Good A & D Bound Book Software??

[PIRATE14]

Well we jus use the DROS number to sequence our 4473s---same thing and it's easy to look up the same number instead of inventing a new one.

We used to use EXCEL and it worked for our first Audit but got hammered on it for the second.....

We are converting to AMIPRO and so far it hasn't had any hiccups but we need it too do more for us....but so far it seems good and it's not too expensive.....

[PIRATE14]

I am giving away Aimi eBook Pro, just pay for shipping.

Lets chat....

[NewFrontierArmory]

I use EBound by Gunderson Software.

It has its little quirks like any other program, but nothing huge.

Runs a good inventory and multiple handgun sale report, and stores all the info from other FFLS / Vendors for quick log ins when you re-buy from the same vendors.

You can also maintain a list of popular firearms and it will enter everything but the serial number into the "A" side for you when you type in something like "G19"

The search feature is great and has saved me **** tons of time pulling 4473's

What makes up for all the little quirks is the customer service. I screwed up while switching it from one pc to another at the office and they stayed on the phone with me for 2 hours until we got it all squared away.

Great folks and a great program.

[PolishMike]

Didn't see it mentioned here.. I use cervelle software's POS system and it includes a a/d book. I like it because everything is tied to inventory. As soon as you get something it adds it to the book then when you complete the sale it fills out the rest automatically.

Their support has been extremely helpful as well.

[Lone Star Firearms]

Don't waste your money or time with Firearms Record Pro from Wolf Precision.
I have version 1.5. I now know why Wolf Precision does not offer a trial version to test the software. The software does not allow you to store Vendors or Customers. Unless you NEVER purchase more than one firearm from a distributor or sell more than one to an individual this will not be a problem. If you purchase 10 guns from a distributor, you will have to enter the distributor information 10 times, pretty advanced huh. They claim to be thinking of adding a Vendor database to it but replied that they will not do so for customers becuase of the possibility two people could share the same name. This does not seem to be an issue to the Social Security Administration, Department Of Motor Vehicles, offices of Vital Records (Birth Certificates), etc but Wolf Precision can not figure out that if two people have the same name, one is probably a Sr. and the other is a Jr. There are other products available that will do what this will not. Save yourself the money, this product is NOT ready for use in an FFL business... unless you like to repeadedly enter the same data unneccesarily.

Not to plug them but I will be continuing to use the free Firearms Management System provided by Sports South (distributor). You can enter other distributors in the database, it's not exclusive to them. The only reason I bought Wolf's crap was the backup. I was granted a variance by the Ft. Worth ATF office based on the screenshots I gave them from the Sports South software, it just does not offer a backup.

If any of you are comfortable with computers and have access to copies of XP, you can make sure you have backups by running a virtual machine within your current machine. Virtualbox is a free virtualization product from Sun. VMware workstation is pretty costly but does have a more polished look and feature set. You install VMware or VirtualBox, setup a guest with your Win XP disk and install the A/D software there. It is very easy to backup a virtual machine on a regular basis and should something happen to your Host machine (the OS you boot to) you can just copy the virtual image to a new computer running the same software (VMware/VirtualBox) and start the backed up image as if nothing ever happened. My ATF rep loved that idea since there would be redundancy with the electronic records (the virtual machine backups).

[gunenvy]

We ended up writing our own, and had to take some strange things into account due to the ATF rules. Its web based, so we had to discuss with the ATF the fact that technically the data is not at the premises (its at our data center) etc.... fun so far and we have ways around that need anyway.

Its been fun putting it together, building the audit trail functions, attachment functions, automated printing etc... will probably publish it in time once we have all the requirements nailed down.

