Gobo Inventory Management

JFutty90

Member
Hello all,

For work, I have been tasked to inventory our set of gobos. At first it seemed like an easy task but by this point, it is becoming a challenge.

We do corporate events for mainly pharmaceutical companies. We have a wide range of custom gobos and a decent stock of standard Apollo, Rosco, and Vari-Lite. So I am currently looking to make an excel file or database for easy searching for these gobos in a future drawer system that has already been configured.

SO the question is: do you guys and gals have a system that works well for you that is fairly user friendly? I have looked through excel and I think I can get that to work, but wanted to see if there are any other options that I should exercise before getting waist deep in the Excel Spreadsheet world.

The coloumn headings that I am looking to use are Gobo Name, Client, Show Name, Manufacture #, Style, Description, Size, and Size Quantites (we have some that are various types; B-size, VL3k, and VL2k for exacmple).

Any ideas?
 
Excel may be your easiest option, depending on how you intend to use the inventory. There are lots of asset management software solutions on the market too.

If you don't need to sort by all the extra data or use it to track inventory, then here's a simpler system...
  • Lay the gobo on a flatbed scanner and save it as an image, or take a picture of it and save that. Using a scanner yields better results.
  • Rename the scanned image to something useful, maybe Gobo Name.
  • Organize the images into whatever folder structure makes sense. Maybe by customer.
  • In Windows Explorer add title, author, and comment text to each image. Maybe use the author field for vendor #. There are other image metadata fields that can be populated from the Properties tab. Metadata is searchable from Windows Explorer.
 
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I don't have all that many I have a 2 slot Cd binder That I use. Though Sk8rsdad has a solid idea. You could also give a Tag or right on a scanned image an "inventory number" and associate that with "Cd" binders, were the gobo will actually be stored. A little bit along the lines of how Audio SFX archives are now situated. With a Paper/digital database, all keyed to a corresponding, CD/Trac/Timecode for that given sound effect.
 
Sadly, we have about 1700 gobos so the CD Binder isn't going to work. In college we had that because it was all size b or a, but when you have the majority being VL3k rotating gobos consisting of glass and a metal holder, it is more challenging.

Currently the goal is have the spreadsheet search able if we are looking for a specific style, word, image, etc. We have a couple spreadsheets here that have search fields that make the outcomes work nicely, was mostly hoping to embed all of the pictures in a cell that would stay with the row and data. The best option that I have found is that of making a comment and having the background be the image. A LOT of clicking to do that for all gobo images (597 total rows of data).

The scanner was the plan for any gobo that I could not find an already existing jpg for.

Thanks for the help!
 
Microsoft Access...build a database and you will be able to search the records for a specific gobo and see how many you have, and where you stored them.
 
That is what I wanted to do, but apparently I am the only one with Access experience. I think it is easy enough to do as well. Setting up the database in the first place is the hardest thing to do really.

I might push harder for it because I know it is going to be easier and look better when all is said and done.
 
Excel has an excellent data sort function that allows you to do exactly what you are looking to do.
Basically you put your headings in the first row of the spreadsheet and fill in all your information in the rows belows, then you highlight all your data and go to Data-Filters (or click the funnel looking icon in the toolbar). This gives you an arrow next to each of your headings which you can click on. Doing said click gives you a sort menu where you can do all kinds of filtering and sorting.

As for the different sizes of the same gobo I see two options create a new row for each size (so you could end up with multiple entries of the same type of gobo) or create a dedicated column for each size you have in stock and put the appropriate quantity in that cell for the row. I've seen excel sheets professionally with both of these methods, so it's a 6 of one type situation.
 
Personally I prefer to see a database (Access) used rather than pressing a spreadsheet (Excel) into database service; but users often have frustrating experiences with poorly developed databases which leads them to prefer non-database options (like shared workbook in Excel).
 
off topic but whats the physical storage look like? For 1700 gobos I'd imagine an old card catalog drawer array would work well
 
With that number of gobos i would think you need a database program, Access. I think you should add fields so you can search by client, venue, event, date. that way when a returning customer comes in and asks for the same gobo he used 3 years ago, a few clicks and it should pop up.


i am likely doing that backwards your client database should have a field for what was used for the event.
 
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I agree that you're looking for a database, and can hack it with a spreadsheet if necessary. I increasingly use google docs for spreadsheets that need to be accessed by multiple people. You can all be using and editing it at the same time without causing multiple copies of the same file. Not as full-featured however.
 
I could set you up a database with a web page. I would need the "parameters" of the gobos that you would want to be displayed on a web page. Search the web page and it would bring up the set "parameters". If you have no budget I feel free to do it for free. I am in Toronto, Canada. Message me and let me know!
 
Rather than scan in images of each gobo, you should be able to download a picture of each from the company's website. I know I've been able to do this for Rosco/Gam and Apollo. Custom gobos you'll either need a jpg of the original artwork, or could scan in.
 
If you've got the skills, Access is your best bet. I built Access databases for payroll and billing and such for crew hours and contract/rider tracking, and it's time-consuming but when you're done you can have forms that let any inexperienced person enter data and do searches. I'd make a form for new gobo entry with categories for linking the image as well as names, related words, and descriptions, size, number of copies, and of course the manufacturer's code. Then make a form for searches. Get the database working with a few dozen gobos and get the forms built, and then you could use anyone, interns or whoever, to do the rest of the data entry.
 

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