CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS FIELDAYS速 SPECIAL REPORT
PREMIER FEATURE SPONSOR 2015
Agritechnology in New Zealand
VIEW FROM THE TOP
CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS
Don’t get left behind VICTORIA CRONE / MANAGING DIRECTOR, XERO NZ
Our world is in a constant state of flux. We can’t stop change, so the only real choice is to accept it.
Keeping up with technological changes can be challenging, but it’s important to try or you risk getting left behind while others enjoy significant advantages. In business – whether you’re a large multinational, a local startup or an agribusiness – building in efficiencies is an essential element of cost-cutting and improved profitability.
Digital disruption Over the past few years, the term ‘disruption’ has made its way into the business lexicon. So what does it mean? Where innovation is generally a linear progression, disruptors take an existing business model, or even an industry, and completely turn it on its head. Digital technology has driven a wave of disruption. This has been particularly prevalent in what’s known as ‘the sharing economy’, with players like Uber (the on-demand ride-sharing app) shaking up the taxi industry, and Airbnb (a community marketplace connecting those renting their homes with those seeking accommodation) redefining the hospitality market.
In the same way, cloud computing has transformed business and will continue to do so. That’s why it’s worth taking the time to understand what the cloud is and what it can do for you. Cloud computing is essentially a smarter, safer way to store and access your data. Instead of having your files and applications on your PC or laptop (which can be lost, damaged or even hacked), they’re stored on a secure remote server, or two, where you can access them on any device at any time, provided you have an internet connection.
A game-changer for farm accounting In 2006, Xero became a disruptor in the business accounting software market. Its cloud-based accounting platform changed the way businesses manage their accounts, allowing them to store their financial data securely, and to access it anywhere, at any time – and, most importantly, in real time. Xero’s new Farming in the Cloud solution now lets farmers use technology to run their operations in a more business-like manner. Accounting software used to be one-size-fits-all, but Xero has changed this by working with farming partners to configure an end-to-end solution that
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farmers can run independently or in collaboration with their advisor. The end result is that they can add value and profitability to the farm, rather than worrying about the accounts. By working together off the same set of online data, farmers, and their accountants and banks can assess the farm’s financial, stock and equity position in real time. Everyone’s on the same page and they all have a true picture of current profit achieved. There are numerous tools that let farmers report against budget, do stock reconciliation, create what-if scenarios, match payments to invoices, re-forecast as things change, and always have a clear view of the cash impact on everything they do. A new generation of farmers is now using this cloud-based technology to help them work smarter, not harder, and make informed decisions based on up-to-date figures. Are you one of them? Or are you being left behind?
XERO.COM/FARMING
And while change isn’t always synonymous with progress, few could argue that the changes technology has brought about have been a backward step.
CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS
Maximise your capabilities
XERO.COM/FARMING
BEN RICHMOND / RURAL STRATEGY LEAD, XERO
One of the great things about meeting and talking to farmers is understanding their drivers and hearing them express why they’re passionate about farming. We’re excited to talk more and to catch up with you at Fieldays . ®
For many, farming is all about heritage; supporting their families and continuing to build on that legacy. For those who enjoy being on the land and working outdoors, it’s a lifestyle choice. But regardless of why we farm or work in agribusiness, there is a growing group of strong performers amongst us – particularly young farmers – whose key focus is running the farm as a business. Over the last year, we have seen a significant increase in the number of farmers wanting to actively manage and budget for their farming operations – to farm smarter and more confidently. Xero and our partners are excited to be National Fieldays® Premier Feature Partner for a second
year running. Online farm management powered by Xero’s real-time accounting engine offers farmers a best-of-breed platform connected to their rural suppliers, on-farm software, banks and key advisors (everything talks like it should!). Xero lets them work together with their key advisors in real-time so they can reduce their time spent working on the books and instead devote their energy to working on the land. Improving business capability in agriculture is the theme of 2015 National Fieldays®. It’s one that dovetails nicely with farmers embracing technology and using initiative – not simply to drive growth, but in all areas, from sensible succession planning to structuring, budgeting and tax planning. Farms are very different in nature to your average city-based small business or listed corporate, but there are commonalities that often get neglected in farming entities. First things first, every business should have a clear strategy and a plan of how to execute that with the right team. Secondly, any good business should look to bring in support from outside when needed, and to up-skill where key knowledge gaps exist. This can range from working closely with advisors, such as accountants or consultants, to ensuring your ‘team’ is aligned and working with consistent data
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in both cash and accrural. From my perspective, what’s key is the ability to embrace change, and online farm management offers huge efficiency gains and stronger insight into managing your agribusiness. Just think about the huge benefits online banking brought! The next exciting phase brings together our partners and our Xero Business Signals work to unlock real-time benchmarking and industry insight for the rural sector. We look forward to sharing the success stories of farmers using the Xero platform, and getting valuable feedback on how Farming in the Cloud can streamline operations and deliver further efficiencies to the industry. Xero and our partners are committed to driving innovation. An essential component of that innovation is working with our customers to understand how we can deliver more, save the industry more time, and provide stronger insights into better business performance. So, make sure you pop along and check out the Xero stand, meet the people behind the products, and look at how the software and the vast amount of educational resources can help you transition online. Once you have, you’ll never look back.
CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS
Xero + Figured
Work smarter with Xero
PAUL REID / CEO, FIGURED
No doubt you are enjoying time off farm and seeing everything there is on offer at this highly anticipated event (including seeking out your fair share of free predominantly meat-based lunches). It’s been a big year for Figured and I’m proud to be able to showcase how using Xero and Figured makes farming financials more accessible and digestible for everyday farmers. I’m so passionate about the rural sector, and see how technology can positively contribute towards not only better farming, but better outcomes for the entire sector; including increased financial visibility, strengthening relationships within the ‘farming team’ and real-time industry benchmarking.
With volatility proving to be the only constant in farming of today I believe it’s crucial for the entire farming team to be collaborating on real-time information in order to ensure there is robust planning in place to weather any changes. As we continue to work closely with Xero, we commend our other partners LIC, Vodafone, ASB, BNZ, ANZ and Fonterra for choosing to challenge the status quo and invest in the best services and opportunities for their clients.
Dairy prices are low and staying there a while longer. After a drought-driven false dawn in early 2015, prices are at their lowest since 2009. Indeed, we expect prices to remain low over the next few months, before finally lifting in earnest. As a result, ASB has adopted Fonterra’s lower 2014/15 milk price forecast of $4.50/ kg, but, almost more importantly, we have also cut our milk price 2015/16 season forecast to $5.70/kg, versus $6.20/kg previously. On the flipside, we now expect the RBNZ will cut the OCR this year. Inflation is low and going nowhere fast, with the risks increasing that the RBNZ misses its inflation target of 2% becoming more real.
KNOWLEDGE TO GROW Packed with all the tools to help you budget, plan and grow your business.
A lower interest rate outlook here has taken some of the hot air out of the NZD. It has fallen against most currencies recently, and we expect it to hit USD 0.7000 later this year. In our recent ASB Rural publications, we hinted that lamb prices had bottomed and were due to turn. Alas, prices continue to tread water at around the $4.90/kg mark for a 17.5kg lamb. Moreover, it now appears that the sluggishness in prices may linger a while longer. Meanwhile, we expect beef prices to dip further over the next month or so as the cow cull weighs on prices. However from the middle of the year, prices should start to trend higher, from what is still a high level, as supply tightens once again.
MORE TIME WITH FAMILY Xero in on any device, at any time, giving you more control of your finances and more time to do what you enjoy.
Turning to wool markets, prices have generally been on a good run over 2015. Lamb wool has been the standout, surging 29% over the last 12 months. While we don’t expect a lot in the way of further gains, we expect prices to consolidate at or around this higher level as sheep numbers remain low and demand improves later in the year. Lastly, grain prices have fallen in 2015. Moreover, the signs are pointing to feed wheat prices grinding lower over the next six months.
Accordingly, we think the RBNZ will cut by 50bp, most likely 25bp in each of September and October. But an earlier start is conceivable.
