I think all past discussions have fallen into archive... at least that's all I could find. Checked the FAQs and other pinned threads but nothing there either.

Seems like a good time to collect the groups input on how folks are tracking component inventory.

I really need to balance my inventory on total rounds that can be assembled from current component inventory and fill in component gaps. Saw a recent post referring to this which has me hesitate on purchasing until first having a better idea how much can I load with what I have. Then buy to fill any gaps.  

Wish list:

1. A separate rifle and pistol spreadsheet seems reasonable.

2. Having all known calibers on a sheet seems unreasonable. Maybe 10 input cells that the user defines caliber that are linked to all the components (rifle/pistol separate)?

3. Be able to calculate forward and backwards.

- Use current component inventory to calculate total rounds that can be loaded.

- Enter total number of rounds desired to load and calculate any component gaps. Not sure how feasible or just skip it.

4. It would be nice to be able to list each caliber you load and have round calculations for each - cross linking components. ie, 9mm uses same powder as 40SW, 38spl and 45acp. 45acp uses different primer.

- Ability to have multiple calibers on the same sheet. 9mm, 38 spl, 40SW and 45 ACP (maybe 10 user defined calibers?)

5. Not sure about having primer manufacturer specific volumes for each load. Might be too confusing. Same for brass.

Just to be clear, I'm not the guy you would want to design a spreadsheet. Just curious of what folks are using and if they would be willing to share their ideas.

Just getting into progressive reloading and something like this would seem to be a very useful tool. I wouldn't set up the progressive for a caliber until knowing ahead of time how many rounds there's inventory for without scrounging through everything.

I use a pencil and paper.

I keep a note on my phone.

I also use Excel... well... Numbers on my MacBook. For me, it's less about keeping track of inventory but rather trying to find the best deal once Hazmat and S&H is taken into consideration. IE, I have a cart with Vendor A but they don't have the 8lb keg of power but they do have 1lb containers. Vendor B does have the 8lb keg but will I save enough buying in bulk and pay the 2nd S&H/Hazmat?

Y'all makin' me feel lazy.  I buy a bullet and load a ladder.  I pick the best load from the ladder and write that on the box of bullets, as well as the gun they were shot through.  Them's my notes.

I did the XL spreadsheet for a few months and all was nifty.

Then, one day I was in a rush to reload and I wasn’t able to log things and thus was the end of my spreadsheet-days.

Chris

I did something similar for years. I would often write on a note card or whatever was nearby. A ton of those notes got lost, especially when I last moved. A notebook has proven a million times better in every way. As long as I don't have a house fire, those notes will be with me hopefully forever. Those rite in the rain notebooks are the cats meow, they really do work in the rain.

I use an excel spreadsheet to help manually track and plan reloading supplies.  A notebook keeps track of load development and specifics related to Lot numbers.  

The spreadsheet is divided into 3 sections.  

The first section is a detailed running inventory of brass, bullets, powder, and primers.  
Each of the 4 groups are organized by caliber, diameter, or (primer) size as appropriate.  
On the spreadsheet space, this takes up the most space and occupies the first 7 columns.
Once complete, this shows what you have to work with to create various loads.  This data is manually fed into the next 2 sections which determine what else you may need to purchase.  

The second section is a grid used to allocate various powder types (columns) to various calibers (rows sub-divided by function).  
Each powder column sums all the different uses of that powder (in 0.1 pound increments) with the total allocated for various loads, the total of that powder on hand, and the delta between the 2.  
Each row (223 55gr FMJ for example) has a place for the total number of (223 55gr FMJ) bullets, how many grains per load (in grains) for that bullet, and total powder needed (converted to 0.1 pound resolution) for that function.  
Then you select how many pounds from Powder A, B, C, D, etc. to get the total powder weight needed for that function (again 223 55gr FMJ for example).  
You can manually verify the powder total for each function or setup a summing formula and compare to the calculated total need.  
I have the powder columns sorted by rifle and pistol in order of burn rate.  

The third section is several simple grids comparing the number of primers (by size) with the available bullets organized by caliber and function.  
This helps allocate available primers to different functions/loads.  

It's like a giant scratchpad with some helpful math functions to keep track of everything.  
The spreadsheet could be automated further, but it was enough to organize and balance my expected reloading supply needs for the next few years.  
I need to save money for one more jug of pistol powder and a bunch of small primers then I'll be set.  

I use a tablet and keep everything in OneNote.

I have a general book with pages for inventory , want to buy, want to try, etc.

Each caliber is a book then all the load development data is kept as pages. I can dump excel files, or pictures, into OneNote and pull up the past analysis and reevaluate if I'd make the same decision today as when I first generated the data.

I keep OneNote on my phone so when I'm at the store I can pull it up to see if there's something I should grab and make the inventory update on the spot.

Sounds like you have a comprehensive set of information to work from. Is this organized in a workbook with tabs or a single xls file?

I have been thumb wagging my component needs, but it getting pretty expensive at today's prices, so I want to make sure as best I can to get just what I need.

I've started a workbook with tabs for primers, powders, bullets, cases and loaded ammo so far. Haven't put the effort into how to link it all together yet and so I'm looking for ideas.  

Still need to document all the bullets, brass and loaded ammo on each of the tabs.

I only load for 223, 308, 7.62x39, 30-06, M1 carbine for rifle and 380, 9mm, 40SW, 45acp, 38spl and 375mag for pistol. It shouldn't be a big effort to deal with these few calibers.... I hope.

Thanks for your input!

