# Curatorbook, full text

> A free, private accession register and object catalogue for the volunteer registrar of a historical society or small museum: numbers, photos, labels and registers.

Curatorbook is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any museum, association, standards body or software vendor, including the Collections Trust (Spectrum), the American Alliance of Museums, the American Association for State and Local History, the National Park Service, PastPerfect, CatalogIt, MUSARCH, CollectiveAccess and Omeka. Curatorbook keeps records; it is not legal advice. It ships no deed of gift or other legal form, and it does not certify that your procedures meet any published standard. Everything below is our own summary of published guidance, paraphrased; it is not legal advice and claims compliance with no standard. Site: https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/

# Museum accession number format, explained with examples

URL: https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/guide/museum-accession-number-format/
Last reviewed: 28 September 2026

Most small museums use a three part number: the year the accession arrived, the accession's place in that year's sequence, and the object's place in the accession, joined by full stops, so 2026.14.3 is the third object of the fourteenth accession received in 2026. Pieces of one object that belong together, such as a teapot and its lid, share the object number and add a letter: 2026.14.3a and 2026.14.3b, written together as 2026.14.3a-b. The [catalogue](https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/catalogue/) suggests each next number and checks the sequence for you.

## What each part of the number means

The first part is the year the accession was received, written in full. Guidance from the Collections Trust asks for the full four digit year and for the year to come first, so that numbers sort in the order things arrived and 1998 is never confused with 2098. The Saskatchewan museums tip sheet says the same: always the full year, never a shortened one.

The second part counts accessions within that year: the first gift, purchase or bequest of the year is 1, the next is 2. One accession is one acquisition from one source at one time, however many objects it holds. The third part counts the objects inside that accession, from 1.

Letters are for pieces that make one object: a pair of gloves, a teapot and its lid, a box and its cover. The Oklahoma Museums Association module keeps letter suffixes to exactly those cases; the pieces of a set that do not physically go together, such as the spoons of a flatware set, each get their own object number instead.

## The choices a museum makes, and keeps

Separators, padding and how parts are written are a house style. What matters is that every number is unique and that the museum keeps to one style. The table in the worked example shows the same number written the common ways. Guidance differs on padding: the Collections Trust advises against leading zeros (2026.5, not 2026.05), while many North American guides pad to three places (2015.001.010). Both work; mixing them in one collection is what causes trouble, because 2026.14 and 2026.014 are the same number to a person but not to a spreadsheet sort.

If the collection already has a consistent system, keep it. Renumbering objects that are already marked is slow, risks losing the link between an object and its papers, and is discouraged by the Collections Trust unless numbers actually clash. Older numbers written another way, such as a two digit year, can stay as they are marked.

### Gaps and duplicates

A number, once given, is never reused, even if the accession is later declined or deaccessioned. A gap in the sequence is not an error, but it should be explained: a note in the register saying why 2025.3 was never used saves a future volunteer from searching the store room for it. A duplicate, two objects carrying the same number, is an error and one of them must be renumbered with a note.

## Worked example: the same number in each style, and the demo's number check

Table: Accession 14 of 2026, its third object, and that object in two parts, as the numbering engine writes them

| Style | Accession | Object | Object in two parts |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Full stops, four digit year, no padding (the default) | 2026.14 | 2026.14.3 | 2026.14.3a-b |
| Zero padded to three places | 2026.014 | 2026.014.003 | 2026.014.003a-b |
| Hyphens | 2026-14 | 2026-14-3 | 2026-14-3a-b |
| Two digit year | 26.14 | 26.14.3 | 26.14.3a-b |
| Numbered parts | 2026.14 | 2026.14.3 | 2026.14.3.1-2 |

In the demo catalogue of the Millbrook Valley Historical Society (an invented society with 7 accessions and 11 objects), the number check lists these gaps: 1998.1 to 1998.11, 2025.3. The first is the old 1998 series, where only one accession has been entered so far; the second is a number set aside for a gift that was declined, which the register explains. The next accession number for 2026 is 2026.2.

The demo's oldest accession is written 98.12, the two digit way; the engine reads it as 1998.12 and lists it as written another way, without changing it. A two digit year up to 40 is read as 20xx and above it as 19xx. The teapot with its lid is 2024.1.2a-b. After the 26th part (z), letters continue aa, ab; some museums prefer aa, bb, and either works if it is used every time.

## Common mistakes

- Using a two digit year for new numbers. Write 2026, not 26.
- Giving the pieces of a set letters instead of their own object numbers, or giving a lid its own object number instead of a letter.
- Reusing the number of a declined or deaccessioned accession.
- Padding some numbers and not others, so 2026.9 sorts after 2026.10 in a spreadsheet and duplicates such as 2026.14 and 2026.014 go unnoticed.
- Renumbering a whole collection to a new style when the old numbers are consistent and already marked on the objects.

## Frequently asked questions

**Do I have to use year.accession.object?**

No. Any system works if every number is unique and the museum uses it consistently. The three part number is common because it sorts by date received, shows which objects arrived together, and needs no lookup to understand.

