Changelog

Recent updates and improvements to Midfield Digital Labs

Version 2.42

Applets on iPhone and SafariApplets now load their data on iPhones, iPads and Safari on a Mac. Safari was blocking the part of the applet that fetches data, so applets showed errors such as Can't find variable: labs.
Station ScreensA new Stations page lists the floor's stations, and each one's screen can go on the display beside it or be watched from anywhere. Everyone looking at a station sees exactly the same screen, live, and a screen that loses touch with Labs greys itself out and reconnects on its own instead of showing something old.
Ear Tag Reader ScreenThe ear tag reader on the chain now has a live screen: both beams as the sensors see them, the window between them opening and closing, each tag as it's read, the last animal (its tag or NO READ, and whether the second beam closed its window), today's counts, the read rate and the latest animals. Needs outpost 0.19.0.
Outpost Details RearrangedThe login code for an outpost's own status page is now near the top, large and centred, with when it changes underneath. Devices open from a button showing how many there are and how many need attention, and the history scrolls in its own box instead of stretching the window.
Roomier Label Check DetailsA label check's details now open in a wider window, so its results and pictures have more room.
Tidier Page IntroductionsOutposts, Applets, Groups, the Data catalogue, Labelling's pages and Equipment stations now open with the same introduction box as the rest of Labs, with Help and the page's main button beside it, and their descriptions use the full width instead of wrapping early.
Newer PT6 Label Formats CheckedLabel checks can now read PT6 formats edited this year, such as MALAY2, which write their item sizes a little differently. Before, checking against one of these failed straight away. Needs outpost 0.19.1.
Outposts Install on Any Windows PCThe outpost no longer needs Microsoft's Visual C++ runtime, so it installs on a fresh Windows 10 or 11 machine. Before, joining failed with no message on a PC without it; the installer now also says so if Windows can't start the program. The install guide's choices are now Linux x64, Linux ARM64, Windows x64 and Windows x64 user install. Needs outpost 0.19.2.
Label Check Results Show the Whole PhotoA failed label check (and every Check now) now shows the photo as the camera took it, marked up with where the outpost found the label (outlined in blue), the barcodes it read, and every check where it was looked for. If the blue outline isn't around the label, you can see straight away that the label was found in the wrong place. Needs outpost 0.19.3.

Version 2.41

Label Checks Read the 1D Barcode ReliablyWhen the outpost looks again for a missed barcode, it now looks closely around just that barcode first, which reads the long 1D barcode on every photo so far. Checks take under a second. Needs outpost 0.18.1.
Cancelled Tasks Stay FindableCancelling a task now asks first and takes an optional reason for its timeline. Cancelled tasks show under a new Cancelled filter on the list and in My tasks, and Reopen brings one back.
Checklist SectionsOwners can break a checklist into sections with Add section, each with an optional Due by time. A section that passes its time with checks still open shows as Late on the checklist and on the Task Hub, without locking anything early.
Checklist NotesA Notes panel sits beside the checklist (at the top on a phone, tap to open) for reminders and things to keep in mind. List owners add and edit them right there.
Diary RemindersChoose New reminder on today or a later day, say what it's about and pick a time (8:00 am to start with). You'll get an email then, and it shows under the bell. Any note can become a reminder from its ⋯ menu.
Photos in Your DiaryAdd photo takes a photo or picks one from your phone and adds it to your diary, ready for a caption. Notes can hold up to 10 photos, and only you can see them.
Livestock Ear Tag ReadersAn outpost can now run an ear tag reader on the slaughter chain, with the beam sensors either side of it, in place of the reader's own software. Each animal is recorded in Labs with its tag (or "no tag read"), the reader, where it is and when, and the outpost keeps every reading until Labs has it, so none are lost while the network is down. It gives each animal its own tag even when an ear is still in range as the next one comes, or when a beam stops working, and leaves out knives' tags. Needs outpost 0.18.0; the help article Livestock Ear Tag Readers explains how to set one up.
Serial DevicesDevices on an outpost's serial (COM) ports can now be added in Labs, with every port setting changed there.

Version 2.40

Clearer Event OverviewThe Overview's cards now follow one path: Invited (with how many accepted), Coming (people who accepted plus their plus-ones), Checked in and Revenue. Inside now only shows while the event is on. The Breakdown uses the same words, shows plus-ones in their own column and has a Total row at the bottom.
Label Checks Read the 1D BarcodeOutposts now read barcodes with the same engine as Labs' own scanner, so the long GS1-128 barcode on a carton label reads even when the label is a little tilted. Both barcodes on a MALAY1 label now read from the camera in under half a second. Needs outpost 0.16.0.
1D Barcodes Found in Big PicturesIf the outpost doesn't find a barcode in the whole picture, it now looks again in just the part of the label where that barcode belongs. A long 1D barcode the camera photographed clearly, but that was lost in a 12-megapixel picture, now reads, and checks are faster (about a second). Needs outpost 0.17.0.
Label Checks Page TidiedLabel checks are now a table like the rest of Labs. Select one to see how it's set up, check a label now and see its results (also a table: failures, everything, or flagged), with Edit and Remove at the bottom.
Tune a Label Check from LabsA label check's new Tuning section sets pass marks for particular images (such as a halal seal of thin lettering) and how hard the outpost looks for barcodes, so checking can be adjusted without a new outpost.

Version 2.39

Pictures Open in the ViewerClicking a picture (a label check's marked-up label or photo, a camera's test picture, a loss event or suspect declaration photo) now opens it in Labs' own viewer, where you can zoom and pan, instead of a new tab.
Flag Label Check Results for ReviewOpen a label check result, say what to look at and choose Flag. It's kept, with its pictures, until someone unflags it, and Flagged in the results list shows them all. Each result also shows its ID with a Copy button, for passing on.
Label Check Results Tidy ThemselvesWith thousands of cartons checked a day, results' pictures are now removed after 7 days and the results after 90, unless flagged.
The Photo as TakenA Check now keeps the photo exactly as the camera took it, alongside the marked-up label, so a result can be looked into properly. Needs outpost 0.15.0.

Version 2.38

Camera Exposure and Gain in LabsAn industrial camera's exposure time and gain are now settings on its device in Labs, fixed (not left for the camera to guess) by default. The outpost sets them every time it uses the camera, so pictures stay the same even after the camera is switched off and on, and you can tune them from Labs. Needs outpost 0.14.0.
Outposts Can't Get Stuck on One Bad MessageLabs now takes each thing an outpost reports on its own. If it can't take one (a job result it can't read, say), it keeps everything else, notes what it dropped and why, and fails that job with the reason, instead of refusing the whole report and leaving the outpost looking offline.
Outpost Connection DetailsAn outpost's page in Admin → Outposts shows when Labs last heard from it, when it last recorded its status, what's waiting on the outpost to send, and how often it connected in the last day. It shows as online whenever it's connected, and as Connected, not being recorded (with the reason) if Labs isn't taking its reports.
Steadier ConnectionsOne slow step in handling an outpost (such as saving a picture) can no longer hold up everything after it; Labs gives up waiting after a minute and carries on.
Outpost Logs KeptOutposts' logs (three days) and Labs' own warnings and errors (a week) are now kept through updates to Labs, so a problem can still be looked into after one.

Version 2.37

Outposts Stay ConnectedAn outpost could show as offline in Labs, while saying it was connected, after one of its messages was too long (such as a test picture's error naming long file paths). Long messages from outposts are now shortened instead, so everything else they report still arrives.
Label Check Image PathsReplacement images and stamp fields now refuse a path that runs two lines together, and say to put each on its own line as NAME = path.
See Who Can't See an Applet's DataSharing an applet doesn't share its data, so the Sharing tab now checks for you. It says how many of the people it's shared with can't read all the data it uses, and who. People you search for to add are marked if they can't read something, and the check runs again when you change the applet's datasets.
Request AccessWhen someone you've shared an applet with can't read its data, Request access emails your data catalogue managers who needs which dataset, with a link straight to it.
Clearer Message for ViewersIf you open an applet that uses data you don't have access to, a bar above it now says which data, instead of the applet just looking broken.
GroupsOrganisation → Groups lets you make named lists of people, like Inventory planners. Give a group access to a dataset or share an applet with it, and everyone in it gets that access. Unlike roles, groups give no other permissions.
Dataset Access for People and GroupsDatasets can now be given to a group or to one person, not only a role, so there's no need to make a role just for one applet.
Dataset Pages in TabsA dataset's page is now in tabs (Overview, Access, Refreshes, Definition), so access is no longer below the refresh history. The Overview lists the applets using the dataset and how many of their people can't read it.
Who Can Read a DatasetThe Access tab lists everyone who can actually read a dataset and how they got access. Preview as now works for a group or a person too, and previewing a person shows their real rows.
Equipment StationsStaff can now take and return knives (or other equipment) themselves. At a station with a staff card reader and an RFID tag reader on an outpost, scan your card then the knife to take it, or scan the knife on its own to return it. The reader lights green or yellow, a screen beside it says what happened, and everything is recorded in the Equipment Tracker. A knife that's out can't be issued to anyone else until it's back. Set stations up in Operations → Equipment Tracker → equipment stations.

Version 2.36

Label ChecksA camera on the packing line can now check every carton's label. The outpost next to the camera finds the label in each photo and checks it against its PT6 format: both barcodes are read and must agree, every stamp and logo must be printed where it belongs, and every piece of text must be there. Set one up in Labelling → Label Checks. For now results are only recorded; nothing is rejected yet.
Seeing Failed LabelsEach label check shows how many labels passed and failed in the last day. Open a failure to see the photographed label with every check outlined (green passed, red failed) and why it failed.
Cameras on OutpostsAdd an industrial camera to an outpost like a printer, under the outpost's Devices. Its trigger, picture area and network settings are all set there in Labs. A test camera that plays back a folder of photos lets you try label checks without a camera.
Outpost LogsOutposts now keep a log file a day for a week in their data folder, and send their log to Labs with each check-in, so a problem on site can be looked into without copying anything off the computer. An outpost that stops hearing back from Labs now notes what it was doing and reconnects by itself.
Check NowEach label check has a Check now button. The outpost takes a picture and checks the label in front of the camera straight away, then shows the marked-up result, so you can hold a label under the camera and check it again and again while setting up. Set the label check's Checking to Off first.
Take a Test PictureA camera's device page has a Take a test picture button. The outpost takes a picture straight away, no sensor needed, and it shows on the page, so you can aim and focus the camera before it's wired to the belt.
Device SettingsDevices now have settings you can change in Labs, with sensible defaults, so nothing needs setting up on the outpost itself.
Diary Note MenuThe ⋯ menu on the last note is no longer cut off, and it opens upwards when there isn't room below it on the screen.
Choosing Register or ChecklistNew list in the Task Hub no longer starts on Register. Pick Register or Checklist first, each with a short description, and then name it, so a checklist can't be made as a register by mistake.
Outposts Keep GoingIf a camera or printer stops answering or drops off the network, its outpost now notices, says so on the device in Labs and reconnects by itself, without holding up its other devices. Each device's time limits (how long to wait for an answer, when to try again) can be changed in its settings, and an outpost that stops working altogether restarts itself after a time you can set on the outpost.
Station DevicesOutposts can now use RFID tag readers (FEIG, plugged in by USB), staff card readers wired to a Raspberry Pi, and network barcode scanners. Add them under the outpost's Devices like a printer, with every timing adjustable in their settings. Outposts can now also be installed on a Raspberry Pi: choose Raspberry Pi in the install guide.

