that flock/group and opening the edit screen. The Delete button will only be displayed if the flock/group is not associated to any houses.

Settings Tab

The user can also assign estimate dates to the flock/group. To do so the user will click on the Settings tab as shown.  The user has the option to fill in the appropriate data:

Placement Information

• Estimated Place date.  This  This is an estimated placement date of the flock/group. This is a read only field and will be populated when data is entered in the estimated placement form.

• Hatch Date.  The The date that the flock/group was born. This is a read only field and will be populated when data is entered in the placement form.

• Actual Place Date.  This is the actual date that the flock was first placed. This will display the first placement of the flock from the placement tab that is currently under development. This is a read only field and will be populated when data is entered in the placement form.

Dates and Ages

• Age Units.  The Unit of Measure used for dates and ages.

• Placement Age: The age of the flock/group on the actual placement date.

• Projected Sell Age.  The projected age that the flock/group will be sold.

• Projected Sell Date/Time.  This is the projected date/time that the flock/group will be sold

• Recalculate. If you change the Placement Age, or Sell Age, the Projected Sell date will not automatically change and you will need to click the recalculate button for the new date to be applied based upon the new settings.

Projections

• Projection Configuration. Apply a projection configuration to the flock so that flock can be used in projections.

Feed Profiles

• Female/Unspecified. Select a Feed Profile to apply to the flock.

• Male. Select a Feed Profile to apply to the flock.  You can select different feed profiles for each sex.

Feed Delivery Expense Codes

When entering feed deliveries a cost may be entered for each of the following fields.  To track each of these expenses an existing expense code must be selected.

• Formula Expense Code. Select the Formula Expense Code that is related to this group to track these expenses.

• Meds Expense Code. Select the Medications Expense Code that is related to this group to track these expenses.

• Milling Expense Code. Select the Milling Expense Code that is related to this group to track these expenses.

• Delivery Expense Code. Select the Delivery Expense Code that is related to this group to track these expenses.

AgriStats Reporting

• Agri Stats Plant Code.  For Agri Stats Reporting purposes.

Production Tab

When this is a layer operation the production tab will be included.  In broiler and turkey operations this tab would not be available.  The production tab is where you will configure capitalization rules, as well as unit of measure defaults for production as well as set your estimated molt default ages.

Capitalization

• Capitalize Cycle 1 expenses to: Select this check box to set group to capitalize on their first cycle and select the capitalization code you want to use.

  • Capitalize at Age: Select this option to capitalize the group based on a selected age.

  • Capitalize on the Date of Transfer: Select this option to capitalize the group on the date of the Transfer.

• Capitalize Molt Cycles. Select this check box to capitalize a group during their molt cycles.

• • Cycle 2: Select a capitalization code that will be used to capitalize those expenses during their second Cycle.
  • Cycle 3: Select a capitalization code that will be used to capitalize those expenses during their third Cycle.
    
    
• Round capitalization dates to a week-ending date.
  • Calendar.  Choose one of your week ending date calendars.
  • Rounding Rule. Chose which way to round to the nearest week ending date.  If you choose round, the cap date will be set to either the last week ending date or the next week ending date based on rounding rules.  

Production

• Egg Production Units. Select the default Egg Production Units.

• Egg Shipment Units. Select the default Egg Shipment Units.

• Egg Inventory Units.  Select the default Egg Inventory Units.

• Default Egg Type.  Select the flock's default egg type.

Molt Defaults

Select the defaults for the groups Molt Cycles.

• Unit of Measure. Select the default unit of measure for molt.

• Cycle Age/Time.  For each Molt cycle enter the Age that the molt will begin and the length of time that they will molt or enter the ending percent hen day production that will end the molt cycle.

Standards/Goals Tabs

You can adjust your tables per flock.  Click on the Tables tab as shown below. Select a listed Table on the left.  To add a table, right click in the System Tables section and select Add Table.  You can also Edit, or Delete a Table.  To add an adjustment, right click in the adjustment section and select Add Adjustment.  You can also Edit, View Details or Delete an Adjustment. 

When adding a standard you can specify the age that you want the standard to start at.  You can apply multiple tables to a flock and have one start at a specified age later in the flock life.

System Tables and adjustments can be set up by navigating to systems and selecting System Tables, rolling over the selected Table and selecting a table or adjustments.  For more information on System Tables, Assigning System Tables to Contracts and Standard Table Adjustments. 

Depreciation Tab

Deprecation for the flock/group can be set up here for each cycle by applying the Depreciation Rules the user set up in expense settings.   Depreciation will allow expenses to be dispersed at different times during a groups life. Depreciation Rules can be overridden in this section on a flock by flock basis.  Select the plus icon to the right of the grid to add a rule, the paper and pencil icon to edit an existing rule and to delete a rule select the minus icon.

Fill in the following fields to add a deprecation rule to the flock/group.

• Cycle. Select the cycle this rule is set up for.

• Sex. The sex of the flock/group.

• Effective. The date depreciation is set to take effect.

• Depreciation Rule.  Select the depreciation rule for this group during the selected cycle as to how expenses are to be dispersed.

• LOF.  Select this check box if the depreciation is to be set for the Life of the Flock.  A rule is set for each cycle.  If you want a rule to apply to the cycle it is on and every cycle that follows it, then you would click LOF.  So you can put a rule on C1 and if LOF is checked the same rule will continue to be applied to C2.

Depreciation rules can be overridden for each flock by filling in the fields below.

• *Amount. The amount to be used per period. This field must be entered if using straight line depreciation.

• *Number of Periods. The number of periods the depreciation rule applies. (refers back to the apply period).

• Fixed Salvage. The amount of dollars set aside not to be used in the depreciation.

• Salvage per Head. Instead of using a fixed dollar amount a user can select an amount per head to be set aside.

• Apply Table.   If a percentage table was selected in Amount Per this is where the percentage table would be selected. if a percentage table is utilized, the system table must be set up under Depreciation Percentage or Percent Hen Day Production.

* Amount and number of periods are pending a change where only one may be entered, and the other calculated accordingly. 

Payment Tab

Needed configurations for Producer Payments and/or Settlement configurations associated to the flock.

To save, the user will click on the Save button to save their changes if editing a flock/group.  The Save button will only be enabled if a change is made on the form.  If adding a new flock/group, the Add button will be displayed instead of the Save button.

Equipment Tab

You can add Equipment to the group/flock.  Click on the Equipment  tab as shown below. To add a new Equipment Type the user will click on a new empty row on the bottom of the grid and fill in the appropriate data:

• Type. The Equipment Type.  Equipment Types can be set up by navigating to systems and selecting Equipment from the Systems Menu.

• Code. The Equipment Code.  Equipment Code can be set up by navigating to systems and selecting Equipment from the Systems Menu.

• Quantity. The quantity of the Equipment Type in the house.

• Start Date. The date the equipment was placed in house.

• End Date. The date the equipment was discontinued in use

• Comment. Allows you to include notes for each equipment type.

Comments Tab

You can add additional comments to the flock here.

The user can also add comments about the equipment. To do so the user will click on the Comments tab 5 as shown in above. To add a new comment, the user will enter their comments in the Comments text box and click the Save button.The grid below will display a history of comments made.

Attributes Tab

Custom attributes will allow users to create their own fields for flocks and contracts. Users will be able to declare a fields name, it's data type, etc. and this field can be set for flocks.  Users can then apply the attribute information to the flock. More information: Flock Attributes