Get the mobile app into the shed
The shed is a phone-and-tablet job. The office is a laptop job. Here's how to get the Calfmate Android app onto the device you actually use — and where it earns its keep over the web.
The Calfmate web app works on a phone, and it's a fine fallback. But the native Android app is what makes the software practical for the shed itself — chunky tap targets, sun-readable contrast, and the offline mode that keeps you moving when the steel shed eats your 4G signal. This is how to get it set up.
Devices supported (the honest version)
Android only at the moment (Calfmate v1.0.4 at time of writing). iPhone version is on the roadmap but not yet released. If your shed is iPhone-only, the web app works on mobile Safari and covers about 90% of the same workflow — you just miss the offline mode.
How to install
The app isn't on the Play Store yet. You install the APK directly from Calfmate Settings — same login as the web. The full flow:
- Sign in to calfmate.farmsystem.com.au on your phone's browser.
- Settings (admin only) → Mobile app section.
- Tap the download link. Your phone downloads the APK file.
- Android will warn you about installing from outside the Play Store. Confirm Install anyway.
- Open the app. Sign in with your Calfmate username and password.
Workers get the app the same way — by signing in with their admin's link on their own phone, or, far more commonly, by sharing a single device in the shed.
Two sign-in modes
Pick the right one for your operation
- Personal sign-in — one user per phone. Each admin gets full access. Workers get worker-only access.
- Shared device — a tablet or phone in the shed, signed in once, with multiple workers picking themselves via a PIN screen. Every action gets logged against the correct worker. This is the typical shed setup.
For shared device setup, see the dedicated shared device guide.
What works offline
The bit most people underestimate. Calfmate's Android app keeps these working with no signal:
- Recording a feed (Mark fed)
- Recording a short feed (Drank less)
- Flagging a calf
- Recording a treatment dose
What needs online:
- Editing a calf
- Changing settings
- Viewing reports
Offline actions go into a local outbox with a small indicator on the screen. When signal returns, the outbox syncs automatically — usually within seconds. If two workers happen to act on the same calf offline, sync resolves by last-action-wins on the server (rare in practice).
What's on the app
Roughly the same screens as the web, optimised for thumbs and sun:
- Dashboard (today's summary)
- Feeding (the main one)
- Calves
- Pens
- Tasks
- Health
- Treatments
- Settings (admins only)
Tap targets are intentionally chunky. Text is high-contrast and readable at 5am with cold hands.
Three small tips from real sheds
- Put the icon on the home screen, not buried in a folder. The fewer taps to open it, the more your team will use it.
- Bring a power bank. Mobile screens at 100% brightness chew battery, and you'll want full brightness in the morning light.
- Rugged silicone case — $20 of insurance against the inevitable drop. Most shed tablets we see are wearing one.
- Sign in once on the shed device with the shared login, set it to never lock, and use the worker PIN screen for individual logins. Way faster than typing email + password each shift.
When to use web instead
Phone for daily operations. Web for:
- Importing a CSV of calves (Calves → Import).
- Setting up Drug library / Task protocols / Treatment protocols.
- Reading Reports — bigger screen helps for charts and tables.
One thing to take away
The shed is a phone-and-tablet job. The office is a laptop job. Use the app where your hands are; use the web where your eyes need a screen. Both share the same data in real time — pick the device that fits the job in front of you.
Download the Android app from your Settings
Same login as the web. Offline-capable in the shed. iOS is on the roadmap. 30 days free, no card.