Simple, effective, inventory system?
- Thread starter WestKentucky
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Twiki357
Member
I just use an Excel spread sheet. Separate tabs for rifles, revolvers, pistols, reloading equipment, and accessories. I tried to keep one for ammo and one for reloading supplies, but quickly lost track of all the ins and outs and gave up on that.
I also have a separate subdirectory of pictures of every firearm. Usually 5+ pictures of each including a scan of the purchase receipt.
It’s all on my hard drive with back-up on two different thumb drives.
I also have a separate subdirectory of pictures of every firearm. Usually 5+ pictures of each including a scan of the purchase receipt.
It’s all on my hard drive with back-up on two different thumb drives.
You wife and I sound a lot alike. I have receipts for the overwhelming majority of my guns and magazines (scans and original hardcopy) dating back as far as 1970. There are good reasons to keep accurate and complete records: tracking, insurance purposes, letters of intent attached to wills and etc..
As far as doing the fed's work for them, the difference between data being kept in one place in a gun safe (S/Ns on guns for instance) versus in an electronic file, or on paper, is inconsequential.
OilyPablo
Member
The thought is good. Problem for me is I run two small businesses with semi-manual inventory. I don't want to inventory my "hobby". Guns, no real problem there - ammo..........well I have quite a bit, and even more that I didn't know I have!!!
It happens with regularity. A case of 9mm here, 2000 each 5.56 there, oh wow I forgot I bought 10 boxes of .357Mag, HOLY MOTHER LODE - three 50 cal ammo boxes full of .22LR bricks, 20 boxes of 10mm.....it's not exactly that I forgot buying the ammo, it's just I forgot storing it!!
It happens with regularity. A case of 9mm here, 2000 each 5.56 there, oh wow I forgot I bought 10 boxes of .357Mag, HOLY MOTHER LODE - three 50 cal ammo boxes full of .22LR bricks, 20 boxes of 10mm.....it's not exactly that I forgot buying the ammo, it's just I forgot storing it!!
Rollis R. Karvellis
Member
I use an Excel spreadsheet for basic record keeping. I also keep another text oriented record when I first acquire a firearm in simply chronological order. Pictures can easily be inserted into something like this. If the file is long, you can always refer to the spreadsheet for a date.
Reloading stuff, nope. Ammo, nope.
Some people like to keep detailed records and some don't. I did this with money spent for a number of years on a monthly basis. The intention was that it would help me understand where I spend the money and perhaps develop a budget oriented to certain spending groups. But as my brother said..... do you use it for anything? Not really. Has it changed you spending habits? Not really.
So, other than a basic record as mentioned above, I don't see much point for myself.
Reloading records are important however.
Reloading stuff, nope. Ammo, nope.
Some people like to keep detailed records and some don't. I did this with money spent for a number of years on a monthly basis. The intention was that it would help me understand where I spend the money and perhaps develop a budget oriented to certain spending groups. But as my brother said..... do you use it for anything? Not really. Has it changed you spending habits? Not really.
So, other than a basic record as mentioned above, I don't see much point for myself.
Reloading records are important however.
Reloadron
Contributing Member
My early attempts at Excel were crude but as can be seen I got the cells all made:
Then I decided that there was a better way:
Then Microsoft ripped off my original process and made money using it:
Finally using software from the evil empire I settles on Access:
No shortage of ways to go about it.
Ron
Then I decided that there was a better way:
Then Microsoft ripped off my original process and made money using it:
Finally using software from the evil empire I settles on Access:
No shortage of ways to go about it.
Ron
Panzerschwein
member
Man I wish I had enough guns that I'd need to track them on an excel sheet!! 
Working on it though! Right now, my "inventory system" is a wad of mush between my ears!
Working on it though!
Right now, my "inventory system" is a wad of mush between my ears!If I didn't have the Excel spreadsheet, I honestly wouldn't be able to tell you what I own. I could guess, but it would be a guess (knowledgeable one, but still a guess). How many do I own? I honestly don't remember and really don't care all that much.
Even though I have my inventory in a database, it makes one think......
1. Take a spiral bound steno pad or similar and a pencil (maybe a ruler).
2. Manually take inventory.
3. Go sit in front of a PC/Mac for a few hours and enter data.
[light bulb goes on]
I was done at Step 2. :banghead:
1. Take a spiral bound steno pad or similar and a pencil (maybe a ruler).
2. Manually take inventory.
3. Go sit in front of a PC/Mac for a few hours and enter data.
[light bulb goes on]
I was done at Step 2. :banghead:
Excel!
Sold or traded records are cut and pasted to another spread sheet in the same file.
50+ in one, and 20 or so in the other.
rc
Sold or traded records are cut and pasted to another spread sheet in the same file.
50+ in one, and 20 or so in the other.
rc
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Memory is a moving target. I can remember the ones that I picked up at shows, sold in a month or so, or sometimes the same day better than the ones I actually own or retain. The problem I have is remembering IF I still have a particular firearm as compared to ones that I sold off. The computer file is invaluable in maintaining my personal records. That started with the purchase of my first computer (a 286) years ago. That computer was purchased primarily because I was looking for a job at the time and could produce original mailings to companies very quickly and efficiently. Things have changed again with online job postings and so forth.
huntsman
Member
I use an excel spreadsheet for both guns and ammo to record current inventory and track past acquisitions.
cc-hangfire
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I use a note/text document on my smart phone that is automatically backed up in an email account. (I know, my info is out there "in the cloud"). I log a gun in when I purchase; don't have to wait to get to my PC - I'd likely forget for awhile.
Plus written record book at home in same format as a C&R bound book. It usually takes me a few days to get around to these handwritten entries.
Similar notes for ammo on my smart phone, but I buy & shoot enough to always be a little off with it. I'll reconcile & do an inventory about once or twice a year for ammo.
Plus written record book at home in same format as a C&R bound book. It usually takes me a few days to get around to these handwritten entries.
Similar notes for ammo on my smart phone, but I buy & shoot enough to always be a little off with it. I'll reconcile & do an inventory about once or twice a year for ammo.
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Something to keep in mine is e-mail is not a backup (a couple people mentioned it). Your e-mail provider can loose data and unless your paying a lot a $ for it you don't have any guarantee of backups.
I use a spreadsheet (OpenOffice, have lost way too many hours of work at the office where they use MS products that I'll never use one of theirs at home). I have a copy on two laptops, phone, tablet and two raspberry Pi "severs" as well as two offline backup drives, flash drives, dvd's etc.
I use a spreadsheet (OpenOffice, have lost way too many hours of work at the office where they use MS products that I'll never use one of theirs at home). I have a copy on two laptops, phone, tablet and two raspberry Pi "severs" as well as two offline backup drives, flash drives, dvd's etc.
Tabequache
Member
I use an Excel spreadsheet in a speech similar manner as others, listing general description and features, serial number, date of purchase, price and age if it can be determined. I also email a copy periodically to my son in case of computer crash or hack.
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