NFTA

The National Forage Testing Association (NFTA) partnered with Noble Applications to replace a legacy system used for lab certification, data collection, and statistical reporting. The new web-based platform supports NFTA’s mission of ensuring consistency and accuracy in forage testing by providing labs and administrators with modern tools to manage participation, submit data, and generate reliable certification results.
NFTA Website

Solving the Business Problem

NFTA’s original certification system relied on a mix of Visual Basic desktop software, ASP.NET web forms, and manual workflows—creating inefficiencies and increasing the risk of data errors. Labs faced confusing submission processes, missing reports, and unclear form requirements, while NFTA staff had to rely on external tools to analyze data and track participation. The inability to email reports directly from the system and a lack of integrated access controls were adding to the administrative burden.

With limited support for the outdated software and growing participation from labs across North America, NFTA needed a fully integrated system that streamlined certification processes, reduced manual intervention, and supported reliable statistical analysis.

Noble’s Collaboration

Noble Applications was engaged to design and build a secure, cloud-hosted platform that consolidates all certification-related functionality in one place. The team collaborated with NFTA to identify friction points and design a system tailored to both lab users and internal staff. Key enhancements include:

  • A unified login system for labs and NFTA administrators with role-based permissions
  • Dynamic certification forms with real-time data validation and file upload capabilities
  • Automated PDF report generation with email functionality for efficient distribution
  • Built-in statistical tools for analyzing sample data and determining certification status
  • Centralized tracking of lab participation, form completion, and historical performance
  • Clean, responsive design to ensure usability across devices and screen sizes
  • Back-end tools for NFTA staff to manage lab accounts, deadlines, and communications

The project also included thorough documentation and Slack-based collaboration to keep development transparent and adaptive to changing needs.

Project Importance

The updated system provides NFTA with a more reliable, scalable platform for managing lab certifications and upholding industry standards. Labs benefit from a clearer, more efficient workflow for participating in the program, while NFTA gains real-time insight into data quality and program metrics.

With Noble’s partnership, NFTA has transitioned from a patchwork of legacy tools to a future-ready solution that supports both scientific rigor and administrative efficiency. The platform is designed to grow with the program, offering a foundation for ongoing enhancements and simplified support for years to come.

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Noble Applications