Introducing BeeKeepPal – Your Personal Apiary Management Software
Adapting technology into beekeeping has seen various improvements over time. One of the best of these developments is in management. Apiary management software is today in use helping many beekeepers across the world run their operations with better tracking, recording and pest control. BeeKeepPal is an apiary management software that has been developed after intensive research and study of existing software, the needs of beekeepers and the best conditions for honeybee colonies. It is a product of BeeKeepClub which is dedicated to being the best and most reliable companion to both beginner and experienced beekeepers across the world.
Features of BeeKeepPal
Developing BeeKeepPal was a journey with many challenges and joys. The software comes from deep and wide research in the beekeeping industry. It takes into consideration many needs of beekeeping, beekeepers, and honeybee colonies. This apiary management software is a product that meets all your needs for technology to deploy to assist you in making the running of your beekeeping operation easier. Additional input was derived from both beginner and experienced beekeepers that tested the software, and was subsequently used to polish the software before release. All this preparation caused BeeKeepPal to have many distinct and uniquely useful features. These features are geared towards making the software friendly and fitting for its use in beekeeping. The most notable ones are:
1. Beehive, Apiary and Company Management Levels
This software gives you many useful levels of management. It has input and reports for you in 3 levels. These are beehive, apiary and company levels. The levels allow for segmentation of input and reports generated by the software. It is adequate for all beekeeping operations of any size. Any beekeeper running an operation has at least one beehive, which is located in at least one apiary. The entire beekeeping operation is categorized as a company. This structure works for both small and large beekeeping operations.
- At the beehive level, you see statistics that are relevant to the individual beehive. Of course, this is also the lowest level of data input. It however has the most allowance for data input because a lot happens at beehive level in real-life beekeeping. Most recommendations by BeeKeepPal are aimed at the beehive level of management.
- The next level of management with BeeKeepPal is the apiary level. It allows you to input data and read analytical reports that are relevant to the apiary. Profitability is calculated at apiary level too. This allows beekeepers to see how individual apiaries compare to other apiaries they manage within the software.
- At company level of management in BeeKeepPal, you see how your general beekeeping operation is faring. You can compare apiaries against each other. This level also calculates profits and losses for you. It allows you to input expenses incurred and add records of equipment that you purchase for your beekeeping operation.
2. Scheduling Tasks
Planning is very important in successful beekeeping. Your beekeeping operation fails terribly if you do not plan adequately for various activities and tasks. Many beekeepers may think that this is about planning and preparing for beehive inspections only. They forget that any mistake and delay in beekeeping costs you a lot in yields and the wellbeing of your honeybee colonies.
Each activity in your beekeeping operation should be carried out on time and properly. Scheduling and planning are closely linked to preparation. This is about being ready with the tools, equipment and labor you will use for the beekeeping activity. BeeKeepPal has a feature for your easy planning of beekeeping activities. It allows you to input tasks and the scheduled date when you would like to carry out the task.
Purchases of equipment, self-initiated hive splits and other activities can all be input into the calendar section of the BeeKeepPal software and you will get a reminder to go out and perform the activity. This feature helps you prepare well for activities, collect equipment and tools and be ready with processing equipment in the event of harvesting beehive products. Reminders by BeeKeepPal come to your email inbox by default. You can also choose to get reminders from the application installed in your smartphone or tablet – just in case you miss the email sent to your inbox.
3. Record Beehive Inspections
Beekeeping relies heavily on regular beehive inspections. Recording your observations and activities during such inspections is also very important for your beekeeping operation. The records you keep of these observations and activities tell the story of your beekeeping journey and are a useful personal reference. BeeKeepPal is very much aware of the need for proper record keeping at beehive level, and especially around beehive inspections. For this reason, the apiary management software has made sure to have a very advanced inspection records feature. It has also ensured that this feature allows for detailed records that go into as much detail as you desire to record. Making this possible on the mobile app even when you do not have an internet connection makes BeeKeepPal very useful, reliable and truly responsive to your needs as a dedicated beekeeper.
