Fireworks Inventory - What do you use?

[Bitzan]

What do y'all use to keep an inventory of the fireworks you have? I am using an Excel spreadsheet and it certainly has limitations. Would be interested to know if there are any other solutions.
Thanks,
John

[Okimarine]

I use a spreadsheet as well. I take a hard copy to the magazine with me to record what I take out. I then update on computer, print again for most current inventory. I'm only doing this for my 1.3, probably need to start one for my 1.4 as I have quite a bit as well.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Been using an Excel spreadsheet for years. Works great. Has formulas in it to break down the cost by piece and grand total. Time for each effect. Total potential show time. Vendor, port type, etc. and so on.

Works well for my purposes.

[Greenville Pyro]

Been using an Excel spreadsheet for years. Works great. Has formulas in it to break down the cost by piece and grand total. Time for each effect. Total potential show time. Vendor, port type, etc. and so on.

Works well for my purposes.

I'm with Rick. I use an excel spreadsheet that I got pre-set up for inventory. I then tailored it to my needs. Name, Manufacturer, packaging eg 4/1, Quantity on hand, quantity needed, cases to order

[Icooclast]

i use an excel spreadsheet for every thing. not just fireworks, but buying my DVDs, music CDs, etc. have been since high school. (am 36 now)

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Excel is a very powerful tool. The formulas can make your brain bleed if you're not used to writing them, but if you can get a copy of someone else's that's already set up (or even close) it makes life a lot easier. There are plenty of You Tube videos out there that can teach you what you don't know too.

[WithReport]

Google Sheets.

Each year it gets a bit more involved, but it's fairly stable now. I have separate tabs for each category: 200g, 500g, cannisters, etc. Each spreadsheet is of a similar structure - here is some of what it looks like, but I don't show all of it in the image. When planning a show, I use the orange columns to keep track of what is being planned for different shows or segments. I've also spent time trying to capture lift and duration times.

6193

[Bitzan]

Thank you. Sounds like I may be on the right track.

[Bitzan]

I use a spreadsheet as well. I take a hard copy to the magazine with me to record what I take out. I then update on computer, print again for most current inventory. I'm only doing this for my 1.3, probably need to start one for my 1.4 as I have quite a bit as well.

Thank you. Looks like I am on the right track.

[Bitzan]

Been using an Excel spreadsheet for years. Works great. Has formulas in it to break down the cost by piece and grand total. Time for each effect. Total potential show time. Vendor, port type, etc. and so on.

Works well for my purposes.

Rick, if it works for you I am sure I can make it work! Thank you.

[Bitzan]

Excel is a very powerful tool. The formulas can make your brain bleed if you're not used to writing them, but if you can get a copy of someone else's that's already set up (or even close) it makes life a lot easier. There are plenty of You Tube videos out there that can teach you what you don't know too.

My children attend Catholic school - there is an unpublished rule - if you come up with the idea you are automatically the chairman of the committee. In that vain would you be willing to post your spreadsheet minus any "personal" data? As a beginner I am looking more for lessons learned as in "I wish I would have had that column from day one". Mostly the headers and any formulas you use.

[Bitzan]

Google Sheets.

Each year it gets a bit more involved, but it's fairly stable now. I have separate tabs for each category: 200g, 500g, cannisters, etc. Each spreadsheet is of a similar structure - here is some of what it looks like, but I don't show all of it in the image. When planning a show, I use the orange columns to keep track of what is being planned for different shows or segments. I've also spent time trying to capture lift and duration times.

6193

Wow - great stuff. Thank you.

[Greenville Pyro]

Wow - great stuff. Thank you.


Here is a screenshot of the basic excel that I use
6198

[Scotty Rockets]

I use excel, my vertical columns are categorized by part number, description name, quantity and my cost, cost column is then set with a formula to auto calculate. My racks are also inventoried along with my products. I then keep finale3d “my effects” current and updated accordingly, the nice thing about finale is that it has live inventory as you build a show.

[Birdman]

I use spreadsheets too. I'm too cheap to pay for excel so I use Open Office on my personal laptop. It varies how I do things and a lot depends on the show. I like to keep things fluid and flexible and try not to get too bogged down in data. Generally though I script my show first in Cobra Show Creator then use the CSC reporting tools to import the data into a spreadsheet. I'll use this data to determine what I need to get and to track my purchases. Then I'll use another spreadsheet to track what I have received and what is still outstanding. Everything else I need is in CSC if I need it. I don't usually have much inventory left after each show so there's little to nothing to track at that point.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Rick, if it works for you I am sure I can make it work! Thank you.

Well, I was either just insulted or complimented. I'll go with the latter until I hear otherwise. Lol...

Just kidding...

You are quite welcome.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

My children attend Catholic school - there is an unpublished rule - if you come up with the idea you are automatically the chairman of the committee. In that vain would you be willing to post your spreadsheet minus any "personal" data? As a beginner I am looking more for lessons learned as in "I wish I would have had that column from day one". Mostly the headers and any formulas you use.

I would be happy to post what I use. Will that that tonight when I get home, or at some time tomorrow.

If you want to shoot me a PM with an e-mail address, I can also send you a copy directly.

[Bitzan]

Well, I was either just insulted or complimented. I'll go with the latter until I hear otherwise. Lol...

Just kidding...

You are quite welcome.

I have no idea why I am reviewing this post some two years later but I re-read my reply and thought -- OH GOD I just insulted the man! The original intent was - your shows so far surpass mine that I am sure it will work for my purposes! Too funny.

[fireworkguy98]

I'm a bit ashamed to say I keep a list in iphone notes LOL. To be fair, I don't do 1.3 (yet), and I probably have about half as many items in my stash as most of you do. It works well to just pull up fast and check if I have something or not while i'm at the store though! If I were to ever "step it up" i'd definitely go with excel or google sheets since you can make everything calculate itself. Id get WAY to caught up in continually making it calculate more and more things for me though just like i have with my spreadsheets at work!

[PYRODAN]

Lol, I just use a notebook. Some day I'll migrate to the 20th century.