Technology
Beyond Spreadsheets: Transforming Greenhouse Planning with PRODUCE™
June 12, 2025 • 6 min read

Quick summary
Many greenhouse growers still rely on complex spreadsheets for production planning, juggling dozens of files that often lead to confusion, inefficiencies, and underutilized space. Learn how PRODUCE™, a greenhouse production planning tool designed with growers in mind can replace spreadsheets with a smarter, visual, and fully integrated solution.
Table of Contents
Ask most any grower – regardless of size – to show you their production plan and watch what happens. First comes the master spreadsheet—then space allocation tabs, variety-specific sheets, labor schedules, and inevitably, notes tabs. Smaller growers live in spreadsheets while bigger growers do their work in spreadsheets then import to an ERP.
Across greenhouse operations, growers are drowning in complex webs of spreadsheets that no single person fully understands anymore. Most operations juggle dozens of separate files just for production planning. In an already complex industry, spreadsheets make it overwhelming.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone—and more importantly, it doesn’t have to be this way.
PRODUCE™: Purpose-Built for Greenhouse Realities
What if there was software designed specifically for the unique challenges of growing living inventory—one that lets you adapt plans on the fly when the inevitable changes happen? PRODUCE™—production planning software created alongside real growers who were tired of fighting the same daily battles is the answer.
Whether you’re running a multi-site seasonal ornamentals operation or managing perennials in a single facility, PRODUCE™ connects the dots between what needs to happen and when—with clarity and control that spreadsheets simply can’t match.
Visual Space Planning: Unlock Hidden Capacity
Space is one of your most valuable assets, yet traditional planning methods leave capacity untapped and conflicts unresolved until it’s too late. PRODUCE™ gives you a visual of your greenhouse capacity over time—so you can make informed decisions about every square foot.
With PRODUCE™, you can:
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Identify and resolve space conflicts before they happen
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Optimize transitions between crops and discover underutilized space
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Test new programs without guesswork
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Plan multi-site operations with coordinated timing
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Test spacing scenarios to see what works best for your unique growing environments
Task Orchestration: Prioritize What Matters
Transform daily chaos into organized action with intelligent reporting and automated data capture. PRODUCE™ combines advanced reporting capabilities with automated production tracking to give every team member exactly the information they need, when they need it.
Automated Production Tracking with COUNTc™
No more manual counting or guesswork about actual production progress. COUNTc™ captures production data as trays come off your lines, automatically updating progress in PRODUCE™.
This real-time integration provides:
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Automatic production counts against scheduled jobs
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Labor performance tracking and visual dashboards to help production teams execute efficiently
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Live metrics for immediate course corrections
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Elimination of data entry errors and time-consuming manual counts
Instead of unpredictable under-or-over-production and constant firefighting, work from a steady, prioritized schedule.
Complete Integration: FORECAST™ + PRODUCE™
PRODUCE™ integrates seamlessly with our FORECAST™ module, creating a direct connection from sales forecasts to production schedules.
When market demands shift or customer orders change, FORECAST™ and PRODUCE™ make it easy to calculate the impact:
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Sales forecasts map directly to production schemes to automatically create production plans
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Plan versions let you track changes and manage contingency planning easily
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Production capacity constraints are visible during sales planning
This eliminates the last-minute scrambling that disrupts both quality and profitability.
Business Impact That Transforms Operations
Modern production planning is a competitive advantage that touches every part of your operation:
Grow More with What You Have. Better space planning unlocks hidden capacity.
Cut Waste, Lift Sales. When production aligns with actual demand, inventory accuracy improves while better timing ensures consistent order fulfillment.
Save Time, Focus on Growing. Free your team from manual planning tasks to focus on crop quality, innovation, and customer service.
Handle Labor Challenges Proactively. PRODUCE™ optimizes workforce utilization through predictable scheduling and clear task planning.
See a return on investment within the first growing season—in both cost savings and operational confidence.
Experience PRODUCE™ Live at Cultivate 2025
Visit Silver Fern & Advanced Grower Solutions at Booth 1909 for hands-on demonstrations of production planning scenarios. See exactly how PRODUCE™ handles space conflicts, adapts to order changes, and optimizes labor scheduling.
What you’ll see:
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Live space planning optimization
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Real-time schedule adjustments for changing conditions
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FORECAST™ integration working seamlessly with production plans
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Custom scenarios designed around your operation
Book a Personalized Consultation
During Cultivate, schedule a one-on-one session with our team to explore how PRODUCE™ could work for your operation. We’ll review your current process, identify improvement areas, and share how similar growers have successfully implemented PRODUCE™.
Request your consultation: share.silverfern.com/cultivate2025meetingrequest
Can’t Attend Cultivate?
Try our interactive demo:silverfern.navattic.com/cultivate2025produce
Email [email protected] for the password!