AgriSmart
vs Tātou

Field operations and payroll: one system or two?

Tātou and AgriSmart both support the demanding field workflows of New Zealand horticulture. The main difference is where those records go next. Tātou sends payroll information to another provider. AgriSmart carries approved field data through to the New Zealand pay run in the same system.

Seasonal vineyard workers harvesting grapes in hi-vis vests, representing horticulture labour management in NZ and AU

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One system or two (Tātou, NZ)

One system or two

Both systems can capture the field work horticulture teams rely on. The real difference appears after that work is approved.

With Tātou, payroll is completed by a separate provider. With AgriSmart, the same worker and work records continue through the New Zealand pay run, payment and payday filing.

Two systems

Tātou + your payroll provider

Work is recorded in one product and paid in another.

2Suppliers
2Worker records
1Transfer step
  1. Record work in the fieldHours, units and piece rate work captured on mobile or tablet, offline where there is no signal.
  2. Review and approveSupervisors check submitted work before it leaves the field platform.
  3. HandoverApproved hours, piece rates and allowances leave the field platform here, and are transferred to your payroll provider through the configured export, report or integration.
  4. Run payroll in the other systemAnnual leave, deductions and PAYE are calculated by the payroll provider, against worker records that now sit in two places.
  5. Pay and file from thereEmployee payments and payday filing are completed by the payroll provider.

Two systems to configure and support, with worker and payroll data kept aligned between them.

One system

AgriSmart

Work is recorded and paid on the same worker record.

1Supplier
1Worker record
0Transfer steps
  1. Capture time in the fieldHours, units and activities recorded as work happens, on iOS and Android, offline when coverage is poor, or on biometric devices in the shed.
  2. Review and approveSupervisors check submitted time by worker, crew or activity before it reaches payroll.
  3. Run payrollPiece rate top ups, RSE 30 hour averaging and returning worker uplift, PAYE and deductions, all applied to the same records.
  4. Pay and fileBulk payslips, bank files and payday filing, finished in the same system.

One supplier. One worker record. Nothing to transfer.

Nothing is exported, reformatted or re-keyed on the way. What was approved in the field is what gets paid.

What one system looks like with AgriSmart

Why AgriSmart

One worker record across the whole system

From digital hiring and field work through to the completed New Zealand pay run, AgriSmart keeps the information attached to the same worker.

AgriSmart Field work to payroll

Before work starts

Build the worker record in AgriSmart

Digital hiring, employment agreements, signatures, human resources, RSE details and seasonal workforce information establish the record the rest of AgriSmart will use.

While work happens

Add the field work to the same record

Rosters, timesheets, approvals, blocks, rows, harvest records, job costing and equipment information remain connected to the people doing the work.

When work is paid

Use that record in AgriSmart Payroll

Piece-rate top-ups, RSE calculations, leave, PAYE, payslips, bank files and payday filing are completed using the approved worker and field records already in AgriSmart.

That is the AgriSmart difference.

The system that records the horticulture work is also the system that calculates and completes the New Zealand pay run.

Also in the same system

More than payroll sits on that record

AgriSmart connects the wider tools used to manage the worker, the horticulture operation and the resulting labour cost.

  • Built-in New Zealand payroll through to bank files and payday filing
  • RSE 30-hour averaging and returning worker uplift in the same pay run
  • Digital hiring, contracts, signatures and human resources
  • Rosters, spray diary and equipment register
  • Costing by block, row, vine, task and worker
  • Horticulture, viticulture, dairy, livestock and mixed operations

That becomes especially valuable when something changes. A corrected timesheet, a midweek starter or a final pay stays connected to the same AgriSmart worker record.

One system in practice

Three moments when one connected system matters

The difference becomes practical when information changes, a worker starts, or the season ends. These are the moments where field records and payroll need to stay in step.

  1. A timesheet changes

    The pay run is already open

    How many places need updating before the corrected work can be paid?

    With AgriSmart

    Change it once. Payroll is already using the same approved record.

  2. A crew starts midweek

    Thursday is their first payday

    How many systems need the new workers before payroll can be completed?

    With AgriSmart

    Add them once. Hiring and payroll share the worker record.

  3. The season ends

    Final pay has to be right

    Where do the recorded hours and leave calculations come together?

    With AgriSmart

    In the same system. Final pay uses the worker’s recorded history.

One worker record, from first shift to final pay.

That is the practical advantage of keeping horticulture operations and New Zealand payroll together.

No payroll handover

The decision

Which setup fits the way you want to run?

Both platforms support serious horticulture field work, including offline time, piece rates, RSE calculations, harvest records and labour costing. The choice is how much of the wider operation you want connected to that work.

Side 1 of 2

Choose AgriSmart

When you want the whole operation connected

AgriSmart combines detailed field and harvest workflows with hiring, worker management, operational records and payroll. The same information follows the worker from application through field work and into the pay run.

What sits inside the same system

  • Field work and piece rates Offline time, units, piece rates, top-ups, paid breaks and biometric capture.
  • RSE workforce rules 30-hour averaging, returning worker rates, deductions and worker records.
  • Harvest and traceability Blocks, rows, bin ticketing, barcode scanning, picker performance and consignments.
  • Hiring and Human Resources Applications, employment agreements, e-signatures, onboarding and worker documents.
  • Planning and operations Rosters, tasks, job costing, spray records and equipment servicing and maintenance.
  • Payroll and leave Leave calculations, payroll processing, bank files and payday filing.

