Setting Session Defaults in Stockbook Live Entry

How to set various Session Defaults when using Stockbook Live.

A Hint: It will pay to have a look through the Session Defaults within Stockbook Live Entry to see what features are possible.

These instructions guide you through setting up Session Defaults in Stockbook Live Entry. Session Defaults allow you to set certain Defaults for different activities in Stockbook.

Step 1.

When Opening Stockbook Live Entry you have the option of choosing from several activities, this is where you will find your saved session defaults to choose from. If you have not yet made an activity for the task you are looking to complete, click on New Activity.

Step 2.

Click on Setup > Session Defaults.

Step 3.

There are five tabs in Session Defaults they are General, Colours, Sounds, Restricted Lists and Required Traits. Have a look at each of the tabs and how they can be set for different sessions.

General:

The above image shows the defaults that can be set on the General tab. They are all fairly self-explanatory. See below for some helpful hints.

Some hints:

• Auto-save current animal when next EID read - This feature means you will not have to click Save or press F5 to save after each animal. It will automatically save when the next electronic tag is read. You will need to ensure that all the Data Entry fields have been filled in before the next tag is read, otherwise you will get an error message telling you that you must fill in all the fields. It is a good setting when just recording a weight automatically into Stockbook from your scales.
• Use touch screen ease of use features - This features makes the boxes easier to drag around and re-size when using a tablet or touch screen.
• Dont hold last entered data - These two options control whether data is carried over to the next animal or not. The top tick box applies to things such as mob, group, preg test data etc. The second tick box applies to treatments and products. The top option is good if you want to force yourself to physically enter a mob, group, sire etc everytime, removing the possibility of accidently assigning the same one as the previous animal.
• Allow early entry of next Visual ID - If you are manually entering tags in Live Entry, you can type the next animals tag before you have finished the current animal you are working on. Then when you save the current animal, the ID that you have typed in for the next animal will then appear.
• Mother Up - This feature allows you to use Stockbook Live Entry for mothering up. Please refer to How to use Stockbook Live Entry for Mothering Up
• Don't show ANY warning messages - If you find the warning messages in Stockbook Live Entry annoying, this will turn them off.
• On new EID - This allows you to set the default action when a new EID tag is scanned. You have three options. Ask me what to do means you will have to choose whether you're adding a new animal or linking to an existing animal. Add as a new animal means that when a new EID tag is scanned the Quick Add box will appear so you can add the animal into Stockbook. Link EID to existing animal means you will be able to just type in the Primary ID of that animal and the EID will be matched to it (good when replacing lost EID tags). If you have an option defaulted, but would like to choose a different action, there are messages in Stockbook Live Entry that talk you through choosing the different option.
• Default Visual ID Prefix - allows you to set the first few characters when manually typing ID's, so you only have to type the last few each time (good for stud prefix's, year letters or year number).
• Add to handled animal list - allows you to choose what appears in the Handled Animals box in Stockbook Live Entry.

Colours:

You can customise the colour scheme of Stockbook Live Entry. Please be mindful of the effect of using a computer outdoors if you plan to change the colour scheme.

Sounds

You can customise the sound within your Stockbook Live Entry. You can import different sounds or music from your computer and set them as alarms for either certain tags or animal status. Selecting a sound to be played as the animal is processed removes the need for the user to always be looking at the screen.

Restricted Lists:

Restricted Lists allows you to restrict the options for the above fields when working in Stockbook Live Entry. For example, if you are joining females and only want to see the six sires that you are joining to, then you add them to the restriced list for sires. It is also applicable for mobs, groups, paddocks and user lists.

Required Traits:

Required Traits allows you to set what traits appear in the Trait box when working in Stockbook Live Entry. It is useful if you have recorded a lot of traits, and are only interested in seeing a certain few when classing animals.

Step 4.

To Save the Session Defaults that you have just selected, click on Activity  > Save As. Then give these defaults a name that will help you select them for future use.

Alternatively, you can click on the Save Layout button at the bottom of the Live Entry screen

General Note:

The Session Defaults have been developed to help make Stockbook Live Entry more intuitive and customisable. We can't stress enough the need to be aware of what you are recording into Stockbook Live Entry  and continually monitoring that all the required information is being recorded. Click here for How do I check that data recorded via live entry has been transfered correctly into stockbook: https://support.practicalsystems.com.au/Articles?id=1921