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Pony Talk => Pony Corral => Topic started by: Sunset on August 17, 2012, 08:42:17 AM

Title: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Sunset on August 17, 2012, 08:42:17 AM: So it has been a very long time since I've taken inventory of all of my ponies. I use to keep track of them in a notebook but that was way back during early G3 or maybe even before. I'd like to have a database but I"m not all that familiar with making databases. I've also heard that there are some websites that are set up for this purpose?

How do you keep track of your collection?
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Rosencrantz on August 17, 2012, 08:43:56 AM: Quote from: Sunset on August 17, 2012, 08:42:17 AM
How do you keep track of your collection?

Horribly.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Diamond on August 17, 2012, 08:47:22 AM: Quote from: rosencrantz on August 17, 2012, 08:43:56 AM
Quote from: Sunset on August 17, 2012, 08:42:17 AM
How do you keep track of your collection?

Horribly.
Glad I was not drinking anything or my keyboard would be wet.

We have all of Summer Hays books and try to mark the collection off that way. Sadly we are behind on it and I now have 3 MIB G3 to sell due to not staying up on it. I see Thoth and I have a project to do one of these days.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Leopard_Print_Unicorn on August 17, 2012, 08:48:22 AM: I am a super anal-retentive Virgo so I have word documents for each generation, separated into categories, with a wishlist at the bottom, or a list of ponies that need restoration work. It's especially helpful right now, since everyone is packed into storage bins while my house is for sale and I can't easily find one particular pony.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Aflame on August 17, 2012, 08:48:57 AM: group photos !
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: RAMChYLD on August 17, 2012, 09:06:28 AM: Spreadsheets on Google Doc.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Sandi on August 17, 2012, 09:09:18 AM: I take a photo of every pony I get and put them on my computer, my website and on ponydex.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: partypony566 on August 17, 2012, 09:15:26 AM: I have such a small collection ( under 200 ponies) that I can keep track easily, however I also recommend a spreadsheet system. I'm actually going to done of those to keep track of my accessories :)
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Diamond on August 17, 2012, 09:19:39 AM: Quote from: ponyRN on August 17, 2012, 08:48:22 AM
I am a super anal-retentive Virgo so I have word documents for each generation, separated into categories, with a wishlist at the bottom, or a list of ponies that need restoration work. It's especially helpful right now, since everyone is packed into storage bins while my house is for sale and I can't easily find one particular pony.
Can you come over for a few days and hang out with us?
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Sanadaookami on August 17, 2012, 09:25:29 AM: Ponydex ;) Love that search function. At one point (when my collection was small) I just marked off things in my collectors book but that's not really practical anymore XD Also with the ponydex I have access to it as long as I've got my smart phone so I never need to worry about getting doubles/leaving behind somepony I need even with garage sale finds!
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Leopard_Print_Unicorn on August 17, 2012, 09:31:18 AM: Quote from: Diamond on August 17, 2012, 09:19:39 AM
Quote from: ponyRN on August 17, 2012, 08:48:22 AM
I am a super anal-retentive Virgo so I have word documents for each generation, separated into categories, with a wishlist at the bottom, or a list of ponies that need restoration work. It's especially helpful right now, since everyone is packed into storage bins while my house is for sale and I can't easily find one particular pony.
Can you come over for a few days and hang out with us?

Possibly, but if you really do live in a wine cellar that might derail my organizational capabilities ~~a little~~ a lot. :)
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Sandi on August 17, 2012, 09:36:43 AM: ponyRN: I'm a virgo too and I'm also very organized, at least when it comes to my ponies.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: MikaylaIsSoCoolLike on August 17, 2012, 09:53:20 AM: I use the Ponydex and I keep a picture of every pony on my 'puter. I'm sure a Google Doc or an Excel spreadsheet should work just as fine.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: HavACrumpet452 on August 17, 2012, 10:14:42 AM: I printed off strawberry reef's pages of G3s and highlight the ones I have.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Yurusumaji on August 17, 2012, 10:20:15 AM: I keep spreadsheets by generation in Microsoft Office Excel. Anytime I get new ponies I input their data. Mine are sorted alphabetically by name, but you can input them in any order you like.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: mlp4me on August 17, 2012, 10:56:02 AM: I have a US want list here as well as printed out (with color photos of symbols). As they come in I check them off; that reminds me, I have a few more to remove... :o)

I'd love to get my hands on the collector's inventory books....
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Kanthaka on August 17, 2012, 11:13:06 AM: Like Party, I have a small enough collection to know who I have. :P I love making crazy-organized lists, though! It'd just be a bit silly with only forty or so ponies to list out.

(This doesn't include customs, however...)
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Luxrayx on August 17, 2012, 11:19:03 AM: Just have a small collection :)
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: PolkaDot99 on August 17, 2012, 11:23:23 AM: In my head!

I also have a list in my notebook! I dont have that many ponies tho and I only have the new ones (brushables?.) theyre the only ones I have (now some blind bags to!)
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: josiekat on August 17, 2012, 11:25:36 AM: Quote
Horribly.