AgriSmart is shown first because this is the one-system option.

Book a 15-minute demo
The practical answer

Choose AgriSmart when you want horticulture field capability and the wider workforce, operational and payroll system around it. Choose Tātou when you specifically want its field and client-billing workflow as one part of a multi-system setup.

Tātou information reviewed from its public website and help centre on 23 September 2026. Product features, integrations and pricing change over time.

Which system is right for your business?

If you need payroll, timesheets, piece rates, RSE compliance, dairy rosters, or job costing, AgriSmart is built for your industry.

Book a 15-minute demo

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between AgriSmart and Tātou?

Both systems support detailed horticulture field work.

Tātou also supports worker and RSE records, scheduled work, job costing, client invoicing and operational forms. It then sends the required payroll information to a separate payroll provider.

AgriSmart connects the field work to a wider system that includes digital hiring, employment agreements, Human Resources, rosters, operational registers, leave and the pay run itself.

Do both systems support piece rates and minimum wage top-ups?

Yes. Both systems support hourly and piece-rate work, units completed, minimum wage top-ups and paid rest-break calculations.

The difference is what happens next.

With AgriSmart, approved hours, units, piece-rate earnings and top-ups continue directly into the pay run.

With Tātou, the calculations and field records are included in payroll reports for the grower’s chosen payroll provider.

Do both systems support RSE workers and the 30-hour average?

Yes. Both systems support RSE worker records and minimum hours or minimum earnings averaging.

Tātou publishes configurable one to four-week averaging periods, partial-week prorating and payroll report outputs.

AgriSmart calculates the four-week test within the payroll workflow. It also applies returning-worker rates, reconciles hourly and piece-rate earnings, calculates top-ups and keeps the payroll history on the same worker record.

Can both systems track harvest work, bins and blocks?

Yes. Both systems provide detailed horticulture harvest tracking.

Tātou publishes individual and team bin tracking, blocks and rows, barcode and QR scanning, packhouse labels, quality checks and consignment records.

AgriSmart links bins to pickers, teams, blocks, rows and varieties. Approved harvest records can then flow into piece-rate calculations, payroll, job costing, reporting and packhouse checks.

Can Tātou connect with an existing payroll provider?

Yes. Tātou lists a range of payroll partners and says it can produce payroll reports for any provider. Its published connection options include custom reports, exports and imports, selected integrations, API access and webhooks.

Tātou does not provide the pay run itself. Its published material says the payroll provider handles employee tax, deductions, annual leave and final payroll processing.

Which system should a New Zealand grower choose?

Choose AgriSmart when you want field work, harvest records, hiring, Human Resources, rosters, spray records, equipment servicing, leave and payroll connected in one system.

Choose Tātou when its field, harvest, quality and client-invoicing workflows are the preferred fit for your operation, and you deliberately want it to work alongside a separate payroll provider and wider software stack.

Tātou information reviewed from its public website and help centre on 23 September 2026. Product features, integrations and pricing change over time.

“

After trying 4 payroll systems in 6 months we found AgriSmart, that was 6 years ago and we haven’t looked back. It’s the only platform flexible enough for our horticulture enterprise, with seamless Xero integration, biometric time clocks, and a team that actually listens to our feedback. We love it!

Brendan HerriesRoper & Son
“

AgriSmart's software has cut our payroll admin by 75%!
We love the system as it is super easy to learn, very efficient, and has saved us a lot of money. Especially during harvesting season.

Matakana Berries
“

AgriSmart has been the single biggest game changer in our business. It has removed a massive admin burden and freed me up to focus on the actual work. I wouldn’t run my business without it. As someone who wears every hat, it has made life easier.

Mark GeuzeDirector, Under the Vine Limited
“

I was getting overwhelmed and the system I first tried was desktop based and was super expensive. A friend recommended AgriSmart because it's made specifically for farmers.

Eder Agriculture
“

You should see how many tasks we have in the app! They're awesome, you can flick them on to staff easily and you don't have to ring or text them on their day off to tell them what they're doing in the morning.

Emily Eder
“

I like having no paper - contracts and tax forms are managed electronically. I also like that the successful applicants information is sent directly into the payroll module so minimal data input is need!

Dale CollisHop Revolution
“

After trying 4 payroll systems in 6 months we found AgriSmart, that was 6 years ago and we haven’t looked back. It’s the only platform flexible enough for our horticulture enterprise, with seamless Xero integration, biometric time clocks, and a team that actually listens to our feedback. We love it!

Brendan HerriesRoper & Son
“

AgriSmart's software has cut our payroll admin by 75%!
We love the system as it is super easy to learn, very efficient, and has saved us a lot of money. Especially during harvesting season.

Matakana Berries
“

AgriSmart has been the single biggest game changer in our business. It has removed a massive admin burden and freed me up to focus on the actual work. I wouldn’t run my business without it. As someone who wears every hat, it has made life easier.

Mark GeuzeDirector, Under the Vine Limited
“

I was getting overwhelmed and the system I first tried was desktop based and was super expensive. A friend recommended AgriSmart because it's made specifically for farmers.

Eder Agriculture
“

You should see how many tasks we have in the app! They're awesome, you can flick them on to staff easily and you don't have to ring or text them on their day off to tell them what they're doing in the morning.

Emily Eder
“

I like having no paper - contracts and tax forms are managed electronically. I also like that the successful applicants information is sent directly into the payroll module so minimal data input is need!

Dale CollisHop Revolution