University of Tennessee

Knoxville, Tennessee

As personal computers and financial recordkeeping programs became more affordable and user friendly, more producers started adapting personal computers into their farming operations. Along with these changes in farm financial recordkeeping came questions about how to efficiently use these computers and select the best recordkeeping software. It then became a goal of the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service's Management and Marketing priority team to answer these questions and educate Tennessee's producers about computerized recordkeeping. With this goal in mind, Dr. Delton Gerloff and the Area Specialists in Farm Management developed "Using Computers to Manage the Modern Farm."

Using Computers to Manage the Modern Farm workshops is a series of computer-ized financial recordkeeping workshops that teach producers how to efficiently use a computer and Quicken for Windows, a financial recordkeeping program. Each workshop is also customized to reflect the different types of agricultural enterprises for the area in which it is taught. There are three series of workshops utilized. Series one is the Basic workshop. Series two is the Advanced workshop, and series three is the Financial Management workshop. Each workshop is a "hands on" experience with instructions through a portable computer lab.

Series one, "Basic Using the Computer to Manage the Modern Farm" workshop, teaches producers the basic skills needed to utilize a computer and financial recordkeeping program Quicken for Windows. These skills include basic mouse skills, setting up the initial files and accounts, entering the bank statement and printing reports. After attending this workshop the producer can maintain a set of computerized records for farm and financial management and tax purposes. Series two, "Advanced Using Computers to Manage the Modern Farm" workshop, teaches producers how to keep a more detailed set of records using Quicken. Records such as detailed asset inventories, liability lists and repayment schedules, asset depreciation, payroll, and other advanced recordkeeping features. After attending the advanced workshop, producers are able to generate accurate balance sheets, income statements, and current detailed asset inventory values.

As of May 1, 1996, 50 workshops have been conducted by the Area Specialist in Farm Management in 46 counties. Overall the workshops have been attended by 552 participants. The reaction and evaluations of these workshops have been superb. When participants were asked to rank the workshop and its material, the instructor and their knowledge, and the amount of time given for instruction on a scale from 1 to 10, all were ranked with an average score above 9 except for the amount of time." It was ranked with an average score of 8.6. Participants were also asked to answer five questions "yes" or "no." The following are those questions and the percentage of yes answers.

Questions %Yes

Has this workshop changed your ideas about recordkeeping? 79.97

Would you encourage a friend to attend this workshop? 99.75

Would you consider changing your recordkeeping system? 90.17

Has this workshop been worth your time? 99.27

Would you attend an advanced workshop? 95.16

Comments from the workshops have also been encouraging. Some participants were quoted as saying "This workshop made recordkeeping seem simple" and "I have realized the potential for using computers for recordkeeping and management."

Overall these workshops have been a huge success and should continue to be a success in the future The University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service is making great strides to keep current with new technologies and programs to ensure that we offer the best possible programs to the producers of Tennessee.

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