GrapeLink and vintrace exceed customers' expectations by integrating in record time

On approaching the 2020 Australian winemaking season, we discovered that several of our customers wanted to connect vineyard data from GrapeLink with feed intake and maturity data from vintrace. We rose to the challenge, building an integration that would bridge the gap between their wineries and vineyards and deliver essential insights from grape to bottle.

GrapeLink

GrapeLink is a cloud-based tool designed to capture and report data on grape intake and vineyard management. Core features include managing spray records, job sheets, calibration records, declarations, production forecasts, maturity data, and weighbridge data. 

The integration

vintrace extended our existing API gateway (a tool that enables different software programs to talk to each other), authorizing GrapeLink to push and fetch relevant information. This powerful connection improves efficiencies, allowing GrapeLink growers to view maturity samples recorded in vintrace against their blocks and access tonnage data received by the winery. The API also sends block harvest estimates into vintrace and assists harvest planners by warning them if they schedule a block for harvest in vintrace before a planned spray date in GrapeLink. 

“Growers were able to see data in GrapeLink in real time, and the integration saved double entry by our Lab Manager,” said Melissa from Shaw + Smith, South Australia. “We used to manually enter data into spreadsheets before sending it to GrapeLink for uploading. The integration saved many hours of data entry and correspondence with growers. We saved 25 hours of work alone between adding sample data and new blocks!“

Generating value for our customers

GrapeLink and vintrace set out to complete the integration in record time – thereby exceeding customers’ expectations of being ready for the 2020 Australian vintage. “We strongly support third-party integrations that benefit our customers’ business operations,” said Graeme Forsythe, owner at GrapeLink. “Our core focus is in the vineyard from growing to delivery. The API integration into vintrace’s cloud-based winery software means that together we deliver an end-to-end solution to winery operations.“

Zane Francis, Chief Technology Officer and one of three vintrace Founders, is excited about the partnership, saying, “It’s great to see this level of integration between two software companies servicing the wine industry. The collaboration saves vintrace and GrapeLink customers time by reducing double entry, ensuring fluid information sharing between growers and winemakers”. The integration means customers have all the relevant data available, such as the earliest harvest date for a block based on the last spray, helping them make informed business decisions when planning for harvest. “We’ve received glowing feedback from our customers because the integration has added outstanding value to them,” Zane added.

Fogarty Wine Group, Shaw + Smith, and Tasmanian Vintners all jumped on board to benefit from the integration from the 2020 vintage. The successful partnership set the foundation for continued collaboration between GrapeLink and vintrace into 2021 and beyond.