philatelia
Member
Captain Jack - my best kiloware find ever!
Posts: 3,403
What I collect: Ireland, Japan, Scandy, USA, Venezuela, Vatican, Bermuda, Austria
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Post by philatelia on Aug 6, 2019 18:03:42 GMT
Does anyone use Excel or google sheets for their stamp inventory? If so, have you created a template that you might be willing to share? Thanks!
Any advice or tips regarding inventory would be extremely appreciated.
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tobben63
Member
Stamp eat sleep repeat
Posts: 1,866
What I collect: I collect to much, world wide!
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Post by tobben63 on Aug 6, 2019 18:32:48 GMT
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brightonpete
Departed
Rest in Peace
On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Aug 6, 2019 18:52:05 GMT
I was all keen a few minutes ago, but I use Apple Numbers, although it can be saved as Excel
But then I checked my sheets & well, I haven't spent as much time as needed on them recently. The summary page is a mess on each! Maybe someone else has finished examples that can be offered...
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Aug 6, 2019 20:42:32 GMT
philatelia - I have made a few Excel inventories. One inventory for 'single' countries, inventory stamp-by-stamp. Another inventory for getting totals for a world-wide collection, this only goes 'country-by-country' (A single line in the database for each country). I presume you are looking for inventory of a single country? You can certainly have mine for free. Here's a sample of my Canada inventory. First and foremost it is obviously based on a database itself, one line for each major numbers and one for each variety. More detailed columns can be opened to register more data beyond the 'basics' shown here. Click the images for better resolution The data entered for each single stamp is then used to generate several reports of consolidated data, example given a 'Total Collection report' For better readability, here's the top and most important part of the collection report zoomed in The consolidated data is also analysed and broken down into 'time periods, decades and even year-by-year, both for major numbers and varieties, as well as value of the same: The data entered in the database is also used to generate a list of the areas most valuable stamps issued for that area - or a 'wish-list' if you will! Furthermore the database is used to generate a list of the best stamps you actually have: For some reason I also prepared a set of graphs broken down into decades and years, to get the level of the collection 'visualized' The data entered in the database can also be used to print automatically generated 'tags' for stock sheets, to denote each stamp and variety. 80 tags on a A4-sheet, to be cut appart by 'invisible' leading marks. These might be useful for anyone using stock sheets and like some write-ups to annotate missing stamps or varieties I obviously have this also as a template, Canada was just shown to give you an idea of what it is and if it is what you are looking for. The downside is that data for stamps issued must be manually entered, which is quite cumbersome. There is selection in some columns to make this as swift as possible, but still it takes some love and labour. For now i have only prepared teh raw-data for a few countries (Canada, France, Austria, Luxembourg and partially Belgium), and obviously you can have these databases with raw-data of stamps issued already in there, if desired. The currency and catalogs etc can be changed to preference on a set-up page, so do not worry about the 'NKr' (Norwegian Kroner) currency indicated on the samples. It might look a bit complicated, but most is explained on the sheet by the terms of comments at various column headers, key-cells etc. See what you think.
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philatelia
Member
Captain Jack - my best kiloware find ever!
Posts: 3,403
What I collect: Ireland, Japan, Scandy, USA, Venezuela, Vatican, Bermuda, Austria
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Post by philatelia on Aug 6, 2019 21:18:01 GMT
OMG that is a fabulous bit of software! I may be very interested!
Can you differentiate missing used vs missing mint? Can you show multiple copies?
I know that I will have to do a ton of data entry, but I am retired and it will keep me busy and out of trouble haha!
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brightonpete
Departed
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On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Aug 6, 2019 22:02:21 GMT
If you are giving these away, I wouldn’t mind Canada and Luxembourg! Lots of data worked over in your sheets, blaamand !
