Evolution of Data Delivery

Just like the submission of soil samples has changed over the last 50 years, the way and format that the data is delivered back to the customer and end-user has changed quite drastically.

In the 70’s and 80’s laboratory results were transferred from handwritten sheets used for record keeping in the lab to hand-typed forms that were shipped back to the customer by mail. Any fertilizer recommendations were manually calculated. Little changed until the mid-90’s other than the incorporation of more efficient word processing computers and dot matrix printers.

The improvement in computer technology throughout the 90’s improved both data collection in the laboratory, reducing the potential for handwritten errors as well as the delivery of the data to the customer. The adoption of email not only reduced printing and postage costs but also reduced turnaround time. While printed copies are still available, email is highly recommended. If existing account holders are currently receiving hard copies that are not needed, please contact the lab to update your account preferences.

Since the early 2000’s, the development and adoption of precision ag/GIS software have driven the need for compatible electronic formats of the data. These could also be delivered by email.  The early software programs generally utilized spreadsheet type data formats such as csv’s. As the number of software programs continued to grow, so did the number of different data formats needed to accommodate each program. While this created some challenges for the laboratory. However, it encouraged software companies to have an open dialogue with laboratories so that their common customers could receive useful and timely data delivery.

The next steps in the evolution of datal delivery was the development of direct web exports to the software platforms. This eliminated the need for manual uploads of the data files, greatly reducing processing time for ag service providers. As more software companies adopted different forms of direct data delivery, once again the number of different formats required continued to grow. Also, the number of programs that a single customer used was growing. As a result, ALGL developed the ability to export up to 5 different data formats for a single sample or field of samples.

Over the last ten to fifteen years, the development of the MODUS format has greatly reduced the number of custom formats required for all the different software platforms. The goal of the MODUS format, which was developed in partnership with software companies and commercial laboratories, was to create a single unified format that any software company could use.

At ALGL, we have maintained the ability to deliver printed hard copies through the postal service all the way to 5 different electronic formats delivered at the click of a button. We will strive to accommodate whatever the future may bring, but for the current time we ask our customers to keep us up to date with any software changes or data format needs as they change.