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VISIBILITY OF CASHFLOW No more surprises as the whole farming team collaborate with a single ledger in real-time giving you the confidence you need.
XERO.COM/FARMING
NATHAN PENNY / RURAL ECONOMIST, ASB
In the unwelcome basket, there have been cuts to milk price forecasts, both to Fonterra’s for this season and to ours for next. In the more welcome basket, we now expect the Reserve Bank (RBNZ) to cut the Official Cash Rate (OCR) this year. In this way, rural and financial markets cut both ways for farmers.
Xero works around the clock, even when you’re sleeping, so you have more time on the farm and less on the books.
Make sure you drop in to our site and see how Xero and Figured are changing the way the rural sector works together. Enjoy yourself and take care.
Cuts both ways Cuts have been the order of the day over the last month or two. Some are welcome, others are not.
MORE TIME ON THE LAND
CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS
Smart agriculture: What resilient farmers do differently JOHN JANSSEN / HEAD OF AGRIBUSINESS, BNZ PARTNERS
XERO.COM/FARMING
Falling milk prices have seen renewed discussion about the tough times ahead for those in the dairy sector. Adaptability and resilience have become critical to successful agribusiness ventures and we see time and again that the most profitable and resilient businesses are the ones where the decision-making over a period of time has been of a high standard.
Resilient farming There are some fundamental actions that separate those farmers who are always affected negatively and the ones next door who grow and prosper through all conditions. There are five key things they do differently; they: 1. Have a clear strategy and execute on it quickly. 2. Know what the long term impact of short term decisions were. 3. Involve their professionals in their process. 4. Have a farming structure that adapts and has some redundancy-flexibility in it to cope with, and potentially profit from, adverse events. 5. Recognise that there are a lot of things they cannot control and focus on controlling the ones they can. For more detail on these five key points of resilient farming check out my blog posts on www.community.bnz.co.nz
A better way to balance the books Online farm management with Xero and Figured is helping farmers and their advisors add value and profitability to farming operations rather than worrying about their accounts.
Become resilient Farming is tough enough already. If you’re under stress mentally or financially then it’s time to act, because there is probably a better way. The key is acting before the event takes place, having plans and budget in place and keeping your advisers in the loop. And remember above all, you’re not on your own.
Xero provides easy-to-use, cloud-based accounting tools to manage tasks such as GST, invoicing, end-of-year accounts, real-time reporting against budget, forecasting and a range of farm-management measures. These give farmers and advisors an accurate picture of profit at any time so they can make informed decisions. Find out more at xero.com/farming
BNZ has partnered with Marlborough sheep and beef farmer Doug Avery to share important, practical advice to work with the volatile current environment through his Resilient Farmer series. The free nationwide BNZ Event Series – Innovate or Stagnate is intended to be a catalyst for farmers to change their current state of play and thinking, sharing practical resilience and business skills tough enough to enable success in tough economic conditions, mounting compliance and an increase in extreme weather. Doug will be at the BNZ tent during Fieldays® this year, so pop in to say hello or get amongst it at www.resilientfarmer.co.nz
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Xero in on your farm’s finances xero.com/farming
CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS
Profit through improved efficiency GRAHAM TURLEY / MANAGING DIRECTOR COMMERCIAL & AGRI, ANZ NZ
This is a good situation over time, because there will always be demand somewhere in the world for what we produce. Protein is a staple of human existence and red meat and dairy are likely to be the best sources of it for some time to come. But like any commodity business there are ebbs and flows - we’ve seen this in recent months with falling global prices for dairy. The fortunes of red meat are better, but the industry in New Zealand is working through structural and supply issues that have kept it from reaching its full potential. Any turbulence in global prices is felt very quickly at the farm gate, but it’s also here that much can be done to insulate farmers from low points in price cycles and give them more certainty to reinvest in productivity and profit. As New Zealand’s leading rural banker, ANZ plays an active role in the success of our agribusiness customers. A major focus of our agribusiness team has been helping owners address and improve areas such as productivity, governance and management. The overall goal is to enhance returns through consistent improvements in productivity driven by research, innovation and good management. ANZ recently surveyed 900 farmers for its annual Privately Owned Business Barometer survey – the most comprehensive business survey in New Zealand – and key insights have just been released to the dairy industry.
