How to Draw Borders in FarmCommand

This guide shows how to draw borders in FarmCommand to keep agricultural data organized. It explains the link between fields and subfields, walks you through the steps for creating borders, and helps ensure accurate mapping. By following it, users can improve field management and boost efficiency.

Lukas Hanson
25 steps
4 minutes

Farmcommand

Understanding Fields and Subfields in FarmCommand In FarmCommand, **fields** and **subfields** are how your operation’s data is organized and managed. Here's how it works: --- #### What is a Field? A **field** represents the total boundary of a physical piece of land. #### What is a Subfield? A **subfield** is a working unit within a field—this is where your **zone maps, soil test data, and variable rate (VR) prescriptions** are created and stored. --- ### Key Rules for Subfields - **Every field must contain at least one subfield.** - A field can have **multiple subfields**, but together their boundaries must **match the field boundary exactly**—no gaps or overlaps. - **Each subfield should contain only one crop type.** - All **zoning, soil testing, and prescriptions** are done at the **subfield level**. --- ### Farmers Edge Recommendation **Farmers Edge strongly recommends using *one subfield per field* whenever possible.**\ This approach simplifies record keeping, ensures clean data, and allows for more accurate year-over-year comparisons. However, if a field has been split in the past—or is likely to be split again in the future—you may use **multiple subfields** to reflect those different crop areas. Just remember: the combined subfield boundaries must still match the field boundary exactly.

Navigate to [https://www.farmcommand.com/assets](https://www.farmcommand.com/assets)

Click the checkbox next to the field to select it

Click the "Border" button at the top toolbar

Zoom the map into the field you want to border and click the "Draw polygon" button at the top of the toolbar

A "polygon" is a shape created by connecting lines between several individual points. Here we are going to create a shape by placing these points along the edge of the field and FarmCommand will automatically connect them as we go along.

Click around the edge of the field, dropping points that will be connected to create a border

Finish the border by clicking on the first point you dropped

If you need to remove anything from the border, you can use the "Cut" tools. Here I'm going to use the "Cut with Polygon" button to remove the house from the border.

Click the "Cut with Polygon" button

Click around the area you'd like to cut, finishing by clicking the first point you dropped

Click "Cut"

You can also use the "Edit features" button to move any of the points you've previously dropped.

Click the "Edit features" button

Click and drag the point you'd like to move Click here.

Clicking on a square between two points will create a new point that you can drag to another position

A single click on a point will delete that point and reconnect the line between the points on either side

When satisfied, click "Save"

If you made a mistake and need to go back, you can click the "Undo" button

When you're completely finished with the border, click the "Submit" button at the bottom

Now you'll be back on the fields page with your finished border showing up next to the field

Alert! You are not finished yet! The next steps are very important.

The final step is to copy the border to the subfield. Select the field that the border was just added to.

Click the "Copy" icon, towards the top right of the screen, under the "Subfield" tab.

Click this checkbox for borders you want to copy (It will be for the field the border was just added to)

Click "Submit"

Click the "Subfields" tab

The border is now displayed for the subfield.