Any success using a tablet to inventory collection

[stanley62]

All,

  I recently purchased a Dell (Android) Tablet to try to inventory my wrenches so I can have something reasonably small with me at auctions, swap meets ...etc.  I can load everything in Excel, but that is going to get slow and clunky pretty quickly.  Does anyone know of a good App to use?

  Jim

[EVILDR235]

I don't trust any electronic device to store important information. My wife spent countless hours storing music on her Ipod and have it take a poop on her. i write everything on paper.

EvilDr235

[bill300d]

You could try quick office which is an android app that has a spreadsheet in it. Not as robust as excel but should sute your purpose. I keep one with the tools I need to complete sets or am looking for just because.

bill

[kxxr]

Good idea. What about setting up a photo album. You could title and categorize everything in a thousand ways and it would be easy to sort and search once the info is entered. Like any other database, the more info you want to include the more you have to enter. Doesn't take much to snap a photo though. There are apps for book and movie collections as well as even models. Don't know about tools ... yet.
Here's a link to get you looking:
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/manage-hobby-collection-free-android-apps/
It looks like the app "Shelves" has a 'tool' category:
http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/08/19/app-of-the-week-shelvescatalogue-your-possessions/

[OilyRascal]

All,

  I recently purchased a Dell (Android) Tablet to try to inventory my wrenches so I can have something reasonably small with me at auctions, swap meets ...etc.  I can load everything in Excel, but that is going to get slow and clunky pretty quickly.  Does anyone know of a good App to use?

  Jim

I've used spreadsheets a long time, and this is what I find them good at.  I wouldn't think it should be slow/clunky over a personal tool inventory.  That is assuming basic input fields and there aren't loads of formulas that "auto calc" every 4 milliseconds.  If you're overloading Excel with managing data, it probably means you need to go to a database solution (custom app as you ask or Access or such).

One solution often deployed is to store data in a database (e.g. Microsoft Access), and present/process data via spreadsheet (e.g. Excel) via data linkage (such as ODBC).  It isn't as complicated as it might sound.

I have found there are MS Access based "Home Inventory" apps that can be customized for your own needs.

My best advise is to commit to the process of collecting data and giving it a heartbeat, and let the software fall as it may  starting with simple spreadsheet(s).  Most well written software will import/export data if you need to grow later.  In terms of data garbage in is garbage out - so again make sure you want the process of it all.  Best of luck!