Milk collection software: what a dairy society should check before buying
SNF/FAT rate charts, shift entries, farmer payments and offline use. The checklist we use when building dairy software.
A milk collection centre records hundreds of entries a day, twice a day. Every entry needs a quantity, a FAT reading, an SNF reading and the right rate from the chart. At the end of the cycle every farmer expects a correct payment. Software helps only if it gets all of this right, fast, at 5 in the morning.
We built Dairy360 for this work. These are the things we check, and the things you should ask any vendor about.
1. Rate charts that match how you pay
Most societies pay on a FAT and SNF based chart, sometimes with different charts for cow and buffalo milk, and with changes during the year. The software should let you load your own chart, keep old charts for old entries, and show the rate on screen before the entry is saved.
2. Fast entry during the shift
The collection window is short and the queue is long. Check how many taps or keystrokes one entry takes. Look for farmer search by code, quick correction of a wrong entry, and a printed or SMS slip for the farmer.
3. Readings from the analyser and weighing scale
Typing readings by hand is where most mistakes happen. Many milk analysers and electronic scales can send readings directly to a computer. Ask whether the software supports your machine's make and model.
4. Working when the internet does not
Village connectivity is unreliable. The software should keep working offline and sync later, without losing entries.
5. Payments and deductions
Feed, cattle supplements and advances are often sold to farmers and deducted at payment time. The software should keep a running ledger per farmer and produce payment sheets for each cycle, ready for bank transfer.
6. Reports for the society and the union
Daily collection by shift, average FAT and SNF, farmer-wise totals, and the formats your union or plant asks for.
7. More than one centre
If you run several centres, you need each centre's data separately and a combined view for the head office. Dairy360 is multi-tenant for exactly this reason.
Before you decide
Ask for a demo with your own rate chart and a few real entries from last week. If the numbers match your register, you have found software that understands your work. We are happy to run that demo for you.