**Should the numbers have leading zeros?**

Either way, but pick one. Collections Trust guidance advises against them; many North American guides pad to three places. Curatorbook offers both as a setting and treats 2026.14 and 2026.014 as the same number when it checks for duplicates.

**What number does an object found in the collection with no records get?**

It is accessioned in the year it is found, with found in collection as the method, and gets the next number of that year. Its history, as far as known, goes in the provenance notes.

## Sources

- [Numbering](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/numbering/), Collections Trust, guidance updated August 2024, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Year based accession numbers with a running sequence and a further part for each object, full four digit years first, full stops as separators, no leading zeros, entry and temporary numbers attached reversibly, and renumbering discouraged.
- [Tip Sheet: How to Label Historic Artifacts](https://saskmuseums.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/How_to_Label_Historic_Artifacts.pdf), Museums Association of Saskatchewan, 2016 tip sheet, read 28 September 2026. Used for: The three part number with the full year, letter or number suffixes for components, starting a year at its first number, reversible and lightfast marking materials, paper tags for unstable objects, and never tape.
- [Module 26: Numbering Systems](https://www.okmuseums.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Module-26.pdf), Oklahoma Museums Association, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Keeping a consistent existing system, the three number system for a new one, letter suffixes only for pairs and pieces that fit together, and separate numbers for the pieces of a set.

# How to accession museum objects, step by step

URL: https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/guide/how-to-accession-museum-objects/
Last reviewed: 28 September 2026

To accession an object, write a receipt when it arrives, get a decision to accept it from whoever your collections policy names, get written transfer of title from the owner, enter it in the accession register with the next accession number, give each object its own number under that accession, catalogue and photograph it, and mark the number on it or on a tag. Until the title transfer is signed the object is only in your care. The [catalogue](https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/catalogue/) keeps the receipt, the register line and the object records together.

## Accessioning in seven steps

Work through these in order for every acquisition, whether it is one postcard or a room of furniture.

1. **Write an incoming receipt.** On the day something arrives, record who left it, why, what it is, how many pieces and when they will hear back, and give the depositor a signed copy.
2. **Decide.** Take the offer to whoever your collections policy names, usually a collections committee or the board, and record the decision and its date.
3. **Get title in writing.** Have the owner sign a transfer of title, such as a deed of gift your board or attorney has approved, and file it with the accession papers.
4. **Enter the register line.** Give the accession the next number for the year and write its line in the accession register: number, date received, source, method and a short description.
5. **Number each object.** Number the objects in the accession from 1, with letters for pieces of one object, and check the numbers are not already in use.
6. **Catalogue and photograph.** Describe each object: name, description, maker, date, materials, dimensions, condition, location, provenance and any restrictions, with a photograph.
7. **Mark and store.** Mark the number on each object by a reversible method suited to its material, or tie on a tag, record where it is stored, and save the catalogue.

## Custody is not ownership

The Collections Trust's object entry procedure separates the arrival of an object from its acquisition: when something is left with the museum, record why it was left and who owns it, and give the owner a receipt they sign. Ownership passes only when the owner transfers title in writing, and its acquisition procedure asks for written evidence of that transfer for every object.

Curatorbook keeps the receipt, the accession and the object records, but it has no deed of gift form. A deed transfers ownership and is a legal document; its wording should come from your board or an attorney who knows your state or country. File the signed deed with the accession papers and note in the accession where it is kept.

## What the accession record holds

- The accession number and the date the things were received.
- The source: donor, vendor, estate or institution, with a way to reach them.
- The method: gift, purchase, bequest, found in collection or transfer.
- A short description for the register and the credit line for labels.
- Where the papers are: receipt, decision, deed or bill of sale.

Each object then gets its own catalogue record under the accession. Collections Trust cataloguing guidance asks for records tied to objects by their unique numbers, consistent names, dates and places, and regular backups; in Curatorbook the backup is the catalogue file.

## Worked example: a butter churn left at the front desk

In the demo catalogue, Tom Lund left these on 2 September 2026 as an offered gift: Wooden butter churn with dasher (1), Butter mould, thistle pattern (2). The receipt was numbered TR2026.3 and asks for a decision by 1 December 2026.

If the committee accepts and the deed is signed, pressing Accession on the receipt makes accession 2026.2, the next free number in 2026, with the depositor as source and the receipt linked. The churn with its dasher becomes 2026.2.1. The two butter moulds are separate pieces of a set, so they are 2026.2.2 and 2026.2.3, not letters.

## Common mistakes

- Accepting things at the door without a receipt, then not knowing months later who left them or why.
- Numbering objects before the decision to accept them; use the receipt number until then.
- Treating a thank you letter as a transfer of title.
- Cataloguing without a photograph, so the record cannot tell two similar objects apart.
- Leaving the records only in one browser or one old computer; save the catalogue file after every session.

## Frequently asked questions

**Does Curatorbook make a deed of gift?**

No. A deed of gift transfers ownership and should be worded by your board or an attorney. Curatorbook records that one exists and where it is filed, and keeps everything else about the accession.