Version 2.35

Searchable DropdownsLong dropdowns in forms, like a list of every vehicle registration, can now be searched. Tick Type to search on the dropdown and people type a few characters to find their option instead of scrolling.
Paste a List of OptionsFill a dropdown, radio or checkbox list by pasting one option per line, for example a column from a spreadsheet. Long lists open in a bigger window where you can find, change and sort options A to Z.
Tidier Form BuilderThe builder is split into Content, Design, Behaviour, Notifications and Actions, so the side panel is just for the question you're editing. Design shows the live preview beside its settings, and notifications and actions are tables: click one to see it, then Edit.
Diary NotesThe notes side of My Diary is now a list of separate notes instead of one big box. Tap New note and type, and pressing Enter starts the next note straight away. Tap any note to change it. Start a note with a dash (- ) to make a list inside it. Each note shows the time you added it, and its ⋯ button lets you delete it (with Undo) or move it to tomorrow. Notes you'd already written are split into one note per line the first time you open that day.
My DayThe New note box on My diary today adds a note to today's diary, ready for the next one as soon as you press Enter.
Notes OnlyIf you don't use the timeline, choose Notes only in My Diary's settings. Notes then fill the page, and My Day and printing show just your notes. Anything already on your timeline is kept for if you turn it back on.
My Diary on PhonesNotes now come first on a phone, with the timeline underneath. Notes no longer have a bullet in front of them, so your own dash lists look right, and their actions moved to a ⋯ button on the right. Importing from the old diary is no longer in the settings.
Close ButtonThe X on pop-up windows no longer stays red and turned the next time you open the same window.
Review Before You Import PeopleImport Users now shows what will happen to each person before anything changes: a new account, an existing account getting the roles it's missing, no change, or why someone can't be imported (and who'll be emailed a link to set a password). Confirm to go ahead, and the results stay open afterwards so nothing that failed slips past.
Export UsersDownload everyone in your organisation as a spreadsheet with their roles, status and last sign-in. Filter it, then paste the rows back into Import Users to put a whole list of people into roles at once.

Version 2.34

Form ActionsForms can now do things after someone submits. Email the answers to people or whole roles in Labs (with a PDF, CSV or JSON copy attached), send the person who filled it in a copy, or pass the answers straight to another system such as a booking system. Each action can run only for certain answers, is retried if something's down, and the form's owner hears about it if it still fails. Set them up under Form settings → Actions.
What Happened After a SubmissionOpen an entry to see each action: who was emailed, what the other system said, and any errors. Resend any of them with one click.
Entry PDFsOpen any entry as a PDF with its answers and photos, ready to print or save.
Human Check on Public FormsPublic forms can use Cloudflare Turnstile to keep bots out. It's usually invisible to people filling in the form, and is always on for forms that send to another system once it's set up in System Settings.
Connecting to Other SystemsConnections can now be API connections as well as databases. Add one with its address and key once, and forms can use it without anyone seeing the key.
People Outside the BusinessAccounts for people outside your organisation are marked as external, and they're emailed a link to set their password when the account is made. Microsoft sign-in only creates accounts for your own domains unless you allow others.
Simpler List SettingsA Task Hub list's Settings now shows each part as a short summary or a table instead of one long form. Change anything with the button beside it; it opens in its own window and saves straight away, so there's no Save button to forget.
Checklist Checks as a TableAdd checks one at a time, click a check to see it, then edit or remove it. Reorder puts them in order by dragging, or with the arrows on a phone. You can add checks before setting the schedule.
Changing a List's OwnerA list's owner, or an administrator, can now hand it to someone else with Change owner in Settings. Administrators also get Admin → Task Lists, showing every list (private ones included) and which owners have left, so nothing is stranded when someone leaves.

Version 2.33

My DayThe Dashboard is now called My Day, since it's about your day: today's diary, your tasks and your favourite pages. On a phone, the My diary today and My tasks cards now fill the width of the screen, and in the sidebar My Day and My Diary sit above Favourites, so the way back is always at the top.
Finding PermissionsWhen adding capabilities to a role, searching now matches each capability's name as well, and the name shows under its key. The capability behind My Day and My Diary is now called "My Day, My Diary & Profile", so searching for diary, day or dashboard finds it.
Midfield AI Reading LabsMidfield AI can now see and use Labs once you've connected it. One of the new labelling tools stopped the whole connection from working.
Connecting Midfield AIClicking Allow on the Connect to Midfield AI screen now takes you back to Midfield AI. It used to stay on the same screen.
Official MarksStamps are now chosen from a fixed list of official marks (Australia Inspected, struck through, Australia Approved, Halal, European Union and Saudi Arabia) instead of a typed code. Each establishment has its own stamp for each mark, and a design asks for the mark, so one design prints 180's or 246's stamp depending on the station. A stamp added before this asks you to choose its mark.
ArtworkLogos that aren't official marks, such as organic certifications, a halal certifier's logo or a customer's logo, now live in Labelling → Artwork. Add one once and every establishment prints the same image. It's drafted, published and switched on and off just like a stamp, and the designer can place it on any label.
RemovingRemoving a stamp, establishment, design or label set no longer shows 'Resource not found' when it worked, and Remove buttons are red.
Form LinksClick a link on a form's Links tab to see all its details in one place, with New code, Upgrade, Close and Reopen there instead of on the row. The Forms list and Versions tab work the same way.
Editing Form LinksYou can now fix a link's title (for example a misspelt company name) and change its closing date without disrupting anyone. The URL, access code and answers stay the same, and the new title shows on past entries too. Closing dates must be in the future; to stop responses now, close the link.
Deleting Test LinksA closed link can now be deleted along with every entry and uploaded file submitted through it, so testing doesn't end up in your results or exports. You'll be asked to type the link's title to confirm, and it can't be undone.
Emailing One GuestOn a guest's details, Send an email replaces Resend invitation and Resend tickets. Pick any of the event's emails (their invitation, their ticket confirmation, a reminder, an update or one you've written), see exactly what they'll get, and send it to just them. You'll be told if they've already had it.
Viewing PhotosTapping a photo now opens it full screen on a dark background instead of in a new tab. Zoom in with the mouse wheel, a pinch or a double-tap, drag to look around, and use the arrows or swipe to move between photos. This works for Task Hub attachments and checklist evidence, AI Tasker, shipment attachments, X-ray scans and mob photos.

Version 2.32

Product LabelsLabelling now lists every product variant (with its market, code and GTIN) and the label set it prints. Choose a published set for each product; changing it asks why, takes effect on the next carton, and is kept in the product's history. Products without a label set are flagged, since they can't be packed.

Version 2.31

Label SetsSay what prints together for one carton: for example a box label and a liner label from the same design, and a label for each piece inside. Each label in a set has a design, a number of copies (fixed, one per piece, or the operator says) and a printer role such as Box printer. Every label is previewed with the real renderer, changes are drafts until published, and a set prints the live version of each design.
StationsSet up each packing station with its outpost, the establishment it prints for, and which printer fills each printer role. Replace a printer in one place and every label set follows.
Test Print a Whole SetPrint every label in a set on a station's printers, marked TEST – NOT FOR PRODUCT. Every label is checked first, and nothing prints if any would fail. Needs outpost version 0.9.0.

Version 2.30

Labelling SettingsSet, for each site, how long its stations may keep printing while Labs can't be reached and how many serial numbers each outpost holds. Labs shows how long the serials last at your expected rate and warns when that's shorter than the offline limit.
Serial RangesSet up the carton serial numbers Labs issues. Labs refuses a range that could repeat a PT6, I12 or UDC serial or overlap another range, locks each range once added, and shows how much of each is used. Add the next range in advance and Labs switches to it by itself when the one in use runs out.

Version 2.29

Label DesignerLabelling now has Label Designs. Create a design for a label size (it can start with the usual carton parts: product code and name, dates, net weight and the Midfield GS1-128 carton barcode), then add and arrange text, fields, barcodes, stamps and boxes. The preview is drawn by exactly the same code the outpost prints with, every time you change something, and Labs lists anything that would stop the label printing: text that doesn't fit, a barcode that's too wide or doesn't read back, a stamp the establishment doesn't have. Changes save to a draft by themselves; publishing shows the live and new versions side by side, asks why, checks it once more and makes it live. Every version is kept and any earlier one can be brought back.
Test Print a DesignPrint one label of any version on a label printer, with an establishment's stamps and your sample values, marked TEST – NOT FOR PRODUCT so it can never pass as a real label. The outpost turns it to fit the labels loaded in the printer and shows the exact image printed. Needs outpost version 0.8.0.
Stamps as SVGStamps uploaded as SVG now print through the outposts too, sharp at any size.

Version 2.28

LabellingEstablishments and Stamps: A new Labelling area, starting with Establishments & Stamps. Add each site's establishments (such as 180 export and 246 domestic) and the official stamps printed on their behalf. Upload a stamp's image as a draft (it changes nothing on the floor), check it next to the live version, then publish it with a reason so the next label printed uses it. Every version is kept with who published it, when and why, and any earlier version can be brought back. Stamps can be switched on and off; a stamp that's off stops every label that uses it, rather than printing without it. Label designs that use the stamps come next.
OutpostsAn outpost on version 0.7.1 that can't open its live connection now falls back to checking in, instead of treating it as being revoked and rolling back an update.

Version 2.27

Outposts Connect LiveOutposts now keep a live connection open to Labs, so a test print, a new or changed device, a settings change or an update reaches the outpost within a second instead of waiting up to half a minute. Open an outpost to see Connection: Live since …. Needs outpost version 0.7.0; older outposts carry on checking in as before and show Online (checking in).
FixedThe test label's picture now shows in the printer's details. It was being blocked, so the space stayed empty.

Version 2.26

Print a Test LabelOpen a label printer on an outpost and choose Print test label. Within half a minute one label prints showing the outpost, the printer, the time and a test barcode, and Labs shows how long each step took along with the exact image printed. If anything isn't right (the printer isn't ready, or the label wouldn't print perfectly), nothing prints and Labs says why. Needs outpost version 0.6.0.

Version 2.25

Outpost LoadThe outposts list now shows how hard each outpost's machine is working (CPU and memory over the last minute), turning amber when it's busy and red when it's overloaded. Open an outpost to see its CPU, memory and free disk space too. Needs outpost version 0.5.0.
A Fresh Look for the Outpost's Own PageThe page on each outpost now carries the Midfield logo and is organised into tabs: Overview (live CPU and memory graphs), Devices (with Check now), Log, Diagnostics and About.

Version 2.24

Outpost DevicesOutposts can now look after the label printers at a site. Open an outpost, choose Add device and enter the printer's address. Within a minute the outpost checks it, without printing anything, and shows whether it's ready, its model and the size of labels it's set up for. Choose Check now to look again after changing something on the printer.
FixedUsing Test query on a Data Catalogue dataset whose query returns more rows than the preview shows could make Labs restart for everyone. It now just shows the first rows, as intended.

Version 2.23

Task Hub RemindersRegisters can now chase for you. Turn on Send reminder emails in a register's Settings and, each weekday at 7:00 am, the people responsible get one email listing their tasks that are coming up, due today or overdue (repeating every few days while overdue), and verifiers get the tasks waiting for them. Every task in the email links straight to it, so people can add a note or mark it done in a tap. Preview reminders shows who would be emailed about what before you turn them on.
BlockedA task can now be marked Blocked, with a note saying what it's waiting on. Blocked tasks have their own filter, still count as open and still get reminders, which show the note.
No Update and Extended FlagsRegisters can flag open tasks with no note or status change for a number of days (No update), even before they're due, and tasks whose due date has been moved later too many times (Extended). A register can also ask for a reason whenever a due date moves; the reason is kept in the task's timeline, and each task remembers its original due date.
Change Several Tasks at OnceTick tasks on a register, choose Change status, add an optional note, check the review (it lists anything that will be skipped and why), then apply.
Task ReportsA new Reports page shows, for a period, the completion rate, how many tasks were finished by their original due date, how long verification takes, what's overdue now and for how long, and tasks with no update or extended, by register and by person. Download it as a CSV.
Verifiers, Priority and SourceOn registers that verify, a task can name its own verifier, who sees it in My tasks and can verify it or send it back without seeing the rest of the list. Registers can also show priority (with a filter) and record where each task came from, such as a meeting.