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Aug 6, 2019 22:02:43 GMT
Glad you liked it! Basically the answer is 'no' to both your questions. However... When I made this, my main intention was to try to keep it simple, so registering data would be as swift and simplified as possible. Time is after all our most scarce resource! My first versions included columns for duplicates/holdings, but it took too much time and I decided not to keep more than one dup of each stamp anyway, so I removed that option. However there are a lot of 'various' columns that you can define to use for whatever you want, so you can use one of them for numbers of dups for each stamp or variety. Guess that is what you mean by showing multiple copies? I have shown example below for a 'Dups' column (it was a 'spare' column anyway!) For used/mint separately, basically my original version included one column for each, but again I opted to remove it, got too complicated. What can be done however is to simply make a new line/entry for mint stamps (and another for used) - and then define a new 'type' of stamps as 'Mint'. In the example below I have filtered the database to only show stamps of the type 'PD' (Postage Due) - and the consolidated data indicated in the red box then show subtotals for only the Postage Due. Similarly you would then be able to see data for only the 'Mint' when you define them as a separate 'type'. Are you familiar with Excel yourself? If so the program can be tweeked to suite your needs
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renden
Member
Posts: 8,705
What I collect: World W collector with ++ interests in BNA (Canada etc) and USA
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Post by renden on Aug 6, 2019 22:15:13 GMT
Great work Jon blaamand - Excel.....I have never used except to keep Denise's "bird list" René
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Aug 6, 2019 22:22:37 GMT
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tobben63
Member
Stamp eat sleep repeat
Posts: 1,866
What I collect: I collect to much, world wide!
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Post by tobben63 on Aug 7, 2019 4:37:19 GMT
Jon, that's a h... Of a list, respect 👍👍👍
But i keep to the colnect where everything (data) is entred and i just tick what i have, want or have duplicate of. It saves a lot of time but are not so flexible as your ecelent spreadsheets.
Respect (I bow)
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Aug 7, 2019 10:04:09 GMT
Thanks tobben63 for your kind words 😊 I also considered using colnect or EZ-stamps, but found it cumbersome to add new entries for varieties etc, which is much easier on Excel. And I also fancy the idea of being able to sort the inventory in any order one like,by year, stamp type, design, value etc. Or filter the inventory to look at only what one have, or what's missing, MNH, used, Major numbers, varieties, Postage dues, Specimens, SOTN, miniature wheets or whatever one like to analyse more in detail. Excel is brilliant for all of this - not least being able to consolidate data and make reports for whatever you fancy 😊 The possibility for all of this is very different in EZ or colnect. But obviously there is the major advantage of the later that basic data of stamps issued is already there, no need to enter all that data manually. Everything has its ups and downs.
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,331
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Aug 7, 2019 13:14:48 GMT
The challenge with an inventory file is how much time you want to type in and depends on what your goals are. I use excel for my US but use StampManage for worldwide. StampManage reduces entry time for popular countries.
1. listing of stamps owned by catalog number 2. financial analysis (more information added to task 1) 3. Images? 4. Want list? 5. other unique information
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Aug 7, 2019 14:30:39 GMT
angore has a valid point. I consider time my most scarce resource, so I don't intend to make such detailed inventory for more than my favourite areas. It simply takes too much time! For any other areas I don't bother about doing a 'stamp-by-stamp' inventory at all. I simply count how many I have from 4 different time-eras, and the number of stamps in different 'value categories'. Feed it directly into a 'country-by-country' inventory, where each area simply has one line each. This keeps kind of a track of the holdings, but reduce time needed to an absolute minimum.
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Aug 7, 2019 21:50:25 GMT
'Give-away' off the day ... My 'Inventory database' on it's way to some of you good guys that raised their interest, the template itself and a copy Pre-populated for 'Canada' - more to follow. Hope it may be useful. No returns accepted philatelia - I've added/tweeked the template a bit for you with a separate column for Dups, also included in the report. Please send me a PM with your email if you want to have a closer look.
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,638
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Aug 8, 2019 0:51:50 GMT
Got it! Thanks you!! My day was much shorter than expected so there's some time for stamping tonight, but back to conference tomorrow...
Are the linked cells to pages in a PDF?