**Who decides whether to accept an object?**

Whoever your collections policy names, usually a collections committee or the board. Record the decision and its date in the accession notes.

**Can I accession something that has been in the building for years with no papers?**

Yes, as found in collection, with the next number of the year it is accessioned and a note of what is known. Ownership questions about it are for your board to settle.

## Sources

- [Object entry, the Spectrum standard](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/object-entry-the-spectrum-standard/), Collections Trust, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Recording why something was left and who owns it, giving the depositor a receipt and getting their signature to the terms, and keeping ownership separate from custody.
- [Acquisition and accessioning, the Spectrum standard](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/acquisition-and-accessioning-the-spectrum-standard/), Collections Trust, read 28 September 2026. Used for: A unique number for each object, the register as a permanent record that is hard to tamper with, written evidence that the owner transferred title, keeping acquisition papers, and backup copies of the records.
- [Cataloguing, the Spectrum standard](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/cataloguing-the-spectrum-standard/), Collections Trust, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Catalogue records linked to objects by their unique numbers, consistent names, dates and places, and regular backups.

# The accession register: what a small museum should record

URL: https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/guide/the-accession-register/
Last reviewed: 28 September 2026

The accession register is the museum's permanent list of everything it has acquired, one line per accession in number order: the accession number, the date received, the source, how it was acquired, a short description and the objects it covers. It is the record that proves an object was ever yours, so it is kept for good, never rewritten, and copied somewhere safe. Curatorbook prints it from your [catalogue](https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/catalogue/) on the [registers page](https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/registers/).

## Why a register, when there is a catalogue

A catalogue describes objects and changes as you learn more. The register records acquisitions and should not change. The Collections Trust describes the accession record as permanent and hard to tamper with, so that someone on the inside cannot quietly remove an object by deleting every trace of it, and asks for secure backup copies. Many museums still keep a bound register book for that reason, and print the register from their database at the end of each year to add to it.

If a number is corrected, the register keeps both: the old number, the new one, the date and why. Curatorbook writes that note automatically when you renumber, and prints it in the register's notes column.

## The columns

1. Accession number, in the museum's style.
2. Date received.
3. Source: the donor, vendor, estate or institution.
4. Method: gift, purchase, bequest, found in collection or transfer.
5. Description: one line, enough to recognise the accession.
6. Objects: how many, and the first and last object numbers.
7. Status: awaiting a decision, or deaccessioned.
8. Notes: the credit line and any renumbering.

Addresses, valuations and restrictions stay out of the printed register. They belong in the accession file and the catalogue records, which the register points to by number.

## Worked example: the demo society's register

Printed from the demo catalogue on 28 September 2026, the register has 7 lines, starting with 98.12. Accession 2026.1 is still awaiting a decision and says so in the status column.

Table: The demo register, as printed (status and notes columns left off here)

| Number | Received | Source | Method | Description | Objects |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 98.12 | 1 June 1998 | Unknown, found in the collection | Found in collection | School slate and two copybooks | 2: 98.12.1 to 98.12.2 |
| 2024.1 | 12 March 2024 | Coles family | Gift | Quilt, teapot with lid, letters | 3: 2024.1.1 to 2024.1.3 |
| 2024.2 | 2 August 2024 | Millbrook Grange No. 7 | Transfer | Grange banner | 1: 2024.2.1 |
| 2025.1 | 20 February 2025 | Estate of Walter Hale | Bequest | Mantel clock and pocket watch | 2: 2025.1.1 to 2025.1.2 |
| 2025.2 | 9 May 2025 | Valley Antiques | Purchase | Photograph of the mill, about 1905 | 1: 2025.2.1 |
| 2025.4 | 14 October 2025 | Dorothy Finch | Gift | Sampler | 1: 2025.4.1 |
| 2026.1 | 18 April 2026 | Pellham family | Gift | Glass plate negatives, box of 12 | 1: 2026.1.1 |

The line for 2024.1 covers 3 objects, 2024.1.1, 2024.1.2, 2024.1.3. There is no line for 2025.3; the note on the next accession explains the gap.

## Common mistakes

- Keeping the register only in the database with no printed or exported copy.
- Deleting a line when an accession is declined, instead of leaving the number unused with a note.
- Writing one line per object; the register is one line per accession, and the objects are listed in the catalogue.
- Printing donor addresses or valuations in a register that visitors or volunteers may see.
- Filling in the register months after things arrive, when the dates and sources are guesses.

## Frequently asked questions

**Should the register be a bound book?**

Many museums keep one, because a bound book with numbered pages is hard to alter. If you keep the register in software, print it at least once a year, sign and date the pages, and keep the printout and a catalogue file somewhere safe.

**Can I print the register for one year?**

Yes. The registers page prints every year or any one year, in number order.

**Where do deaccessioned accessions go?**

They stay in the register with their status marked deaccessioned. The line is never removed, because it is the record that the object was once in the collection.

