Build A 4-H Record Book From Your Herd Data
Use the Reports 4-H Record Book Builder to select animals and costs, complete member sections, and export a supporting PDF or CSV after checking local requirements.
Build a practical 4-H supporting record from Rabbitry Run data, complete member-controlled sections, and export PDF or CSV after checking local requirements.
20-40 minutes for a first project year
Desktop: Open Reports from the left sidebar, then choose 4-H Record Book.
Mobile: Tap the menu button, open Reports, then choose 4-H Record Book (shown as 4-H Record on smaller screens).
- Have rabbit records, purchases, inventory usage, shows, and litters entered for the project year you want to document.
- Know the member name and any club, county, leader, or age-division details your local program expects.
- Remember this is a flexible supporting record, not an official county form. Requirements vary by state, county, project type, and age division.
Overview
- The 4-H Record Book Builder walks through Set Up, Choose Records, Complete Sections, Story & Photos, and Review & Export.
- Rabbitry Run pulls sourced activities and finances from your herd data, then labels what came From Rabbitry Run, what You selected, and what you entered as Manual.
- You stay in control: purchases are never silently assigned to the project, AI story drafts are fact-limited and editable, and export waits for required items to be resolved.
When To Use
- A 4-H or FFA member needs a year-end rabbit project record built from real barn records.
- You want PDF output plus CSV exports for animals, activities, finances, meat production, freezer movement, or farm-tax support.
- You want to scope the book to all managed rabbits, a Project, or a legacy tag.
Step-By-Step Guide
Set up the project year and source
Start with dates, member details, and which rabbits the book should cover.
Open Reports from the sidebar or mobile menu, then choose the 4-H Record Book tab.
- You should see the 4-H Record Book Builder with the five step buttons and a note that this is a supporting record, not an official county form.
Use Saved record book to reopen a prior draft, or leave New unsaved draft selected and continue.
- Use Duplicate to Next Year on a saved book when you want next year’s draft to start from this year’s setup.
Choose All managed rabbits, a Project, or a Legacy tag. Enter Start date, End date, Member name, and optional Club, County / State, 4-H leader, Years in project, and Age division.
- Member name is required before PDF export.
- Use Local requirements note for reminders such as leader signatures or captioned photo counts.
- Project source preselects animals from project memberships or tags. Sold and deceased rabbits remain available for selection.
- The project year, source, and member identity are ready for record selection.
Choose animals, expenses, and inventory usage
Select only the records that belong in this project year.
On Choose Records, check the rabbits that belong in this book.
- Each available rabbit shows breed, tattoo, and status so you can confirm the right animals.
- If no rabbits appear, add rabbit profiles or project memberships, then return.
Check only the purchases and feed or inventory usage logs that belong to this project year.
- Purchases are never silently assigned. Unselected year purchases stay advisory until you attribute them or leave them out on purpose.
- Animals and selected costs match the project year you intend to submit.
Complete goals, care notes, story, and photos
Fill member-written sections, then review the story and photos before export.
On Complete Sections, enter goals with plans and results, care routine, reflection, skills, lessons, next-year goals, and any custom local sections your county needs.
- Add Manual activity or Manual income or expense rows for items that never lived in Rabbitry Run records.
On Story & Photos, write the story yourself or use Draft from Reviewed Facts for a fact-limited AI starter, then rewrite it in the member’s voice.
- AI never invents feelings, awards, or events beyond the reviewed facts. If records change after a draft, the page warns that the draft needs review.
Select existing rabbit-profile photos, then add a caption and date for each included photo.
- If no photos appear, add photos on rabbit profiles first, then return here.
- Member-controlled sections, story, and photos are ready for completeness review.
Review completeness and export
Resolve required items, then download the outputs your program needs.
Open Review & Export and resolve any Required diagnostics. Advisory Review items should still be checked against local rules.
- Required items block Download PDF. Advisory items remind you about goals, story, photos, local notes, or unattributed purchases.
Use Open Full Preview, Download PDF, and the CSV buttons for Animals, Activities, Finances, Production Summary, Freezer Movement, 4-H / FFA Meat, or Farm Tax Support.
- Optionally include printable member, parent/guardian, and leader signature lines before exporting the PDF.
Use Save Draft while work continues, or Mark Complete when the book is finished for this year.
- Mark Complete still does not replace checking your county or club submission checklist.
- You can export a supporting record book after required fields are complete.
You're Done When
- You can open 4-H Record Book from Reports and move through the five builder steps.
- You know purchases must be selected on purpose and that the PDF is a supporting record, not an official county form.
- You can resolve Required diagnostics and download PDF or CSV exports.
- You know AI story drafts must be reviewed and rewritten before submission.
Common Mistakes
- Treating the Rabbitry Run PDF as an official county form that replaces local signature or photo rules.
- Expecting every purchase in the year to count without selecting the ones that belong to this project.
- Leaving member name or the date range blank and wondering why Download PDF stays blocked.
- Using Draft from Reviewed Facts and submitting the AI text without rewriting it in the member’s voice.
If Something Still Looks Wrong
Why is Download PDF disabled?
Resolve Required diagnostics first. A valid date range, member name, and at least one selected project animal are required before PDF export.
Why are purchases still listed as needing attribution?
Rabbitry Run will not silently assign year purchases to the project. Select only the expenses that belong to this book, or leave them unselected if they are not project costs.
Why does the story say it needs review?
The AI draft fingerprint no longer matches the current record selection. Review the story, rewrite it, or draft again from the updated facts.
FAQ
Is this an official 4-H county form?
No. It is a flexible supporting record built from your Rabbitry Run data. Always verify local state, county, project-type, and age-division requirements before submitting.
Can I scope the book to a breeding Project?
Yes. Under Project source, choose a Project. Memberships preselect animals, and you can still adjust the selection.
Does Draft from Reviewed Facts need Pro access?
Yes. That AI draft uses Ask Rabbitry access. You can always write the story yourself without AI.
When To Contact Support
- 4-H Record Book is missing from Reports even though Reports is enabled in your workspace.
- A draft saves locally in the session but never reappears after refresh when cloud sync should be working.
Still Stuck?
If the guide got you close but the app still does not match what this tutorial says should happen, contact support and mention the article title, the exact step where you got stuck, and what you saw instead.