Inventory management

[RTBrandy]

Hi..I can't find any threads on this...

 

What do people use to inventory their books (if anything). I was thinking about buying collectorz..??

 

Anyone have any recommendations/experiences?

 

Thanks

[minutekev@50]

Try this thread...

 

comic software

[OldGuy]

Excel

http://www.microsoft.com

[CosmicBob]

Excel

http://www.microsoft.com

 

I use Excel and MS Access. I'm far too cheap to buy some third party software to manage my comics.

[OldGuy]

Excel

http://www.microsoft.com

 

I use Excel and MS Access. I'm far too cheap to buy some third party software to manage my comics.

 

I hear ya. I'd rather spend my money on.....oh.....say, comics?

[deathlok]

I use Excel just for my graded books, entering them in as soon as they arrive in the mail. I use to use Comicbase but it just wasn't quick enough to input.

[RTBrandy]

Phenomenal. thank you

 

Is my understanding from the ComicBase Website that all those books are in there, and it's [essentially] like a checklist with customizable fields (i.e. condition, etc.)

[deathlok]

Comicbase was fun at first but the more I used the less I liked it. It took a while to load up because of the massive database. Sometimes it difficult, especially with Marvel to find certain books, due to different titles, volumes, nn, etc. Although sometimes this is difficult to locate in OS also.

 

IMO I find Excel much easier to find, sort, and manipulate the data, than any other software. Like the others have said its expensive too. More money for comics.

[RTBrandy]

yeah, that makes sense, but I kinda like the idea of having a lot of the info (that I wouldn't bother adding myself) already there.

 

Keep in mind, too, that I need to start by adding about 25,000 books........

[deathlok]

Oh yeah, that was another reason. TOO LAZY to input all the books. It's amazing how much time it takes. Most of my books I don't even know what I have, because it takes so much effort to go through it. Until I plan to sell it doesn't matter if they are inventoried or not.

 

Like I said, I only really track my graded books. good luck in which ever one you choose.

[RTBrandy]

Has anyone used the Collectorz product?

 

 

[Paladin]

Has anyone used the Collectorz product?

 

Haven't used it but i'd echo other comments about Comicbase. I shelled out 100 bucks for my 7.5 and it took me around 2 weeks to input my 8,400 books. Trying to cut down on my input time I discovered some moves that crash the program. The developer of the software was like, oh well. Don't know how much Collectorz is but save your money and don't go near Comicbase.

[Arty]

Has anyone used the Collectorz product?

 

I have used it. That list of CGC graded Edgar Church books (mile high) in my signature is made with that program (using export to html function).

 

Besides Collectorz product I have only used exel (very little) so it's hard to compare, but I believe it's about equally slow to input books to both programs.

 

maybe you should try it first? There is a demo version available from collectoz site.

Link (input limited to 100 comics)

[osborn_fr]

I made my own software. Database is Access and technology is ASP. It's quite simple, works only with Internet Explorer and not yet finished but i'm happy with it.

When it will be finished and translated in english, i will put a demo online .

[RTBrandy]

Thanks, Arty

 

I have downloaded and am currently demoing the collectorz product, I'm just thinking how nice it would be to have all the info in there already....

 

I can already tell that in no time flat I'll have shortcutted myself to Title, Issue, Publisher, and maybe date.

[Hensley300]

seems like a consensus most on here use excel. How about the expensive database management programs you have to buy. Seems a bit tedious to use the option to scan in all your book images. I use excel also and keep a data base of my cgc serial numbers, pages quality etc.

[Aman619]

heres a hybrid solution: enter all your books and their data (vol, issue, grade, publisher, age, guide etc etc - - all th ethings you want to use to sort them by).. A spreadsheet is ideal for entering comics lists because you can drag/copy cells down and fill in lots of data simply and with no keystrokes. Most database software comes down to one book at a time. thats a drag.

 

Then create a simple database in whichever database program you are comfortable, or, Microsoft's so you are assured of compatibility with Excel. Then IMPORT from your Excel file, natching the columns in Excel to the 'fields' in the database! Once the data is in, the real advantage is the sorting power of the database plus the relative ease of creating printout layouts of your own design which include as many of the data fields as you care to see for whatever purpose. Title/issue/price paid...Title/issue/grade etc etc. You can also just list total values of each title and # of copies. The database program may be tricky to learn...but you can get someone to set it up for you too.

 

The other big consideration is the size of your collection! (its always about size isnt it?) Excel crunches numbers much faster than a database. And then there is the pricing issue, as in how to calculate the value of each book relative to Overstreet for every grade. Thats tricky due to Overstreets varying spreads (from 1:3:7 up to 1:3:25) And its easier to reprice the new guide in excel.

 

Anyway, as you can guess, this is what I use.

No solution is perfect...and all can be tedious to enter (and time consuming) but..... "this (cough) is the business (cough) we have chosen!"