Keeping track of the collection...

[January]

I built a Soviet awards database recently. The project started out after I had become kind of interested in how several awards were established on the same date, or within a short period of one another, and thought that it would be neat to see a list of awards by date established. I had code that I had built for work that allowed me to construct a database that could be viewed and edited from the Web. So I built a database with all the orders and medals in it, along with their order of precedence for wear, their dates of establishment, and the (usually approximate) number issued. As such, I can go to my database site and sort the data by any field--I can list awards by date established, by number awarded, or by order for wear (can also sort alphabetically by name but can't think of a use for the feature).

Anyhow, after I had all of that built, it occurred to me to create a Detail View that you could access for any award by clicking on its name. In this area, I put serial numbers, types, and variants for awards that I happen to be the current curator of. My next step is going to be building a photo-upload form that will allow me to add photos of awards that I'm taking care of.

Well, that's what I'm doing; I'm kind of a geek. Others probably have notebooks, photo albums, maybe insurance docs. I'll be interested to see other ideas that come up in this thread.

[Art]

I use excel. Simple and easy. You can add notes, pictures, links, etc. very flexible and many forums online to help if you get stuck.

[Riley1965]

I need to do something to document the hundreds of ODMs that I have. I'm not literate in Excel. I'll have to try to figure out how you guys use it with pictures. I have scanned every ODM in my collection as I get them. So, they are all over my computer. I'm working to get them all into one folder. I may have to pick your brains as I try to figure out this mess.

Doc

[ekclete]

I tend to use MS Excel for my collection interests. I have about a dozen tabs with different catagories like Soviet Uniforms, US medals, various headgear and related tabs.

I include sections on date bought, bought from, cost, description, branch of service, model type, model year, condition, piping colors, any notes I need and anything else I might need.

Lately I have been starting to move over to a webpage format. This page is not published but I can do everything Excel can do and have it web ready if I ever decide to publish a site.

No matter what format you use to keep a record the hard part is keeping up with it. Just to confirm what others have said have a copy of your data off-site in case the worst happens.

Hey Doc, to do what some of use are doing in Excel is pretty basic in terms of Excel's capabilities. There are plenty of online tutorials available for free if you want to learn how to use the application. Honestly, to me, Excel is one the the better applications MS ever published. I rarely use it for financial work but I use it on a daily basis at home and work. Thanks Clete

[Riley1965]

Clete,
Thanks for the information!! I'll have to learn it so I can catalog my collection.

Doc

[new world]

I gave up with keeping track of my collection long time ago. It became so diverse when I started adding groups and ventured into foreign awards territory...

William

[Riley1965]

William,
That's part of my problem. I, too, have a very diverse collection of ODMs, research, documents, shoulderboards & uniforms. I have a LOT of data to enter

Best,
Doc

[Dave]

I have random scans of (nearly) all of the awards I've owned. One time, about three years ago, I made folders for each of the individual groups that I owned to sort out all the scans/photos I had of them, but eventually gave up. Perhaps someday I'll do that.

I keep track of all of my researched awards in Excell. This makes it nice to have my own database for when awards were issued, and I have added in several other databases as well to really expand it out. My heyday as an awards collector is pretty much over, but I think that if I were to start it all over again, I'd probably use Excell to keep track of it all.

Dave

[LavricCat]

I use MS Word for Awards and Firearms files.
Name, description, ser.number, when, where and for how mach purchased, some history, picture inserted. And file password-protected.
Copy on CD, Flash memory chip and in my parents computer.

[scook17]

All well and good, just as long as the computer doesn't get stolen along with the collection. It's good idea to archive the data onto CD-R and store this with a friend. At least you then have a detailed description, with dates on a read only media to provide to the police and insurance company.

Kind Regards,
Shane Cook.