## Sources

- [Acquisition and accessioning, the Spectrum standard](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/acquisition-and-accessioning-the-spectrum-standard/), Collections Trust, read 28 September 2026. Used for: A unique number for each object, the register as a permanent record that is hard to tamper with, written evidence that the owner transferred title, keeping acquisition papers, and backup copies of the records.
- [Inventory, the Spectrum standard](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/inventory-the-spectrum-standard/), Collections Trust, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Knowing where every object is and when it was last seen there, with a number, name, description and ownership status for each.
- [Numbering](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/numbering/), Collections Trust, guidance updated August 2024, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Year based accession numbers with a running sequence and a further part for each object, full four digit years first, full stops as separators, no leading zeros, entry and temporary numbers attached reversibly, and renumbering discouraged.

# Museum object labels, storage tags and catalogue cards

URL: https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/guide/object-labels-and-catalogue-cards/
Last reviewed: 28 September 2026

A storage tag carries the object number large, the object's name and where it lives; an exhibit label carries the title, maker, date, materials and credit line, with the number small; a catalogue card carries the whole record for the object on one page. The number itself goes on the object by a reversible method suited to its material, or on a tied tag when in doubt. The [registers page](https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/registers/) prints all three from your [catalogue](https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/catalogue/), with labels laid out on common label sheets.

## Marking the number on the object

Printed labels do not replace the number on the object. The Saskatchewan museums tip sheet asks for marking materials that are reversible, long lasting, lightfast and waterproof, placed consistently where they can be found but not seen on display, sized to the object, and never attached with tape. When an object is unstable or you are unsure of the method, a paper tag tied on is the safer choice. Every piece gets marked: the teapot and the lid each carry their own letter.

Printed storage tags are for boxes, shelves, bags and tie on tags, not for sticking to objects. Use acid free materials for anything that touches an object.

## Three kinds of printed label

- Storage tags: the number in large type, the object name, and the room, case and shelf. With parts, one tag per part.
- Exhibit labels: title or name, maker and date, materials, the credit line from the accession, and the number in small type.
- Catalogue cards: every field of the record with the first photograph, one card per object, for a card file or a binder.

Label sheets are described here by page and label size rather than by brand. Print one page on plain paper, hold it against a label sheet to the light, and use the nudge settings if your printer feeds a millimetre off. Print at 100 percent scale with margins set to none.

## Worked example: tags and labels for the demo collection

Table: The label sheets the registers page lays out

| Sheet | Labels per sheet | Suits |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US Letter, 30 labels, 2 5/8 x 1 in | 30 | Storage tags |
| US Letter, 10 labels, 4 x 2 in | 10 | Exhibit labels |
| US Letter, 6 labels, 4 x 3 1/3 in | 6 | Exhibit labels |
| A4, 65 labels, 38.1 x 21.2 mm | 65 | Storage tags |
| A4, 21 labels, 63.5 x 38.1 mm | 21 | Storage tags |
| A4, 8 labels, 99.1 x 67.7 mm | 8 | Exhibit labels |

Storage tags for the whole demo collection come to 12, 1 more than there are object records because the teapot's two parts get a tag each: 2024.1.2a Teapot, Teapot body, 2024.1.2b Teapot, Lid. On the US Letter, 10 labels, 4 x 2 in sheet with 8 labels already used, the first sheet takes 2 and a second takes 10.

The exhibit label for 2024.1.1 reads, line by line: Log cabin quilt; Attributed to Ellen Coles, about 1880; wool, cotton; Gift of the Coles family, 2024; then the number.

## Common mistakes

- Sticking a printed label straight onto an object.
- Marking only one piece of a two piece object.
- Printing at the browser's shrink to fit scale, so every label drifts across the sheet.
- Putting a donor's address or a valuation on a label anyone can read.
- Printing labels before the numbers are final, then having to re-mark objects.

## Frequently asked questions

**Which label sheet should I buy?**

Any sheet whose page and label sizes match one of the layouts listed. For storage tags a sheet of 30 or 65 small labels works; for exhibit labels a sheet of 6, 8 or 10 larger ones.

**Why does the first label print in the wrong place?**

Usually the print dialog is scaling the page or adding margins. Set scale to 100 percent and margins to none, then use the nudge settings for any remaining offset.

**Can I print a catalogue card for every object at once?**

Yes, for one accession or the whole catalogue, and it is free.

## Sources

- [Tip Sheet: How to Label Historic Artifacts](https://saskmuseums.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/How_to_Label_Historic_Artifacts.pdf), Museums Association of Saskatchewan, 2016 tip sheet, read 28 September 2026. Used for: The three part number with the full year, letter or number suffixes for components, starting a year at its first number, reversible and lightfast marking materials, paper tags for unstable objects, and never tape.
- [Module 26: Numbering Systems](https://www.okmuseums.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Module-26.pdf), Oklahoma Museums Association, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Keeping a consistent existing system, the three number system for a new one, letter suffixes only for pairs and pieces that fit together, and separate numbers for the pieces of a set.
- [Cataloguing, the Spectrum standard](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/cataloguing-the-spectrum-standard/), Collections Trust, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Catalogue records linked to objects by their unique numbers, consistent names, dates and places, and regular backups.