Version 2.22

Outpost FixesLogging in to an outpost's status page now works in browsers that use HTTP/2 (it said Not allowed), and the outposts and releases tables line up like other tables in Labs.
Outposts ListOutposts are now a table like the rest of Labs. Select one to see everything about it (its machine, versions, settings and a history of joins, updates, settings changes and logins) and to edit it, including how often it checks in and how much it logs. The list refreshes every few seconds while an outpost is joining or updating. Releases are a table too, showing which outposts run each one.
Outpost Status Page on the NetworkEach outpost's status page now opens from any computer on the site's network at https://<machine>:47300. Without logging in it only shows whether the outpost is working. Log in with the 6-digit code shown on the outpost in Labs (it changes every minute, works even when Labs can't be reached, and stays logged in while you use it) to see its details and log and to test the connection to Labs step by step, check in now, restart it or rejoin. Monitoring tools can watch /healthz.
Outpost Status PageThe page on the outpost's own machine (http://localhost:47300) now starts with a plain health line (working, or what's wrong and what to check) and shows how it's running, the commands to check and restart it, and where its log and files are. The Outposts help article has new sections on checking an outpost is working and on troubleshooting.
Installing OutpostsAdding an outpost now opens an install guide. Choose Linux server, Windows server or Windows PC, copy one command and run it on the machine. It downloads the latest version from Labs, installs it as a service that starts with the machine, joins it to Labs and starts it, printing each step. The guide shows Joined as soon as the outpost checks in. Running the command again repairs it, and the same command with uninstall removes it.

Version 2.21

Outposts Update ThemselvesChoose Update on an outpost and pick a version. At its next check-in it downloads the new version, checks it was signed with Midfield's release key, and switches to it. If the new version doesn't start or check in, the outpost goes back to the version it was on by itself and shows why, so a bad release can't leave a site without its outpost.
Outpost ReleasesPlatform administrators upload each new version of the outpost program for Windows and Linux under Admin → Outposts → Releases, and can withdraw a release so it's never offered again.
Organisation ChartThe Organisation Tree is now called the Organisation Chart, and lives at Operations → Organisation Chart.

Version 2.20

Naming Guests in AdvanceIf you know who someone is bringing, add their guests' names when you add or edit them, or in new Guest 1 to Guest 5 columns when importing (the CSV template has them too). Emails then greet them together ("Hi Sam and Julie") and the names are already filled in on their invitation. A group that allows fewer guests only uses the first names, and imports show you anyone left off before anything is saved.
Who's ComingThe invitation page now asks who's coming instead of how many tickets. People tick themselves and their guests (anyone named in advance starts ticked) and add anyone else's name; the number of tickets and the price follow. They can untick a named guest and bring someone else in their place.
Guests Without the Person InvitedA new group setting lets guests come even if the person invited can't, for example a partner. They untick themselves and still get their guests' tickets.
A Banner for Each EmailAny event email can have its own banner image instead of the event's, and the lucky draw big screen can have its own too. Preview and Send me a test show the same banner guests will get, and removing it goes back to the event's banner.
Choosing the Same File AgainIn Import guests, choosing the same CSV file a second time (for example after saving it again in Excel) now loads it again instead of doing nothing.

Version 2.19

OpenEdge VersionsOpenEdge connections now have an OpenEdge Version setting, so Labs can read newer OpenEdge databases such as Freight2020. New connections use 12.8, which reads every version; existing connections keep using 10.2 until you change it. If the version is too old for the database, Test Connection now says which version the database is instead of a cryptic driver error.
Applets Can Save DataApplets can now keep a little data of their own. Your settings, filters and drafts are saved for you only, and tools that remember settings in the browser now keep them between visits. Applets can also keep shared notes, checklists or short lists that everyone using them sees. They still never change the data catalogue or your business systems.
Who Can Change Shared DataWhen you share an applet with a person or role, or with the whole organisation, choose whether they can only read its shared data or also change it. Read only is the default, and co-builders can always change it.
Stored Data TabAn applet's builders can see how much it has saved against its limits, export its shared data as JSON or CSV, and clear it. Each person's private data only ever appears as totals. Applets managers can also see which applets store the most.

Version 2.18

OutpostsThe first piece of the Labs program that will run at each site. Under Admin → Outposts, add an outpost for a site and Labs gives you a one-time join code. Install the program on a Windows or Linux machine there, enter the code, and it shows as Online, checking in regularly and taking its settings from Labs. Revoke stops it straight away, and New join code moves it to a new machine. It doesn't do anything else yet; printers, scales and remote databases come later.
OpenEdge ConnectionsAdding an OpenEdge database under Connections should now save. Before, a leftover rule in the database rejected it with a long error. When a save fails because of a database rule, the message now says which rule, instead of showing the whole query.

Version 2.17

Lucky Draw BannerThe event banner on the big screen now always shows in full instead of being cropped on wide screens. A soft, blurred copy of the banner fills the space either side.
Send to GuestOn the invitation page, Send to guest next to a guest's ticket now opens your phone's share menu so you can text, WhatsApp or email them their ticket in one tap (on a computer it copies the link). They only get their own ticket. Before, it just opened the ticket, which looked much like Show ticket.
Event Email SendsPause, resume or cancel a send from the Emails tab, and see roughly how long is left. Nobody can get an email twice, even if Resume is pressed while it's still going, and a send interrupted by a restart now carries on by itself. Finished sends are listed one per line with older ones tucked behind Show all. Click any send to see everyone in it, whether each email was sent or failed (and why), search for a person, and retry just the failures.
Unfinished PaymentsIf a guest starts paying for tickets and doesn't finish, for example because they switch to their phone, their invitation now says so, confirms they haven't been charged and lets them simply pay again (the earlier attempt is cancelled, so nobody pays twice). Before, the buy button could disappear for up to half an hour. On the Payments tab, unfinished payments say the guest can pay again at any time, and replaced attempts say the guest started again.
Connect Midfield AI as YourselfMidfield AI can now connect to Digital Labs as you, using your normal sign-in. It sees and does only what you can in the organisation you choose, and role changes apply straight away. See and disconnect your connected apps under Profile → Connected apps.
AI Access Per RoleA new Use AI Assistants (MCP) permission decides who can connect AI assistants to Labs. Tick it on the roles that should have it under Admin → Roles; take it away and those people's connections stop working straight away.
Connected Apps for AdministratorsPlatform administrators register apps such as Midfield AI under Admin → Connected Apps. Deactivating an app disconnects everyone at once.
Tighter AI AccessAI tools now follow the same rules as the screens. People see only their own requisitions unless they approve them, private files stay private, and carton data is only shown to the organisation it belongs to.

Version 2.16

Lucky DrawRun a lucky draw at an event from the new Lucky draw tab. Choose which groups take part, whether guests and only checked-in people are included, and skip previous winners. A big-screen link shows the draw at the venue, with a slot-machine reel that rolls names past at speed and stops dead on the winner, then confetti and optional sound, in light or dark. You can also list people who can't win, such as whoever is giving the prizes; they and their guests are left out completely. Only organisers can draw, each draw asks for confirmation, and every draw is logged so test runs are easy to tell apart.
Pass-outs at the DoorGuests can now leave and come back. Switch a door phone to Exit and scan people on the way out (amber), then scan them back in at Entry for a green Welcome back. A ticket that's still inside and is scanned again at the entrance shows red, which catches tickets passed to a friend. The scanner and the Overview tab show roughly how many people are inside, and you can download who's inside now and every door scan. These numbers depend on people being scanned out, so they're a guide, not an emergency register.
Faster Door ScanningThe door scanner now uses the same camera and decoder settings as the Barcode Reader, with a sharper picture, autofocus and quicker checks, so QR codes should read faster, including dark-mode tickets and phones held at an angle.
Lucky Draw FixWith only a couple of people in the draw, the reel now alternates between their names instead of showing one name over and over.
Sharper Lucky Draw ReelNames on the big screen stay crisp as they roll past instead of looking blurry.
Lucky Draw WinThe reel now stays on screen when it stops. The winner's name lights up in the middle, "Congratulations!" slides down from the top with their group underneath, and the confetti goes off, rather than switching to a separate screen. The big screen also has the event name bar from the event's emails across the top, and the sound, light/dark and full-screen buttons have moved to the bottom right with a backing so they're easier to find.
Lucky Draw HelpThe Lucky draw tab and the help guide now say the big screen's buttons are in the bottom-right corner.
Unfinished Payments ExplainedIf a guest starts paying for tickets and doesn't finish, for example because they switch to their phone, their invitation now explains that the tickets are being held, when they can try again, and that they haven't been charged, instead of showing no button at all. The page updates by itself when they can try again.

Version 2.15

AppletsA new home for the dashboards and tools people build with AI. Upload an HTML file (or a zip), share it with people or roles, and everyone sees it inside Digital Labs. Each person only ever sees the data their own access allows, and applets run in a locked-down frame that can't reach your session or the internet.
Build Your OwnPeople with the Build Applets permission get a starter kit for their AI with a template, Labs colours, the rules applets follow and sample data. Every upload is checked automatically and kept as a version you can publish or restore. Tools that used to read CSV files from SharePoint can usually be uploaded unchanged.
Data CatalogueAdministrators can turn queries on the organisation's databases into datasets that refresh on a schedule, then choose which roles see which rows and columns, for example managers seeing only their own team. Applets read these saved copies, so busy source systems aren't queried every time someone opens a dashboard.
Connections Per OrganisationEach organisation now has its own connections under Data → Connections, managed by its own administrators, ready for running more than one business in Digital Labs. Today every connection is a database; the screens are named so other kinds, such as web services, can join them later.
Switching OrganisationAnyone who belongs to more than one organisation can now switch between them, and people removed from an organisation lose access straight away.
Events and TicketsRun invitation-only events like the Christmas party from Events. Set up guest groups with their own ticket price and how many guests each person can bring, import your guest list from Excel, and send invitations. Guests choose their tickets on their phone, pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and get tickets with QR codes by email. Whoever is on the door scans them with a phone using a door link, no login needed.
Event EmailsWrite each event email in plain text, or paste in simple formatted HTML such as something written by an AI tool, and use Preview to see exactly what guests will get. Add a banner image to an event and it appears at the top of its emails and on the guest's invitation page.
Payments SetupAdministrators connect the organisation's Stripe account under Admin → Payments, with step-by-step guides in the knowledge base. A new Test payment button makes a small real payment and confirms everything is working before guests start buying tickets.
Event Emails in OutlookEvent emails have a new layout that looks the same in Outlook (including the classic Windows version) as it does in Gmail and on phones, with a proper button and the banner lined up with the message. Use Send me a test in the email editor to see any email in your own inbox before sending it to guests.
Event Settings Pop-upsClicking outside an event pop-up, such as the email editor, no longer closes it, so you won't lose your work by accident. Use Cancel or the X to close it. Guest groups now describe their allowance as 'Invitee + 1 guest', 'Invitee + 2 guests' and so on, so it's clear the invitee is counted separately. Buttons that were white on white in event screens, such as the placeholder and Send me a test buttons in the email editor, are now visible.
Easier-to-See ButtonsOutline buttons across Digital Labs (for example in Shipping, Digital Drafting, form links and API keys) were white on white in places and hard to find. They now show clearly in light and dark mode, and green buttons use a deeper shade so their text is easier to read.
Reference Details for Event ReportingEvent guests can carry up to three reference details (Reference 1 to 3) for reporting, such as which part of the business they're from. Import them as extra columns after Name and Email, edit them on a guest, filter and search the guest list by them, and see uptake for each on the Overview tab's Breakdown card. Importing the list again fills them in for people already added, and there's a CSV template to download and fill in. A tick box says whether the first row is column headings, so nothing is guessed from them.
Smarter Event EmailsSend an email now skips people who've already received that email, which is handy after reopening ticket sales. Untick anyone you want to leave out, and click View email next to a person to see exactly what they'll get.
Faster Entry at the DoorThe ticket email's Show my tickets button opens every QR code full screen, one at a time, so guests swipe from one ticket to the next. At the door, scanning one ticket shows the rest of that booking, and one tap checks in everyone who has arrived together.
Lock Guest NamesOrganisers can stop guests changing the names on their guests' tickets for an event, so the person named is the one who comes. Guests are asked to check names before getting tickets, and organisers can still make changes.
Attendee Limits per GroupSet a maximum number of attendees for an event group, and choose whether to stop new tickets when it's full or keep selling and just notify. Event managers get an email as the group passes 50%, 70%, 90% and 100%.
Door Link Always AvailableEvent managers can now copy the door link from the event's Settings tab at any time to share with more door staff. Regenerating it (with a confirmation) stops the old link straight away.
Importing Guests Into a GroupThe import window now starts with no group chosen, so you always pick the right one, and people already on the event move into the chosen group.
Sorting TablesClicking a column heading now sorts tables across Digital Labs, including dates and numbers, and sorts the whole list rather than just the page you're on. The Events list and group cards also show their guest and ticket counts correctly again. Click a heading a third time to clear the sort, columns stay the same width while you sort and change page, and headings can be sorted with the keyboard too.