The beehive inspections are recorded digitally and entered by individual beehive. This allows BeeKeepPal to track inspections and recommend when it is time to go on another beehive inspection. Some of the data you enter in a beehive inspection is used to analyze the growth and progress of the beehive. Recommendations by the software are then presented to you such as to feed the honeybee colony or to split the colony. You of course have the option of following these recommendations, or to dismiss those that you do not agree with. This is placing the final decision in your hands, giving you the power to steer your beekeeping operation in the direction that you determine is best.
4. Financial Records
Tracking your financials with BeeKeepPal is made possible using the financial records feature. This feature allows you to input transactions that are incomes or expenses into the app. They are then analyzed into various reports that you can generate on the software interface. These inputs are also used to calculate the final verdict on profitability of your beekeeping operation. The financial records you can input into BeeKeepPal are at beehive, apiary and company levels.
Analytical reports also come in these 3 levels. Importance of this financial information should be recognized and beekeepers should be very keen to input it always. It is critical for your year-over-year analysis of the performance of each beehive and apiary in your beekeeping operation.
5. Production Records
BeeKeepPal allows you to input various data at different levels of managing your beekeeping operation. These are all taken into consideration by the software in making various calculations for you. Ultimately, this allows the software to have very accurate production records including information about the beehive products you harvest. Inputting data about the yields of these beehive products into the software enables BeeKeepPal to calculate profitability of your beekeeping operation. These production records can then be analyzed by the software and presented as reports at your request.
Production records in BeeKeepPal are both final analytics and progressive reports you get within the production year. These all count towards the final comparisons you make based on yearly performance of each beehive and apiary in your beekeeping operation. Production records you are able to keep with BeeKeepPal are for honey, propolis, beeswax and royal jelly. Honey colonies that you may sell as package bees are best input into the software as incomes generated from the respective beehive.
6. Recommendations
This premier apiary management software gives you various recommendations about your beekeeping operation. It generates the recommendations using its algorithms and software engine. BeeKeepPal takes into consideration the data you input about your beehive inspections, production, hive growth and other relevant data. The software then runs this data through various calculations and processes before coming up with recommendations for your beekeeping operation.
Beekeepers getting these recommendations have the options of following the recommendations or not. This means that the power to drive your beekeeping operation in your preferred direction is not taken away from you by BeeKeepPal. You are still in charge, with BeeKeepPal as an able enabler and assistant that makes managing your operation easier.
Recommendations you get include preparation for winter, splitting honeybee colonies and to carry out beehive inspections. One of the best recommendations by this software, and which you should not ignore, is any recommendation about treatment for pests, parasites or diseases. Even if you do not carry out the treatment as recommended, be sure to inspect the beehive in question so you are sure you are not letting a honeybee colony get overrun by a disease, parasite or pest invasion.
7. Customer Portal
Manage your access and use of BeeKeepPal through the Customer Portal. This is a dashboard that allows you to view, verify and change various details as needed. They include your addresses and preferred subscription plans. The customer portal is very well designed and intuitive to use. It has all that you need to successfully manage your access and use of BeeKeepPal apiary management software. The customer portal puts in one place everything that you need for managing your access to BeeKeepPal and eases your use of the software. It is easy to access from the homepage and interface of the BeeKeepPal.
Pricing
Many of the software applications you find on offer to beekeepers are so highly priced; most beekeepers end up not using them because they cannot afford the costs. BeeKeepPal is a reliable app and is favorably priced to meet the budgetary abilities of beekeepers. It has subscription plans that are well priced and charged monthly or annually. You are also offered a free basic plan if you have no money to pay for a subscription plan. This consideration for beekeepers with small operations and hobbyist beekeepers goes shows the commitment that the makers of this software have in promoting beekeeping across the world.
Even if you do not have a lot of money to spend on the awesome software, you are allowed to have access to its great features.
User Interface
This software has its default PC interface and an application for mobile smartphone platforms and tablets in development. Accessing the software via PC is an awesome experience. You have great ease of use and the bigger screens typically found in use with PCs allow you to see a lot of information at a time. When away from your computer, you are provided with the mobile application for inputting data and calling up the necessary information you need on the go. The app is great for small devices that you bring to the beehive. These include android and iOS smartphones.