# Incoming receipts and condition reports for museum objects

URL: https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/guide/incoming-receipts-and-condition-reports/
Last reviewed: 28 September 2026

An incoming receipt, sometimes called a temporary custody receipt, records that things were left in the museum's care: who left them, why, what and how many, when, and by when they will be collected or decided on, and it says plainly that ownership has not changed. A condition report records an object's state on a given date, by a named person, for a stated reason. Keep both with the object's record. The [catalogue](https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/catalogue/) writes receipts and keeps condition checks; the [registers page](https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/registers/) prints both.

## What an incoming receipt should say

The Collections Trust's object entry procedure asks museums to account for everything that comes in, record why it was left and who owns it, give the owner a receipt, and get their signature to the terms, so nobody later mistakes custody for ownership. Its minimum also covers checking incoming things for pests and damage before they go near the collection.

- A receipt number in its own series, so it is never confused with an accession number.
- The depositor's name and how to reach them.
- Why it was left: offered as a gift, offered for sale, for identification, or for a loan.
- Each item with a count, described well enough to hand back the right thing.
- The date by which it will be collected or decided on.
- A line saying that the receipt does not transfer ownership, and signatures from both sides.

## What a condition report records

Collections Trust guidance on condition checking asks for a check before and after moves, loans and display, and for each check to record the date, the name of the checker, the reason and the object number. Over time these checks show which objects are getting worse.

Curatorbook fills the report's heading from the record (number, name, description, parts, materials, dimensions, location and the last recorded condition), lists the earlier checks, and leaves the examination itself to be written by hand: areas to look at, overall grade, photographs taken and recommendations. Record the result as a dated check afterwards so the history stays in the catalogue.

## Worked example: a receipt and a report from the demo

Receipt TR2026.3 records Tom Lund leaving Wooden butter churn with dasher (1), Butter mould, thistle pattern (2) on 2 September 2026, as an offered gift, to be decided by 1 December 2026. Printed, it carries the museum's heading, the items with counts, the statement that ownership has not changed, and three signature lines: received by, depositor, and collected by.

The condition report for the demo's Grange banner, 2024.2.1, arrives filled in with its materials silk, paint, metal thread, dimensions H 150 x W 110 cm, condition Poor. Silk splitting along folds; do not unroll without help., location Store room 1, Flat file, Drawer 1. It lists the earlier checks: 5 June 2026: Poor. Splits have lengthened; rolled on a tube. 10 August 2024: Fair. Splits along two folds. The examiner writes today's findings against each area.

## Common mistakes

- Taking things in over the counter with nothing written down.
- Using an accession number on a receipt before anything has been accepted.
- Writing condition as good or poor with no date, no name and no reason.
- Skipping the check when an object goes out on loan and comes back.
- Letting a receipt's decide by date pass without contacting the depositor.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is an incoming receipt a legal document?**

It is a record of custody, not a contract of sale or gift. It states that ownership has not changed. Have your board approve the wording of any terms you print on it.

**What happens to the receipt when the object is accepted?**

It stays on file. In Curatorbook the new accession links back to the receipt, and the receipt's outcome changes to accepted and accessioned.

**How often should condition be checked?**

Whenever the object moves, goes on or off display, or goes out on loan and returns, and during an inventory. Fragile objects deserve a scheduled check as well.

## Sources

- [Object entry, the Spectrum standard](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/object-entry-the-spectrum-standard/), Collections Trust, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Recording why something was left and who owns it, giving the depositor a receipt and getting their signature to the terms, and keeping ownership separate from custody.
- [Condition checking and technical assessment, the Spectrum standard](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/condition-checking-and-technical-assessment-the-spectrum-standard/), Collections Trust, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Checking condition before and after moves, loans and display, and recording the date, the checker, the reason and the object number each time.
- [Inventory, the Spectrum standard](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/inventory-the-spectrum-standard/), Collections Trust, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Knowing where every object is and when it was last seen there, with a number, name, description and ownership status for each.

# Moving a museum catalogue from a spreadsheet to a catalogue

URL: https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/guide/moving-from-a-spreadsheet-to-a-catalogue/
Last reviewed: 28 September 2026

To move a spreadsheet catalogue, first make sure every row has its object number, save the sheet as CSV, then import it and match each column to a field (object number, name, description, donor, date received and so on). Check the import report before saving: rows without a usable number are listed by row, and rows already in the catalogue are counted and left alone, so importing twice changes nothing. Keep the original spreadsheet. The import is in the [catalogue](https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/catalogue/) under Import and export.

## Moving a spreadsheet in five steps

Set aside an afternoon and work on a copy of the spreadsheet, never the original.