I just buy anything that's on sale, building a stockpile that I can never really use.

I have come to the realization that I will never be able to use everything I have stockpiled.

I have started giving stuff away to family and friends.

I am sorry, but none of you are a friend......

I have to admit, that's about what I was doing. See a sale, buy in quantity.

Not giving anything away though.

Trying to break the habit and be more strategic now.

I do this on a computer with a monitor and only use one xls sheet for organizing all reloading components.  I still have to move the view around to see different sections of the sheet.  
There are no tabs and no automatic quantity linking.  That makes the required updates to the sheet easier when I change something.  

I won't pass up a really good sale, but it helps to know what the limiting factors are for loading different calibers.  

Pretty much this but...

I DO keep track of inventory on index cards to help me make sure things are somewhat balanced. (so I don't end up with more primers than I have powder for in a really disproportionate way)



My low tech index cards quickly and easily tell me that projectiles is where I personally need to be paying attention to sales and sending my dollars for a while until things are 'balanced' again. :)

My reaction to some of the above -

I keep the load development test results in a workbook separate from my inventory.  The inventory is very different.


I have everything on one worksheet because it all fits and you can see it all.  I find it is important to be able to see the entire inventory all at a glance.

Colors (cell fill) help visually separate the info.  Color coding helps a lot, especially long after you build the workbook.  For example, each LR primer line item is shown in green, the LR total is also shown in green.  

I don't log components in and out.  I add to it when I receive new stuff and re-inventory every year or two.  In between, I keep mental notes on how much I am shooting.


Component inventory is in one section (bullets, primers, powder) and includes relevant subtotals.  

Bullet inventory is a subsection.
 *  This area lists bullets by caliber, maker, weight and type (308, Sierra, 168 gr, MatchKing).

Primers are a subsection.
 *  This lists maker, type, part number (Federal, LR, GM210M)
 *  I list also primed brass in this section, but as a separate subsection.
 *  Subtotals by type (all SP, all LR,...)

Powder inventory is a subsection.
 *  This lists type, weight (H4350, 16 lb)

Factory ammo is a section - listing type, maker, etc.
 *  22LR
 *  Centerfire pistol
 *  Centerfire rifle   <-- I know, sacriledge, right?  
 *  Shotgun ammo

Across the bottom of the page, I do the calculations.

 *  How many rounds of which type can be loaded from the components I have in inventory.  
 *  What is the shortfall or surplus (to identify what I should/should not buy).  

No way I would inventory what I have. It would take too long and I would get lazy about changing it.

For load data I used to keep a little note book for each gun but it got to be too many. Now I keep notes in one big book and have specific loads on index cards in a card holder. Each gun has a tab and some cards

For rifle I have and load 20 prac, .222, 223, 5.56 x3, 22-250 x2, 6arc, 6×6.8, .243 x2, 6.5 grendel x2, 6.5CM x3, 6.8 spc, .270 win x2, 7mm-08, 30-30 x2, 7.62x54, .308, .357 mag carbine's x2,
For pistol it's just 45acp x2 and 9mm x2.
I'm probably missing some.
It's too many components to keep records of besides the loads they like. I would like to say I have a good idea of what I have but I find stuff on my shelves all the time that I don't remember ever buying.

Yeah, I'm on a computer too. I save the workbook on a flash drive instead of sharing the file on a home network. I've got a dedicated laptop at the reloading bench. The file is backed up just in case.

I was hoping you would chime in.

Yours seems how my workbook has been organized with the exception of adding a calculator and the bottom for your inventory list. I'll probably do that as the next step.

All load development is in separate workbooks for me as well. I have one for rifle and one for pistol. Just helps keep the workbook of manageable size. Pics of targets get posted next to the load results... but I digress. Really want to focus on inventory management with this thread.

The reason I want to inventory is because over the years I've accumulated a decent amount of inventory. Not as many as some, but I don't want to buy more than can be used in 2 lifetimes. I also want a written record to pass down when the time comes.

LOL!

I started doing it because I did not want to run out of anything important.  In this era of shortages and high prices, it helps to get a 6 months or a year of advanced notice that something is running low and it's time to start looking to buy some.

I started doing that because it was difficult to track the use of a single powder (W231) in so many different pistol cartridges.  I use it in 9mm, 38, 357, 45ACP,... so lots of things depend upon it.  Then when I started using TAC in multiple rifle cartridges.  Then, I just did them all.

That's a good idea and something I need to do.

My plan a few years ago was to consolidate to a single pistol powder for those calibers you mention above. Still a work in progress.

I won't talk about rifle powders because my inventory is definitely out of control. Some powders I picked when buying out someones inventory and don't even have rifles for. Used to be easy to get a table at the local gun show and sell what you didn't need. All the shows have been banned in my area now. But I digress...
........................

For inventory I have columns for:

Manufacturer : Type : Amount : (number of) Containers : Gun (rifle/pistol) : Calibers used for : Date inventoried : (total) Cost : Cost/lb : Source (where did I get it)

I have a large note book that I put tabs on keep loads by caliber with a seperate note book for shotgun. I always date what I'm doing and leave space to add notes. Reloading powder and primers on spread sheet.
To many bullets to record so just a designated area for each caliber, same for brass. Shot gun wads and hulls go in clear totes so I can see what and where.

I just set minimums, i.e. the quantity on hand before I have to start looking in earnest. If I am over the minimum, then I just jump on deals.

I use excel for many things, making load labels, tracking loads and components.

I buy it

I log it in a notebook

I store it.

I use it. I log It's use.

It's not that complicated