Prepare the area for the next job
A saved area in Farms brings together the boundaries you will use to plan, follow and record the job. By organizing fields, you can return to the same drawing, check the forecast for that location and select the area in an operation without starting over for every job.
The first step is to define what the boundary should represent. A whole property, a field and the part to be worked may have different boundaries. Identify the place and check field references before drawing. Roads, fences, waterways and changes in crops help you interpret it.
This guide shows how to create the boundary, subtract internal sections, check the measurement and save the area for later use. On the Maps and areas page, you can explore the geometry from the demo's Farms Play file, alongside the forecast and power-grid layer.
Find the location and start drawing
In Areas, use + and choose New area. You can also start drawing through the map's Tools. Find the field and zoom in until you recognize the boundaries. If a drawing is already in progress, finish it or use the draft option before starting another.
With the tap method, mark points around the boundary. Drag the map away from the points to change the view; select a vertex when you want to adjust its position. Use Undo and Redo to review the drawing.
- Start with an easily recognizable reference.
- Follow the boundary in the same direction, without crossing the area's interior.
- Add points at curves and changes of direction.
- Check the closing segment and correct crossings or misplaced points.
The boundary needs at least three distinct positions and valid geometry. Zooming in helps place points but does not increase the image's original resolution. If a boundary is unclear, check it in the field before finishing.
Choose the most useful drawing method
Besides tapping the map, the editor offers methods suited to the available reference:
- Precision: move the map to position the target and confirm each point. Useful when your finger makes the exact location hard to see.
- Trace: start tracing and follow the boundary with the target. Review the section before continuing.
- GPS: explicitly start capture and travel around the location using available positioning. Point quality depends on the device's readings.
Centering on your location only moves the view. GPS capture must be started to record points. When resuming a draft, check the drawing and capture status before continuing the route.
Import boundaries you already have
If the boundary already exists in a file, open Drawing options → Import KML/KMZ. Check the recognized polygons and choose whether to add them to the current drawing or replace it. Review the preview before confirming Apply import.
This avoids redrawing prepared boundaries. Still, check that the file matches the field and version you intend to use. A familiar filename may contain several polygons or an old boundary.
If the app proposes simplifying a large file, compare boundaries before accepting. The import only becomes part of the drawing after confirmation; canceling the preview preserves the previous work.
Subtract parts outside the job
An area can contain several polygons and internal exclusions. This lets you represent separate fields and subtract portions outside the job, such as a building or an internal section that will not be worked.
In Drawing options → Drawing polygons, select the polygon and use Add internal exclusion. Draw the section to subtract inside that boundary. If invalid geometry is indicated, use Correct on map and adjust the points.
To include another separate boundary, use Add polygon. Check which polygon is selected before editing. Each exclusion belongs to its own polygon; drawing an exclusion does not remove the whole record.
Check the net area and unit
Net area is the surface within the boundaries minus internal exclusions. In an area with multiple polygons, the total adds each polygon's net value. If two polygons overlap, the common part is still counted in both: grouping them does not automatically merge their boundaries.
Check the number alongside its unit. One hectare equals 10,000 m². Area and distance units answer different questions:
| What you want to measure | What to check |
|---|---|
| Surface of one field | Closed boundary, exclusions and net area |
| Surface of several fields | Separate polygons and possible overlaps |
| Length of a path | Distance tool and length unit |
The website's interactive demo shows 66.0 ha, calculated from the Farms Play file's boundary. This value belongs to the example area. In your work, the measurement is calculated from the points you draw or import.
Save and organize fields
Tap Save, enter an identifiable name and choose the destination. Use farms to group a property's fields and folders for other forms of organization. “Talhão 04 · Boa Vista” is easier to find than a generic name such as “New area”.
Add observations that help identify the location or prepare the job. Also check Always visible on the map and Download images for offline use. The first controls the area's display on your map; the second prepares images for offline viewing, through a download separate from saving.
Wait for the result before leaving. If synchronization is pending or a download is incomplete, follow that step. When saving is unconfirmed, use Check save to recover the result instead of creating another copy.
Later, find the area through search or within its farm or folder. Open the detail and check the name, measurement and map. This review leaves the record ready for the next job.
Check conditions and field changes
The area detail brings together the map, measurement, forecast and available images. Use View on map to explore boundaries and surroundings. In View full forecast, compare conditions for that location and choose the working period.
Available NDVI, NDMI, EVI2 and NDWI captures help you review different aspects of vegetation, moisture and water. Open the Timeline to explore history. Check each capture's date and displayed scale: the same color in different images does not guarantee the same value.
The forecast is an estimate for the location, while satellite imagery is a dated capture. Use both alongside field observations. See also how to choose an operation's working window.
Use the area in an operation
With boundaries saved, select one or more areas when planning or recording an operation. Associate each application with its corresponding field and bring together participants, equipment and job information. Later, results, photos and GO routes help you review what happened in that context.
The area defines where work is organized. The operation brings execution together. Explore Operations in Farms to understand this workflow, and continue with How to record an agricultural application to document the job.
Before using the measurement, check the place, boundaries, exclusions and unit. Accuracy depends on the drawing, imagery and positioning; Farms does not replace topographic surveying or the legal determination of boundaries.