The MILK MANAGER module manages the data associated with the milk procurement process. It controls the intake of data from truck based data capture systems and from remote stations. It also allows manual entry of data. It validates the data and reports on any exceptional items. It reconciles data on milk collected with weighbridge, ADC discharge volumes and other aggregate measurements. It provides a large number of management reports and summaries to allow effective analysis of the data. The volume of milk delivered and the delivery location can also be recorded and a series of reports produced. Information relating to the collection process is also stored including milk temperature, time of collection, route distances, pump times, CIP(cleaning in place), volume and temperature.

MAPS2000 allows three on screen views of the data held i.e. by supplier, by route and by day.

If the data is viewed by supplier then the system displays the daily supplies on a calendar of the month and gives the total for the month and the average temperate of the collected milk. If the user selects a particular day details of the route, milk temperature and time of collection are given.

Data entry into the MILK MANAGER module comes from a variety of sources:

• Manual entry of individual supplier data
• Manual entry of data for a route
• Manual entry of route data in a predetermined sequence(using a template)
• Reading output from truck AUTOMATIC DATA CAPTURE (ADC) systems
• Reading data from unmanned remote sites

Manual entry of data can be done for individual suppliers or the data can be entered for all the suppliers on a route at the same time. If a considerable amount of data is to be entered manually then input time can be reduced by setting up templates for the collection routes. A template holds the suppliers on a route and the collection sequence. When entering data using a template the user is presented with a template of the route with the suppliers in the correct sequence and displaying the most recent 3 collections for each supplier. The use of the template option greatly reduces the time required for data entry.

A particular feature of MAPS2000 is its ability to read the output of a range of truck AUTOMATIC DATA CAPTURE (ADC) systems. We currently read the output from the MAC system, the ULTRAKUST ADC system and the DIESSEL ADC system. On some sites it reads output from more than one of these ADC systems.

MAPS2000 is also being used to read data from remote sites e.g. haulier PC's or unmanned storage devices at remote delivery locations.

In the case of missing data the system can automatically calculate a 4 day average based on the values on either side of the missing data.

The LABORATORY module handles the laboratory test results for suppliers. The system highlights values that lie outside user defined exception limits. It calculates monthly averages. These can be arithmetic averages or geometric averages. Test results can be typed in or read directly. Most laboratories produce their results in a computer readable form. MAPS2000 can read this input. In fact, the system can read the output of the major independent UK laboratories i.e. Milk Marque, ADAS, ANSER and WEST RIDING. This module produces management reports summarising the laboratory results for groups of suppliers and for suppliers as a whole. It also produces reports on Laboratory results for individual suppliers.

The Laboratory module stores and processes the laboratory test results for suppliers. There is no limit to the number of test for a supplier in a payment period. Currently MAPS2000 allows up to ten results to be recorded. Apart from butterfat, which is required by the QUOTA module, the other nine tests can be set by the user and their names can be varied appropriately. For each set of laboratory results MAPS2000 records:

• The suppliers number
• The tank number
• The volume of milk in the tank (only relevant for suppliers with multiple tanks)
• The laboratory reference
• The values for the parameters tested
• Ignore flag for each parameter tested

The user can set upper and lower exception delimiters for each parameter in the system. When a suppliers test results are viewed values outside the exception limits are highlighted in green.

If desired the user can flag any value to be ignored. When viewed the value is highlighted in purple. Any value flagged as ignore is not taken into account in calculating averages.

The LABORATORY module calculates monthly averages for the parameters tested. These can be either arithmetic averages or geometric averages based on 2 or three months data. The averaging process can cope with multiple tanks-up to nine tanks.

Based on the volumes in the MILK MANAGER module and the butterfat figures in the LABORATORY module, the QUOTA module calculates each suppliers butterfat adjusted quota position. The QUOTA module produces management reports summarising the quota information for all suppliers. It gives the information required on a monthly basis by the Intervention Board. It gives reports on the purchasers overall quota, the supplies and Butterfat corrected supply position and what the situation should be based on the aggregated profiles.

In relation to each supplier MAPS2000 records the officially notified quota volume and butterfat base.

MAPS2000 can keep track of changes in a suppliers quota. The user defines the QUOTA TRANSACTION types he wishes to use. Each transaction type is either positive or negative (it increases or decreases a supplier's quota). Each transaction type is either permanent or temporary (it lapses at the end of a quota year).

For each change in a supplier's quota the system records:

• The date
• The transaction type
• The volume and reference butterfat of the transaction
• The IBAP reference

Based on the transactions the system deduces a CALCULATED QUOTA which is compared to the notified quota and any discrepancies highlighted.

MAPS2000 allows the entry of a monthly PROFILE for each supplier. It compares the actual production pattern to this profile for each month and cumulatively. The system also calculates the up to date butterfat corrected quota position for each supplier.

The FARMER PAYMENT module calculates the payment due to each supplier for each payment period. It prints a statement for each supplier outlining the payment due and the basis of the payment calculation. It produces management reports on the payments due and if required will produce a text file including bank details on suppliers for use by a BACS package or for processing by the bank.

The rules that define the basis on which payments to a supplier are to be calculated is called a contract. There is no limit to the number of contracts used. Contracts are set up by the user. Each supplier is assigned to a contract. Monthly payment codes can be set up for a contract which can be calculated on either a pence-per-litre (PPL) or fixed value basis.The actual payments to the farmer will then be automatically generated monthly based on these codes and supplies and labtests for the month.

MAPS2000 allows an account to be held with individual suppliers. This keeps track of ad hoc transactions with the supplier that are not part of a general contract. For example this allows the milk purchaser to recoup payments made on behalf of a supplier to a third party e.g. feed merchant, bank.