Datacrow 1

Five Apps

rnrn

1. Datacrow

rnrn

Datacrow is oftenrnlisted as one of the best in breeds for this category – and with good reason.rnWith Datacrow you can catalog movie, video, books, images, games, software,rnmusic, and more. Other features include: Create your own collection module,rnmanage what you’ve loaned out, connect with online services (such as imdb.com,rnbol.com, and more), make use of reporting tools, file information importing andrnmore. Datacrow is a cross-platform application (Windows, Mac, Linux) that isrnwritten in Java (which to some could be a deal breaker). So, in order to getrnDatacrow to work, you will need a JRE installed on the machine. One thing tornlike about the project is that the developer, Robert Jan van der Waals, hasrnmade the source code very readily available on his site and has invited usersrnto make feature requests and report bugs.

rnrnCredit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic

Datacrow 2

Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic

SoftCAT Free 1

2. SoftCAT Free

rnrnSoftCATrnFree is a very powerful cataloging tool with tons of features. With thisrntool you can enjoy: Comprehensive data fields, custom data fields, personalrnnotes, include up to nine screen shots per program, customize to fit yourrnneeds, built-in explorer, powerful search tool, search and replace, five datarnsort levels, create reports, archive reports, analyze collections, and more.rnSoftCAT offers two versions: A free version and a full version. The differencesrnbetween the free and the full versions are simple; the free version does notrninclude the features: Auto catalog, form designer, report designer, and export.

rnrnCredit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic

SoftCAT Free 2

Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic

inFlow Free 1

3. inFlow Free

rnrninFlow Free isrnan inventory application best suited for small businesses with a smallrninventory of products. The main limitations of the free version are: Onernhundred product/customer limitation, up to fifteen reports, multi-user mode is readrnonly, forum support only. Outside of those limitations, inFlow offers featuresrnlike: Product lists, barcode support, multiple units of measurement, multiplernlocations, movement history, one-click workflow or advanced workflow, reorderrnstock, product cost tracking, print/email purchase order, and much more. If yourncan live with the limitations of the free version, this application is veryrnpowerful and easy to use. If, however, the limitations take this applicationrnoutside the realm of the useful, the regular version is only $299.00 perrnlicense. There is also a Premium edition ($499.00) that includes Bill ofrnmaterials and work orders, customized documents, count sheets, and more.

rnrnCredit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic

inFlow Free 2

Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic

Zotero 1

4. Zotero

rnrnZotero is arncross-platform tool geared specifically for cataloging your research. Think ofrnit as your personal research assistant, where you can: Store anything, cite,rnsync, and collaborate. With Zotero you no longer have to worry about keepingrntrack of folders. Instead, Zotero organizes your research into collections -rnsimilar to a music player playlist. Research items can be added to multiplernnamed collections and sub-collections. And searching is made simple with arnpower tagging system. With the citing system you can create: footnotes,rnendnotes, in-text citations, or bibliographies. The sync system allows you tornsync your research across as many devices as you need. Finally, you can createrngroups and invite users to your groups to aid in collaboration with yourrnresearch. Zotero comes in a stand-alone desktop tool or a Firefox, Chrome, orrnSafari extension.

rnrnCredit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic

Zotero 2

Credit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic

LibreOffice Base 1

5. LibreOffice Base

rnrnLibreOffice Base isrnobviously not a cataloging software; but, with a little creativity, you canrnquickly create a database specifically for what you need to catalog. Using thernForm Designer wizard, you will even have a user-friendly form that will allowrnyou to enter data for your collections. What’s best about using this method isrnthat you can then make use of the database for other tools – so you’re notrnlimiting your collection data to one, isolated tool. The only caveat to usingrnLibreOffice Base is that you have to have, at least, a cursory understanding ofrnhow databases work. No, you do not need to be a DB Admin, but you’ll at leastrnwant to know what databases are and how to create them (with the help of therneasy-to-use wizards).

rnrnCredit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic

LibreOffice Base 2

Bottom line

rnrnIf you’re looking to catalog just about anything, therernare tools out there waiting to be used. With a bit of digging, you can findrnjust what you need. Or, if you don’t feel like searching, you can give one ofrnthese tools a try. Each of these offerings has something unique, and some arernmuch more powerful than others – but each of them will handle the task.

rnrnCredit: Images by JackrnWallen for TechRepublic