Collectify FAQ

Collectify Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I try out Collectify before buying it?

A: Certainly. Click here to download a free 30-day trial version of Collectify.

Q: Why do I need collection management software?

A: Take this test: Look around your home. Are you a collector? Stuff everywhere? Sit down and in your mind compose a list of some of your collectibles. When you’re done, go through your home and see what you’ve missed. With Collectify you’ll always know what you have, where you keep it, what it’s worth, its condition - the list goes on. Record the simplest details or create a detailed database that contains everything from the provenance of the object, to its location in your home, to shipping bills related to its restoration, to the policy insuring it, to the dealer who sold it to you... Collectify lets you become a seasoned curator for all your stuff.

Q: How can I import images of my objects into Collectify?

A: It’s easy. Digital cameras and scanners are the two most common ways to create digital images. Scanners are still commonly used to create digital images of drawings, photographic prints and other paper documents. However, most digital cameras can take the place of a scanner – and they are much faster. Collectify works directly with these devices – simply connect your digital camera or scanner to your computer and click one of the Scan buttons sprinkled throughout Collectify (e.g. in the Media module).

You can also click the Import button to bring an image (that is stored elsewhere on your hard drive) into Collectify. Collectify will accept virtually any image in almost any format. You can even store audio and video in Collectify. Of course, images can also be imported from a CD-ROM, DVD, thumb drive, or even in an email attachment.

Q: Where is the Save button in Collectify?

A: There is no Save button, because Collectify automatically saves your changes as you work. Whenever you make changes in Collectify, such as adding a new object or updating an address for a contact, that information is immediately saved to your computer’s hard disk. Should your computer suddenly turn off (due to a power failure, for example), all the changes you have made in your collection will be saved, except perhaps for those made in the few seconds before the computer turned off.

Q: I have already documented my collection in a spreadsheet. Do I need to re-enter my data into Collectify?

A: If you are currently documenting your collection in Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, other database files or text files, simply use our Import Wizard to map all your data directly into Collectify.

Q: My collection does not fit into any of the Collection Types that Collectify offers. How can I create my own Collection Type?

A: In the menu bar located at the top of the software click Tools. Select Collection Type Manager. In the Collection Type Manager screen, click the New… button and the Collection Type Editor will open. Use this editor to personalize a Collection Type that suits your needs. You can give your Collection Type a meaningful name and a unique icon. You can also personalize the New Object Wizard (see next FAQ), select the fields that are most relevant to your collection type, and much more.

Q: How do I customize the New Object Wizard?

A: In the menu bar located at the top of software click Tools. Select Collection Type Manager. If you have already created a new Collection Type (see previous FAQ), select it in the My Collection Types list and click Edit. In the Collection Type Editor screen, select the New Object button on the left.

If you wish to customize a New Object Wizard based on an existing Collectify Collection Type, select that type from the list and click the Copy… button. In the Collection Type Editor, give the copy a new name (e.g. copy “Books” and call the new collection type “My Books”). Select the New Object button on the left.

To edit the New Object Wizard, in the Available Fields column select a field that you’d like to have in the wizard and drag it to the New Object Fields column. (To select multiple fields, hold down the Control key while selecting the fields with your mouse). To remove fields from the Wizard, drag the unwanted fields FROM the New Object Fields column back to the Available Fields column. Notes: The New Object Wizard screens can hold approximately 5-7 fields each. Adding a Separator after every 5 or 6 fields will create a new wizard screen. The order the fields are presented in the wizard is controlled by selecting a field and clicking the Up and Down buttons. You cannot directly edit the built-in Collection Types in Collectify – but you can fully edit a copy.

Q: Is Collectify Collector’s Edition compatible with Vista?

A: Yes. Download the latest update/installer from our website. Once you’ve SAVED the file, run the installer on your machine. You will most likely encounter a message telling you that Collectify is incompatible with Vista (this is a Microsoft issue, not a Collectify issue).

Please follow these steps to ensure Collectify compatibility with the Vista OS:

From the Start Menu select Help and Support
Search “Compatibility” in the Windows Help and Support box
Select “Start the Program Compatibility Wizard” from the search results
Click Next
Select “I want to Choose from a list of programs” and click Next
Locate and select Collectify from the program list and click Next
Select XP and click Next
Do not select any Color Settings. Click Next
Check the box “Run this program as an administrator” and click Next
Click Next to run the test of compatibility
If a “User Account Control” box appears, choose to “Allow” Collectify
Collectify may open. Close the program to return to the Compatibility Wizard
Ensure that the “Yes, set this program to always use these compatibility settings” is selected and click Next
Choose whether or not you want to send the changes to Microsoft (not necessary) and click Next
Finish the Wizard

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Collectify Frequently Asked Questions

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