Film Inventory - Excel Spreadsheet

aoresteen · Dec 4, 2018

Last Sunday afternoon I pulled all my film out of the freezer to inventory it. I was a pain to do but I really needed to know just what I have. I wrote down every roll's expiration date along with the quantity on an inventory sheet. And I wrote the expiration date on the ZipLock freezer bag that I store all my film in before I put it in the freezer.

I then organized the film in the freezer so I could FIND what I want to take out..

Next I set up an Excel sheet so I can track my film. It took a couple of hours to get all the data entered into Excel.

I sorted all the same type film (like all HP5+ 120 rolls) by expiration date (oldest on top). That way I can insure that I use up the oldest film first.

Now all I have to do is look at my spreadsheet and I can see what I need to buy or what I should order.

The real good news is I found 20 more rolls of Verichrome Pan 120 than I thought I had and I discovered 4 boxes of J&C 200 Classic 2.25 x 3.25 sheet film that I didn't know I had

bvy · Dec 5, 2018

I did this recently too, but it took me minutes, not hours. Maybe I have less film. I keep forgetting to update it though.

Raghu Kuvempunagar · Dec 5, 2018

Sometimes I feel it's much easier to put the hand inside the ziplock bag, pull out whichever film that the fingers grab and shoot it. It's more fun too.

Sirius Glass · Dec 5, 2018

The OP has a good idea, but I follow @Raghu Kuvempunagar 's approach. That is because I have CDO which is OCD which has been alphabetized and that keeps me from getting making the spreadsheet.

Chan Tran · Dec 5, 2018

If inventory of your film is a pain then you must have way too much film.

Sirius Glass · Dec 5, 2018

Chan Tran said:
If inventory of your film is a pain then you must have way too much film.

Must stock up on film to keep it from the hoarders!

DWThomas · Dec 5, 2018

I've been using a spreadsheet to track my film supply for the last tenyears or so. I also use spreadsheets to track a number of other things, maintenance items, etc. There is generally one problem, the lack of a loop closure to avoid omissions because one of the elements in the system is me!

aoresteen · Dec 5, 2018

Chan Tran said:
If inventory of your film is a pain then you must have way too much film.

I do have a lot of film but a great deal was given to me by photographers who went digital. I also got interrupted by Uncle Sam from 2007 to 2013 when I didn't have a darkroom so I tried not to shoot too much film but managed to get a large back log anyway.

aoresteen · Dec 5, 2018

DWThomas said:
I've been using a spreadsheet to track my film supply for the last tenyears or so. I also use spreadsheets to track a number of other things, maintenance items, etc. There is generally one problem, the lack of a loop closure to avoid omissions because one of the elements in the system is me!

As am I !

Sarath · Dec 15, 2018

Are you planning to sell some?

benjiboy · Dec 15, 2018

I'm not that methodical, I would rather "live dangerously".

lantau · Dec 15, 2018

I'm managing my stock in a spread sheet as well. Otherwise I wouldn't know what I have and what requires reordering. I split it into three locations, Freezer, Fridge and Transfer (taken out for shooting).

It only contains my 135 and 120 stock, I can manage bulk rolls, sheet film and pack film on my own.

Behind_my_film_lens · Apr 1, 2020

aoresteen said:
Last Sunday afternoon I pulled all my film out of the freezer to inventory it. I was a pain to do but I really needed to know just what I have. I wrote down every roll's expiration date along with the quantity on an inventory sheet. And I wrote the expiration date on the ZipLock freezer bag that I store all my film in before I put it in the freezer.

I then organized the film in the freezer so I could FIND what I want to take out..

Next I set up an Excel sheet so I can track my film. It took a couple of hours to get all the data entered into Excel.

I sorted all the same type film (like all HP5+ 120 rolls) by expiration date (oldest on top). That way I can insure that I use up the oldest film first.

Now all I have to do is look at my spreadsheet and I can see what I need to buy or what I should order.

The real good news is I found 20 more rolls of Verichrome Pan 120 than I thought I had and I discovered 4 boxes of J&C 200 Classic 2.25 x 3.25 sheet film that I didn't know I had

is there any possibility that you could share your template?

RalphLambrecht · Apr 2, 2020

aoresteen said:
Last Sunday afternoon I pulled all my film out of the freezer to inventory it. I was a pain to do but I really needed to know just what I have. I wrote down every roll's expiration date along with the quantity on an inventory sheet. And I wrote the expiration date on the ZipLock freezer bag that I store all my film in before I put it in the freezer.

I then organized the film in the freezer so I could FIND what I want to take out..

Next I set up an Excel sheet so I can track my film. It took a couple of hours to get all the data entered into Excel.

I sorted all the same type film (like all HP5+ 120 rolls) by expiration date (oldest on top). That way I can insure that I use up the oldest film first.

Now all I have to do is look at my spreadsheet and I can see what I need to buy or what I should order.

The real good news is I found 20 more rolls of Verichrome Pan 120 than I thought I had and I discovered 4 boxes of J&C 200 Classic 2.25 x 3.25 sheet film that I didn't know I had

Do you need a spreadsheet to track your film inventory then you need to go out and shoot more.

benjiboy · Apr 2, 2020

I have had to remove all my film my film from both my freezers to make room for frozen food to try to enable my wife and I to try to survive the current pandemic because nobody knows how long it will last.

Film Inventory - Excel Spreadsheet

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