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License Options

If you are thinking about having multiple installations of PAM and would like to know what the differences are between a standard site license, Data Merging, Networking and MultiClient (add on module)… please read on. Also, discover what is considered to be a Site License

Standard Site License:

This option is ideal for the operator that would like just the one data entry point, but does like to use a laptop from time to time.
The standard site license is used on multiple computers via the Backup and Restore system to transfer the data from one computer to the other. The trick with this option is to remember that every time you restore Pam data to a computer, the existing data on that computer is overwritten.

Eg: You start off in the morning and wish to take your lap top with you during the day… you do a backup to floppy from the desktop computer in your office and restore the data to the laptop (remember that this will overwrite the data on the laptop). Your day continues, you may, or may not do any data entry into PAM, but if you do, you can do a backup to floppy from the laptop computer and restore it to the desktop computer (this will overwrite the data on the desktop computer). The desktop computer will then have the full dataset, including any of the data that was entered during the day into the laptop.

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Data Merging License:

This option is suited more for the larger operation or where the data entry points are removed from each other (maybe a couple of farms or stations with managers) and multiple data entry points are required on the one dataset. This option allows you to have a network of computers all entering data into the one dataset without any physical network connections.
You can find some detailed instructions on how the system works HERE.

The Data Merging process in PAM QA Plus includes all of your cropping and financial data, your livestock data can be distributed to other machines using the Data Merging facility, however, livestock data is not included in merging operation back to the 'Master' from the 'Remote(s)'. You can distribute your mapping data via the use of the backup and restore system in PAM QA Plus.

Example 1: A family business has two farms separated from each other but would like to be able to keep the data from each of those farms in the one dataset, allowing comparative analysis. Using the data merging features of PAM, a number of PAM installations can be entering data on separate machines. One of the installations is nominated as the 'Master' computer and the other(s) as the 'Remote(s)'. The data is logged out to the 'Remote(s)' from the 'Master', and data entry can take place at all machines. At given intervals... the data is logged back to the 'Master' from the 'Remote(s) where the Data Merging actually takes place, then you have all data entered on all machines sitting on the one computer. After refreshing the 'Remote(s)' from the 'Master', the cycle continues.

Example 2: An owner has several farms and appointed managers for each of these farms... the owner can set up configuration lists on his computer. This dataset can be logged out to each and every one of the managers (Data merging site license users). All parties can then go about their data entry. At given intervals... all of the managers logout their data from their computers and send them to the owner. The owner then logs in each and every one of the datasets from the managers, and the data is merged into the one dataset on the owners' machine. Comparative analysis can then be carried out (via PAM's many reports) on all of the farms as they are then on the one dataset. The owner then refreshes the managers' computers with the updated datasets and the cycle continues. One thing to note is the fact that you are able to comparatively analyse the farms as they are on the one dataset.

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Network Installation License:

This option is suited to the office environment where there is a physical computer network for PAM to work over. During the installation you simply nominate the current computer to be the Server or the Workstation. This option has all of the associated computers running PAM off of the same database, so that the data is 'live' to all of the computers on the network. You will be able to see changes from other machines as they happen. The backup of data need only be done once, as there is just the one database.

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MultiClient (Add on module):

To save some confusion that occurs occasionally regarding the MultiClient feature in PAM. The MultiClient feature of PAM is not a site license, it simply allows your PAM software to manage more than one dataset. You can add, delete, modify and switch between separate datasets on the same computer. The MultiClient feature also allows you to import other PAM users' datasets to view or to modify and export back to the original users computer, which is ideal for the consultant.

A common question asked is: 'What is the difference between MultiClient and MultiFarm ?' The difference is that the MultiClient Feature actually swaps between separate and removed datasets that reside on your computer, where the MultiFarm feature of PAM allows you to add additional farms to the one dataset. Having the farms on the one dataset allows you to analyse the data between farms on the same report... such comparative analysis can not be carried out within PAM if the datasets are 'Clients' within PAM using the MultiClient feature, as they are separate datasets and cannot be opened simultaneously within PAM. To analyse the datasets that exist as 'Clients' on your computer you can use a free utility called CA Data Dump provided by Fairport that will export information about the selected crops' cost and income details to a CVS (Comma Value Separated) file. The information can then be opened as an Excel spread sheet and analysis done 'manually'.

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Site License Definition:

To be deemed a site license, the installation must be using the same dataset as the initial registration (through backup, DataMerging or network) and the trading name must be the same as the initial registration.

An installation that does not fit the Site License definition will be deemed a new installation and the purchase of a full product install will apply.

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