How do you track your flashlight collections?

[LED-holic]

I have made spreadsheets for my hobbies, such as the computers I own, cameras, usb drives, etc.

I created a basic spreadsheet for my flashlights as well, but I wonder how everyone else tracks their information.

On my spreadsheet, I have the following info: Date purchase, Light Description, Store/Place bought, Price, Discounts, Serial #

Then I can add up the totals by date and track how much I've spent by year/month.

How do you do it and can my system be improved?

 

[lyrrag]

I don't currently track my flashlights but this thread might get me started doing this.

Thanks for the idea, lyrrag

 

[LED-holic]

You're welcome. I realized that I was getting into this hobby seriously when I recently acquired the NDI and Jet-I IBS in addition to my trusty L2D Q5.

Actually Crenshaw's thread on "how much have you spent in 2007" spurred me to do it, because I don't have a central place where I track all my light purchases.

I have tabs for other purchases, like cameras, laptop/desktops, USB drives (own a dozen of these), and multi-tools as well.

 

[HoopleHead]

i actually JUST started a google spreadsheet last night for this. you have good things to track, im going to add that. i also have dimensions, allowed battery types (helps me remember if rechargeables are allowed etc), brand/name, modes (lumens) and runtimes, and extra notes like clickies, functions etc. and in some cases (for custom lights) a link to the purchase thread.

 

[LED-holic]

Thanks HoopleHead, you're capturing a lot of detail. I'm a bit lazier than that so I just print the details of each light to PDF and store it in the same folder as where the Excel sheet is.

 

[Brownstone]

On my spreadsheet, I have the following info: Date purchase, Light Description, Store/Place bought, Price, Discounts, Serial #

I have a similar spreadsheet but I don't track any purchase information. I track things like mods installed, mods planned, battery type used, etc.

 

[thermal guy]

By my bank account

 

[Rossymeister]

I Use A Combination Of Spreadsheets, Receipts, And Photo Documentation.

 

[NetMage]

Poorly LOL

Actually, I use Outlook Notes that I (used to) sync to my PDA, but now I carry the iPhone without Notes sync (haven't written it yet ).

I like the Google spreadsheet idea - I can get to that from anywhere I have signal.

 

[Telemeister]

I use Excel with the usual headings, I also give each light a rating

 

[kramer5150]

By my bank account

x2... hence my meager collection, if you can even call it that

 

[Flash_Gordon]

I also use an Excel spreadsheet which tracks Manufacturer-Model Name/Number-Battery Type-Accessories & Mods.

I do not track price. I find that tears tend to smear the inkjet sheets.

Mark

 

[xcel730]

I use Excel spreadsheet to keep track of my knife and flashlight collection. It makes it a whole lot easier to sell it in the future if I want to since the information about the light may not be available if a particular light is customed or discontinued. Here's the headings I use for my spreadsheet:

(1) Brand
(2) Model
(3) Battery Type
(4) Purchase Price
(5) Sell Price
(6) Date Acquired
(7) Date Sold
(8) Dimension
(9) Weight
(10) Modes
(11) LED Type
(12) Voltage
(13) Description
(14) URL

 

[angelofwar]

Ditto on the weight...OCD at it's finest :wave:

 

[HoopleHead]

we should combine spreadsheets to make a big database!

 

[GPB]

Did you guys learn nothing from Watergate ?? It was the records that did Nixon in. Can you imagine if your wives ever found that spreadsheet ???

 

[xcel730]

If you create a spreadsheet and save it in google, she won't find out.

You could also change the column price to something innocent looking that your wife will not suspect, such as "LED CODE" (which means nothing to her) ... change the price to letters. A=0, B=1, C=2, D=3,etc. So if you have a flashlight that's $150, the code will be "BFA". I don't lie to my lady, so it's not something that I've done, but just a thought.

P.S. My "LED CODE" for the month of May is DGF.

 

[adamlau]

I used to keep a spreadsheet, but play with my lights so often that I have memorized nearly everything I have.

 

[Zenster]

Did you guys learn nothing from Watergate ?? It was the records that did Nixon in. Can you imagine if your wives ever found that spreadsheet ???

:laughing:

Yea, you got that right.

I do "track", but all I do is keep a simple list in Excel that just names the brand and model of each one. No prices, no date of purchase. Nothing but the names.
I'll definitely never keep track of the prices because if I ever added them up, I might have to admit to the addiction.

And the only reason I keep a list at all is so that I don't lose track of what I have in case one comes up missing sometime.

 

[bltkmt]

I use a spreadsheet as well, with date purchased, price, vendor, etc. I also have a field for the light's location (nightstand, car, etc).