Organized Record Keeping Help, Evernote?

[Foxhound]

I'm wanting to get started with keeping good records. It seems like keeping everything on paper will eventually be confusing. Lose papers, they get torn, sticky, unsearchable... I wanted to see what others are using for record keeping.

Anybody using evernote to keep inspection records? If you do, would you mind making your notes public so I can see how you do it? It seems like evernotes ability to take convert an image of handwritten notes to searchable text would be really helpful.

Here are my evernote links if you wanted to see what I have so far.

https://www.evernote.com/pub/adamrhickman/5-framenuc
https://www.evernote.com/pub/adamrhickman/feralhive
https://www.evernote.com/pub/adamrhickman/originalhive

I've looked into hivetracks and all the others, and they all seem fairly rigid and not very helpful.

[L Daxon]

There are two free on line record keeping programs that are great.  I use www.hivetracks.com.  I was just reading back over some old inspection notes yesterday to refresh my memory about what I had done/seen in a particular hive.  The other is www.beetight.com.  There is also at least one mobile app that I know of, Bee Manager, if you want something on your phone.  Just Google beehive tracking software and you will see several options come up.

Of course any tracking software is only as good as the input so you need to be faithful about recording what you do and see.

Linda D in OKC.

[Dimmsdale]

I like hive tracks.  It's not perfect, but you can at least wright comments on hives and keep a running journal of them.

[don2]

The 200 page Composition books are on sale at Walla- World for fifty cents each. I use these for every thing. At that price you can get one for each colony, unless you have several hundred or thousand. :roll:  :) d2

[Moots]

I'm a fan of Evernote, but really don't see it as a good fit for Beek records. I use hivetracks and have been quite happy with it...And it's even cheaper than Don's notebooks.   :-D

[capt44]

I use Bee Tight Pro.
Helps this ole man out on record keeping.

[BeeMaster2]

I use the top of the hive, problem is, after a while the notes start to fade away. For my OB hive, I have note books, I'm on my second one. Tried to use hive tracks, but could not use it at the farm, no signal.
Jim

[Dash12721]

I use HiveTracks as a base.  Print out the bar codes and use the mobile app on my phone when out in the yard.

Dash

[Finski]

.
Mostly bee records concentrate to select good mothre queens for breeding. A small hive keeprs dos not need it.

- Some calculate flying bees and weather. Nonsense.

I have studied those record programs and I did not find mush sense at all. Just writing something.

Normal database has two gathegory

1. basic knowledge which does not change
2. maintenance data, which changes.

- job done markings, what jobs ? Like "queen wing clipped"

[BabcockFarms]

I created a spreadsheet in Excel to give me the flexibility I wanted. Each hive has it's own tab across the bottom along with tabs for other things like a sheet to print out to make notes on while in the field, and a queen rearing calendar to calculate the dates to keep me on schedule and to remind me of what I need to be thinking about next. I have tried to remember what I did in the field but found my memory alone was not adequate once I had more than a few hives to keep track of.

It has evolved from the day I created it, to the point now where it works very well for me. It is loosely based on a lot of other peoples great work, and ideas I wanted to incorporate into it after attending a Master Beekeeper Workshop and a Commercial Queen Rearing Workshop. If you already have Excel it is a great option.



Ron

[minz]

I jot down some notes and put it into excel.  Not nearly as nice as rons. 
Ron, I see you have a template tab would you PM that to me? Reason I ask is I see about your queen linage and I may have screwed up and raised a batch of queens from a mean hive.  That may have helped me out.

[BabcockFarms]

Minz sent you a PM.

[BabcockFarms]

Minz I sent you the spreadsheet, let me know what you think and what could be better.

Ron

[shinbone]

For those using computer programs, iPhone apps, and spreadsheets, how many hives is this feasible for?

I have 13 hives and the thought of sitting down and filling out entries into a spreadsheet or computer program after inspecting all 13 hives, or making the entries while inspecting, seems like it would be very time consuming and thus impractical.

For now, I have been writing a few notes on the metal surface of the telescoping top with a Sharpie-type pen.  Easy and straight forward, as correlating the info to the hive is automatic, and all the info is right there to see as I approach the hive.  At the end of the season wipe the top clean with alchohol and start over next year.  I am not saying written notes on the hive top is the only or best way to go, though, and I am always looking for a better way.

[Moots]

For those using computer programs, iPhone apps, and spreadsheets, how many hives is this feasible for?...

For now, I have been writing a few notes on the metal surface of the telescoping top with a Sharpie-type pen....  

shinbone,
I use and like hivetracks, typically use the voice recorder on my iPhone to take audio notes while in the bee yard and then update hivetracks from my computer when time allows.  I will admit, actually getting the later part done is the weak link in the process...at least for me.

Along the lines of your current method.  Someone with our State association shared this with me and I thought it was pretty handy.  He designed a label to attach to a metal plate which he attaches to his migratory lids.  He then uses little magnets to keep track of his inspections.

[sterling]

I like Shinbone do my notes on the hive top. If I don't do it right after I look into the hive I will get confused which hive I did what to. With hives at different locations it is easier and less time consuming for me to do that then try to put notes in a record book or computer program. One beek I know keeps a small piece of wood on top of his hives and writes his records on it.