Version 2.14

A Home Screen That's About Your DayThe Dashboard now shows today's diary, your tasks (overdue, due today and today's checklists) and the pages you've starred in the sidebar. Yard and mob figures still appear for people who work with livestock.
My DiaryA private daily diary under My Diary in the sidebar, laid out like a paper diary with a half-hour timeline and a notes page. It saves as you type, works on your phone and computer, and only you can see it. Search every day, print a day, and set your own hours and break times.
Bring Your Old Diary AcrossIf you used the Midfield Meats Daily Diary website, export it there and import the file in My Diary's settings. Nothing already in your diary is overwritten.

Version 2.13

Task Hub EmailsList owners can turn on "Email people when a task is assigned to them" in a list's settings. When someone else makes a person responsible for a task on that list, they get an email with a link that opens the task, so people who don't log in often still know there's something waiting for them.
Task Hub Photos and NamesAdd several photos to a new task or a note at once, and pick photos already on your phone instead of only taking a new one. Photos are shrunk before they upload, so they send faster and take less space. The person who added a task, and list owners, can now rename it. My tasks also opens properly again when you follow a link to a task.
Tasks Assigned to You, Wherever They LiveThe new My tasks page shows every task assigned to you from every list. You can open it, add notes, photos and files, and mark it done even if you can't see the rest of the list it belongs to, so managers can keep a private list and still hand out individual tasks. People who complete a checklist can now always open and fill it in, without being added to the list.
Digital DraftingA new step-by-step tool under Livestock replaces the mixed mob drafting spreadsheet. Choose the kill date and chain, add your Gallagher and saleyard scan files, and it reads the kill agenda and carcasses straight from the kill floor system, matches every body in a mixed lot to its vendor by ear tag, and tells you in plain English about anything that doesn't match, including which vendor lines still need creating.
Safer Uploads and UndoThe upload file is labelled with the chain and date and checked again just before download. After loading it, one click confirms every body moved, and if something went wrong, Undo creates a file that puts the bodies back where they started. Every file is kept for 12 months.
Move a Body by HandFix a wrong tag by moving any body in a mixed lot to the right vendor lot, with a reason that stays on record.
Read-Only Kill Floor ConnectionAdministrators can now add a Progress OpenEdge database (such as FoodChain) under Database Connections. These connections can only ever read, with every query capped and logged.

Version 2.12

Export Everything in One GoForm entries now have a single Export button with a full archive option, a ZIP containing every answer, both spreadsheets and all uploaded files, organised in a folder per response. Tick the entries you want to export just those, or download one response and its files straight from its page.
Logos on FormsForms can now show your organisation's logo at the top of the sidebar, in the page header and on the secure access screens. Upload it in the form builder's Form settings, with an optional white backing panel so colour logos stand out on dark backgrounds.
Help On Every PageA Help button now sits in the top bar of every screen and opens the guide for that page, with the same Help link in each page's introduction box. The Yard Manager help now lives in a proper knowledge base article, and searching the sidebar for a menu group (such as Knowledge Base) now lists everything inside it.
Build Forms With AIThe form builder and Import JSON window now offer a downloadable AI specification and a ready-made prompt, so you can ask an AI assistant to create or update a form and paste the result straight in. A new Forms guide in the knowledge base walks through the whole process.
A Simpler Task HubThe Task Hub has been rebuilt to be clean and easy to use on your phone. You now start with a short list of your registers and checklists, see only the tasks and checklists that need you today, and open a list to see its tasks in one tidy table showing the task, who is responsible, the due date and the latest note.
Notes, Photos and Files on TasksEvery task has one timeline for notes, photos and files, with the newest note shown in the list. Changes to the due date or responsible people are recorded automatically, and a task can now have more than one responsible person.
Daily ChecklistsCreate checklists that repeat every day, on weekdays, on particular days or monthly. Each check can be a tick, a yes/no, a number with acceptable limits, text or a choice, and can require a photo as evidence. Anyone assigned can complete it, so cover is easy when someone is away.
Checklist History You Can TrustEvery answer records who gave it and when. Days lock after a grace period, so you can always look back and see whether a checklist was done on time, done late, partly done or missed. Days can be cancelled with a reason such as a public holiday or shutdown, including ahead of time.
Raise an Action from a CheckWhen a check fails, such as a temperature out of range, raise a follow-up task straight into a register with the answer and photo attached.
Bring Your Spreadsheet AcrossImport your existing task list from a CSV file, or export any register to CSV.

Version 2.11

Form Presentation PolishSection pages can hide their large in-page heading when the title is already shown in the navigation, step guides can display as tidy independent cards instead of a connected flow, and forms can give their input boxes a subtle accent-coloured border so they stand out against the page.
Editorial Form ContentForms can now present key figures in large, clean statistic rows, show markets or certifications as tidy tag lists, and tell a company history as one continuous timeline that turns vertical on phones. Hero images also gain adjustable image and text proportions and taller presets.
Smarter Sign-InAfter you enter your work email, Digital Labs now takes you straight to your organisation's Microsoft 365 sign-in when your organisation uses it - no more guessing whether to use a password. Your email is filled in for you on the Microsoft page, and the login screen remembers the email you used last on this device.
Form Column Layouts & Image OptionsPlace form questions, images and text side by side in halves, thirds or a third and two thirds - they stack neatly on phones. Images now show in full by default, with options to fill the width or height as a banner, and hero images can sit on either side of their text.
New Forms AppBuild your own forms right inside Digital Labs (/forms). Start from a blank form, duplicate an existing one, or import a ready-made form definition, then shape it with the form builder - no technical knowledge required.
Polished Form Layouts & ThemesOrganise questions into sections and present them as a guided sidebar, a step-by-step wizard or a single page, with a professional corporate or minimal theme, cover images, journey diagrams and capability matrices.
Smart QuestionsShow or hide questions and whole sections automatically based on earlier answers, and use rich question types such as repeating item lists, matrices, file uploads, addresses and declarations.
Secure Share LinksSend a form to people outside the business using a private link protected by a 6-digit access code, share internal forms that require a Digital Labs sign-in, or publish an open public link. Links can be closed or given an end date at any time.
Work Together, Save As You GoSeveral people from the same organisation can contribute to one response over several days. Every answer saves automatically and shows who last edited it, and submitted responses are locked so they cannot change.
Responses You Can UseView every response in one place, get email notifications when a form is submitted, and download all answers as a spreadsheet (one row per response or one row per answer) or as a data file.

Version 2.10

Speed Standards Multi-Scope Publishing FixResolved a database constraint issue when publishing new speed curves across Night Shift or multi-chain scopes, ensuring the audit change group is seamlessly registered before version records are applied.
Kill Floor Speed Standards PublishingAdded a direct 'Create New Standard' action to the Speed Standards tab on the Kill Floor Efficiency screen (/operations/kill-floor-efficiency). Operations and production managers can now configure and publish new effective-dated performance curves, weight brackets, and default startup cutoffs directly from the floor interface without requiring IT admin access.
Enhanced Confirmation System & Safe DeletionsUpgraded platform-wide confirmation dialogs with semantic visual indicators, interactive text justifications, and exact-match verification for critical entities (such as user accounts and security roles). Replaced all browser-level popup prompts with unified in-app modals.
Kill Floor Efficiency Floor PolishEnhanced the Floor Supervisor screen (/operations/kill-floor-efficiency) with automatic mobile stacking for speed curve tables, explicit chain selection prompts, clean grayed-out placeholder hints, and seamless in-app justification modals for voiding records.
Database Connections Form FixFixed an issue in the Database Connections admin console where updating connection details without re-entering the password would trigger a validation error. You can now leave the password field blank to preserve the existing stored password seamlessly.
Operational Targets & Kill Floor Efficiency SystemReplaced legacy flat metrics with a unified, effective-dated operational target and line efficiency engine! Features a dedicated, mobile-friendly Floor Supervisor Screen (/operations/kill-floor-efficiency) for fast-action logging of approved downtime credits, planned startup cutoffs, and shift speed offsets across Chain 1 (MMP) and Chain 3 (MMI). Includes a side-by-side weight curve inspector and an auditable shift exceptions ledger with 1-click void actions.
Universal Target Configurator (Admin Console)Introduced a flexible Operational Targets Configurator (/admin/operational-targets) allowing plant managers and administrators to define custom KPI catalogs, create dynamic piecewise bracket curves (such as animal weight to BPH or packaging tray speeds), configure default startup times, and publish multi-scope standard versions across departments and facilities without deploying new code.
Live Database Connection RefreshingUpdated runtime database connection management so any edits to external databases (such as schemas, hosts, or credentials) take effect immediately across all active services without requiring application restarts.
Identity Provider Default Role AssignmentAdministrators can now configure default organisation roles directly when setting up or editing Single Sign-On (SSO) Identity Providers (e.g. Microsoft 365). When new employees sign in via corporate SSO for the first time, they are automatically auto-provisioned with the designated roles and capabilities (such as task management or operational views) without requiring manual post-login intervention.
Metrics Warehouse & External Database Schema FixesResolved an issue where external database connections with dedicated schemas (such as the Metrics Warehouse) would encounter errors when loading records. Added automated schema verification to connection test routines, ensuring target tables in warehouse schemas are always correctly resolved.
API & Role-Based Access Control HardeningStrengthened API authorization stack-wide to strictly enforce Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and capability checks on all platform endpoints. API keys and automation service accounts are now strictly restricted to their explicitly assigned capabilities (such as read-only vs write permissions), preventing unauthorized data access or modifications across corporate integrations.
Granular Company & Customer Master Data RolesAdded dedicated permission capabilities for Company directories and Customer wholesale accounts in the Admin Role Manager, allowing administrators to configure tailored read and write access for site automation and data integration flows.
Unified Requisition & Purchasing Workflow EngineIntroduced a complete multi-line requisition and purchase authorization portal for all physical equipment, IT hardware, factory spares, and uniforms! Features a searchable standard goods catalogue with indicative pricing, customizable options (storage, screen size, apparel sizes), unlisted/custom item requests with quote document uploads, line-by-line executive approvals with quantity adjustments and rejection notes, and secure 1-click email approvals for Microsoft 365 / Outlook.
Sourcing & Fulfilment QueuesAdded dedicated sourcing queues for IT, Factory Maintenance, and Uniform Warehouses. Fulfilment teams can easily issue items from stock (automatically unlocking replenishment reorder authority) or record external ERP Purchase Order numbers, supplier names, and tracking notes with automated dispatch notifications sent to requesters.
Requester Tracking PortalEmployees can track their active and historical requisitions in real time, view approval decisions per line item, and check delivery and dispatch statuses directly from the new My Requisitions page.
Truck Run Sheets & Payroll PortalIntroduced a dedicated Payroll section in the main sidebar and launched the Truck Run Sheets Management Portal! Features pay-period KPI summary cards, a driver-grouped payroll summary view with live totals for shift hours, fleet kilometres, split counts, hookups, and trailer washouts, quick pay-cycle presets (Current Week, Previous Pay Week, Month to Date), and one-click export for both aggregated payroll summary CSVs and detailed stop-by-stop logs.
Truck Run Sheets Knowledge Base GuideAdded a comprehensive operational user guide to the Help Centre covering driver daily shift workflows, 4-point statutory safety checklists, odometer logging, stop entries, draft saves, and payroll review and data ingestion procedures.
Task & Action Management HubLaunched a dedicated, mobile-optimised Task & Action Management Hub! Features field-ready quick observation capture directly from your phone camera and microphone voice dictation, flexible shared or private task registers, a live Kanban board and master action register table with CSV export, overdue defect tracking, and an auditable two-step managerial verification loop with photo evidence.
AI Agent Integration & Model Context Protocol (MCP) ServerIntroduced a high-performance Model Context Protocol (MCP) server endpoint (/api/mcp) to safely connect external AI assistants (such as Midfield AI) to Digital Labs! Allows AI agents to directly inspect holding yard allocations and mob head counts, cold storage carton inventory traces, active export shipping voyages, and purchasing pipelines within strict role-based capability and organisation boundaries.
Automatic Organisation Context & Navigation FixesImproved session handling to automatically resolve a user's default active organisation upon login and membership assignment, ensuring all assigned operational capabilities and sidebar menu items (including Customers, Vendors, and Employees) load reliably on fresh accounts.

