Automated Soil Sampling Planning

Build soil sampling plans in minutes across one or many fields. Choose grid or zones, pick core or composite, let smart algorithms place points and route the path, print lab labels, export, and go.

1 min video

Who it’s for

Farmers, Agronomists, Soil labs, Retailers, and Dealers who need consistent sampling workflows at scale (from a few fields to entire farms or growers).

Soil Sampling Plans Examples

Soil sampling on mobile app. Collect samples, mark points

Zonal Soil Sampling, Zone-By-Zone Option. Go to the next Zone only after finishing the previous one.

Zonal Soil Sampling, Zone-By-Zone Option, sample 2. Go to the next Zone only after finishing the previous one.

Zonal Soil Sampling, Smart optimum Path Option. GeoPard locates points according to several best practices, incl. path optimum, points distribution, buffer zones

Features & Settings

Grid or Zones analysis types.

Multi‑field planning: create plans for one or many fields in a single run.

Sampling types: Core (per point) or Composite (per zone/grid cell).

Point placement logics for zone‑based plans:

Smart Recommendation (adaptive to zone shape/variability)
Core Line (skeleton of zones/polygons)
N/Z (4 points per zone, zig‑zag)
W (5 points per zone, W pattern)

Routing options:

Smart Optimal Path (fastest overall)
Zone-By-Zone & points location. Go to the next Zone only after finishing the previous one.

Sampling Plan attributes

Number of points per Zone / Grid
Grid Cell Size
Grid Rotation Angle
Soil agrochemical or Plant Analysis type
Sample Depth

Optionally set:

Starting & End Points

Sequence of Zones to sample (draw manually)

Printing Labels for Laboratory:

Define logic what to put on a soil probe

Download & Print pdf with labels

Export zones, path & points

Shapefile (coming soon)

Workflow

1. Start a new Plan

Open Soil Sampling in the left menu → New Plan.

Select one or multiple fields. Optionally Copy Settings from an existing plan (to get a consistent Soil trend across years).

2. Pick Analysis Type

Grid‑based: splits the field into equal cells; best for baselining or when historic data is limited.

Zone‑based: uses management zones (imagery, yield, soil, etc.) to drive sampling where variability matters most.

3. Choose Sampling Type

Core: individual cores at each generated point → highest spatial resolution (more lab samples).

Composite: combine multiple cores into a single sample per zone or grid → cost‑efficient.

4. Configure Point Placement (Zone‑based)

Smart Recommendation: adaptive algorithm balances coverage and travel effort.
Core Line: places points along parallel lines (great with straight‑pass equipment).
N/Z (4 pts) and W (5 pts): classic agronomy patterns for gradients and narrow strips.
Set # of points per zone and sample depth.

5. Set Routing and Path options

Smart Optimal Path: single efficient route across the field (may cross zones).
Zone‑by‑Zone: visit zones one at a time. Optionally draw a custom zone sequence to define driving order.

6. Labels for Laboratory & Printing

Point Label Template (Core sampling): controls point names on stickers.
Zone Label Template (Composite): controls zone labels for bags/containers.

7. Generate & Review

Click Generate Plan. Inspect points, route, and zone sequence on the map.
Adjust settings and Regenerate if needed (no extra charge).

8. Exports

Routes, Points and Polygons in one file: export as KML for navigation apps.
Points/Polygons: export as Shapefile/GeoJSON when needed (coming soon).

Export soil sampling plan as KML for navigation apps.

9. Field execution with GeoPard Mobile App

Use the GeoPard Mobile App to view plans in the field, add notes, and mark progress.

Soil Sampling collection with the mobile application

Tips & best practices

Use Zone‑based + Smart Recommendation on fields with strong variability (imagery/yield/topography).
Prefer Composite to reduce lab costs; switch to Core for detailed diagnostics.
Set sample depth to match lab protocol and crop needs.
For straight rows, Core Line gives clean coverage; for strips and narrow zones, use W.
When operators prefer structure over speed, go Zone‑by‑Zone and define a manual zone sequence.
Re-use sampling plans across years to understand soil trends via consistent sampling locations

FAQ

Can I copy a plan’s settings to another field? Yes, use Copy settings when starting a new plan.
Does Smart Optimal Path respect zone boundaries? It prioritizes the shortest drive. Use Zone‑by‑Zone to keep visits grouped by zone.
How are labels generated? By the selected Label Template (Point or Zone) when you choose Core vs Composite.
What’s included in a charge?
- Pay-As-You-Go Plan: A single charge per new plan. Tweaks and regenerations are free.
- Yearly subscription: the module is included in the price

Known limitations (current)

Extremely irregular field shapes may require manual fine‑tuning of zone sequence.
If a field has no zones and you choose Zone‑based, you’ll be prompted to create a Zones Map first.

Zones Maps and Analytics (creating variability zones)
Export / Download (Shapefile, GeoTIFF/GeoJSON)
Operations Log (traceability)
Organizations & Roles (permissions)
Mobile App: Working in the field

Changelog

September 2025 — Initial release: multi‑field plans, grid/zone analysis, Core/Composite sampling, Smart/N‑Z/W/Core‑Line placement, Smart Optimal Path vs Zone‑by‑Zone routing, labels, Activity Log, billing per new plan.

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Last updated 22 hours ago

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