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Reloading record keeping software

paperpuncher

Gold $$ Contributor
I would like to start storing and organizing my reloading data and results on my pc. Are there any good programs available to help organize and store my info on the pc. Im hoping to find something user friendly and not overly complicated TIA
 
It really depends on what you want it for.

For precision reloading, I use an Excel spreadsheet with a template that I created. It helps me keep track of all my weights (brass, primer, bullets, powder) and measurements (neck thickness, neck diameter, headspace, brass length, OAL, concentricity, MV, etc), calculate differentials (prime case vs. prime case with powder) to check powder weights and calculate stats such as average, range, SDEV, max, min, N size) for each of the above variables. I also enter into the sheet results such as group MOA, Temp, humidity, Baro, altitude, scope elevation and windage.

The other nice thing about using Excel is how easy it is to expand and contract the sheet to accommodate the number of rounds you are dealing with on each session, plus you can put in text which describe the rationale for the shoot.
 
I created what became an Excel spreadsheet before there were Excel spreadsheets. It has been an ever evolving sheet and has all the data that I track. This, along with QuickLOAD keeps me in record keeping heaven
 
I havent worked with excel so Im not sure it would be a great option for me I was hoping for something plug and play. Ill check out quick load
 
If you have not worked with Excel, it may or may not be the way to go for you depending mostly on how fast you pick up how to use software.

FWIW, Excel can of course be as complicated as you make it but for the super simple calculations that we do in reloading, I would categorize it only as Excel 1001 and if you are not intimidated by computer software may find that it is relatively easy to learn.
 
I, too, created an excel "book" for all my record keeping. The book has multiple sheets and some of the sheets have 63 columns.
I also use QuickLoad.
 
paperpuncher said:
I havent worked with excel so Im not sure it would be a great option for me I was hoping for something plug and play. Ill check out quick load
Long ago as a geek, programmer, etc. I didn't use spreadsheets. Those were the tools of the dreaded "bean counters" and beneath my dignity to use.
Then I sort of forced myself to learn how to use them and never looked back. A really great tool, in general.

I got RSI Shooting Lab along with my CED chronograph. It has a pretty good system for keeping track of your reloads, although the organization of the various pages and windows takes some getting used to. Not a bad bit of software, all in all.
 
Excel can work well and can be designed to provide very good information. I am working on something now. But, I am also looking to design something in Microsoft Access, a relational database. With this you can do queries, pulling up exactly the info you need. Relational database theory takes some time to grasp (and I am still grasping), but ultimately I think this could work well.

Phil
 
Phil3 said:
Excel can work well and can be designed to provide very good information. I am working on something now. But, I am also looking to design something in Microsoft Access, a relational database. With this you can do queries, pulling up exactly the info you need. Relational database theory takes some time to grasp (and I am still grasping), but ultimately I think this could work well.
You can start out in Excel and move the data into Access. The advantage of the Relational Database over the spreadsheet comes when you get a lot of empty cells in a large spreadsheet, you want form-based entry, you need one-to-many relationships, etc. Spreadsheets work well when every entry has exactly the same data and you deal with reasonably sized lists. If you get over a few thousand lines (rows) in a spreadsheet it becomes unwieldy.
 
DRNewcomb said:
Phil3 said:
Excel can work well and can be designed to provide very good information. I am working on something now. But, I am also looking to design something in Microsoft Access, a relational database. With this you can do queries, pulling up exactly the info you need. Relational database theory takes some time to grasp (and I am still grasping), but ultimately I think this could work well.
You can start out in Excel and move the data into Access. The advantage of the Relational Database over the spreadsheet comes when you get a lot of empty cells in a large spreadsheet, you want form-based entry, you need one-to-many relationships, etc. Spreadsheets work well when every entry has exactly the same data and you deal with reasonably sized lists. If you get over a few thousand lines (rows) in a spreadsheet it becomes unwieldy.

Not only empty cells, but also redundant data, which leads to errors. It has been said that Access users are frustrated Excel users.

Phil
 
TominSWNY said:
I use Filemaker Pro data base.

I tried it once and from what I saw, easier to learn than Access. And was getting more close to a true relational database, which now years later, it probably is. I have Access now, so nothing to buy, I just have to get to using it. If you don't mind, what data fields are you using. Might help me with Access. Or you can PM me.

Phil
 
I never got the hang of Access and trying to determine my 'key' field for search patterns. I do ok to fine in Excel. Off topic, but I had a boss one time who built monstrous spreadsheets. She once asked me why no one understood her work at meetings. I told her to graph it....deer..headlights.. She never knew that excel was specifically designed to graph data. Back on subject now. I'm going to look at the Rob software shown. That looks promising to me.
 

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