It showed that while confidence in the future of the industry remains high, dairy farmers are currently grappling with a range of issues. Some are short-term, such as managing costs and cash flow in response to the downturn in commodity prices, and the flow-on impact on revenue. Others are much longer term, such as where future growth will come from given the constraints on land use, and the complex choices to be made about succession and ownership structures into the future. One positive theme that came through strong was a keen eye on profit through improving efficiency. Most farmers planned to maintain or increase production, but to lower their costs. Pleasingly, rather than achieve this by simply cutting costs, they are taking a more balanced approach which includes cost reduction, redirection of costs to areas that contribute more to profit, and to consider the investments that enhance efficiency. There’s also evidence that even smaller and family-owned farms are moving towards the sort of formalised business management and decision making process normally used by larger corporate operations (it’s interesting to note that over 10% of the dairy businesses in the Barometer have boards - a much higher percentage than the commercial sector as a whole).
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These corporate processes are often very different to what many farmers are used to. However, most see this as a positive change as they impose disciplines on the business that are both necessary and beneficial. At ANZ we’re helping improve knowledge in this area with our Business of Farming seminars that were recently recognised by CANSTAR in awarding us their Agribusiness Bank of the Year Award for the fourth time. We have also developed innovative loan packages to help farmers improve productivity and profit. Recently we announced an extended lending package for red meat farmers wanting to boost farm productivity. Our Pasture and Performance Loan builds on ANZ’s popular Pasture Productivity loan by including lending for livestock weighing and performance tracking, and capital investments in the genetic improvement of livestock. With rapidly growing affluence in the key markets of Asia the opportunities for New Zealand agribusiness are huge. But the potential for New Zealand producers will only be fully realised by improvements in efficiency and productivity at the farm gate.
XERO.COM/FARMING
Since the first frozen lambs were shipped out of Port Chalmers in 1882 New Zealand’s primary industries have been the heavy lifters of the New Zealand economy.
The future is here
TECHNOLOGY & FARMING
CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS
Xero is beautiful, easy to use online accounting software for small businesses and their advisors.
Xero provides business owners with real-time visibility of their financial position in a way that’s simple, smart and secure.
Xero has over 500,000 subscribers in more than 180 countries around the world and is listed on the NZX and ASX. Xero was ranked #1 by Forbes − World’s Most Innovative Growth Companies 2014 and 2015.
We are committed to unlocking small business potential and providing more opportunities to empower and enable them to grow. Through our intuitive online accounting solutions, we’re freeing up time and making it easier for businesses to focus on the important stuff.
EASY INVOICING Create professional recurring invoices and receive updates when they’re opened.
FAST BANK RECONCILIATION Your latest banking, credit card and PayPal transactions are imported and categorised.
If you’re not using Xero, chat to your accountant, or start your free trial at xero.com today.
SMART REPORTS View and share interactive reports and budgets in real time – no waiting for month end.
PAY BILLS Manage your cashflow by scheduling payments and batch paying suppliers.
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CONNECT TO 400+ THIRD-PARTY APPS Inventory, invoicing, time tracking, expenses and more all integrate with Xero.
PAYROLL Save time and increase productivity, Payroll in Xero organises all your business information in one place.
XERO.COM/FARMING
Getting started with Xero
CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS
XERO.COM/FARMING
Farm accounting just got smarter Xero’s open API means add-on partners, like Figured, can connect easily to Xero, and information flows back and forwards seamlessly. Having a single ledger means the whole farming team has access to one set of finances reducing error and giving the ability to see everything in real time. But it doesn’t stop there. A number of rural feeds also link directly into Xero and Figured so you don’t have to manually enter these.
Xero works seamlessly with Figured’s complete cloud-based livestock and production reporting and budgeting tool, resulting in farmers and their advisors knowing exactly where the farming operation stands, and where it’s heading. This means better more confident decision making, leading to a more effective farm operation.
