5Wire
Member
Whenever I post charts and tracks, I get asked what I use and how I do it. Here's a brief description.
FileMaker Pro
I use FileMaker Pro professionally for clients, so I decided to do one for myself, a database for inventory with three basic entry screens. There are still some warts in the database, so there may be some stuff in this example that doesn't reconcile or is flat out wrong.
1. A list with one record for each tracked firearm by Manufacturer, Model, Variation.
2. Pricing data entry and summary page for each firearm record.
3. Bluebook Pricing from my online subscription to BBGV. Data is parsed to appropriate data fields for later processing as well as for display in other database locations.
Excel Worksheet
FileMaker Pro will export selected data, create and open an Excel Worksheet. I export two fields, the recorded Price and the effective date of the price. The date field is modified so the date value is always the first of whatever month it was posted. This allows Excel to consolidate prices by month in a Pivot Table.
I have a second Worksheet with the monthly Consumer Price Index cut and pasted from the Historical Consumer Price Index website. I set the date format on this sheet to the same format as on the exported prices: first of the month.
The firearm Worksheet looks like this:
When the chart is finished, I copy it and save it as a JPG file, upload to Photobucket, and include the image code in my post.
Once you have the base CPI Worksheet it takes about twenty minutes to generate the Firearm Worksheet and chart. If you don't know Excel, it will take longer until you become accustomed to the vagaries and anomalies Bill Gates thinks we should have to deal with in the program.
Some of my price trend information as well as the price data themselves for some firearms have been used as sources in The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 3rd Ed and in the Bluebook of Gun Values.
Thanks for your interest. I hope this helps
FileMaker Pro
I use FileMaker Pro professionally for clients, so I decided to do one for myself, a database for inventory with three basic entry screens. There are still some warts in the database, so there may be some stuff in this example that doesn't reconcile or is flat out wrong.
1. A list with one record for each tracked firearm by Manufacturer, Model, Variation.
2. Pricing data entry and summary page for each firearm record.
3. Bluebook Pricing from my online subscription to BBGV. Data is parsed to appropriate data fields for later processing as well as for display in other database locations.
Excel Worksheet
FileMaker Pro will export selected data, create and open an Excel Worksheet. I export two fields, the recorded Price and the effective date of the price. The date field is modified so the date value is always the first of whatever month it was posted. This allows Excel to consolidate prices by month in a Pivot Table.
I have a second Worksheet with the monthly Consumer Price Index cut and pasted from the Historical Consumer Price Index website. I set the date format on this sheet to the same format as on the exported prices: first of the month.
The firearm Worksheet looks like this:
When the chart is finished, I copy it and save it as a JPG file, upload to Photobucket, and include the image code in my post.
Once you have the base CPI Worksheet it takes about twenty minutes to generate the Firearm Worksheet and chart. If you don't know Excel, it will take longer until you become accustomed to the vagaries and anomalies Bill Gates thinks we should have to deal with in the program.
Some of my price trend information as well as the price data themselves for some firearms have been used as sources in The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 3rd Ed and in the Bluebook of Gun Values.
Thanks for your interest. I hope this helps
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On the other hand, the appreciation of most quality firearms makes it hard to lose much if you keep them for a few years and some gain value better than bank interest.
