Bill DeShivs
New member
What's a good, simple to use spreadsheet for inventory of guns and other collectibles?
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Gun spreadsheet?
- Thread starter Bill DeShivs
- Start date
Bill DeShivs
New member
I think I found one. It's Excel based, but it works with Open Office.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Aguila Blanca
Staff
Please don't keep it a secret. I'm sure you're not the only person who might be looking for a simple inventory. I was -- I finally gave up and made a database in Access, but it's not perfect. I'll still look at alternatives.Bill DeShivs said:I think I found one. It's Excel based, but it works with Open Office.
Thanks.
Aguila Blanca
Staff
Thanks, Bill.
Pretty basic, an attribute of which I approve. That said, I think it omits a couple of potentially useful fields. I like mine better.
BTW, as I commented in another thread a short time ago, Open Office seems to be pretty much dead, and hasn't been updated (AFAIK) for quite a long time. Libre Office is a "fork" (offshoot) of Open Office. Libre Office is being actively maintained and updated. I would encourage you to consider switching to Libre Office. All your files will still open transparently, and all the modules (word processor, spreadsheet, presentations, and database) will look and feel the same.
Pretty basic, an attribute of which I approve. That said, I think it omits a couple of potentially useful fields. I like mine better.
BTW, as I commented in another thread a short time ago, Open Office seems to be pretty much dead, and hasn't been updated (AFAIK) for quite a long time. Libre Office is a "fork" (offshoot) of Open Office. Libre Office is being actively maintained and updated. I would encourage you to consider switching to Libre Office. All your files will still open transparently, and all the modules (word processor, spreadsheet, presentations, and database) will look and feel the same.
OneFreeTexan
New member
MyArmsCache.... is a good inventory app for IPad, Don’t know about other forms.
All of us need it but I suspect very few have a very complete system.
A good friend was asked by a widow to help her decide what to sell deceased husbands guns for.
She gave him a great deal on a gun of his choice.
I took pictures of guns/equip few yrs ago. I never really did finish the project. I was supposed to list on back of photo-source, date of purchase, price paid, etc ,etc.
When you do that make 2 copies of photo and give one completed set to son, grandson, trusted fellow shooter etc.
A good friend was asked by a widow to help her decide what to sell deceased husbands guns for.
She gave him a great deal on a gun of his choice.
I took pictures of guns/equip few yrs ago. I never really did finish the project. I was supposed to list on back of photo-source, date of purchase, price paid, etc ,etc.
When you do that make 2 copies of photo and give one completed set to son, grandson, trusted fellow shooter etc.
Consider this, is it REALLY a good idea to put a list of your guns on a computer that might possibly be hacked? or in a database accessibly by "the net"?
I freely admit to not understanding the tech issues, but am I wrong in thinking that whatever your data is, if its connected to anything then someone else could, possibly, get it?
shouldn't some information stay "off the grid"??
I use a notebook, the paper kind. If someone wants to know what's in it, they have to physically find it, then read it.
Maybe not so simple and easy for my heirs, but if that's the case, I won't be around to hear them complain....
I freely admit to not understanding the tech issues, but am I wrong in thinking that whatever your data is, if its connected to anything then someone else could, possibly, get it?
shouldn't some information stay "off the grid"??
I use a notebook, the paper kind. If someone wants to know what's in it, they have to physically find it, then read it.
Maybe not so simple and easy for my heirs, but if that's the case, I won't be around to hear them complain....
A simple freeware program like 7-Zip can use AES-256 encryption to secure a spreadsheet - or any document really - or even a monolithic database.Consider this, is it REALLY a good idea to put a list of your guns on a computer that might possibly be hacked? or in a database accessibly by "the net"?
That about as secure as it gets.
Or you can use a virtual safe deposit box to store digital data.
If you are using something like a notebook - then you can always look into storing it in a safe deposit box. Once you hit a certain age ( along with that age - a certain financial level), many banks offer a free safe deposit box - for a certain level of checking/investing.
Even though I despise Norton - they do offer a VPN as part of their security packages - like Lifelock, that can secure the actual digital transmission.
RaySendero
New member
Auto5 wrote:
I'm using Excel, just because it's what I have. I have fields for make, model, SN, date of purchase, purchase price, date of sale, and price (if applicable).
I keep an excel file for firearms ID,s too.
I add a pics showing and descripting anything distinctive about
the firearm, case, scope, sling or clip.
In case its stolen, police can use pic and description to immediately identify it,.
