Ammo Stocks Management Software?

[Blueclawz]

I know not everybody has this issue...and I am not trying to create a topic about 1%'ers....with that in mind hear my issue and help me figure out a solution...

The recent Hurricane Sandy fiasco has made me aware that I am not effectively managing my ammo inventory. I needed to secure my entire ammo stocks in a dry and safe place free of wind or water...I had to triage some of this ammo as my storage was scattered over multiple places. I constantly pickup deals and come across stuff and "throw it into the pile". What this has done has created a bigger problem of not knowing what the hell I have on hand. If you mix in reloading and components you can understand how it just becomes a cluster F8ck.

I have a dream of an inventory system in my ammo stocks that can open up a screen and see my current rounds on hand of each caliber, current powder count, primer count, case count, bullet count. It would also prioritize my reloading schedule by allowing me to see what I need to reload. If I could set inventory levels to alarm me if something is running down. I have consolidated much of my shooting to 4 calibers..but have tremendous amounts of inventory- thus the storage issue. I have found cases and boxes packaged with other calibers, have a couple of pallets of various calibers thrown together.(This should hopefully stop the wasting components on unneeded overstock) Please keep in mind I shoot 4 primary calibers...
9mm Subsonic
9mm Target
45ACP Target
223 77gr Target
308 175gr Target
I can add others as needed..but for the bulk of my shooting its normally these three calibers.

Ok so you heard my vision...any ideas? I am not looking for some generic Excel spreadsheet..I want something real-time. Think maybe a hardware program like I assume they use in laces like lowes?

 

[Broken_Reticle]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

Got a couple thousand dollars? I could make you something in Access
If not I could make you a excel sheet with a main page that told you what you wanted with the other pages being specific to each caliber which I would let you have for free since I would use it too.

 

[Blueclawz]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

No access...no excel....

I want something like ShotworksPro - but with a reloading inventory management component. I reached out to them but I did not figure one dude looking for it would warrant them making an upgrade...

 

[Broken_Reticle]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

Like I said, if you want custom software like that you are looking at a couple grand.

 

[High Binder]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Broken_Reticle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Got a couple thousand dollars? I could make you something in Access
If not I could make you a excel sheet with a main page that told you what you wanted with the other pages being specific to each caliber which I would let you have for free since I would use it too. </div></div>

I dunno about thousands of dollars, there's not much to it. I just made this (below) in a few minutes. It needs some tweaking and some additional code and a few more buttons/txtBoxes and some import/export in various file formats coding but you can import from a file and export out to a file or you can simply add the info manually and edit it on the fly. Either way, I don't think it would/should cost 1000's, I made this version in about 20 mins and it could be complete and debugged with probably 3-4 hours of work.

 

[Broken_Reticle]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

You didn't read all he wants it to do did you or go look at the shotworks stuff.

He wants it to alert him when he gets to a threshold on each supply for each caliber etc so he can reorder.

Which could be easily done in Excel or Access but he doesn't want that.

So if you were to charge him for your work going rate is usually 75 to 150 an hour to program custom stuff. So just your 3 to 4 hours would cost him 300 to 400 dollars... And you haven't even done the threshold stuff.

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

You sound like a broken record, not reticle

 

[High Binder]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Broken_Reticle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You didn't read all he wants it to do did you
</div></div>

Whoa!

Adding alerts at specific thresholds is a simple 3-4 lines of event code and can be done with simple "if/then/else statements" (plus a few variables). It could make it all the way up to 6-7 lines of code if you have a bunch of different classes passing parameters around but either way you're still only looking at a whopping 2-3 extra minutes. His requirements are pretty easy.

 

[Ulpian]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

I know nothing about programming, but wont it be more useful if it is a android app (for tablet may be) and hook to google doc for backup?

 

[ricklaut]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

I'd be interested in this if it develops, and the end user cost is reasonable.

