At Mount Melville, near Cavendish in South West Victoria, Mark Williams runs a large sheep operation alongside the Grampians. With around 10,000 sheep and decades in farming behind him, having a clear handle on the numbers is essential.
Mark has been using Farm Focus, and previously Cash Concepts, for close to 30 years. Over that time, the role it plays in his business has remained simple and important.
Always knowing where you stand
For Mark, the biggest benefit is being able to see his cash position at any point in time.
“The feature I like best is the budgeting. Every month when I enter my details, it automatically updates my cashflow going forward, so I know exactly where I am.”
That visibility removes uncertainty and helps him stay on top of the financial side of the business without overcomplicating things.
Simple, practical, and reliable
After transitioning to Farm Focus, Mark found the system straightforward to use once he got into the rhythm of it.
“It’s easy to use once you get used to it. Entering BAS numbers, keeping everything up to date, it just flows through into the budget.”
That simplicity is key in a busy farming operation where time is limited and decisions need to be made quickly.
Better conversations with the accountant
Farm Focus also makes it easier to work with his accountant.
“He can log in at any stage and see exactly what I’m looking at. If I’ve got a question, he can check it straight away from his end.”
This shared view of the numbers means fewer delays and clearer conversations when decisions need to be made.
Planning the next stage
As Mark looks ahead to the next few years, his focus is shifting toward longer-term decisions about the future of the farm.
“I’m coming to the end of my farming career, so I’ll be making decisions over the next three to five years about how much longer I keep going.”
With the likelihood of selling the property and working through things like capital gains, having reliable financial information will be important.
“Farm Focus will help with that long-term planning once we start going through that process.”