Boost profitability
Seeing the full picture
With less time spent gathering information and compliance, farmers and their advisors can focus on adding value and profitability to a farm operation.
Farmers are experts when budgeting with cash. With Xero and Figured, you can budget in cash and let the software do the grunt work to show both the cash and accrual (full P&L) view. This aligns your planning to your end-of-year reporting to understand your full financial performance and position.
Single ledger The entire farming team – farmers, accountants, banks, consultants – can work with online real-time data from a true cloud platform. An industry first.
www.xero.com/farming
Improve accuracy Direct feeds from solution and banking partners seamlessly flow into Xero. Be more efficient – no double (or triple) handling of data.
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CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS
One farming team A new way of working with our farmers
FARMERS
ACCOUNTANTS
CONSULTANTS
BANKERS
Single ledger XERO.COM/FARMING
How data enters Xero & Figured
Tracker data Bank feeds Rural supplier feeds
Xero
Figured
Xero Business Connect
Fonterra milk Budget process LIC - Minda in progress Meat kill sheets - coming
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CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS
How technology is shaping farming XERO.COM/FARMING
SOPHIE STANLEY / HEAD OF RURAL, FIGURED
A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to hear one of the Directors of Kelly & Bryant, and all round top guy, Craig Sanders speak to some of his clients about why he sees the use of technology as being crucial to the future of farming. Craig talked about when he left school and started working at Kelly & Bryant, it was a well earned skill to be able to take financial information and produce a report. The debiting, crediting, double entry and ruling those ledger lines was an art, and a critical skill required to be an accountant. Craig went on to say that this skill can be now easily generated by a computer, which begs the question, if this was once a crucial skill of being an accountant, how was technology going to shape the role of an accountant in the future?
“We now have the technology available that means no farmer has to be an accountant to understand his/her real time equity position and view of profit. Solely concentrating on compliance accounting is coming to an end. I know I don’t get out of bed to tell you how much tax you have to pay, it’s about adding real insight to your business and working collaboratively towards your goals.” This is an interesting question that affects us all, not just accountants. How is technology shaping the future of farming? What skills do we currently see as being critical to being a farmer that may in the future become obsolete?
It’s not about changing for change’s sake, but if we have technology available to us to increase our farm’s performance and save time then the question should be why not? It must have been daunting for our predecessors to decide to use a set of cups to milk cows, but I think we can all agree it was a decision well made.
And most importantly, what technology should our farm adopt in order to stay ahead and remain competitive?
Small Business Guides Payroll in Xero now available
Tips, tricks and accounting essentials for business success
XERO.COM/PAYROLL
XERO.COM/GUIDES
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CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS
Collaborating for success XERO CASE STUDY
Chartered Accountants Diprose Miller in Morrinsville and Te Aroha have been working with farmers for more than 45 years. Director Nigel McWilliam says most farm businesses are adopting technology as a tool to streamline their operations and improve efficiencies.
They don’t have time for complicated systems, and one of the most appealing aspects of Xero is its intuitive nature and the clear way it presents information. “One of my clients sits in his tractor and does his GST on his iPad while waiting for the bobby truck to arrive. The interface is easy and intuitive to use. Those soft points make a big difference. Another client compares using Xero to the ease of operating his smartphone.”
What we mean when we talk about farming on the front foot RACHEL JOHO / RURAL SPECIALIST, FIGURED We do what we do because we’re passionate about helping farmers ‘farm on the front foot’. Farming on the front foot means knowing where you are and more importantly knowing where you are heading, it’s the ability and drive to make fast and confident decisions as and when conditions change. What better way to share with you what we think farming on the front foot means, than share a story from one of our farmers.
Xero is making the client-advisor relationship much easier for both parties, McWilliam says. “We have a collaborative relationship with our clients. Over time, the compliance model will disappear so we’re adopting more of an advisory role, helping them understand what the numbers actually mean. With our clients on Xero, we’re not waiting on them or bothering them to get records to us, and they’re not wasting time searching for backup files because it’s all there. Instead, we’re on the front foot, providing reports that we can discuss together.”
