New Feature Release: Direct Cost Calculator

We’re excited to announce a new feature in Ranch Vision that makes entering and allocating direct costs easier and more accurate than ever! This feature is especially helpful for grazing expenses.

With the new Direct Cost Calculator, you can now enter both cash and non-cash expenses with total flexibility. Ranch Vision will automatically allocate them across your herd based on grazing use or headcount.

Whether you're managing leases, entering per-animal costs like mineral supplements, or allocating large invoices like vet bills, this tool is designed to save you time and improve the accuracy of your ranch forecasts.

Watch the Walkthrough Video

Prefer to see it in action? Watch the full video walkthrough here:

Why We Build the Direct Cost Calculator

This tool was built to help you:

• Enter expenses faster

• Avoid duplicate entries and manual errors

• Allocate costs with precision

• Improve forecast accuracy

• Better understand your enterprise performance

First: Migrate Your Current Costs!

To begin using the new Direct Cost Calculator, start by reviewing your existing Direct Costs for accuracy. This ensures a smooth transition to the new system.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If for any reason you don’t want to use the new Direct Cost Calculator, simply leave your expenses as-is and enter 0 for this input.

🌾 New Grazing Input

You’ll now see a new question under Cattle > Grazing: “What percentage of your grazing occurs on ranch-owned pastures?”

This helps Ranch Vision distinguish between owned and leased grazing, so costs can be allocated correctly.

Enter a number between 0 and 100%. Remember, if you don’t want to use the new Direct Cost Calculator, simply leave your expenses as-is and enter 0 for this input.

🌱 Automatic Non-Cash Grazing Costs

Ranch Vision now automatically calculates your non-cash grazing costs based on your owned pasture usage.

You'll see a new row under Non-Cash Direct Costs titled: “Grazing non-cash direct costs”

These are automatically allocated to each class of animals based on grazing demand (GUM).

If you previously entered these costs manually, just delete or update them to avoid double-counting.

Here’s how:

1. Go to the Direct Costs tab.

2. Scroll to Non-Cash Direct Costs.

3. Find any manually entered grazing-related expenses.

4. Click Edit to update, or Delete to remove them.

That’s it! Your non-cash grazing expenses are now handled automatically!

Automatic Cash Grazing Cost Allocation

We’ve also improved how cash lease fees are managed. Ranch Vision now allocates lease costs to animals based on GUM consumed, giving you more accurate per-head expense forecasting.

To Set It Up:

1. Go to the Direct Costs tab.

2. Scroll to Cash Direct Costs.

3. Review any previously entered lease-related expenses.

4. Click Edit or Delete to remove outdated entries.

5. Then, add a new expense:

   • Enter the name of the lease

   • Add the total lease cost

   • Select the expense type: Lease Fees

   • Click Add Expense

   
   

Now your lease fees will be automatically distributed to each animal class based on grazing usage.

Examples: How to Enter Expenses

You can use the Direct Cost Calculator for two common types of inputs:

🐄 Per Head Expense Example: Trace Mineral Boluses

If you know the cost per animal, here’s how to enter it:

1. Enter the name of the expense (e.g., “Trace Mineral Boluses”).

2. Add the expense amount (per head).

3. Select “Per Head” as the expense type.

4. Choose “Cash Direct Costs” as the category.

5. Select the relevant animal class (e.g., “Mature Cows”).

That’s it! Ranch Vision will allocate the expense evenly across each animal in that class.

💉 Total Expense Example: Vet Bill for Breeding Females

If you only know the total amount, Ranch Vision can divide it automatically. Let’s say you have a vet bill for $897 for preg checks across your breeding herd:

1. Enter the name of the expense (e.g., “Vet: Preg Check”).

2. Add the total amount: $897.

3. Select “Total” for the expense type.

4. Choose “Cash Direct Costs” for the category.

5. Select “Total Breeding Females” as the animal class.

Ranch Vision will allocate that $897 proportionally based on the number of animals in each breeding category.

Need Help?

If you have any questions or want help reviewing your setup, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at info@ranchvision.io. We’re here to help you plan for profit.