askcust develops fuel monitoring software for farm machinery: data from fuel level sensors and the CAN bus, automatic detection of refuels and drains, fuel use per hectare and per operation. For farms where fuel is one of the largest cost items and reconciliation still relies on waybills.
Fuel monitoring for farm machinery is a system that collects fuel level and consumption data from sensors and the onboard bus, links it to the GPS track and the operation, and shows refuels, drains and actual consumption for every machine. Unlike GPS monitoring, which answers where the machinery is, fuel monitoring answers how much fuel was used and where it went.
Consumption from the sensor or CAN bus is linked to the operation and field, so actual litres per hectare are visible for every machine and implement. The norm stays a reference, and any deviation becomes a separate report line with an explanation.
A sharp drop in tank level while the machine stands still or moves without working is flagged as a suspicious event with the time and place on the map. The engineer is notified at once rather than during the monthly reconciliation.
Every refuel the sensor records is matched against the fuel issue log of the depot or fuel truck. The difference between litres issued and litres that reached the tank is visible for each refuel, not as a monthly total.
Sensor readings are smoothed with the machine's tilt and fuel sloshing taken into account, and a calibration table is kept for every tank. When a chart does not match reality, it is clear whether the problem is the sensor, the calibration or the consumption itself.
The module works with data from existing sensors and trackers; if there are no sensors yet, askcust helps define the requirements for the provider.
Fuel level in every tank from the sensor and its calibration table, and automatic detection of refuels and drains by thresholds the engineer sets, with the time, place and volume of each event.
Fuel consumption is broken down into operations and fields by the track: litres per hectare, per engine hour and per shift for every machine, implement and operator.
Consumption norms for each machine and implement pair on each operation are kept in a reference list; the report shows deviations by field and shift and brings the biggest ones to the top.
Fuel issued from the depot, the fuel truck or filling stations by fuel card is matched with the refuels the sensor recorded; discrepancies go to a separate report for the engineer and the accountant.
Total and instantaneous fuel use and engine hours from the J1939 CAN bus, sent by the tracker. They complement the level sensor: the engine counts the fuel it burns, while a drain from the tank shows only in the level.
Actual consumption by operation provides data for waybills and fuel write-offs in accounting; the exchange with BAS or another accounting system is set up so the accountant does not enter litres twice.
askcust works with data from sensors and trackers installed by the telematics provider, who also calibrates the tanks.
| criterion | Waybills and Excel | Telematics platform reports | Fuel monitoring by askcust |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumption | Written off by the waybill norm; nobody sees actual litres in the field. | Level and consumption chart per machine, with no link to fields or operations. | Litres per hectare by field, operation and implement, with the norm next to actual. |
| Drains | Noticed when fuel runs out earlier than expected, or after a complaint. | Drain events by platform thresholds, which the engineer checks by hand. | Events with place and volume, Telegram alerts and a review log. |
| Depot reconciliation | The issue log is matched against waybills by hand once a month. | Refuels are visible in the portal, while the fuel log lives in another program. | Every refuel recorded by the sensor is matched with depot issues automatically. |
| Accounting | The accountant enters fuel write-offs from waybills into BAS by hand. | Data is exported to files and moved to accounting separately. | Actual write-offs by operation go to accounting without re-entry. |
| Cost | No software costs, but hours of manual reconciliation every month. | A fee per machine; analytics limited by what the platform offers. | One-time development and support; the telematics subscription stays as a data source. |
| When to choose | A few machines and no reason to suspect fuel losses. | Only charts and events per machine are needed, with no link to accounting. | A large fleet, your own fuel depot and a need for litres per hectare. |
askcust checks which machines have level sensors and which only the CAN bus, whether calibration tables exist and what the fuel charts looked like over the last month.
Consumption norms by machine, implement and operation are moved from existing documents; refuel and drain thresholds are tuned with the engineer on the history of real events.
A few machines and one fuel depot: the system calculates consumption per field and catches refuels and drains, and the depot reconciliation is tested on real issue logs.
Norm-versus-actual reports, depot reconciliation and engineer alerts are switched on; fuel write-off data starts flowing into accounting and BAS without re-entry.
The remaining machines are connected the same way; support covers new machines, recalibration after tank repairs and norm updates before the season.
examples of askcust's work →not agriculture, but the same kind of task: records, CRM, automation
The CAN bus is often enough for consumption by operation, but drains need a level sensor. The engine counts the fuel it burns, so a drain from the tank does not show in CAN data, and the stock float gauge sent over the same bus is usually too coarse to detect small drains. askcust connects both sources and shows what each of them can reveal.
Accuracy is set mainly by the sensor and the tank calibration, not by the software. askcust keeps a calibration table for every tank, smooths fuel sloshing while driving and accounts for a machine parked on a slope. That is why consumption is best compared per shift or operation rather than per minute, and regularly checked against refuels.
By a sharp level drop that engine operation does not explain: the machine stands or moves without load, but the tank level falls faster than the engine could burn fuel. The engineer sets the volume and duration threshold for each machine type, and every event is saved with its place on the map so it can be checked and closed with a comment.
Yes. Issue logs from the depot or fuel truck and fuel card statements are imported from Excel or accounting, and each issue is matched with the refuel the sensor recorded at the same time. The report shows discrepancies by refuel, machine and driver, not just a monthly total.
Both depend on the number of data sources, the state of sensors and calibrations, the reports and the accounting integration. After the audit askcust estimates the first stage (level, refuels, drains and per-field consumption for a pilot group of machines) with a fixed scope and timeline; depot reconciliation and BAS exchange come in later releases.
In the client's system, on the client's server or cloud account. The telematics platform remains the source of readings, while events, reconciliations and reports are kept in the farm's database, so the history of refuels and drains can be retrieved for any season. askcust has access only during development and support.
A reply within one business day; a call only if we agree on one.