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Aug 8, 2019 12:03:12 GMT
Glad you got them Stan! Will send you a pm about the links
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Aug 13, 2019 23:03:52 GMT
Ryan - check you mailbox
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Aug 13, 2019 23:07:30 GMT
philatelia - was the inventory useful for yourself at all? Let me know if you'll need any further tips
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philatelia
Member
Captain Jack - my best kiloware find ever!
Posts: 3,403
What I collect: Ireland, Japan, Scandy, USA, Venezuela, Vatican, Bermuda, Austria
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Post by philatelia on Aug 15, 2019 7:07:16 GMT
Wow! All that data on your sheets will be HUGE time savers! Thank you!
I played around with the inventory sheets and while I think your sheets are awesome, I may have to transfer data to a google sheet. I found that the cost to add excel to my iPad is pricey. Using the iPad is a BIG time and space saver for me. While I am a touch typist, my error rate for entering numeric data is high, so using the touchscreen is better for me.
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gatodiablo
Member
Posts: 425
What I collect: Places I've been, and places I want to go.
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Post by gatodiablo on Nov 19, 2019 8:12:06 GMT
blaamand - I would be very interested in copies of your sheets - the template and Canada if possible. I can set up an Australian sheet while during quiet moments while at the hotel in Perth, and I also want to set up Costa Rica, and perhaps see how it would work for a topical collection. Thanks! Dan
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Post by feebletodix on Nov 19, 2019 9:23:52 GMT
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gatodiablo
Member
Posts: 425
What I collect: Places I've been, and places I want to go.
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Post by gatodiablo on Nov 19, 2019 9:57:40 GMT
Holy moly, feebletodix, I didn't even know that forum existed, let alone what a great resource that thread will be. Thanks!
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Nov 25, 2019 21:07:29 GMT
gatodiablo - My appologies for very late response. I've been unstampy (read: very busy!), so didn't see your request before now. Off course I can help. I will send you a PM
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gatodiablo
Member
Posts: 425
What I collect: Places I've been, and places I want to go.
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Post by gatodiablo on Nov 27, 2019 1:30:37 GMT
I want to publicly thank Jon blaamand for sending along the Excel sheets. What a tremendous amount of work and what a generous fellow.
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Nov 27, 2019 8:46:51 GMT
Thanks for the kind words Dan aka gatodiablo Hope you find it useful! If you don't mind it would be cool to see a snip of the inventory of yours in this thread once you've populated it. Would be nice to see how it can be utilized/tweeked for topical collection
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mikeclevenger
Member
Posts: 887
What I collect: Ohio Tax Stamps, Ohio & Georgia Revenues, US Revenues, US FDC's, & Germany Classics
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Post by mikeclevenger on Nov 27, 2019 10:06:22 GMT
I obiously have this also as a template, few countries (Canada, France, Austria, Luxembourg and partially Belgium), Just wondering, do you have anything for Germany or states, you know me. LOL. You have given me so much lately, but if you don't have Germany, could you send me any template that I could change and make it Germany? I will gladly send back once I am finished.
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,331
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Nov 27, 2019 10:43:32 GMT
If you want some information, look here:
You can rename these files to xls, etc. to import. The data is old but usable. If you need help, I should be able to convert it for you in a day or so.
Steve,
These files are no copyrighted per see so if you want to copy and post here, let me know.
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Nov 27, 2019 11:24:42 GMT
mikeclevenger - Hi Mike, yes I know you and your ongoing involvement in Germany and states Unfortunately I haven't built a database for Germany yet. I am happy to share my inventory template with you - and would be delighted if Germany data is entered and I can have a copy of that. Presume you'll be referring to Michel ? Will send this evening. Jon
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erthur
**Member**
Posts: 41
What I collect: Scandinavia and Estonia
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Post by erthur on Nov 27, 2019 13:37:18 GMT
blaamand - I am very impressed with the thought and work you have put into your database files, it is more that what I could ever accomplish. May you be so kind as to provide a copy of your Canada template for me? It would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, erthur
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Nov 27, 2019 13:46:07 GMT
angore - That sounds interesting. I am not able to open the files at all for some reason. Would definitively appreciate if you can convert to excel and share! Much appreciated
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