1. **Check the numbers.** Sort by object number and look for blanks, duplicates and numbers typed with spaces or the wrong separator. Fix them in the copy.
2. **One row per object.** Make sure each object has its own row. If accession details sit on a separate sheet, copy the donor and date columns onto the object rows or keep an accession number column.
3. **Save as CSV.** Save the copy as CSV, comma separated, with the column names in the first row.
4. **Match and check.** Import the file, check each column's match, choose how dates are written, and read the report of skipped rows and cells to check.
5. **Import and save the file.** Import, look through a few records, then save the catalogue file so the imported catalogue has a copy outside the browser.

## Numbers decide where every row goes

Each row is filed under an accession. If the sheet has an accession number column, that is used; if not, the accession is the object number without its last part, so 2019.4.2 goes under 2019.4. A row whose number is not year based (Box 7, or blank) cannot be placed and is reported with its spreadsheet row number, for you to number and import again.

Numbers are matched by value, so 2019.4.2 and 2019.004.002 are the same number. A row counts as already in the catalogue only when an object with its number also has its object name and description, as when the same file is imported twice. A row that shares only the number is a different object, such as a second thing that was given a number already in use, and it is imported; the report gives its row number and the Numbers tab lists the pair as a duplicate to renumber with a note. In the example below, row 6 repeats a row exactly and is left alone, and row 7 (2019.4.2) is imported as a second object with that number.

## Cells the import reads for you

- Dates written 6/2/2019, 2 June 2019, 2019-06-02 or as an Excel day number; the order of day and month is a choice you make, because 03/04 is a different day on each side of the Atlantic.
- Dimensions in one cell, such as 40 x 25 x 12 cm, split into height, width, depth and unit.
- A location in one cell, such as Parlor / Mantel, split into room, case and shelf.
- Acquisition words such as donation, bought or bequeathed, read as a method.
- Condition words such as good or poor; anything else is kept in the condition notes and listed to check.

Export works the other way: CSV for a spreadsheet or for a move to a larger system later, with every cell that a spreadsheet would run as a formula written as text.

## Worked example: a five row sheet

This sheet has two gifts, a bequest entered twice, and a row of loose photographs with no proper number.

Table: How the import matched each column

| Column in the sheet | Matched to |
| --- | --- |
| Catalog Number | Object number |
| Object Name | Object name |
| Description | Description |
| Donor | Source or donor |
| Date Received | Date received |
| How Acquired | Method of acquisition |
| Location | Location in one cell (Room / Case / Shelf) |
| Dimensions | Dimensions in one cell (30 x 20 cm) |

The first import reports: 4 objects added, 1 already in the catalogue, 1 added with a number another object has, 2 accessions added, 1 row skipped. It made accessions 2019.4, 2019.5 from the object numbers, and skipped: Row 5: object number "Box 7" is not year.accession.object, and there is no accession number column to file it under. Importing the same file again reports: 0 objects added, 5 already in the catalogue, 1 row skipped.

A cell starting with an equals sign, such as =HYPERLINK("x"), is exported as '=HYPERLINK("x") so a spreadsheet shows it as text, and the apostrophe is taken off again on import.

## Common mistakes

- Importing the original spreadsheet instead of a copy you have tidied.
- Leaving the date order on the default when the sheet was typed day first.
- Keeping several objects in one row, such as 12 plates in a single line.
- Fixing numbers in the catalogue but not on the objects, or the other way round.
- Deleting the spreadsheet after the import; keep it with the accession files.

## Frequently asked questions

**My spreadsheet has one row per accession, not per object. Can I import it?**

Split it first: one row per object with the object number. An accession with a single object can use its accession number followed by .1.

**Will importing twice make duplicates?**

No. A row whose object number (by value), object name and description all match an object already in the catalogue is counted as already there and left alone, and the report lists those rows by number. A row that shares only the number is imported as a different object and listed under Numbers, so a legacy duplicate number is never silently dropped.

**Can I move to a bigger system later?**

Yes. Export the objects and the accession register as CSV; most collection systems import CSV with a column mapper of their own.

## Sources

- [Cataloguing, the Spectrum standard](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/cataloguing-the-spectrum-standard/), Collections Trust, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Catalogue records linked to objects by their unique numbers, consistent names, dates and places, and regular backups.
- [Numbering](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/numbering/), Collections Trust, guidance updated August 2024, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Year based accession numbers with a running sequence and a further part for each object, full four digit years first, full stops as separators, no leading zeros, entry and temporary numbers attached reversibly, and renumbering discouraged.
- [Module 26: Numbering Systems](https://www.okmuseums.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Module-26.pdf), Oklahoma Museums Association, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Keeping a consistent existing system, the three number system for a new one, letter suffixes only for pairs and pieces that fit together, and separate numbers for the pieces of a set.

# Collection software for small museums, compared with prices

URL: https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/guide/collection-software-for-small-museums-compared/
Last reviewed: 28 September 2026

For a small museum the choice is between a paid desktop program (PastPerfect 5.0 is a one time 870 US dollars and runs on Windows), a hosted subscription (CatalogIt from 540 dollars a year, PastPerfect's Web Edition from 375 dollars to set up plus 745 a year), free server software your own technician installs (CollectiveAccess), an old free program (Museum Archive, last released in 2014), or a spreadsheet. Curatorbook is a browser catalogue that keeps records on your own computer. Prices checked 28 September 2026; see the [catalogue](https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/catalogue/) to try it with the demo.