^ Lol

I keep track of my ponies by taking pics of them in groups, and keeping the pics in an album on facebook. I group G1's by sets, G3's by pose, and the other generations are in just shot in their generation. Then I can access my collection where ever I can log on to facebook. Which is helpful when you have a smart phone. ;)
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Rosencrantz on August 17, 2012, 11:32:07 AM: Here's an example of how bad I am at keeping track of things... I was looking for my missing Mountain Boys and found over ten mib g3s to sell, and some UK ponies I didn't even remember I had. But they're on display now and everything is happy and wonderful:

visitors can't see pics , please register or login

I'm taking notes from this thread, btw, to start keeping good track of what I DO have. Lots of good tips.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: kellyponyfeathers on August 17, 2012, 12:01:47 PM: In my head 'cause it changes way too fast to keep a spreadsheet updated. Luckily I pretty much know what I have and don't have, but it is getting a bit hard to keep track, especially of the G3's.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Gonzo on August 17, 2012, 12:20:22 PM: I created a .WPS file (previously I wrote them down elsewhere); it's currently divided between Mane Six, Other Major Characters, and Playful (Misc) Ponies.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Flutterwonder13 on August 17, 2012, 12:26:40 PM: Since I only collect G4 I guess it's easier. I'm actually really good at knowing who I don't have and who I do since there is only a couple dozen released ponies out there.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Silver_mirror46 on August 17, 2012, 12:32:53 PM: Quote from: ponyRN on August 17, 2012, 08:48:22 AM
I am a super anal-retentive Virgo so I have word documents for each generation, separated into categories, with a wishlist at the bottom, or a list of ponies that need restoration work. It's especially helpful right now, since everyone is packed into storage bins while my house is for sale and I can't easily find one particular pony.

LOL same here

I have an excel sheet organized by release year, in other fields I add the set, quantity for duplicates and estimate value among other things and use a different spreadsheet per generation

Now I have worked on a wishlist/checklist with color codes to distinguish generations and pony grails, all are ordered by release date
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Lunar Dust on August 17, 2012, 02:01:09 PM: I only resently started keeping track of mine after I was reunited with my G3s that were put away after a move. I keep both a simple generation and type checkl list and a more complete checkl list on spread sheet. On my more complete check list I not only put my ponies on the checklists but also all other pony related item (like plushies, coloing book & DvDs). I also have pictures as well.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: appleponygal on August 17, 2012, 02:08:26 PM: I started an inventory but never finished it. I'll probably do it when I coem to deciding which oen sot sell and which to keep as that kinda makes sense. I made mine in Word I think.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: MercuryStar on August 17, 2012, 02:17:45 PM: I haven't been keeping track, and it drives me nuts never really knowing what I have or don't have, or what condition the ones I do have are in. I have been wanting to keep spreadsheets and such for my ponies, but have yet to get around to it. We did just get Microsoft Office, so that will help me keep organized, and have something to add to my resumé. :lol:

Now I just need to get all of the ponies out of storage.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: hathorcat on August 17, 2012, 04:46:26 PM: I am with the "terribly" party - although it would be more accurate to say the system is there I just havent managed to keep up with it!

I have a spreadsheet with each pony and his/her accessories and then a coded picture [each picture is numbered and this number links to the spreadsheet] with the pony and again all of his/her accompanying items.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: invaderhorizongreen on August 17, 2012, 05:01:39 PM: I have group photos and need to photo some ponies. In addition to that i have collectors guides that i fill in whenever i get a new pony.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: tulagirl on August 17, 2012, 05:06:35 PM: I did something really simple. I made lists on the computer in Microsoft word for each generation. I have a quick reference list that is every pony in alpha order and then I make a separate list organized by color. On that list I have the description of symbols for G1 ponies and cutie marks for G3 ponies. Since I only collect G3 and G1, I have 4 lists. 2 for each generation. Sometimes I just want to know if I have a pony and the quick reference is the easiest way to find it. If I can't remember a pony name by looking at the pony, I just look it up by color. I also have my accessories listed (need to continue working on this list). I have done this for all of my ponies and all of my Lalaloopsy dolls so I can remember what came with what. My next list is combs that I have and playsets. I print everything out twice a year and keep it in a binder. When I get a new pony, the first thing I do is add it to the computer lists and then write it on my paper copy until I reprint sometime later. This helps me know exactly how many ponies I have and if I own what they came with or not.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: ElusiveLily on August 17, 2012, 06:03:07 PM: I haven't gone through my collection and listed each individual pony by name. The thought of doing that scares me. But I know at some point I'll have to do it.

However, I do keep a small sheet of paper on hand that lists the total number of ponies I have, and then it's broken down by generation, and lists what types of ponies I have in those generations.

For example:

G1:

27 Brushables
2 Plush

Every time I get something new, I add it to the total, and then I place it in the appropriate generation and category.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: hyenacub on August 17, 2012, 07:20:06 PM: A checklist I printed out from Dream Valley. : D
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: DazzleKitty on August 17, 2012, 07:43:11 PM: I have realized that I truly need some help keeping track of my collection.

I have discovered recently that I have duplicates that I had no idea I owned.

There is a beautiful G2 I was looking at on eBay. For those of you who are curious, her name is Teddy. :) I thought she was gorgeous but was selling for about $27 and I couldn't bring myself to pay that price. I got some ponies out of storage the other night and didn't realize I ALREADY own her.....MOC no less. XD

I NEED to get some kind of inventory going here!
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: reanna-mator on August 17, 2012, 07:57:20 PM: I'm a fan of Ponydex. It works well enough for my collection which is nearing 500 ponies, and it's nice to use the "for sale" tag to identify doubles!
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: tiktok on August 17, 2012, 08:04:57 PM: I have hardly any ponies, so I keep track of them in my head, but I keep inventory lists of other things - my film collection is in an alphabetical list on my iPad, since I pretty much have that with me if I am in a place where I might buy myself new DVDs, and I keep track of my dragons for dragcave (online game) on a Google Docs spreadsheet.

When I was trying to decide what G4 ponies I wanted to acquire next, I went through everything on the G4 checklist on My Little Pony News and made a prioritized list in my text editor. Since it was short, I didn't bother saving it.
Title: Re: How do you keep track of your ponies?
Post by: Sunset on August 17, 2012, 08:11:32 PM: Thanks everyone for your replies. I've started on a database with Microsoft Office and I also am checking out Ponydex. Cataloguing everything is going to take some time.