I do 3/4 of what the OP wants in a Google Docs spreadsheet, but it ain't pretty... But I do know at a glance the inventory level of all consumables for reloading and that ties into batch numbers for ammo created in each loading session.

I set thresholds on inventory with conditional formatting, and know it's time to order when something turns to yellow or red. It also calculates costs (summarized several ways). Google Docs makes it accessible on any mobile device. What I don't track is when the rounds are fired, so I don't really account for the actual inventory of loaded ammo.

If I could get something that is more of an application and less than a frankenspreadsheet, I'd be in.

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

I like it High Binder. I am pretty good with Excel and going to get started using Access pretty soon but I like the GUI on that. I admire people who can work with coding.

 

[High Binder]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: The Mechanic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I like it High Binder. I am pretty good with Excel and going to get started using Access pretty soon but I like the GUI on that. I admire people who can work with coding. </div></div>

Thanks man, when finals are over I'll finish this prog. up and add some shit I've been wanting to do for a while and send you and whoever else a copy to see what you think. I've been wanting to make a prog for my tracking reloading for a long time so this is a perfect excuse.

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Thanks man, when finals are over I'll finish this prog. up and add some shit I've been wanting to do for a while and send you and whoever else a copy to see what you think. I've been wanting to make a prog for my tracking reloading for a long time so this is a perfect excuse. </div></div>
Binder,
I would love copy, I mean, like we could forget about the BIA, snuggie thread right?
And how did you manage to do it for under 2K?
Your great freind and peer,
Milo

 

[Adam B]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

you could build a form using google docs that saves all of the data to an excel spreadsheet, there are several guides out there and the nice thing about it is that it is all web based

 

[Ulpian]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks man, when finals are over I'll finish this prog. up and add some shit I've been wanting to do for a while and send you and whoever else a copy to see what you think. I've been wanting to make a prog for my tracking reloading for a long time so this is a perfect excuse. </div></div>

I'm also interested!

 

[Broken_Reticle]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: milo-2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Binder,
I would love copy, I mean, like we could forget about the BIA, snuggie thread right?
And how did you manage to do it for under 2K?
Your great freind and peer,
Milo</div></div>

Really Milo?
I used to write software. Blueclawz asked a question about someone writing him custom code and I gave him an answer. Look it up. I am sure if you could get the Shotworks Guys to give you a truthful answer they prob have way more that 2k in developement of their software.

If Binder chooses to do it for free and share with the community that is awesome. But since Binder isn't asking for money at this point, he is probably going to do this at what pace he chooses. Once it is completed, is he going to make updates as per requests if a forum member wants a custom piece done to the software? How long will he keep up the maintenance on the code?

I tried to be helpful and give Blue and everyone else a nice Excel Sheet that each person could custom edit once a base was done. I could even do it in Access with a GUI front end and a SQL server component that could be web based for people that wanted to use their smart phones to edit the data. With both options being readily available software platforms, if I made the actual database downloadable people could edit what they wanted when they wanted and then recompile the database.

You could even put the database on a thumb drive with the Access loader and pretty much plug and play off the thumb drive on any computer.

BlueClaws original reason for wanting the software was so he could organize for times of disaster to know where things are. A portable open source item lends itself better to this need than a stand alone inventory software, like the one at Lowes. Which he said something like the Lowes software would work. Well the Lowes software is an Oracle base, DOS looking software which doesn't have a GUI at all and is totally text based.

I know that might be too much like a Broken Record as you called me earlier, but I am trying to get people to think outside of just tomorrow and think about how far this could carry out. Just like people pulling up 2 year old threads on here from time to time. So Mr. Milo I will let you get back to your back slapping with your Bro Binder and sorry for interrupting your little bro love fest.

Cheers
Broken_Record

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

Honstly record, Blueclawz stated he was probably a 1%er, most people don't have 2K worth of ammo or components laying around. So a price tag of 2k is ludicrous, if blue wants to pay, so be it.
Being a self proclaimed genius, build the program, market it and sell it, I'm sure the price will drop.
I'm so simple, I use a legal pad to keep track of my stuff, it's not that hard. I store all my loaded ammo in my basement, not multiple locations, rotate the stock when I load.

