Tracking Trends with Multi-Year Analysis

One of the most popular tools in SMS Advanced is the Multi Year Averages tool. This allows you to take multiple years of the same kind of data (such as Harvest) and merge the data into one layer.  This allows you to see trends in the fields such as where the different areas of productivity are in the field.  For fields you have worked over the years, you probably have a feeling for these zones already, but this tool allows you to put numbers to those zones.  You can filter years of data that falls outside of the normal, such as from hail damage, or other anomalies.

While Yield Data is the most common, you can run this tool on any kind of data. I have used this tool to see if there is any relation between productivity and average fertility in our fields that have multiple years of Grid Soil Sampling.  As long as the datasets are numerically based you can analyze it with this tool.

In years such as this where there are many in the corn belt that are experiencing the most severe drought in over 20 years, this data can possibly show areas where their fields have less water holding capacity.  Using this information may provide guidance for you when considering plant populations, or fertilizer applications down the road, particularly if you are considering VRT application.

The video below will show you how to setup a multi-year average dataset.