## The options, side by side

Table: Prices checked 28 September 2026 on each vendor's own page

| Option | Cost | Where records live | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| PastPerfect 5.0 | 870 US dollars once, 696 for members of the state and local history association | One Windows computer | Runs on Windows; a long established choice among historical societies |
| PastPerfect Web Edition | Setup 375 or 1,245; hosting 745 to 2,245 a year | The vendor's servers | Hosted, reached from a browser |
| CatalogIt | Free for 50 entries; museum plans from 540 a year | The vendor's servers | The free plan stops at 50 entries and one user |
| CollectiveAccess | Free, open source | Your own web server | Needs someone to install and maintain it; version 2.0.11, March 2026 |
| Museum Archive | Free, no registration | One computer | Newest release listed is from October 2014 |
| A spreadsheet | Free | Wherever the file is | No numbering checks, no photos, no printed register |

Omeka and similar tools publish collections online as exhibits; they are not accession registers. A few free tools for personal collections exist but lack accession numbers and registers.

## Questions that decide it

- How many objects, and how many people enter records at once? One registrar on one computer needs far less than a staff of five.
- Which computer? A Mac, a shared office PC and a volunteer's laptop narrow the list quickly.
- Who backs it up? Hosted plans back up for you; anything on your own computer needs a habit.
- Must the collection be online for the public? If so, a hosted plan or a publishing tool is part of the answer.
- What does it cost over five years, including hosting, not just the first year?

## Worked example: where Curatorbook fits, and its limits

Curatorbook runs in the browser on a Mac or PC with nothing to install and no account. The catalogue lives in that browser's storage. Safari deletes a site's stored data after 7 days of browsing without a visit to the site, and any browser can lose it when site data is cleared, so Curatorbook reminds you to save the catalogue file (a zip of the records and photos) whenever it holds changes the last file does not, and asks the browser to keep its storage where the browser allows.

It is one registrar's catalogue: it does not share records between people or publish them online. Everything in it is free today. When a collection outgrows it, the CSV export is the way to a larger system.

## Common mistakes

- Comparing first year prices and not the yearly hosting that follows.
- Choosing a server product with nobody to maintain the server.
- Keeping the only copy of the catalogue on one aging computer.
- Buying before cleaning the numbers, then importing the same problems.
- Picking a publishing tool when what is needed is an accession register.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is there free museum collection software for a Mac?**

Yes. Browser based tools run on a Mac, including hosted free plans with small limits and Curatorbook, which keeps records in the browser on your own computer. PastPerfect 5.0 runs on Windows.

**Are these prices current?**

They were checked on 28 September 2026 on each vendor's own pricing page. Prices change; check the vendor's page before you buy.

**Does Curatorbook follow the Spectrum standard?**

It paraphrases common procedures such as object entry, accessioning, location, inventory, cataloguing and loans, but it does not claim compliance with Spectrum or any other standard.

## Sources

- [PastPerfect pricing and PastPerfect 5.0 pages](https://www.museumsoftware.com/pricing.html), PastPerfect Software, prices checked 28 September 2026, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Version 5.0 at 870 US dollars (696 for association members), runs on Windows; the Web Edition's setup (375 or 1,245) and yearly hosting (745 to 2,245).
- [CatalogIt pricing](https://www.catalogit.app/pricing), CatalogIt, prices checked 28 September 2026, read 28 September 2026. Used for: A free plan of 50 entries, 5 GB and one user; museum plans from 540 US dollars a year for 25,000 entries.
- [CollectiveAccess](https://www.collectiveaccess.org/), CollectiveAccess, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Free, open source web software for cataloguing and publishing collections; version 2.0.11 released 15 March 2026.
- [Museum Archive Software](https://os.musarch.com/), Museum Archive Software, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Free with no registration; the newest release listed is 2.9.5, from October 2014.
- [Spectrum](https://collectionstrust.org.uk/spectrum/), Collections Trust, Spectrum 5.1, read 28 September 2026. Used for: The standard's current version, its primary procedures in outline, and its terms: free to download and use non-commercially.
- [Full Third-Party Cookie Blocking and More](https://webkit.org/blog/10218/full-third-party-cookie-blocking-and-more/), WebKit blog, 24 March 2020, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Safari deleting a site's script-writable storage, IndexedDB included, after seven days of Safari use without interaction with the site; home screen web apps count their own days.
- [Storage quotas and eviction criteria](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Storage_API/Storage_quotas_and_eviction_criteria), MDN Web Docs, last modified 5 January 2026, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Best-effort and persistent storage, asking for persistence with navigator.storage.persist(), and when browsers evict a site's data.