Don't keep file on computer - Keep it on a separate USB drive.
Aguila Blanca
Staff
Microsoft Office allows you to protect any file with a password in both Word and Excel. The two top Office clones, Libre Office and SoftMaker FreeOffice, also allow this. In addition, if you have either the Professional or Enterprise edition of Windows 10, you can also encrypt entire folders and drives directly through Windows.
Files stored on USB thumb drives can also be password protected (and probably should be).
Depending on how often you want or need to refer to the data, a firearms inventory record can be stored on a thumb drive (encrypted or not), and the thumb drive can be stored in a safe deposit box at your bank. That's not convenient for reloading data, of course, but it's also not as likely that your reloading data need to be that secure. You can still keep it on the local computer, thumb drive in the desk drawer, or on "the cloud" as a password-protected file.
Files stored on USB thumb drives can also be password protected (and probably should be).
Depending on how often you want or need to refer to the data, a firearms inventory record can be stored on a thumb drive (encrypted or not), and the thumb drive can be stored in a safe deposit box at your bank. That's not convenient for reloading data, of course, but it's also not as likely that your reloading data need to be that secure. You can still keep it on the local computer, thumb drive in the desk drawer, or on "the cloud" as a password-protected file.
stinkeypete
New member
Open Office for me.
44AMP said:Consider this, is it REALLY a good idea to put a list of your guns on a computer that might possibly be hacked? or in a database accessibly by "the net"?
I freely admit to not understanding the tech issues, but am I wrong in thinking that whatever your data is, if its connected to anything then someone else could, possibly, get it?
shouldn't some information stay "off the grid"??
The competing risk is that one neglects a handwritten list and allows it to become outdated. I'm pretty sure I've done this.
Even a simple alphabetical list with serial numbers, condition, and a value could be kept on a simple Word or Wordperfect document.
Kreyzhorse
New member
I just use excel. Simple, what I need.
Aguila Blanca
Staff
\Libre Office is a fork of Open Office. If Libre Office allows you to password protect files, I'm sure Open Office does, as well.stinkeypete said:Open Office for me.
Aguila Blanca
Staff
I believe he's up and running with the one he downloaded off the Internet. See posts #3 and 6.
I downloaded that one to take a look at it. IMHO it's a disaster on wheels, and I can't believe all the laudatory comments the author received. I hope Bill DeShivs got it cleaned up a bit.
FWIW, this thread sent me down the rabbit hole of searching the Internet for both firearms inventory spreadsheet templates, and firearms inventory databases. There are many of the former, and you'd think something like that would be pretty easy to get right. Well, if you thought that (as I did), you'd be wrong (as I was).
And that's just the spreadsheets. The database dedicated firearms programs are even worse. I've downloaded four of them to kick the digital tires a bit. Don't like any of those that are currently available. The best one I've seen so far is one that was a module in the old Lee Shooter program, from Lee Precision (the reloading press makers). Sadly, Lee no longer offers the program. Something about compatibility with Windows 10 -- which doesn't make sense to me, because I have it on my computer and it runs under Windows 10.
I downloaded that one to take a look at it. IMHO it's a disaster on wheels, and I can't believe all the laudatory comments the author received. I hope Bill DeShivs got it cleaned up a bit.
FWIW, this thread sent me down the rabbit hole of searching the Internet for both firearms inventory spreadsheet templates, and firearms inventory databases. There are many of the former, and you'd think something like that would be pretty easy to get right. Well, if you thought that (as I did), you'd be wrong (as I was).
And that's just the spreadsheets. The database dedicated firearms programs are even worse. I've downloaded four of them to kick the digital tires a bit. Don't like any of those that are currently available. The best one I've seen so far is one that was a module in the old Lee Shooter program, from Lee Precision (the reloading press makers). Sadly, Lee no longer offers the program. Something about compatibility with Windows 10 -- which doesn't make sense to me, because I have it on my computer and it runs under Windows 10.
cc-hangfire
New member
Like many above posts, Microsoft Excel. Being in administration in a technical field, I live by spreadsheets anyway.
What I need to do is periodically print out an updated list and put it in the gun storage area. That way my wife or son will find it if I get hit by a truck, or crushed by a falling piano, or attacked by an invisible Chinese virus, or something.
What I need to do is periodically print out an updated list and put it in the gun storage area. That way my wife or son will find it if I get hit by a truck, or crushed by a falling piano, or attacked by an invisible Chinese virus, or something.