Version 2.9

Multi-Tenant Single Sign-On (SSO) & Multi-Step LoginIntroduced support for external OpenID Connect identity providers (e.g. Microsoft 365 / Entra ID, Okta, Google Workspace) configured per organisation! Features an intelligent, identifier-first multi-step login interface that automatically routes corporate emails to your company's identity provider, full account pre-provisioning with assigned roles in User Management without requiring passwords, automated invitation fulfillment, holding states for newly auto-enrolled accounts, and strict offboarding security.
Enterprise Markdown, Mermaid Diagrams & Math FormulasOverhauled our Markdown rendering engine across the entire platform and Help Centre! Operational SOPs, architecture maps, and AI Tasker responses now render live vector Mermaid.js flowcharts and state diagrams, GitHub-style alert and compliance callout cards ([!NOTE], [!TIP], [!WARNING], [!IMPORTANT], [!CAUTION]), interactive code blocks with language tags and 1-click copy buttons, LaTeX mathematical formulas ($...$), interactive checklists (- [x]), and collapsible AI reasoning traces.
Two-Step GS1 Wizard & Dynamic Prefix SizingTransformed the GS1 Guided Builder into a friendly two-step wizard! Step 1 lets you choose your packaging level (Retail Consumer Unit, Outer Carton, Logistics Pallet, or Carcase Tag), while Step 2 guides data entry with dynamic Company Prefix calculation (6 to 11 digits), automatic left-padding of short SKUs and pallet serials, live Modulo-10 check digit math, single-click calendar pickers, and quick-fill prefix chips.
Markdown Heading Entity NormalisationFixed heading entity decoding in our documentation reader, ensuring titles and section headers with ampersands and special characters render cleanly without raw encoding glitches, alongside tighter inline code badge typography.
Markdown Typography & Entity NormalisationEnhanced inline markdown rendering in our guides and knowledge base. Quotation marks and special characters now decode cleanly, italics formatting using single asterisks is rendered natively, and article navigation links across Previous and Next guides now consistently feature interactive brand colours.
Markdown Rendering Upgrade (Code Blocks & Tables)Enhanced our built-in SafeMarkdown renderer to natively parse multi-line fenced code blocks, ASCII hierarchy diagrams, formatted tables, and blockquotes with clean borders, monospace code highlighting, and zero raw symbol glitches.
Guided GS1 Barcode Builder & Dedicated Sub-FieldsRefined the barcode generator with an intuitive, guided GS1 creation workflow! Freeform & standard barcodes are now the default landing view, while the GS1 Guided Builder lets you construct barcodes step-by-step with zero guesswork. Features guided sub-field breakdown for GTIN-14 and SSCC (with indicator level selectors, company prefix, and product SKU fields), instant real-time Modulo-10 check digit calculation, a single visual calendar date picker, simplified decimal weights with unit badges, and clean country selection.
Interactive GS1 Barcode Builder & APIIntroduced a brand new guided GS1 barcode builder tool and REST API! Features quick-start templates for pallets (SSCC), cartons, and carcases, smart input helpers with automatic Modulo-10 check digit calculation, date pickers, weight scaling, and ISO country lookups. You can live-preview both Human-Readable Interpretation (HRI) and raw <GS>-delimited barcode streams, auto-optimize AI ordering for compact printing, and render vector SVG/PNG barcodes across GS1-128, GS1 DataMatrix, and GS1 QR Code formats.
Universal GS1 Barcode Decoding & Breakdown GuideExpanded our barcode reader and breakdown engine to support complete, spec-grade GS1 logistics units (pallets) and multi-AI barcodes. The Interactive Decoding Guide now dynamically segments, color-codes, and translates any combination of GS1 Application Identifiers—including SSCC logistics pallet IDs (00), Trade GTIN-14 (01), Batch/Lot (10), Production Dates (11), Best Before (15) and Expiration Dates (17), Carton Serials (21), Item & Block Counts (37/30), Net Weights (310x), Logistic Gross Weights (330x), and ISO Country of Origin codes (422)—providing clear, human-readable breakdowns right on screen.
Help & Knowledge Base CentreLaunched a brand new Help & Knowledge Base section directly in the main navigation! Features rich, step-by-step user guides explaining end-to-end livestock procurement, consignment and mob hierarchies, transport and third-party trucking scheduling, and saleyard XML settlement workflows. We've also embedded direct user guide buttons into operational headers across Consignments, Mobs, Trip Runs, and Saleyard Markets so you can access contextual instructions on demand.
Farm Quick-Registration & Instant SelectionWhen quick-registering a new farm PIC inside the Consignments modal, the newly created property is now immediately available in the farm selector and pre-selected on your active form without needing to close or reopen the modal.
Multiple Source PICs & Pickup LocationsYou can now add multiple originating farm PICs, NVD serials, and specific loading ramps/pickup locations to a single consignment. If a farm property has specific loading docks or ramps registered, you can choose the exact pickup point directly from the consignment form.
Consignment Lines EditingEnabled full category and headcount line-item management inside the Edit Consignment modal. You can now add new category lines, modify headcounts, or remove lines on existing consignments with all changes synchronised automatically.
Carrier & Transporter DropdownsBroadened transporter selections on the Trip Runs dispatch board and Trucks fleet screen. All active transport suppliers (including those categorized with a type of other or carrier) are now loaded completely across all pages and selectable without restriction.
Planned Mobs Filter & Category Pre-fillingAdded the 'Planned' status to the Livestock Mobs filter dropdown, making newly generated consignment mobs easy to find and monitor. We also updated category resolution so category dropdowns in mob forms reliably display all available options.
Market Consignment FlexibilityMade counterparty payee optional for Market/Saleyard-sourced consignments, allowing logistics and pickup planning to begin immediately before settlement XML files are received.
Livestock Purchasing Table ResponsivenessOverhauled the purchases breakdown inside the Saleyard Market Session Details modal. The category, headcount, and pricing columns are now proportioned cleanly to fit comfortably inside the dialog without triggering unnecessary horizontal scrollbars.
Consignments Purchase Session TidinessThe Purchase Session selector now only appears when you are booking a Market-sourced consignment, keeping the form clean and relevant for Farm Direct and Agent bookings.
Properties & Farms Registry ReliabilityTidied up the property creation plumbing behind the scenes, so registering a new property from the Admin console works reliably again, and quick-registering a new farm (PIC) from the Add Consignment modal no longer trips up when you leave the address blank.
Consignments Origin & TraceabilityRenamed the Farm Direct section to 'Origin & Traceability' and streamlined booking by making NVD serials optional. We have removed the legacy counterparty quick-create clutters from this modal to ensure all supplier counterparties flow from our financial ERP integration. Plus, we've introduced an optional contact person capture flow right inside the Farm/PIC quick-registration submodal, making it incredibly easy to record who you talked to on the farm during the booking call.
Consignments to Mobs (The Missing Link)Introduced a seamless, one-click 'Generate Mobs' action on the Consignment details modal! You can now instantly convert paper purchase agreement lines into active, trackable planned livestock mobs in one go. The detail modal also gains a dedicated 'Generated Mobs' panel displaying all linked mobs with live headcount and status badges so you can check their state at a glance.
Yard Manager Pool Safety (No More Flooding)Connected the Yard Manager's unallocated pool and the Mobs list filters directly to real physical lifecycle states. Mobs that are merely planned on paper (such as freshly generated consignment mobs) or actively in-transit on a truck are now safely kept off your yard occupancy screen, and will only appear there when they are physically marked as arrived on-site.
Consignments Intelligence & Workspace PersistenceReordered form fields in the Add Consignment modal to place Species first, followed by Source Channel, and finally Counterparty Payee (which is now a strictly required field). Also introduced a global workspace species memory flag! Selecting a species filter on the list or in the modal dynamically remembers your active livestock species in local storage, automatically pre-filling forms and filters as you jump between pages to streamline data entry.
Consignments Filter DropdownsAdded standard, responsive filter dropdowns to the Livestock Consignments table. You can now filter your master purchase agreements instantly by Species (such as Beef or Sheep) and Source Channel (such as Market, Agent, or Farm Direct) right above the main list, matching our other registry tables.
Searchable Select (Smart Limits & Instant Selection)Upgraded our searchable dropdown menus across the entire application—including the Consignments modal, Trip Runs dispatcher, and Trucks registries—with smart option limits and instant selection. If a dropdown has a very large list of options, it now helpfuly prompts you to enter at least three characters before searching, preventing lag and clutter. For smaller lists, it still filters instantly on your first character. We have also resolved a race condition when clicking options, making sure your selections are instantly and perfectly filled into the field every single time.
Interactive Cut Planner EnhancementsLifted the product selection restriction so you can now choose any parent product from your registry as a root node to plan transformations. If no cut plans or assembly recipes are currently defined for the chosen product, a helpful guide appears directing you on how to configure them.
Variant Packaging & Bill of Materials (BOM)Added a brand new form section for 'Packaging & Bill of Materials (BOM)' when creating or editing product variants. You can now link specific Lid, Bag, Vacuum Liner, and Carton/Box packaging components. These linked items are also clearly displayed on the variant details card using their human-readable names and SKUs.
Counterparties Registry (Pristinely Organised Directory)We have completely renamed our legacy Vendors directory to 'Counterparties'! This unified directory now beautifully hosts both Accounts Payable suppliers (vendors) and Accounts Receivable buyers (customers) in one single, high-fidelity screen. We've introduced dual-role compatibility so any business partner who both sells to us and buys from us is merged cleanly into a single card without cluttering your system.
Pristine External API Bulk Ingestion (Gold Standard Integration)Designed a robust, secure push-based API for both Counterparties and Employees! Digital Labs is now fully passive and decoupled from legacy on-premise UKG and Epicor database connections. Outside automated ETL tools can now securely push and bulk-import up-to-date employee profiles and business partners directly into Digital Labs, ensuring sub-millisecond barcode checkout response times and solid offline reliability on the floor.
Employee Directory Manual CleanupDecommissioned the manual 'Sync Directory' button on the Employees page! Since counterparties and employees now update seamlessly and automatically behind-the-scenes via our gold-standard passive API pushes, administrators no longer need to click manual sync buttons to keep local records fresh.
Interactive Barcode Decoding Guide & Raw EntryUpgraded our Barcode Reader with a brand new interactive decoding guide and raw copy-paste entry box! You can now paste raw 48-character GS1-128 or EAN-13 barcode strings directly into a clean, monospaced input field and click 'Analyse'. Once entered, expand our educational guide to see your barcode dynamically color-coded. Hover or browse through the segments to see step-by-step visual highlighting showing exactly where the GS1 Country Prefix, Company Prefix, Product SKU, Check Digits, Net Weights, Dates, and Serial Numbers reside inside the raw digits.

