The Last Seen Column and Filter

Running checks builds up a record of when you last laid eyes on each animal. That record is available as a Last Seen column and a Last seen on a check filter across groups, reports and fieldsheets — so you can ask “what hasn’t anybody seen in a month?” and get a list.

What “Last Seen” Means

The date an animal was last found on a completed check. That definition is exact, and it is worth knowing where its edges are:

• Found, not rostered. Being on a check that missed the animal is not being seen.
• Completed, not in progress. An unfinished check contributes nothing, however many animals you have already ticked off. Finish it.
• The check’s date is used — its completion date, or its start date if it somehow has none — not the moment you tapped the row.
• Blank means never. No completed check has ever found this animal. That is very common on a herd that has only just started running checks.

The column and the filter share one definition, so a group never disagrees with the Last Seen value sitting next to it.

Adding the Column

Last Seen is in the column picker for groups, reports and fieldsheets, alongside Ear Tag and Breed. Add it the same way you would any other column.

• On a group — Edit Group → Columns tab.
• On a report — the Columns section of the report editor.
• On a fieldsheet — the Data Columns section, where it can also be sorted on.

The Last Seen Filter

Smart groups, reports and fieldsheets all offer a Last seen on a check criterion. Pick a mode, plus a window in days where one applies:

The window defaults to 30 days — roughly the interval a rancher would call “I should have laid eyes on her by now” on a normal rotation — and rolls against today, so a saved group or report stays current with no maintenance. An animal drops out of a “not seen” group the moment a later check finds her.

Why Never-Seen Is a Separate Choice

Checks are a newer feature, so most herds still hold animals with no check history at all. Quietly counting those as missing would return the whole herd on a filter meant to return the handful that went astray. Not seen within the window therefore leaves them out; use Not seen within the window, or never seen when you do want them, and Never seen on a check to find the ground you have never covered.

On the Animal Record

An animal’s overview shows the same information up close:

• A Last seen stat card, with the date of the last completed sighting underneath — or “No completed sighting recorded”.
• A Check History card listing recent checks the animal was on, each marked Found or Not seen, with an Unexpected badge where it applies.
• A warning banner — “Not seen on the last 3 checks” — with a link to review checks, when an animal has been missed repeatedly.

Check History is not plan-gated: every plan can run checks and every plan sees this.

Useful Setups

• “Go look for these” smart group — Status = Active, Last seen = Not seen within the window, 30 days. Add the Last Seen column so you can see how overdue each one is. Feature it on the dashboard and it maintains itself.
• Ground you have never covered — Status = Active, Last seen = Never seen on a check. Useful right after you start running checks, to see which pastures you haven’t ridden yet.
• A fieldsheet to ride with — same criteria, sorted by pasture then ear tag, with a writable Found? column.

Tips

• If the numbers look wrong, look for an unfinished check. It is the single most common reason a Last Seen date is older than you expected.
• Removing a check moves the date. If an animal’s last sighting was on a check you deleted, its Last Seen falls back to the previous one.