Given the outlook for the dairy payout, actualto-budget reporting will become very important over the next 18 months, according to McWilliam, and Xero and Figured are essential tools to create these reports.
Our farmer operates an 800ha King Country sheep breeding and finishing operation, using Xero and Figured to plan, budget and monitor progress against their profit targets and projected cash on hand.
was able to quickly show their banker that the plan was robust and the cash implications were manageable.
As is common in farming, the unexpected occurred last January with grass and plantain both heading for fence height at 60kgdm/ha per day after an above average December rainfall. The farmer quickly identified an opportunity to purchase up to 1400 extra store lambs to finish through late summer and autumn, adding around $35,000 of un-budgeted profit to the bottom line of the business. With good store lambs trading at $80-$90, the farmer needed to extend his current overdraft facility by $120,000 in order to capitalise on the opportunity. Fortunately after updating the cash forecast in Figured to reflect the purchase, husbandry and sale of the extra lambs, the farmer
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“There will be some really tight cash flows and a real strain on working capital. Banks will demand rigorous monthly reporting, which Xero can quickly provide.”
The cash implications are obvious, but the benefit of using Figured enabled the farmer to also assess the accrual position. Accrual doesn’t have to be a scary word, all it does is reflect the actual timing of transactions so you can see your true profit and loss. And that enables better tax planning and decision making. The revised cash flow and P&L forecast was then finalised, shared with the bank manager and a decision to extend the extra $120,000 was authorised within 24 hours. With timely, clear and well organised information, the farmer and his team were able to quickly react and make good of this unexpected opportunity. Now that’s what we call farming on the front foot.
XERO.COM/FARMING
As a Xero Platinum Partner, Diprose Miller is one of just 20 firms in New Zealand that have more than 500 clients using Xero software. “It’s a testament to how well we, and our clients, are embracing change and technology,” says McWilliam. “Our clients are very progressive and we educate them about the tools available to facilitate their accounting.”
CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS
Front-footing change with technology MARK HEER / GENERAL MANAGER RURAL, ASB
Managing volatility is the biggest challenge facing farmers, especially dairy farmers approaching a low payout this season, and most likely, the next.
XERO.COM/FARMING
Most farmers are used to dealing with change - they face some of the most adverse and volatile conditions any business can face on an environmental and economic front. But the amplification of the volatility today is much greater than the past, increasing the challenges and risks to farmers. Thankfully, what’s also changing is the availability of savvy technology to help with farm management and planning – crucial when times get tough. One innovative tool supporting farmers is cloud-based software Figured, which works hand-in-hand with Xero’s accounting software
and ASB’s online banking to collect and provide real-time transaction information, stock information and budgeting and cash flow forecasting. ASB’s daily transaction feeds integrate with Xero, a New Zealand first, which enables real time reporting to occur between Xero and Figured systems. That allows farmers instant data on livestock transactions and income and expenses that can be used for accurate forecasting and ultimately, better on-farm decisions.
Of course, the success of these types of tools depend on quality rural broadband. That’s why ASB has also teamed up with Wireless Nation to bring faster and cost effective broadband to ASB’s rural customers.
This real-time information also helps ASB’s Rural Managers be a part of their rural customers’ farming teams, to make sure they are making timely decisions to manage volatility and be financially sustainable in the future.
Taking it to a new level XERO CASE STUDY
“Xero has a lot of reporting options that I’m still exploring. Tracking things like wool prices and looking at historical trends help us forecast for the year ahead, and that’s important to us.”
Partnerships such as those between Xero, Figured, ASB and its farming
Central Otago sheep farmers Craig and Ann-Marie Paterson run 5000 ewes on 1900 hectares at Redcourt Farm in Maniototo, Ranfurly. Craig is the third generation to farm Redcourt, which produces medium merino and half-bred sheep for both wool and meat. Having taken over from Craig’s parents, the couple recently introduced new accounting software as part of an upgrade of their farming systems.
customers empower business owners to make decisions based on real-time information. This greatly improves the quality and timeliness of the decisions farmers make, reducing their risk and helping them to achieve their ambitions.