Version 2.8

Searchable Select (Usability Improvements)Upgraded our searchable dropdown menus to make searching incredibly smooth and fast! Clicking inside any searchable dropdown now automatically clears the search field to let you type immediately, while dynamically keeping the previously selected value visible as a clean placeholder. If you decide not to change the value and click away, the previous selection is instantly restored.
Systems Register, Account Access, and Company Assets (Brand New Suite)Introduced a complete, streamlined Systems & Assets management console! You can now maintain a master register of corporate platforms, network-level server hosts, and specific abattoir scale VMs under a brand-new 'Systems & Assets' sidebar section. Assign internal sponsors to each system, support vendors, and dedicated third-party support contacts. Map who holds active account access credentials (including time-bound approvals and automatic expiration reviews to mitigate security risks), and track company-issued physical assets like laptops, mobile phones, and tablets checked out to employees. This creates a unified offboarding checklist when employees leave, helping HR recover physical hardware and disable digital accounts simultaneously. Also, implemented a seamless, bi-directional deep-linking loop across the entire suite—including clickable cards in the Employee profile where you can hover and click directly on physical gear or system logons to jump instantly to their respective ledger page and open their detailed record on load.
Manual Vendor Entry with External IDAdded the ability to manually input and view the External Vendor ID (Vendor Code) when creating or editing vendors on both the Admin and Operations screens! This ensures that manually added vendors can be matched and automatically updated during subsequent synchronisations with external ERP accounts systems using the synchronisation API. Also updated search capabilities so you can instantly search for vendors by their External ID.
Contacts Master Directory (Brand New Screen)Introduced a beautiful, centralised Contacts Directory under Logistics! Operators can now manage key personnel profiles — full names, role titles, phone numbers, and email addresses — and optionally link them to Properties (PICs), physical Locations, or Payee Vendors on a single row. This enables dispatchers, buyers, and clerks to immediately see who to contact at any specific farm loading ramp or corporate division without maintaining disconnected, duplicate phone sheets.
Operational Locations & LogisticsMoved the Locations Management directory out of the Admin Console and right into the Logistics operational suite! Locations represent physical loading ramps, paddock gates, or warehouse docks where transport drivers stop to load and unload livestock or cargo. Bringing Locations to the front-line Logistics section, backed by dedicated permissions, empowers dispatchers and receiving operators to register and edit loading points and precise GPS coordinates on the fly without needing full system administrator access.
ERP Company Code ManagementExposed the `erpCompanyCode` field on the legal Company details screen in the Admin Console! Administrators can now view, search, and configure ERP Company Code values (such as 'CBMcKen') on company records, preventing Fail-Hard errors when bulk synchronising vendors or customers from Epicor accounts systems.
Interactive Cut Planner (Brand New Screen)Explore disassembly cut trees and assembly recipes with our brand new interactive Cut Planner screen! Pick any transformable product — like a lamb carcase — and click through the available transformation steps at each branch. Every decision consumes the input, reveals the outputs, and tracks running totals for labour minutes and expected yields (with optional start weight), so you can compare cutting strategies at your fingertips before committing on the floor.
Live Product Lookup from Barcode ScansThe Barcode Reader now instantly recognises scanned products! Whenever you scan a GS1 carton or carcase barcode, the reader checks it against your product registry in real time and displays the matched product variant, SKU, and target market right on the scan card.
Products Module (Brand New)Introduced our brand new Products master data suite! You can now manage product specifications and their market-specific SKU variants in one clean system. One physical product (like a boneless lamb leg) is defined once as a specification, and each market variant (such as US Costco, Middle East Halal, or China Export) gets its own unique 5-digit SKU and barcode with tailored packaging, tare weights, and labelling — ending the days of duplicating entire product records just to sell into a new market.
Universal Product SupportProducts of any shape or size are now supported — cartons of meat, whole carcases, bulk truckloads of grain, bags of milk powder, and even packaging materials like carton bases, lids, and vacuum liners all live in one unified, easy-to-search registry.
Transformation Plans (Cut Plans & Recipes)Laid the foundation for disassembly cut plans and assembly recipes. Transformation steps record what products are consumed, what is produced, expected yields, and labour units — the building blocks for future cut-tree planning and margin optimisation on the boning room floor.
Industrial-Strength Barcode ScanningOur barcode engine has been completely upgraded to a full GS1 specification parser. It now correctly reads carton, carcase, retail (EAN-13), and pallet (SSCC) barcodes from every Midfield site, validates check digits, and handles batch numbers and serials flawlessly — including a fix for serial numbers that previously could be mis-read when they contained certain digit pairs.
Safer Database SeedingThe database seed command is now fully re-runnable — it only ever inserts information that isn't already there, never duplicates, and never deletes. Destructive database commands (initialise/drop) are now additionally protected behind a strict type-to-confirm safety gate.
NVD Document Analysis Email FieldAdded support for extracting contact email addresses from LPA Cattle National Vendor Declarations! The AI vision engine now automatically detects, parses, and sanitises email addresses written on uploaded documents, allowing operators to audit, correct, and export them natively in the verification console and CSV spreadsheets.
Dynamic Vendor & Customer Registry FiltersUpgraded the Vendors master directory in the Admin Console with robust, real-time filtering! You can now filter counterparties based on their Associated Company and dynamically generated classification types (like GROWER or AGENT), which are now loaded natively from live database entries. Added an Active Status filter (Active Only, Inactive Only, or All Statuses) and set the filtering bar to expand automatically on load, making it effortless to browse and map your entire multi-tenant AP Vendor and AR Customer roster.
AI Task Template Import FixResolved an issue in the Admin Console where uploading or importing an AI Task template from a JSON configuration file would freeze and none of the buttons on the import modal (such as Import as Duplicate, Overwrite Existing, or Cancel) would function. You can now cleanly upload, validate, import, or duplicate custom AI checklist templates.

