A field-first toolkit
Import or measure a boundary, work out the usable acreage, record what matters and make a report another person can open.
It works with the GPS/GNSS receiver already in your Android phone and doesn't need a mobile signal for normal field work.
Turn on Guided field mode for a simpler interface with large controls and clear instructions about what to do next.
AcreTrace leads the user through measuring, checking, recording field details, adding exclusions and markers, and finishing the field record.
Switch back to the full interface at any time. Both modes use the same surveys and settings.
Walk an irregular field boundary and record it point by point, or use automatic capture where it suits the job.
AcreTrace calculates the enclosed area and perimeter, with acres shown first.
It also records the accuracy reported by the phone so you can judge the measurement rather than being given a number with no explanation behind it.
Need the distance between two points? Use Distance.
Need to measure a winding farm track, fence line, ditch or inspection route? Record the route you actually travel.
They're different jobs, so AcreTrace treats them differently.
Name a survey, give it a field reference and add it to a farm or holding.
Add notes, mark regularly used fields as favourites and archive old records without having to throw them away.
The result is a field register that becomes more useful the longer you use it.
Enter a nine-digit SBI, identify whether you are a farmer, employee or agent, and explicitly accept the official data licence before fetching.
The GeoJSON travels directly between the Android app and Defra over HTTPS. There is no AcreTrace proxy, account or server in the request path.
Preview the geometry, select parcels and choose the holding and field names before importing.
RPA source vertices are not presented as phone measurement points and do not claim phone accuracy.
Already have a field boundary from another app or GIS system? Choose the file on the phone and check the outline before importing.
AcreTrace accepts KML, KMZ and WGS84 GeoJSON polygons, lets you untick shapes you do not need and asks for clear holding and field names.
The original file is not uploaded. Imported vertices are identified as source vertices and are not given invented phone accuracy.
A measured field may include woodland, ponds, buildings, heaps or other ground that shouldn't count towards the usable acreage.
Walk around those areas as exclusions.
AcreTrace shows:
So a 20-acre boundary doesn't automatically mean 20 usable acres.
Save useful points while you're already out in the field.
Markers can be used for things such as:
Add a name, note and photograph where useful.
Later, AcreTrace can show the distance and bearing back to the marker.
Not everything you notice on a field walk needs dealing with there and then.
If you find a broken fence, damaged gate, leaking trough, blocked drain or something else needing attention, mark Repair Needed.
Add a note or photograph, finish the job you're doing and come back to it later.
The marker stays with the field record and can be included in reports and exports.
Create an A4 PDF field report containing the field map, acreage, measurement information, exclusions, markers and notes.
For mapping and GIS work, AcreTrace can also export common geographic file formats.
Several fields can be combined into one map for a whole farm or holding.
The Field Register stays at the centre of AcreTrace. If a record relates to contract work, add a client name, job or quote reference and short work description.
Distance and route records help with fencing, hedging and track work. Area and exclusions help with mowing, spraying and other per-acre work.
Those details appear in the PDF when used. Leave them blank and the ordinary farm record stays uncluttered.
Switch on the verified free OS OpenData Light mapping in Settings for extra context while online.
AcreTrace uses only free OpenData zoom levels and requests tiles directly from Ordnance Survey. It does not put OS mapping into the PDF report.
If the map service or mobile signal is unavailable, AcreTrace says so plainly while saved records, measurements and the normal field plan continue to work offline.
Your working records live on the phone, but they don't have to live there alone.
Create a complete AcreTrace backup when you choose and save it somewhere separate from the phone.
A backup can include your surveys, settings and marker photographs.
Phone positioning is very useful, but it isn't perfect.
AcreTrace shows the accuracy reported by the phone and warns when a fix deserves caution rather than pretending every coordinate is exact.
For ordinary field work, that context matters.
For work requiring survey-grade or legal accuracy, use the appropriate surveying equipment.
Read about accuracy and safe use →AcreTrace shows accuracy and reliability context rather than disguising phone-GNSS limitations. External RTK receiver support is planned after the phone release is complete.