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Barhead tackles Tassal inefficiencies with Dynamics 365

Deploys Dynamics 365 Field Service and 10 Power Apps for Tasmanian fish farmer.
Tassal's Tasmanian Smart Farm system

Tassal's Tasmanian Smart Farm system

Microsoft partner Barhead Solutions has helped salmon farmer Tassal tackle its IT inefficiencies using Dynamics 365. 

The Sydney-based partner deployed Dynamics 365 Field Service and oversaw the roll-out of 10 Power Apps, integrating them with the customer’s Smart Farm operational system. 

The transformation was carried out to provide Tassal with ocean to supermarket supply chain visibility for 35,000 tonnes of salmon harvested every year. 

Barhead also worked with Tassal on a broader strategy to automate processes and ensure data was captured and immediately accessible across the group to boost efficiency and decision-making. 

“We worked with Tassal for a couple of months to really understand the processes involved in responsible aquaculture, and then scoped out the Smart Farm operation system which has Dynamics 365 Business Central and Field Service at its heart,” said David Burns, Barhead sales director. 

“Add in the Power Apps that are being developed, and the data that is being collected out in the open ocean or in breeding pens and you have a really rich collection of information that is allowing Tassal to optimise its operations, boost efficiency, keep its staff safe, and ensure that the fish are farmed in the most sustainable way. 

The move came as the Tasmanian company plans to move its suppl-tracking software entirely to Microsoft’s cloud.

Currently, Tassal uses WiseFish, an Iceland-developed system based on Dynamics Business Central, that tracks seafood from source to plate. This is currently run on-premises, but plans are now underway to move this to the cloud.  

Tassal has also deployed Office 365 across the organisation, and benefitted from being able to use Teams extensively for training and change management during the COVID-19 pandemic when face to face options were difficult. 

Now that the Smart Farm system has been rolled out across all of Tassal’s operations, the organisation is now working with Barhead on future innovation. 

 It’s currently working on a system to support the operation of its ‘well boat’, an important asset which is critical in ensuring the health of the salmon and safety of the workforce in the rougher waters offshore. 

The move also comes as Tassal expands its operations into prawn farming. “We have deployed half a dozen apps that we’ve built over the last 12 months as we’ve scaled our prawn farming,” said chief information officer Matt Leary. 

“We’ve gone in there with a mindset that we want to do things digitally from the start. So we’ll just basically build apps in the Power Platform to replace what might’ve been an Excel or paper process previously.” 

Last year, Barhead Solutions won the Microsoft Partner of the Year Award for Social Impact, which recognises digital transformation projects made for non-profits.  

 This was for a project using Microsoft’s Power Platform to enable YMCA Victoria to fast-track its JobKeeper applications to meet the government deadline with a two-day turnaround.