I'm not going to pick your rebuttle apart, or argue with you.
If you're hell bent on getting rich off members here, fine.
As for High Binder's and my relationship, we don't know one another, so our love fest is just in the blossoming stage.

If I remotely thought you had enough cock, I would tell you to go FUCK YOURSELF.

Cheers,
Milo

 

[High Binder]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ulpian</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I'm also interested!

</div></div>

10-4

 

[Broken_Reticle]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

Wow so now it comes down me thinking I told him a price of 2k because he has so many reloading components that he must have money? You really do need to go back and read the posts.

I told him I would do it for <span style="font-size: 17pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">"FREE"</span></span> if he could handle it being an excell sheet or Access. But more than likely any software company would charge him k's of dollars. My business buys a payroll software package that costs 1k+. Want a copy of Photoshop full retail is about $600. One of the software packages I use to right software costs $500. And those costs are for rich people and poor people.

So for me to say that someone would charge 2k to write custom software is within reason.

I also said multiple times I would share the excel file with anyone that wanted it.

So you sir even admit your own ignorance and prob should not have even joined the conversation. Since you can't even talk to me in a respectful manner. It is sad to see someone resort to making fun of my cock or telling me to go fuck myself because he can't understand the conversation being had between adults. Blueclaws sounds like a pretty educated person. And if he is a 1%-er, which had nothing to do with my orginal post and not sure why he brought it up since it is a non point with most items discussed on this forum, should know how the business world works. And Binder is educated and I hope he is taking business classes along with programming so he knows how to value his time. But seeing how he has multiple degrees, I feel I misspoke earlier towards him earlier, but still hold to the fact that if he charted his time spent on this project it would run 2kish to complete to the spec levels BlueClaws asked for.

In closing I never said I would charge him 2k to write anything. I asked him if he had 2k to spend on it.

"Got a couple thousand dollars? I could make you something in Access
If not I could make you a excel sheet with a main page that told you what you wanted with the other pages being specific to each caliber which I would let you have for <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">f</span>ree</span> since I would use it too."

In my first post in this thread, I said I would even do it for Free, so I don't see how you thought I was trying to get rich off of members.

So good day to you Sir. And I respectfully decline your offer of pleasuring myself with my own cock.

 

[High Binder]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: milo-2</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Thanks man, when finals are over I'll finish this prog. up and add some shit I've been wanting to do for a while and send you and whoever else a copy to see what you think. I've been wanting to make a prog for my tracking reloading for a long time so this is a perfect excuse. </div></div>
Binder,
I would love copy, I mean, like we could forget about the BIA, snuggie thread right?
And how did you manage to do it for under 2K?
Your great freind and peer,
Milo </div></div>

LMAO! Yeah, I'll get you a copy.

 

[Blueclawz]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

Damn, slow down guys...I am not trying to start a pissing match!

I have received a contact back from the Shotworks guys and they are working on developing something along the lines of what I am requesting. (In essence an add-on to their current application)I just like to think bigger picture than excel or access..I am familiar with both however this level of inventory management could tie quite a bit of my collection together in one shot. I even have dreams of being able to pull up my current inventory levels on the road - and purchase my components on the fly with real-time inventory feedback.

Either way..I am not wishing to commit a huge investment to such a specialized item. I admit I do need an effective inventory management program, however I have made it nearly 20yrs with keeping it in my head...I can last a few more.

 

[High Binder]

Re: Ammo Stocks Management Software?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Blueclawz</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I even have dreams of being able to pull up my current inventory levels on the road - and purchase my components on the fly with real-time inventory feedback.
</div></div>

That's a good idea. It's a lot more work but it's possible to make your mobile device sync with some kind of inventory software or what would be much easier would be to store it in the cloud. I could add the cloud part to my version pretty easily but that's down the road a bit.