Organizing Your Collections

As your inventory grows, finding the right item quickly depends on good organization. RailScanPro gives you several complementary tools — use as few or as many as you like.

Collections (Grouping)

Collections are named groups you define. Think of them like folders or albums.

Examples:

• "On Layout" — everything currently running
• "Southern Pacific Steam" — a themed subset
• "For Sale" — items you're thinking of listing on the marketplace
• "Restoration Projects" — items needing work

To create a collection:

1. Go to Asset Management → Collections → New Collection
2. Name it and choose an icon/color
3. Add items by dragging from the item list, or by opening an item and clicking Add to Collection

An item can belong to multiple collections simultaneously.

Tags

Tags are free-form labels you attach to items — like hashtags.

Useful tags:

• dcc-installed, dc-only, sound, no-sound
• weathered, unweathered
• new-in-box, used
• brass, plastic
• needs-repair

Add tags from any item's detail page or in bulk from the Bulk Edit view. Filter your inventory by tag from the Filter panel on the left.

Locations

Track physical storage locations — storage bins, shelves, layout zones.

1. Go to Settings → Locations → Add Location
2. Name it (e.g., "Shelf A Row 3", "Layout Room Cabinet") and optionally assign a room/area
3. Assign items to locations from the item detail page, or scan a QR code and tap Update Location

Locations let you answer "where is my PRR K4?" in two seconds instead of two minutes.

Filters and Saved Searches

The Filter panel in Asset Management lets you narrow by:

• Scale, manufacturer, road name, road number
• Category (Locomotive, Freight Car, etc.)
• Era, condition, tags, collection
• Purchase date range, price range

Save any filter as a Quick View — it appears in your sidebar for one-click access. For example, save "HO steam on layout" as a quick view you use before every ops session.

Sorting

Sort your inventory by:

• Date added (newest first — default)
• Alphabetical by road name or manufacturer
• Estimated value (highest/lowest)
• Last modified

Bulk Operations

Select multiple items with checkboxes and apply actions to all at once:

• Move to a collection
• Add/remove a tag
• Update location
• Change condition
• Export selected items to CSV
• Print QR labels for selected items

Next Steps

• Storage Locations — detailed location management guide
• Custom Fields — add fields to match your tracking style
• Export Your Data — backup your organized inventory