We live in a tech-friendly era when the traditional ways of doing things manually don’t work as they used to. More and more people are turning to technological solutions in various domains of their activities, including art collection management. Yet, as soon as you start looking for a collection management system online, you’re sure to come across many options. Which one is the best way to go? And which parameters distinguish a superior system from a mediocre one? Let’s find it out here.
What Should a Great Collection Management System Include?
The main parameter that a good management system should possess is a high degree of usability. Here are the main components that add up to make the system usable and convenient.
User-Friendly UI
The system becomes way more usable if it has a simple, intuitive UI that a user with any level of digital literacy can navigate. This way, you will operate the management system with ease and won’t waste time finding the needed sections and features.
Advanced Inventory Management Tools
Efficient artwork cataloging is at the heart of a good management system. That’s why you should check how your chosen system tracks and catalogs items, whether it allows metadata logging, and whether it supports batch file loading. High-quality collection management software should also allow custom tagging of items for quick categorization and search.
Image Storage Repository
High-quality images allow more optimal documentation and visualize your database. Images are also part and parcel of the insurance application and sales procedures. Therefore, your management system should allow the upload and storage of high-resolution images. Some advanced systems also allow editing and zooming capabilities for viewers.
Provenance Tracking Features
Provenance and transaction logs are your handy aids in the process of value monitoring and authenticity maintenance. A high-quality management system comes with the ability to create detailed records of the artwork’s past ownership, auction data, acquisition dates and prices, and so on. You should also be able to export item-specific reports with all those details.
Choose Your Art Collection Management Software Wisely
As you can see, many parameters distinguish seemingly similar software types and products. Each of them is good in its own way, and your task is to single out a set of priorities that will guide your selection. Based on what you really need and what you can drop altogether, you will arrive at the best choice of a collection management system for your art business or private collection.