How I Streamlined Cattle Farm Management: A Google Sheets Case Study
Anyone running a business knows the value of well-organized data. I recently had the opportunity to work on a fascinating project that wasn’t about building from scratch, but about streamlining and automating an existing Google Sheets file for a large cattle farm.
The Challenge: To Organize and Accelerate the Process
The challenge was a classic one. The client already had a spreadsheet with their cattle data, but information about status changes (e.g., pregnant, dry, calved) was flowing in from multiple sources, including WhatsApp messages and photos. This required manual data entry, which was time-consuming and prone to human error.
My goal was to breathe new life into this file through automation.
The Action Plan:
1. Streamline the existing command center to make the data even more transparent and easier to manage.
2. Teach the Sheet to “think” for the user by implementing scripts that perform repetitive tasks automatically.
The Solution: Logic and Automation in Google Apps Script
To achieve this, I leveraged Google Apps Script—a tool that extends the functionality of standard Google Sheets. I wrote custom scripts that run in the background of the file.
In practice, this means a simple edit in one cell triggers a whole sequence of events. When the client changes a cow’s status to “CALVED,” my script instantly updates its group in another cell to “1gr,” requiring no extra work.
// Code snippet responsible for automatic data changes
if (editedValue == "WYCIELONA") { // "WYCIELONA" means "CALVED"
targetCell.setValue("1gr");
} else if (editedValue == "ZASUSZONA") { // "ZASUSZONA" means "DRY"
targetCell.setValue("3gr");
}
The next step was to automate the reporting. Once a week, a script automatically analyzes the data, selects cows that meet specific criteria (like an upcoming calving date), and sends a clean, concise report to the client’s email address.
// Code snippet that prepares the list for the weekly report
if (status === "CIELNA" && plannedCalvingDate >= mondayThisWeek) { // "CIELNA" means "PREGNANT"
emailBody += "- PAS: " + data[i][1] + " Nazwa: " + data[i][2] +
" Nr kolczyka: " + data[i][3] + "\n";
}
Tangible Project Outcomes
Significant time savings by eliminating manual data entry and report generation.
Increased data accuracy and clarity, minimizing the risk of human error.
Enhanced usability of the existing tool, making it more intuitive and “intelligent.”
Facing a similar challenge in your business?
If you feel that you or your employees are losing time on tasks that could be automated, please get in touch. I would be happy to analyze your workflow and propose specific improvements using Google Sheets or other tools.
Contact me for a free consultation to discuss how technology can make your work easier.
