Keeping Track of your Stuff.

[miniaddict 569]

Like so many other addicts, I found my self just buying whatever I could to add more to my collection of hobby supplies. A paint brush here, a sculpting tool there, ooohh..Hey look a new color of paint !!!!

 

Ok- Just me?!?

 

Anyhue, I was wondering what the rest of the community uses to keep track of what they have and dont have, or want and really really need?!?

I myself have found a phone app for the android called "DVD Shelf" - by Dion Harding. Its a wonderful app, and being the Database geek that I am, I found it even more useful when I discovered you can customize fields and add / remove fields as well as import and export Data. Oooohh and it also holds pictures ...WHAT?!?!?        (to much? )

 

On many occasion when I visit the Reaper Store I will typically have a list of what I want from this app and just hand them my phone and the man at the store goes and picks it for me. LOVE THAT STORE!!!

 

I digress. 

 

So know to the point of all this shenanigans. As I mentioned, I am currently using a Android phone and my needs are slowly turning to the iPhone (I am told the darkside has cookies...soo...) However I am not able to find a suitable app on the iPhone that does what this app currently does. So my question is, what does everyone else use for tracking their inventory and perhaps tracking their shopping lists? And is there really an app for that?

 

 

 

Oh and here are some pics of the app if your interested

        

 

[fanguad 7030]

I use a spreadsheet.  Separate pages for paint, and any miniatures line with more than about 10 entries.  Tracking number of painted and unpainted minis.  I'm a little silly.

[Magnus Mercury 2406]

I had thought about setting up a spreadsheet in Google Docs.  The issue I have with phone apps is that they're generally not available on the PC, which is really where you'd want to do that level of data input.

 

At the same time, a database is only useful if you keep it current, so there's some added work involved once you have it established.  I think that's probably the main reason I haven't made much of an effort at cataloging my minis. 

[izzylobo 3060]

I've been just using a trio of Notes - since my environment is completely Apple-centric (iOS on iPad and iPhone, MacOS X on my macbook and Mini), the notes replicate seamlessly between devices, and are completely local (unlike the database for Delicious Library, which resides on my Mac Mini and out in Google Docs land, therefore requiring a network connection to access). It's kinda crude (since there's 180-odd paints in the one list, and somewhere around 350 metal/resin, and about 200 pre-paints on the other two*).

 

It would be good to find another system, which may involve a synced set of Numbers spreadsheets, or something, but I like the ability to always have that information, without having to make sure I have a network connection (which usually isn't a problem, because iPhone, but, still, there's been some times where trying to get something off Google or iCloud was painfully obnoxious for one reason or another). 

 

*This is by no means a comprehensive list - I haven't even tried to put the Bones minis from KS1 or 2 into those lists, for example, nor are any of the older 25mm minis in there either - I've got bunches of old Grenadier, Ral Partha, etc. minis that are just stored away right now - should do something with those, I suppose.... Nor does it count any of the skiffy, Heroclix, or other sundry minis - that listing is pretty strictly fantasy or for games like Iron Kingdoms and Malifaux). 

[TaleSpinner 44729]

ListMonger

[Loim 17499]

I use spreadsheets on Google Drive. I can access them from anywhere on my phone or a pc.

[hungerfan 8415]

I have been using an app called Notes but need to move it all over to a spreadsheet that will sit on google so I can view it from any platform.  The paint list is so huge now that it takes a while to scroll down to brush list.

[MissMelons 32743]

Its all in my head. Though its going to take awhile to catalog all this new paint.

[Doug's Workshop 2455]

I've been painting miniatures for over 25 years.  In that time, I've accidentally bought a duplicate miniature once.

 

For my annual hobby binge, I keep an excel spreadsheet of the shinies I want.  But stuff I've already purchased?  No, got that pretty much memorized. 

[Glitterwolf 179771]

What I purchased is in an excell file.

 

I keep track of what is painted in there.

 

As for what I want...I'll be quoting Queen here:  I want It all... and I want It now!!!

[FireElemental 1328]

I use Google Spreadsheet since it allows my husband and I to share it and I can pull it up on both my computer and phone. But images, while insertable, don't work well with it. You can link to images, but that doesn't really duplicate what DVD Shelf was doing for you. I suggest seeing what format DVD Shelf uses for storing your data and if you can export that format to another program. That may make your decision making easier. I would suggest looking for an app that will let you export formats in case you switch phones again or the app quits updating and no longer works on your latest device.

 

For shopping lists, I use Amazon's wishlist. It lets you add items from other sites and make notes of what you want without linking a product. It has some issues, but if you already use Amazon a lot, it is convenient. People can buy stuff off the list for you as well. My mother and mother-in-law love having access to it as it makes their shopping a lot easier.

[heffling 23]

Unpainted minis like bones go on a my shelf of shame, taunting me with their whiteness.  Unpainted minis that require assembly stay in the package until I am ready for them.  Packages are sorted by size and type.  Semi-finished projects go into old packaging.  Paints I keep in a couple of fingernail polish racks screwed to the wall, so I can snag what I want.  Tools other than brushes go into a tackle box (drawered).  Brushes into a couple of clear plastic cans that screw in half I got with some like $4 cheapo brushes for dry brushing.  The cans have lasted far longer than the brushes did.

 

I'm super OCD about the physical stuff, but I find that I don't need to keep track of things in a spreadsheet.  I always need more paints, and Minis I have I know by heart.  I know this because at ReaperCon my wife kept saying "That looks cool!"  and my response was mostly "I got that with Bones" or Bones II as was appropriate.

 

If only I could paint as fast as Reaper can make new Bones miniatures.

[joshuaslater 1874]

Crom laughs at your organization!

[Dilvish the Deliverer 48786]

I have an open office spreadsheet that I update infrequently. 

[Talae 37924]

Evernote.