[hegunshop]

Computer generated Bound Books

I like the idea of a computer generated bound book but doubt the ATF would like the idea. I have used a computer with a program I wrote in a database program called filepro about 10 years ago. I love it and would be lost without it. So I use the record number in my actual bound book that I use (I have gone through about 10 volums now and am using the Brownells books which seem to be nice and meet the ATF requirements) however I add one item on each entry and that is the record number in the software program for the 4473 form, the record number for the customer, and the record number for the gun. This allows me to put a lot more detail information regarding the gun, customer, and the sale to refer back to. It is not as complex as it sounds here and only takes seconds to do. So I guess I am blending both worlds and it works very well for me as out of hundreds of transactions both for gunsmith work and gun sales I have a lot of detail. I guess you could do a similiar thing in excel but I found that a relational database where it links everything together works really nice and smooth. My ATF agent is very happy each time he has dropped by and never a ding on the records so I guess if they are happy I am happy and can lay my hands on any 4473 in seconds instead of sorting through them for hours looking for one.
Dave HE Gunshop

I am somewhat of a computer guy, and I think a computer version of the A & D "Bound Book" would suit me well. Even though the ATF still wants us to print out lists and send them in with the software, I still think that this might be an option. Anyone gone this route yet?

What about the DROS paperwork? Taxes etc. I'm looking for workable solutions. All Ideas are welcome.

http://www.goldenstatetactical.com

[tenpercentfirearms]

Did you guys know I get e-mails requesting this Excel sheet from all over the country? About one a week, sometimes more. Crazy.

[TripleT]

The Ten Percent Excel Bound Book has gone viral,,, nice !

It sure makes it easy to find a customer, firearm, vendor, etc.

As I said before, I asked my ATF contact about using it and we exchanged the format three times until it was how he wanted to see it. He then told me I would need to print out a copy at regular intervals (I'm printing it every six months) and store it for audit.

Thanks Again Wes !

[tenpercentfirearms]

If you are printing it once a month you are in violation (assuming you didn't mod it to track changes and self back up). You in theory should be printing the last page every time you make a new acquisition.

[TripleT]

Well then, I may have an interesting conversation with my friendly ATF contact upon audit, being he told me how to mod it and how often I needed to print it out.

[gunenvy]

If you are printing it once a month you are in violation (assuming you didn't mod it to track changes and self back up). You in theory should be printing the last page every time you make a new acquisition.

WE worked around that on our system by having it print a disposition sheet for everything that left the building, which gets put in the file. Once a week it then prints out a traditional bound book too, but that was more for tradition.

One day we may even release it to the public, we just added 4473 printing and Multi Pistol form automation, faxing is integrated now and next is the Post Office 1508 form One day we will stop enhancing it and let somebody else use it LOL

[GoingQuiet]

Very interesting Excel solutions here.

When I suggested an Excel spreadsheet - I was told it was not workable as there is NO audit trail.

I have pen and paper, but I'm not as high volume as I'd like to be.

[tenpercentfirearms]

Very interesting Excel solutions here.

When I suggested an Excel spreadsheet - I was told it was not workable as there is NO audit trail.

I have pen and paper, but I'm not as high volume as I'd like to be.

That is true, you cannot keep the Excel sheet on the computer. However, what is the difference between printing out blank A&D pages as you go and filling them in with ink and printing out pages with the acquisitions already filling out on the last page? I argue nothing.

So as long as your Excel program is merely an unofficial copy and the paper bound book that has it's last pages printed out every time a firearm is acquired, you really are not using an electronic copy and the variance doesn't apply.

My auditor loves the fact that I can take my unofficial copy sort it by blank spots in the disposition section, then sort it by manufacturer, and then sort it by serial number and print that out. And that might be why she doesn't care that sometimes the dispositions are also in print.

I also plan on closing out my bound books every year from now on too. Every gun I have in stock at the end of the year will be closed out as "12/31/10 Ten Percent Firearms 9-77-01627 Moved to 2011 A&D Book". All the blanks will move over and all of the guns that left the building over the year will stay in an old book I no longer have to flip through.

[tenpercentfirearms]

I still keep getting hits on this and it is taking a bit of time to answer the e-mails so I decided to spruce it up a bit and give you all the option of donating some cash to help my spreading this around!

http://www.tenpercentfirearms.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=93&products_id=768

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