ICS was built on a one-stop-shop philosophy. We believe that when equipment, automation systems, controls, and third-party software work seamlessly together, ag retailers, manufacturers, and wholesalers can operate more efficiently and better serve their customers.
That's why ICS ControlPro is designed to integrate with a wide range of agronomy and ERP systems. Whether you're looking to streamline data entry, improve inventory accuracy, or connect plant operations with your back office, seamless integration is critical to maximizing the value of your technology investment.
Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about ICS ControlPro integrations and data synchronization.
Do ICS Controls integrate with my Agronomy or ERP Software?
Yes. Through ICS ControlPro, ICS can seamlessly tie your fertilizer retail, wholesale, or manufacturing facility with your back-office software, enabling data to flow electronically between the plant and home office.
Our software engineering team continually expands and maintains integrations with leading agronomy and ERP platforms. Current interfaces include, but are not limited to:
Agronomy Software
- AgSync
- Agworks
- Fieldalytics
- SOILMAP
Open Interfaces
- AgGateway
- CIDX v5
ERP Software
- ADM
- Agris
- AgVision
- AgVantage
- Bollmeyer
- CF Industries
- DC&H
- Helm Ag
- iRely
- JD Edwards
- Koch
- Land O Lakes
- Macola 10
- M&M
- Nachurs
- Nutrien
- Oakland
- Sage
- SSI AgVance
- Stutsman SAP
- Twin State Tech Services
Can you create an interface to my back office software?
In most circumstances, yes.
In addition to supporting industry-standard open interfaces, ICS can develop custom integrations for software platforms that provide APIs, ODBC/JDBC connections, database access, file-based imports/exports, or other supported communication methods.
Our software engineering team regularly develops and maintains integrations to help fertilizer retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers streamline data management and reduce manual entry.
Does the interface send and receive information or only receive?
Most ICS ControlPro interfaces are designed for two-way communication.
ICS ControlPro receives information such as:
- Customers
- Materials
- Tickets
It can also send information back to the originating software, including:
- Ticket status updates
- Batch completion data
- Inventory usage data
To help ensure data accuracy, ICS ControlPro maintains audit trails and generates reports that identify communication issues, exceptions, and conflicts before they impact operations.
How often does the interface send and receive information? Is it real-time?
Communication intervals can be adjusted based on your network infrastructure and operational requirements. This flexibility allows ICS ControlPro to perform reliably, even in remote rural locations where connectivity may be limited.
The system also provides status indicators that allow users to monitor interface health and verify successful data transmission.
How does ICS ControlPro handle interface failures or communication errors?
ICS ControlPro is designed to identify, track, and help resolve communication issues before they impact operations.
The system continuously monitors connections to:
- Third-party software interfaces
- PLCs and control systems
- Tank level sensors and monitoring servers
- Printers and peripheral devices
When a communication issue occurs, ICS ControlPro generates a clear system notification and logs the event for troubleshooting and audit purposes.
For third-party software integrations, errors may result from:
- Import validation failures
- Lost communication with API servers
- Network connectivity issues
- Unavailable shared drives or file locations
When these situations occur, ICS ControlPro automatically creates an exception in the Exception Queue, allowing users to review and address the issue. A visual indicator on the home screen also alerts users to the problem, helping ensure that communication issues are identified and resolved quickly.
If I need to do something for a customer at the plant that isn’t in the back office software, is it possible to send it to the home office?
ICS ControlPro can be configured to handle plant-level exceptions and communicate them back to the home office.
Depending on your organization's policies, users can create:
- Tickets
- Batches
- Materials
- Customers or parties
- And more
These exceptions are transmitted to the back-office system along with reconciliation reporting, helping ensure that all operational activity is properly documented and accounted for.
Can ICS ControlPro work without an Internet connection?
Yes.
Unlike cloud-only solutions, ICS ControlPro is a desktop application that can continue operating even when Internet connectivity is unavailable. Because the system does not rely on a central server for day-to-day operations, facilities in remote locations can continue blending, loading, and managing production with minimal disruption.
In fact, if an Internet outage occurs, ICS ControlPro can continue operating normally for extended periods of time.
However, some functions are impacted when connectivity is unavailable:
- Automatic data exchange with third-party agronomy and ERP software may be interrupted.
- Some software providers may allow data transfers through file exchanges or removable media until connectivity is restored.
- Reports remain available and can be used for manual data entry if needed.
- Monthly software license validation must be performed manually rather than automatically.
- Reports can still be viewed and printed but cannot be emailed directly from the system.
- Certain third-party devices and services, such as Internet-connected tank monitoring systems, may have additional limitations.
If your facility has limited or unreliable Internet access, talk to your ICS representative. We can help identify potential impacts and recommend solutions to ensure your operation runs smoothly.
How does ICS ControlPro synchronize inventory data?
ICS ControlPro provides a comprehensive view of inventory throughout your operation by tracking three key types of inventory:
Operational Inventory
The quantity of product currently stored at each location and in each tank. This inventory is maintained through tank level monitoring systems, metered transactions, and operational activity. When paired with NTEP-approved meters and scales, ICS ControlPro is the industry's only software platform that is NTEP-approved for inventory management.
Usage Inventory
A record of what materials have been delivered, when they were delivered, where they were delivered, and to whom.
Committed Inventory
Material commitments that have been scheduled but not yet delivered, providing visibility into future inventory requirements.
What Inventory Is Synched
To keep back-office systems synchronized, ICS ControlPro automatically reports actual material usage to integrated agronomy and ERP software platforms as loads are completed.
Data can be at exchanged at customer-defined intervals:
- After each load
- Upon ticket completion
By default, ICS ControlPro checks for changes every 30 seconds and performs a system-wide reconciliation every 10 minutes to help ensure inventory records remain accurate and that no transactions are missed. Both synchronization and reconciliation intervals can be customized to match your network infrastructure, operational needs, and third-party software requirements.
This automated synchronization helps maintain alignment between plant operations and back-office systems while reducing manual data entry and inventory discrepancies.