# Numbering rules and print layouts used by the catalogue

## Numbers

- An accession number is the year received and a sequence in that year: 2026.14. The next number is one past the highest sequence already used that year.
- An object number adds the object's place in its accession: 2026.14.3. The next object number is one past the highest in the accession.
- Pieces of one object take letters: 2026.14.3a-b. After z the letters continue aa, ab.
- Numbers are compared by value, so 2026.14 and 2026.014 are the same number. A two digit year up to 40 is read as 20xx, above it as 19xx.
- Gaps (numbers not in the catalogue), duplicates, numbers that are not year based, numbers written in another style, and objects filed under the wrong accession are listed by the number check. Renumbering writes a dated note in every record it changes.

| Style | Accession | Object | Object in two parts |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Full stops, four digit year, no padding (the default) | 2026.14 | 2026.14.3 | 2026.14.3a-b |
| Zero padded to three places | 2026.014 | 2026.014.003 | 2026.014.003a-b |
| Hyphens | 2026-14 | 2026-14-3 | 2026-14-3a-b |
| Two digit year | 26.14 | 26.14.3 | 26.14.3a-b |
| Numbered parts | 2026.14 | 2026.14.3 | 2026.14.3.1-2 |

## Acquisition methods

- Gift
- Purchase
- Bequest
- Found in collection
- Transfer

## Label sheets

| Sheet | Page | Labels per sheet |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US Letter, 30 labels, 2 5/8 x 1 in | US Letter | 30 |
| US Letter, 10 labels, 4 x 2 in | US Letter | 10 |
| US Letter, 6 labels, 4 x 3 1/3 in | US Letter | 6 |
| A4, 65 labels, 38.1 x 21.2 mm | A4 | 65 |
| A4, 21 labels, 63.5 x 38.1 mm | A4 | 21 |
| A4, 8 labels, 99.1 x 67.7 mm | A4 | 8 |

## Storage and the catalogue file

The catalogue is kept in the browser's IndexedDB storage. Safari deletes a site's stored data after 7 days of browsing without a visit, so the page reminds the registrar to save the catalogue file (a zip of catalogue.json and the photos) whenever the records hold changes the last file does not.

## Starting list of object names

Album, Arrowhead, Axe, Badge, Basket, Bible, Book, Bottle, Box, Button, Camera, Certificate, Chair, Churn, Clock, Coin, Diary, Doll, Dress, Fan, Flag, Fossil, Glass plate negative, Glove, Hat, Iron, Jug, Knife, Lamp, Ledger, Letter, Map, Medal, Newspaper, Painting, Photograph, Pipe, Plane, Plate, Postcard, Pottery sherd, Print, Quilt, Radio, Sampler, Saw, Scrapbook, Sewing machine, Shoe, Sign, Spinning wheel, Spoon, Teapot, Telephone, Tin, Toy, Trunk, Typewriter, Uniform.

# Questions about Curatorbook

URL: https://curatorbook-web.pages.dev/faq/

## Answers

**Where is my catalogue stored?**

In this browser, on this computer, in the browser's own storage. There is no server and no account, so donor names, addresses and photos are never uploaded. The catalogue file you save is your real copy: keep it somewhere other than this computer.

**Why do I need to save the catalogue file?**

Because a browser's storage is not an archive. Safari deletes a site's stored data after 7 days of browsing without a visit to that site, and any browser loses it when site data is cleared or the computer fails. The catalogue file is one zip with every record and photo; open it in any browser to carry on.

**Can two volunteers work on the same catalogue?**

Not at the same time. It is one registrar's catalogue. To hand over, save the catalogue file and open it on the other computer; whoever holds the newest file holds the catalogue.

**How are accession and object numbers made?**

The next number is suggested from what is already in the catalogue: year and sequence for an accession (2026.14), then the object's place in it (2026.14.3), with letters for parts (2026.14.3a-b). Separators, padding and the style of parts are settings. Gaps and duplicates are listed, and renumbering leaves a dated note.

**Why is there no deed of gift form?**

A deed of gift transfers ownership, so it is a legal document your board or an attorney should word. Curatorbook keeps the receipt, the accession and where the signed deed is filed, and the accessioning guide explains what a deed covers.

**Are valuations printed?**

No, never, unless you turn on printing valuations in Settings. They stay in the record and in the catalogue file either way.

**Can I bring in the catalogue I keep in a spreadsheet?**

Yes. Save it as CSV, match its columns, and check the report before importing. Rows already in the catalogue are counted and left alone, so importing the same file twice changes nothing. CSV export is there for a move to a larger system later.

**Is this free?**

Yes. Everything here is free: any number of objects, photos, loans, condition history, the location inventory, spreadsheet import and export, and the printed catalogue. There is no account and nothing to buy.

**Does Curatorbook make my museum compliant with a standard?**

No. It helps keep the records that published collections standards describe, in plain words of our own, but it does not claim compliance with Spectrum or any other standard, and it is not legal advice.

**Is Curatorbook connected to a museum association or software company?**

Curatorbook is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any museum, association, standards body or software vendor, including the Collections Trust (Spectrum), the American Alliance of Museums, the American Association for State and Local History, the National Park Service, PastPerfect, CatalogIt, MUSARCH, CollectiveAccess and Omeka.