Cellar Organization Software

I would appreciate hearing from anyone regarding their experiences using cellar tracking software and/or bar code systems for their collections?
Thank you,
Amy

Hi Amy, Welcome to the forum.
I use two pieces of software, CellarTracker and Uncorked Cellar. Both have some interesting features and both work with barcodes (but I haven't used tha feature with either). CellarTracker is what I'd call the "industry standard". It has a huge user base, it's quite easy to enter items, has some wonderful cellar sorting routines, and because it's online, you can access your cellar info wherever you can get an internet connection. Uncorked has more graphics features and provides more information on the wineries (like websites, addresses, etc).
Have you tried any cellar software as of yet?

The biggest problem with any logging system is entering the data - name of wine, appellattion and etc.

Where CellarTracker wins is the huge number of wines already in its database; the chances are al the wines you have are already there and you just click to add to your own collection.

Second advantage is fast response from the CT owner should you have any problems.

Regarding bar codes, I don't use that function. There are two uses for bar codes as I see, first is entering new purchases by using the bar code on the wines label -- you can do that with CT but inot every wine in the database has a bar code attached however it is about as fast to add by using part of the name.

Second is producing your own bar code labels and scanning them to remove from the database when consumed. CT is set up to do that.


Give it a try, its free.

And look at the forum there to se about support, bar code info and etc.

Bill, Thank you for your response. I am currently using Cellar Tracker and do like it quite a bit. I have been trying to research other options before making a final decision on whether to use a bar code system. We have just installed our cellar after a year and half of trials and tribulations and want to establish our oraganizational system the optimal way at the "get go".We have a 1500 bottle capacity. We have been trying to determine if the bar code process is worth it. So far it seems that most people I have had contact with do not bother with it.
Amy

Thanks for the input. Cellar tracker does seem to have captured a lot of the market. Seems bar coding is less than essential when using this system since Eric has made it rather easy to use.
Amy

I do label my bottles with the CT barcode number, using the output to Avery labels option. I did that because when I first entered the wines into CT it seemed there were omissions and duplications (I have wine dotted around in various locations) and a label uniquely identified every bottle.

I think CTs default barcode label is too large and has too much information on it that is unnecessary and you may not want on thebottle when it is served at the table.

Let me cast my vote for cellartracker.com, too. Having had some wine past its prime last year, I resolved to never (I know - never say never) let that happen again. Friends on this foruim suggested cellartracker and over the past two weeks I took my laptop into the cellar and conducted a through inventory and placed everything into the database. I printed out my first wine list and I am very impressed with what the application can accomplish. I think I'll even send in a contribution.
I have to let you know, however, that I have not looked at any other software so I really cannot compare.
I am a little bothered by the fact that my cellar now resides on the web but there are advantages to that, like the ability to price one's wines, that can overcome my being bothered.
I did not look hard for instructions on the cellartracker site but I did work my way through and was able to accomplish what I wanted to do.

CT fan here too. I don't use the barcode feature, but might in future (a quick scan is easier to remember than "consuming" otherwise).

[Jenise]

Amy,

I have more bottles than your max cellar capacity, and I don't use bar codes, nor would I. Maybe at 4000 I'd have to consider it, but at this stage it's more manageable to me to tag each bottle. I keep blank tags in a beer stein in the cellar for that purpose. In another stein, I throw the tags I remove from the bottles we consume. From those I periodically update my inventory. Bar coding would be easier for that part of inventory control, but I want the visual of the tags to show me what's where. I like the romance of physically looking at my bottles to decide what to drink--it's just a little closer to not keeping an inventory at all which in many ways I'd prefer to do. And I don't want to have to have the inventory list in hand any time I want to find a bottle. The reality is, you're going to spend a little more time doing things one way or the other, you just have to decide which convenience is the most important to you. Good luck with your choice.

Thanks for sharing your process. I'm not sure I want to see tags all over the place so that is one reason I'm considering the bar coding. I have to say just thinking about it is fun...of course drinking it is too
Amy