BeeKeepPal Mobile App
The BeeKeepPal mobile app is currently in development. Once completed, the app will allow you access to all the features of the software including data entry and fetching records. It also works offline so you can continue inputting data without an internet connection. When you get back to an internet connection, the app sends the data you entered to the server. This feature of the software application is great for beekeepers with their apiaries in remote areas or where there is just no internet coverage. Such beekeepers stand to benefit a lot from using the application. Additionally, you might opt to turn off the data connection of your smartphone to save battery power. This is especially true when you have many beehives to go through during an inspection.
Knowledgebase
Do not get stuck using BeeKeepPal. If you cannot find something, just consult the knowledgebase of topics and features. This knowledgebase is written by professionals that have used the software and tested it extensively. The software was taken through its paces and all limitations uncovered were forwarded to the development team for rectification. This means that the software capabilities have been thoroughly explored and documented. In the knowledgebase, these testers of the software composed many tutorials and guides on how to use the software. They address any navigational challenges you may have. This is in addition to the guides showing you how to use the features of the software. This knowledgebase is exhaustive and very well written. It is clear and useful for both beginner and experienced users of the software.
BeeKeepPal’s knowledgebase covers important features of the software. These are how to use the software in inputting data, extracting reports, setting up your management structures in the software and making subscriptions. It even details how to access various sections of the software that you might miss. This knowledgebase has helped many beekeepers get the most out of the software since the software was made available in the beekeeping industry. The knowledgebase makes this software very user-friendly and fun to use. It complements the intuitiveness of the software interface so you do not miss out on any of the awesome features of this apiary management software.
CheckInspect
Beehive inspections are important, yet delicate events that must be carefully planned and executed. A major factor considered when planning beehive inspection activities is the weather. Even when carrying out the inspection, you have to constantly monitor weather conditions. This is because exposing honeybee colonies to adverse weather conditions causes extensive losses and effects on entire colonies and the apiary in general. BeeKeepPal gives you a tool called CheckInspect for the planning of your beehive inspections.
The tool is an automatic system that has the required weather parameters for a beehive inspection to take place. It weighs these parameters against the weather forecasts of any location in the world and tells you if it is safe to go on a beehive inspection. CheckInspect by BeeKeepPal makes your beehive inspections safe for both your beehives and your beekeeping operation. Chilled brood and wet beehives are a thing of your past when you use CheckInspect to plan your beehive inspection. The tool is detailed into forecasts and recommendations for every 3 hours of the day.
It is recommended that you use the 3-hour predictions so that you do not miss scheduled hive inspections. For large apiaries, this tool is helpful for helping you prioritize the beehives to inspect if you do not have a lot of time for the inspections. On a good day, you can use the whole day to carry out inspections. Such beehive inspections can check for finer details in the beehive, while short inspections allow you to only look at the general health and safety of the honeybee colony.
Support
Sometimes, you run into challenges that you cannot resolve by yourself. With BeeKeepPal, there is a dedicated help desk to assist with any problems you may have. This help desk is up and operational round the clock, so you are sure to get help when you need it. BeeKeepPal does not use bots to resolve issues coming to the support desk. Human customer service agents attend to your every query so that resolution and satisfaction are guaranteed. Accessing support services with BeeKeepPal is easy; there is a link on the interfaces of the software.
Communication with the support desk is easy with a user-friendly interface. You can also write to the developers and owners of BeeKeepPal if you wish to. Users of BeeKeepPal get access to the same kind of support services. They are assigned equal urgency and treated with outmost care and respect. This is unlike in other beekeeping management software service providers that categorize support queries based on your subscription to their expensive packages.
The BeeKeepPal support desk gives you premium support services on both the yearly and monthly plans. It is only with the hobbyist subscription plan that you get basic support services. Premium support services on BeeKeepPal means quickly getting addressed and presented with a solution. As long as you are a registered user of the software and on any paid subscription plan, you gain access to the best support and help available.
Conclusion
BeeKeepPal is a unique software to help you manage your apiary better. It has great levels of data entry and reporting. The software also comes with powerful features that make beekeeping easy for you. The addition of a knowledgebase makes BeeKeepPal a reliable tool that has a lot of impact on your beekeeping practice. This software keeps track of many factors and the data you input into it, ultimately giving you useful recommendations that ensure you are not hit by surprises and left rushing to carry out some beekeeping activities.
Use the BeeKeepPal apiary management software in your beekeeping operation today for best yields and the best enjoyment of your beekeeping journey.
