Soilmentor Setup Guide

Soilmentor Setup Guide

At home / office

1. Videos

Watch these videos for a walkthrough of using Soilmentor on your computer (web app) and phone (phone app) .

2. Download the phone app

  1. If you had already downloaded a demo version of the app, delete this app!

  2. Go to app store and download the app for iPhone, or for Android

  3. Login using the same username and the password you just set

  4. Go to Admin → Sync

  5. If you’ve already created them in the web app, your fields will appear in the Fields & Biodiversity section, and soil samples will appear in Soil Samples.


3. Add users

Log in to: soils.vidacycle.com. If you need to, create additional user accounts / logins for other people using your Soilmentor account using  these instructions .

4. Choose fields

Think about which fields / areas you want to monitor - see  guide on how to choose fields . [ You can add your fields on your computer or using your phone while out in the field using these instructions.]

In the field

1. Add fields

Add your fields on the phone app using  these instructions.

2. Add sample sites and GPS locations

  1. Decide where your sample sites will be in each field - familiarise yourself with our guide on how to choose sample site locations.

  2. Select Soil Samples on your phone app

  3. Click the + button at the top of the screen to create a sample site. Select the field you’re in, and add a name for your sample site (e.g. Middle / Margin / Hedge / W Walk / Tree / S1 / S2 / S3 and so on).

  4. Now go to 'details', and add the soil texture for this soil sample site (heavy, medium or light) - more info on how to choose this here. 

  5. Next, select the ‘Map’ tab

  6. Select the three dots in the top right and select ‘Add location’.

  7. Move the map until it’s at the location of your sample site (your location will be shown as a blue dot on the map)

  8. Select 'Done' and your sample site GPS location will be saved


If you have no service / internet out in your fields, you can open the ‘Map’ section of your phone app while you have wifi, in order to load the map of your farm before you go out testing. Your phone will then be able to locate you on that preloaded map even without internet!

3. Add soil test results

  1. Familiarise yourself with our soil test guide.

  2. Go to Soil Samples on the phone app and tap the sample site you are at.

  3. You should now see a list of soil tests that you can do at this sample site.

  4. Click on the name of a test to record the result of that test.

  5. You can add a photo while recording results from any of the tests, by clicking the camera icon.

  6. Repeat these steps at the different sample sites in your field.


4. Add observations

  1. Go to Fields & Biodiversity on the phone app.

  2. Choose the field you’re in.

  3. Go to 'Actions & Observations' to make general day to day observations you notice as you're walking or driving around the farm, or wildlife observations in the 'Biodiversity' section.

  4. Record a photo in Soilmentor to support your observations.


5. In a WiFi / mobile internet zone: sync & store your data 

  1. When you're back in a WiFi area/ have mobile internet signal

  2. Go to the Soilmentor phone app homepage

  3. Select Admin →  Sync

  4. This will upload your data to the web app, to view on your computer / internet browser. You can then log in on any computer and view your results or update field details on the web app at sm.vidacycle.com. 


Help and FAQs

1. Soilmentor Knowledge Base

Browse the Soilmentor Knowledge Base  to find out more about how to use Soilmentor and see frequently asked questions.

2. How is my data used in the Soilmentor Regen Platform?

For information on how your data is used, click here. 


3. Need to speak to us? Get in touch!

We're here to help - email info@vidacycle.com