“The real-time accessibility Xero offers is another key benefit,” she says. “I really like that it’s cloud based. We used to have to wait for our accountant to send back our accounts before I could touch anything. Now, we can be looking at it together and we do it all over the phone. It’s really convenient, especially with us being so isolated – our accountant is an hour’s drive away.”
Ann-Marie manages the accounts and came across Xero’s cloud-based accounting software last year at a farming business course run by Agri-Women’s Development Trust.
Paterson says using Xero in conjunction with Figured has introduced efficiencies in areas such as stock reconciliation.
“I asked our accountant if they knew anything about Xero,” she says. “By chance, they were about to get into it and suggested we become a trial user. The accounting software we were using at the time had become too basic for our needs, and we wanted to do more budgeting and get a more detailed picture of our accounts.”
“We’re able to link anything we sell and as soon as the money comes in, it’s tracked. Xero is much quicker than our previous system and has streamlined things for us. Just looking up codes alone is so easy. I would definitely recommend Xero to others. The way it presents the information is clear and easy to follow and it’s just so user-friendly.”
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CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS
Vodafone boosts coverage for rural New Zealand VODAFONE NEW ZEALAND
Under the Government’s five-year Rural Broadband Initiative, Vodafone is helping bridge the digital divide by funding the upgrade of 387 existing cell towers and building a further 154 new towers in rural areas across New Zealand. In the last quarter, more than 1.8 million individual Vodafone customers accessed mobile services from the 115 new and 300 upgraded towers built as part of the Rural Broadband Initiative. This has made high-speed wireless broadband available to over 239,000 addresses in rural New Zealand. Whenever we switch on a new tower or upgrade our infrastructure, customers tell us the significant difference access to high-speed broadband makes to their everyday lives. Basic online activities like web browsing, streaming content and online
shopping – things that are taken for granted in urban areas – are more accessible with RBI. Our contract with the Government is to ensure that 86% of rural houses and businesses will have access to broadband peak speeds of at least 5Mbps.
XERO.COM/FARMING
Rural wireless broadband is powered over Vodafone’s cellular network. The fast modem that comes with wireless broadband allows customers to experience speeds in excess of some city dwellers, and provides a consistent and reliable service – far superior to dial-up speeds.
Independent speed tests completed in June 2014 by Epitiro show rural users are getting average speeds of 8Mbps with Vodafone’s Rural Broadband – greater than many people with ADSL connections in urban areas. Vodafone’s Southern Sales Manager, Ebony Wilson, says there’s no question that high-speed broadband makes a huge difference to the everyday lives of people in rural communities. “Basic online activities like web browsing, streaming content and checking the weather – things that are often taken for granted in urban areas – are more accessible with RBI.” “Having better connectivity makes the latest technology accessible. Farming businesses
Special offer Join during Fieldays® 2015 and get 3 months free* Xero & Figured. xero.com/farming
*New customers only. Offer ends 30th June 2015.
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can bring on digital applications that improve performance, and help keep a lid on costs. It also opens up the opportunity to explore innovations that automate processes or deliver live data updates from the paddock – over Vodafone’s machine-to-machine platform.” Anyone can use Vodafone’s address checker online to see what broadband services are available www.vodafone.co.nz/network/rural
CONNECTING RURAL BUSINESS
Xero’s farming partners Visit some of our partners on our stand during Fieldays
®
Find us in the main pavilion
BRG
DELOITTE PRIVATE
DIPROSE MILLER
www.bdo.co.nz
www.businessresultsgroup.co.nz
www.deloitte.co.nz
www.diprosemiller.co.nz
FARMIT
KELLY & BRYANT
RIGHTWAY LTD
www.farmit.net.nz
www.kb.co.nz
MOORE STEPHENS MARKHAMS HAWKES BAY
XERO.COM/FARMING
BDO NORTHLAND
www.markhams.co.nz
STAPLES RODWAY
WINSTANLEY KERRIDGE
www.staplesrodway.co.nz
www.winkerr.co.nz
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www.rightway.co.nz