Version 2.7

User Administrator Status & Type SelectionAdded the ability for system administrators to directly set and manage a user's administrator status (User Type) from both the user creation and edit modals in the UI. Administrators can now promote or demote user accounts to ADMIN, USER, or SYSTEM roles using a clean select dropdown, backed by secure validation, database updates, and full integration test coverage.
Interactive API Playground FixResolved a service error on the '/admin/routes' page where the Interactive API Playground (Swagger) failed to load. The route registry now correctly and smoothly parses all platform API schemas, ensuring that developer documentation remains complete, interactive, and functional across the console.
Dispatch Map and Buyer Interface Pagination CompatibilityResolved a critical interface crash on the Interactive Dispatch Map and JIT Weekly Planner when clicking the 'Dispatch' button or resolving site delivery coordinates, and on the Buyer screen when retrieving livestock categories. Standardised all operational listings to safely parse both paginated datasets and legacy flat arrays, and updated key API testing suites to support the new, high-performance paginated envelope format.
Yard Manager Bi-directional URL Parameters & Fullscreen SyncAdded complete support for synchronising the Yard Manager page filters (such as Site, Yard Type, Yard Area, and Species) and fullscreen mode with browser URL parameters in real time. Changing any dropdown or layout setting instantly updates your browser's address bar without reloading the page. You can now copy and share links directly, and opening them on another device—such as a shared big-screen dashboard—will cleanly override local cache settings to load the exact same view.
Operational Pagination Compatibility and RobustnessResolved an issue across several operational screens—including Consignments, Consignment Lines, Mobs, Purchases, Loss Events, and the JIT Weekly Planner—where opening modals or trying to filter entries would fail or cause the page to freeze due to updated, highly-efficient paginated API response structures. Added bulletproof compatibility logic to ensure all operational front-ends seamlessly parse both legacy flat arrays and modern, high-speed paginated datasets, providing a smooth and uninterrupted experience.
Cascading Role Deletion and WarningsUpgraded our Role Management system to support safe cascading deletions. When you delete a role that is still assigned to active users, the system now displays a helpful warning modal listing the affected users and confirming whether you would like to proceed. If confirmed, the system deletes the role, cleanly detaches all user assignments, and immediately invalidates their active platform capability caches so their permissions are updated instantly.
Admin Console Form Update FixesResolved a frustrating pattern across our entire admin suite—including the Users, Sites, Locations, and Database Connections controllers—where saving changes to an entry (such as making a user inactive or renaming a site) would fail if optional fields (like middle names, contact info, descriptions, or GPS coordinates) were left empty. All admin forms now handle empty or undefined parameters smoothly, allowing you to update accounts and facilities with confidence.
Roles Editor Update FixFixed an issue where renaming or editing a role with an empty description failed. The system now seamlessly allows modifying role labels without requiring any description text.
Barcode Reader and Barcode Generator SeparationSplit the Barcode tools' access control. The Barcode Reader now has its own dedicated capability, allowing organisations to manage who can scan and decode barcodes independently from who can generate them.
Dedicated Shipping & Containers AccessIntroduced brand new, granular capabilities for our Shipping and Containers module. This ensures sea voyage logs, commercial cargo manifests, and container security seals are managed separately from domestic road transport logistics.
Administrative API HardeningHardened and restricted high-privilege administrative APIs (including email configurations, database connections, and user invitation systems). These are now locked behind strict admin credentials and capabilities, completely resolving security exposures.
Fleet Asset Security AlignmentAligned our vehicle registration and fleet editing features to require explicit truck management capabilities rather than broader scheduling capabilities.
Yard Movements Clean-upStreamlined our backend ledger system by removing unused historical capability keys to keep permissions lightweight and clean.
AI Tasker Capability RefinementUpgraded our permission naming and descriptions to clearly separate everyday operators from system administrators. Standard users can now be assigned a streamlined 'Execute AI Tasks' capability that allows them to run checklist templates and upload images without having access to configure or alter the underlying prompts.
User Editor Roles and Organisations FixCorrected an issue where the available roles and organisations lists in the User Edit modal were displaying as empty. The frontend has been updated to strictly assert the latest paginated API contract structures, ensuring reliable, real-time loading of administrative entities while preventing future silent data omissions.
Roles Info Banner RefinementUpdated the Roles management screen to include a clear, descriptive overview of our default-deny permission model. The banner now explains that all system access is denied by default, and that administrators can assign one or more roles to a user to explicitly grant them the specific capabilities required to perform actions across the platform.
Premium Icon StandardisationConducted a comprehensive sweep across all user-facing front-end components and page templates to replace inconsistent raw emojis with professional, high-fidelity Tabler Icons (including on the X-Ray Analysis lookup card, Carton Movement timelines, Cadmium eligibility grids, and status message panels). Upgraded our portable Card structures to cleanly support custom inline icon nodes, ensuring perfect design cohesion, strict functional styling, and a modern, polished visual experience.
Server-Side Search & Pagination for Admin ConsolesRefactored our administrative management interfaces for Database Connections, Email Templates, and Livestock Categories. These systems now support lightning-fast server-side pagination with SQL LIMIT and OFFSET, alongside live, server-side filtering via search parameters. This dramatically reduces network traffic, reduces memory overhead, and improves device responsiveness, keeping everything fully aligned with our database-agnostic schemas.
Carton X-Ray Lookup EnhancementsRe-aligned the security rules for our X-Ray Analysis tool to use a clean, read-only capability key, and corrected its description to reflect carton-level scan results and image searches rather than carcass inspection metadata.
Dedicated Platform Capabilities & System Routes DirectorySeparated our system paths and user permission directories into two dedicated consoles. Under '/admin/routes', administrators can now browse dynamically registered Page and API endpoints with their corresponding RBAC rules, alongside our interactive Swagger Playground. Under the new '/admin/capabilities' page (accessible to role managers), you can easily browse and search the full descriptive catalog of platform capability keys when designing and assigning custom roles.
Strict Capabilities & Access SecurityUpgraded our platform's permission gating to utilize strict, type-safe semantic capabilities. This completely resolves permission conflicts on key operational pages like the Yard Manager, ensuring your custom-assigned roles work flawlessly and instantaneously. Operators are now protected by native compile-time safety and clean, helpful permission panels.
Simple Password Generator UtilityAdded a brand new password generator command-line utility. This tool allows system administrators to easily generate cryptographically secure, simple passwords of any specified length. It purposefully avoids confusing special characters (such as symbols and punctuation) to produce clean, easily readable alphanumeric credentials.
Truncation-Resistant AI Thinking ParserUpgraded our AI Tasker to gracefully handle situations where standard models run out of token budgets mid-thought. If the AI's internal scratchpad is cut off before generating a closing tag, our backend will now dynamically recover the partial thoughts, enclose them inside our clean 'Show AI Thinking Process' accordion, and provide a helpful notification to the operator suggesting a higher token budget setting.
Prompted AI Reasoning & Scratchpad AccordionFully upgraded our AI Tasker to support a dedicated, step-by-step thinking phase for all tasks when reasoning effort is enabled. If standard, cost-effective models (such as Google Gemini 2.5 Flash) are selected, the system will dynamically instruct and parse the AI's internal thought processes behind a beautiful, collapsible 'Show AI Thinking Process' panel, keeping your final audit checklists incredibly clean, precise, and free of confusing 'thinking out loud' text.
Deployment Stability & Performance ProtectionStreamlined our server-side system loaders to prevent unexpected memory exhaustion and application crashes during cloud server deployments. Highly optimised our background Docker container images, ensuring incredibly fast, smooth, and robust application compilation and lightning-fast rebuild speeds.
Beautiful Markdown Responses in AI TaskerEnabled high-fidelity markdown rendering across both active execution screens and historical conversation ledgers. Inspection statuses, bullet-point audits, typographical warnings, and checklist criteria are now displayed natively with clean typography, styled dividers, monospace codes, and bold highlights, eliminating hard-to-read raw symbols.
AI Task Customisation & Admin ConsoleUpgraded our AI Tasker by moving all hardcoded filesystem task templates directly into our PostgreSQL database. We have introduced a beautiful new AI Task Templates administrative console under '/admin/ai-tasks' equipped with a structured, visual input field builder. Non-technical administrators can now easily design operational system prompts, manage uploader configurations, adjust response formatting, and customise operator form fields on the fly without writing any code or requiring software deploys.
Database-Backed Tenancy for AI TasksFully isolated AI task libraries per organisation, ensuring that each business tenant can establish their own proprietary suite of operational checks. Old historical conversation logs have been streamlined to natively link directly to our newly structured task tables.
Username Account Provisioning UpgradesOverhauled our Active Directory account generator tool by adding support for new vital fields including Employee IDs, corporate Telephones, and internal Office Phone Extensions. Standardised all generated mobile numbers to comply with strict Australian '+614' patterns.
Live Employee Directory SearchIntegrated the generator directly with our secure UKG Employee Directory database cache. Administrators can now start typing any name or Employee ID to autocomplete and auto-populate their profile details with a single click.
Printer PIN Conflict Pre-ChecksThe generated script now includes intelligent Active Directory conflict pre-checks for printer PIN codes. If the chosen PIN code is already active elsewhere in the directory, the script will automatically fail-fast to prevent database corruption.
Employee Welcome Sheet & PDF DownloadsRedesigned the printable employee credentials welcome sheet to fully fit high-quality A4 dimensions. Supports all newly introduced phone and directory parameters in a secure, well-structured layout, and renamed the trigger to 'Print Welcome Sheet / Save as PDF' for better clarity.

Version 2.6

Digital Run SheetsEliminated the need for paper Daily Run Sheets by creating a completely digital, mobile-first interface for our truck driver operators. Employed drivers can now log in on their phones, easily create today's sheet, record pre-trip checks for safety (oil, fuel, and water), log odometer readings, and add card-styled rows for each stop through the day (customer, location, pickups, deliveries, hooks, and unhooks). Submitting a sheet locks it instantly, acting as a digital signature.
Payroll Run Sheet PortalCreated a desktop-friendly dashboard for payroll and management staff to browse, search, and review submitted run sheets. Management can filter by specific dates, status, or search by Driver Employee IDs. Clicking a sheet opens a beautiful detailed viewer to review safety checks, stops, and margins scribbles.
Payroll CSV ExportEnabled downloading driver run sheets as highly formatted, pivot-friendly CSV sheets with repeated header columns, making it extremely easy for payroll staff to import data directly into external pay award calculators, spreadsheet pivots, or BI suites.
Enhanced Capability-Based Sidebar & GatingFully migrated all Utilities and Screens sidebar lists to use semantic capabilities instead of legacy permission models. The sidebar now automatically and cleanly customises itself based on your account's exact permissions—low-privilege drivers only see what they need, while payroll administrators get full access, making mobile navigation extremely clean.
Settings Modals PolishOverhauled the administrative system settings modals to prevent false alerts about unsaved changes. The form now intelligently detects if any typed changes have been reverted back to their original state, and hardened input fields against aggressive browser password managers that tried to auto-fill secret keys when simply viewing settings.
Encrypted Document Extraction KeyUpgraded the Document Extraction AI API key setting to be fully encrypted at rest inside our databases. Existing unencrypted API key records have been safely migrated, and future configuration edits will be automatically protected as masked passwords.
Provider-Generic AI Gateway SettingsRefactored our AI and Language Models orchestrator to support multiple providers (OpenRouter or OpenAI Direct) through a beautiful generic configuration panel, matching the same streamlined layout as our Document Extraction AI. Added dropdown provider selection, and conditional metadata fields that automatically show and hide based on your active AI service provider.

Version 2.5

AI-Powered Document Ingestion & Field ExtractorIntroduced a highly advanced, web-based Document Analyzer micro-app. Operators can now choose a document type, drag and drop multiple PDF documents (or ZIP archives containing PDFs), and extract detailed structured data on the fly using multimodal AI vision capabilities on OpenRouter. Standard users see and manage their own submissions, while admins have global access to audit and verify extracted fields.
Batch Verification Audit ConsoleIntegrated a beautiful side-by-side administrative audit screen with secure original PDF preview streaming and live-editable extraction form fields. Fields where the AI has low confidence are automatically highlighted in orange, allowing administrative staff to correct and approve document structures with minimal effort, syncing approved data directly to the database.
Universal Document Extraction APIExposed a secure, high-performance external API endpoint at '/api/document-analysis/submit' supporting both synchronous blocking and asynchronous polling workflows for direct third-party, supplier, or transport driver app integrations.

Version 2.4

Employee Directory & HierarchyEnabled browser-native deep linking across the Employee Directory. You can now bookmark or share links directly to any employee profile. Additionally, the Direct Manager field is now an interactive link, and we have introduced a beautifully styled, scrollable Direct Reports panel within the profile modal, allowing you to navigate seamlessly up and down your organisation's reporting hierarchy with a single click.
AI Task Orchestration & History LedgerAdded complete integration test coverage for AI Tasker execution, template listing, and conversation history ledger endpoints, utilizing secure simulated AI model replies and uploaded attachment tracking.
Database Connection ManagerAdded rigorous CRUD verification tests for runtime-configurable database connection records, covering live configuration loading, reloading connection parameters, and automated connection test diagnostics with real database handshakes.
System Health DiagnosticsCovered system liveness, health status, and utility diagnostics with integration tests that verify database connection status, memory allocation, and storage reachability under active session contexts.
Codebase Hygiene & RefactoringDecoupled and refactored the shipping voyage portal by extracting browser-native photo compressors, form submodals, and tab list renderers into independent modules, keeping the code exceptionally neat, fast, and fully compliant with MDL's strict Code-Perfect line budget of 1,000 lines.
Web Push Notifications & Subscription SettingsEnabled browser-native push notifications, allowing operators to receive real-time updates and urgent alerts directly on their devices even when the application is closed. Introduces an interactive Push Notifications subscription toggle under user Profile settings, enabling secure registration of standard browser Service Worker push channels powered by @pushforge/builder using raw Web Crypto payload encryption.
Interactive GIS Mapping & Custom LayersIntroduced a robust, native interactive GIS mapping dashboard under the new Mapping navigation header. Users can now establish custom organisational layers (defining points, line segments, or area boundaries styled with custom theme colours), and trace live geometries directly on the map. Features a zero-dependency drawing engine that supports plotting, flight tracking, and element deletion with direct PostGIS database synchronisation.
Interactive Dispatch MapIntegrated an interactive geographic dispatch board map utilizing Leaflet.js directly inside the Livestock Planner app. Users can now review all pending direct farm bookings represented as pins on the map, pan and zoom geographically, or click list cards to fly the map focus onto individual paddocks and suppliers. If exact GPS coordinates have not yet been configured in the database, the system dynamically calculates fallback coordinate rings from the nearest destination site to ensure they remain cleanly visible on the dashboard.
Unified Planner Navigation & FiltersUpgraded the Livestock Planner application to implement standardized accessible Preact Tabs. Persistent global filters for Species and Destination Site are now elevated to the top of the board, remaining beautifully fixed and interactive across the Daily Arrivals table, the Stocktake Matrix, the weekly JIT Forecast timelines, and the new Map dashboard.
Livestock Just-In-Time (JIT) LogisticsImplemented the backend transaction engine and API orchestration layer for atomic mob division and movement dispatching, enabling operators to split large herds and dispatch them as independent transit movement trip runs in a single transaction while guaranteeing perfect biosecurity ledger compliance.
Homepage PolishStandardised all homepage cards to align perfectly in width and design, replaced old raw emojis with elegant, custom gradient-coloured Tabler Icons, and optimised hover effects and rotating background animations for a premium experience on mobile devices and desktops alike.
Yard Manager Kiosk & Navigation EnhancementsAdded persistent full-screen state supporting dedicated monitors and kiosks. Your preference is remembered across page refreshes and browser restarts, or you can boot directly into the giant screen view using a shortcut with a '?fullscreen=true' URL parameter. Also added a beautiful breadcrumb trail displaying Site > Yard Type > Yard Area for instant context on large displays, and made the full-screen button more subtle.
Theme SupportEasily switch between Light, Dark, and System modes to suit viewing preferences. Our styling system has been overhauled to ensure form inputs, select dropdowns, text fields, and custom icons beautifully and cleanly adapt to dark mode across all screens.
Livestock Management GroundworkThe foundation is now in place for a complete livestock management experience, establishing the underlying structures needed for properties, transit movements, National Vendor Declarations (NVDs), pricing grids, loss events, and suspect declarations. While this system is not yet finished or ready for use, the groundwork is complete and ready for user screens and features to be built out in future updates.
NotificationsAdded a new notification system with a bell icon in the navigation bar, making it easy to see important updates across all organisations.
Sidebar FavouritesNavigating the platform is now even faster with alphabetically sorted menus and a new favourites feature to pin most-used pages for quick access.
Form ProtectionPrevent accidental data loss with new close-confirmation prompts on forms when trying to exit with unsaved changes.
Sticky Modal FootersAll platform modals have been refactored to implement type-safe sticky footer actions. Form buttons and key decisions (such as Save, Cancel, or Delete) now remain beautifully fixed at the bottom of your screen during scrolling, ensuring essential controls are never hidden or lost on longer forms or smaller devices.
System Health Dashboard OverhaulThe System Health monitoring screen has been beautifully redesigned to offer maximum clarity and a premium dark mode layout. Service status is now split cleanly into critical system services and external database connections, organised in a clean, space-efficient grid. If a non-critical external connection experiences issues, the system status will downgrade gracefully to a warning state, preventing false alarm unhealthy states, and the memory bar now explains the dynamic V8 heap allocation.
Yard Manager Dark ModeOverhauled the Yard Manager grid, unallocated board, and yard selection interfaces to fully support dark mode. Mob category colours are now generated using responsive CSS lightness variables to produce high-contrast, premium dark-pastel backgrounds, and all card texts, head counts, and yard boxes dynamically transition their colours and state borders using semantic tokens.
Under the HoodAn extensive round of behind-the-scenes refactoring, bug fixes, security updates, and performance improvements to keep everything running smoothly and reliably.

