Purchases

Overview

The Purchases section in Filmbase helps you track all your film acquisitions, providing a complete financial record of your investment in analog photography. This module connects directly with your inventory, automatically updating stock levels as you record new purchases.

Viewing Purchases

The Purchases page displays a comprehensive list of all your film purchases with the following information:

• Name: Purchase identifier (often includes vendor or order reference)
• Film Stock: The specific film type and format
• Quantity: Number of rolls purchased
• Total Price: Complete cost of the purchase
• Price Per Roll: Individual roll cost (automatically calculated)
• Purchase Date: When the transaction occurred

You can search for specific purchases using the search bar at the top of the page.

Adding a Purchase

To record a new film purchase:

1. Click the Add Purchase button in the top-right corner

2. Complete the purchase form with these details:

   • Name: Enter a name for this purchase (e.g., "Portra 800 (CS)" where CS might represent the vendor)
   • Stock Name: Select a film from your inventory or create a new one
   • Roll Quantity: Enter the number of rolls purchased
   • Total Price: Enter the total cost of the purchase
   • Date Purchased: Select when the purchase was made

3. Click "Add Purchase" to save the transaction

When you add a purchase, Filmbase will:

• Update your associated inventory item with the new quantity you purchased
• Calculate the per-roll price
• Add the purchase value to your total investment statistics

Editing Purchase Records

To edit a purchase record:

1. Find the purchase in your list
2. Click the pencil (edit) icon on the right side of the row
3. Update any fields as needed
4. Save your changes

Editing a purchase will automatically update related inventory quantities and financial statistics.

Deleting Purchase Records

To remove a purchase record:

1. Locate the purchase in your list
2. Click the trash (delete) icon on the right side of the row
3. Confirm the deletion when prompted

Note: Deleting a purchase record will affect your inventory quantities and financial statistics.

Financial Tracking

The Purchases module serves as a financial tracker for your film photography, helping you:

• Monitor your total investment in film
• Track price changes over time
• Calculate the average cost per roll for different film stocks
• Identify cost-effective vendors through price comparison
• Budget for future film purchases

Purchase Management Best Practices

• Consistent Naming: Develop a naming convention for purchases (e.g., including vendor initials)
• Immediate Recording: Log purchases as soon as they're made to maintain accurate records
• Price Monitoring: Review your purchase history to identify price trends and good deals
• Bulk Buying: Use purchase records to determine if bulk buying offers significant savings

Relationships with Other Modules

The Purchases module connects directly with:

• Inventory: Updates stock levels when purchases are recorded
• Dashboard: Contributes to financial statistics and inventory metrics
• Film Log: Provides the foundation for tracking film from purchase to exposure