Version 2.3

NEW APP — X-Ray AnalysisA professional inspection tool for reviewing carton x-ray data. Search by exact barcode to instantly view detailed analysis results, including Chemical Lean (CL) percentages, weight, and contaminant detection status. Includes a high-resolution, full-screen image viewer with systematic file naming for high-quality downloads.
NEW APP — Barcode ReaderA professional-grade barcode and QR code scanner designed for speed and reliability. Features specialised 1D barcode scanning, GS1 label parsing, and enhanced visual feedback with target guides and reactive detection boxes.
NEW APP — Employee TransactionsA new tool to easily track and manage employee-related transactions. You can now add, edit, and delete transaction entries directly from the interface, with all fields fully editable. Includes support for multiple currencies, date-restricted filtering, and one-click CSV exporting for seamless payroll and reporting. Edit and delete capabilities are protected by manager role permissions for security.
NEW APP — Barcode GeneratorGenerate barcodes and QR codes in multiple formats (QR Code, Code 128, Data Matrix, and more). Customise settings and download high-quality SVG files for use in labels or signage. Supports text and hex input modes.
NEW APP — Mob Manager (Hides and Skins)Review the complete history of archived mobs. Filter records by date, species, and lifecycle status to track mobs even after they have left the yard.
Mob ImagesUpload, view, and download images against mobs, including dedicated support for Mob Images and Pelt Images (hides and skins).
Yard Manager ImprovementsMobs are now archived instead of deleted, preserving historical records. Clear colour-coded lifecycle statuses (Unallocated, Allocated, In Transit, Archived) make it easy to see where each mob stands.
Profile PersonalisationYou can now personalise your account by uploading a profile picture! Your picture appears in the sidebar and dashboard, updating immediately whenever you change it.
System and SecuritySignificant core upgrades improve scalability and security. New passwords must now meet standard complexity requirements, and sidebar navigation has been optimised for smoother workflows.
Admin ToolsA new System Health dashboard allows for monitoring performance and database connectivity. Role management is now faster, with assigned permissions floating to the top of the list.
SecurityAdded background session monitoring — if your session times out while you're working, a notification will appear immediately so you can log back in without losing your place.

Version 2.1

Yard ManagerAdded Mob Warnings system — flag mobs with important alerts or notes that appear as a red triangle icon on mob cards. Warnings track who created and resolved them with full history, keeping everyone accountable.
Yard ManagerWarnings use colour-coded backgrounds and update in real-time across all browser tabs — active warnings show with a red background while resolved ones appear in green with strikethrough.
Yard ManagerCompletely redesigned mob details view with a clean bullet-list format showing all essential information (name, species, category, head count, yards, capacity) in one easy-to-scan place.
Yard ManagerDetails, remarks, and warnings now appear side-by-side on desktop for easier viewing, and stack vertically on mobile for better readability.
Yard ManagerCategories now display with both code and name (e.g., 'M0 - Cull Cows') throughout the system — no more memorising what each code means!
Yard ManagerMob names can now include forward slashes — useful for labels like 'Cows/Bulls' or 'A/B' to better organise your mobs.
Yard ManagerClicking any mob (whether in a yard or the unallocated list) now opens the same consistent interface with all management options in one place.
Yard ManagerEdit mob now keeps you in the details view after saving — less clicking, smoother workflow.
Yard ManagerFixed edit mob modal behaviour — both the X button and Cancel button now consistently return you to the mob details view, preventing confusion and accidental data loss.
Yard ManagerAdded species filter to the Unallocated Mobs page — quickly find mobs of a specific species (Bovine, Ovine, etc.) to make allocation faster and easier, especially useful when managing large numbers of unallocated animals.
Yard ManagerFilter state now persists when moving between Yard Manager, Unallocated Mobs, and Stock Summary pages — your selections are remembered so you return to exactly where you were.
Yard ManagerRemoved borders from mob cards for a cleaner, more modern look — cards now stand out with colour and rounded corners.
Stock SummaryIncreased text size in category breakdown for better readability.
SystemOngoing look-and-feel improvements and behind-the-scenes optimisations for better performance and reliability.
SystemImprovements to back end admin console, added ability to reset user passwords, and simplified some components.
Yard ManagerImproved yard sorting when viewing 'All Areas' — yards now group by area first, then sort alphabetically within each area. This makes it much easier to scan through large lists of yards.
Yard ManagerAdded dedicated Stock Summary page — view a complete breakdown of all livestock by species and category, showing totals, allocated, and unallocated counts. Perfect for daily reporting and planning.
Yard ManagerStock Summary page updates automatically in real-time when you make changes in the yard manager — no need to refresh the page manually.
Yard ManagerStock Summary layout designed for clarity — species are clearly labelled with separate rows for total, allocated, and unallocated animals, making it easy for everyone to understand at a glance.
Yard ManagerStock Summary now shows category details more clearly — displays both category code and name (e.g., '#4 - Cows') to help identify categories at a glance.
Yard ManagerFixed category codes throughout to preserve their exact capitalisation — codes like '#8's' now display correctly instead of being changed to '#8'S'.
Yard ManagerSpecies names now display with proper capitalisation — 'Bovine' instead of 'bovine' — making the interface look more polished and professional.
SystemBrowser tab title now shows the environment — 'Digital Labs - Dev' or 'Digital Labs - Staging' — making it easy to tell which environment you're working in at a glance.
Yard ManagerAdded a new floating action menu button in the bottom right corner for quick access to common actions with less wasted space. Especially handy on mobile!
Yard ManagerImprovements to look and feel — buttons, form inputs, and yard cards now look cleaner and work better on mobile devices with improved responsive layouts.
Yard ManagerFixed critical bug where creating mobs without remarks would fail — remarks are now optional as intended.
Yard ManagerFixed issue where deleted mobs would still appear in the unallocated mobs list — deleted mobs are now properly removed from the system.
SystemBehind-the-scenes improvements to how icons are loaded throughout the application — this makes the system more efficient and easier to maintain.
SystemReduced codebase size significantly by removing over 5,000 unnecessary icon files, which should make updates faster and more reliable.
Yard ManagerAdded Livestock Categories — you can now classify mobs into categories (like Calves, Cows, Bulls) specific to each species. This makes it easier to organise and manage different types of livestock.
AdminAdded new Livestock Categories management page where you can create, edit, and organise categories for each species in your organisation.
Yard ManagerWhen creating or editing mobs, you'll now see a category dropdown that automatically filters based on the species you select.
Yard ManagerAdded Remarks field to mobs — you can now add optional notes or comments about each mob. The remarks field appears at the bottom of the mob form as a multi-line text area, replacing the old animal type field.
AdminCleaned up all admin tables by removing action buttons — simply click any table row to view details and access edit/delete options. This gives you more screen space and a cleaner interface.
AdminFixed an issue where disabled items (like inactive species) weren't showing in admin pages — you can now see and manage all items, active or inactive.
APIFixed an issue where API keys were being incorrectly validated, which was causing 500 errors when making API requests through tools like Postman.
APIImproved authentication system to properly handle both JWT tokens and API keys, ensuring more reliable API access.
Yard ManagerFixed an issue where inactive yards were appearing in the yard selection list, which could cause 'Cannot assign mob to inactive yard' errors. Only active yards now appear when assigning mobs.
Yard ManagerImproved mob display throughout — category codes (like #4, #6, LAMBS) now show instead of long descriptions, making the yard grid easier to read at a glance.
Yard ManagerSpecies names now display in proper title case (e.g., 'Bovine' instead of 'bovine') in dropdowns and mob cards.
Yard ManagerCleaned up mob information cards — removed duplicate head count from the top line since it's already shown in the capacity line below.
Yard ManagerFixed real-time updates not working after page refreshes or when multiple tabs were open. The system now automatically reconnects if the connection is lost, and handles up to 10 simultaneous connections per user (up from 5).
SystemImproved real-time update connection management — stale connections are now cleaned up more aggressively (every minute instead of every 5 minutes), and connections timeout after 5 minutes instead of 30.
SystemAdded better logging for troubleshooting real-time update issues — server logs now clearly indicate when a user has reached their connection limit and why updates might not be working.
Yard ManagerFixed Add Mob and Edit Mob forms from accidentally closing when clicking outside the modal — you now must explicitly use Cancel or Submit buttons, preventing accidental data loss.
Yard ManagerAdded total animal count display showing the number of animals in the currently selected filters (site, yard type, and yard area).
Yard ManagerFixed capacity warnings to apply to all mobs, not just those in multiple yards.
Yard ManagerStandardised mob display to consistently show capacity information (head count/capacity • yard count) for both single and multi-yard assignments.
GeneralFixed the 30-minute logout issue. Users should now stay logged in for up to 5 days of inactivity (maximum 90 days) as intended.
GeneralAdded a public changelog page: https://labs.midfieldgroup.com/changelog
GeneralImproved sidebar navigation — work tools appear first when logged in, with a subtle divider separating them from public pages.
SecurityAdded password reset functionality — users can now reset forgotten passwords via email link.
AdminAdded ability to create new users directly from the admin panel with password validation.
Yard ManagerAdded Edit Mob button, allowing mob details to be updated without deletion or recreation.
Yard ManagerAdded validation so site and yard type must be selected before accessing unallocated mobs.
Yard ManagerSite dropdown now only shows sites that have yards, keeping the list clean and relevant.
Yard ManagerUnallocated mobs modal now correctly applies site, type, and area filters.
MobileFixed iOS Safari issue where the bottom address bar covered content by implementing dynamic viewport height (dvh).
MobileYard selection and other full-screen modals now fill the entire screen without white space or rounded corners, giving a more native app feel.
GeneralVarious bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements.
Fixed console warnings and errors
Fixed Firefox scrolling bug after closing modals
Login page now preserves destination after wrong password
Yard ManagerAdded 'All Areas' option to view yards across multiple areas
Yard ManagerCan now split mobs across different yard areas