PastPerfect

I have enjoyed using PastPerfect in several museum settings

Commentaires : Ease of use!

Avantages :

I like the ease of use, it's very self-explanatory, that you can use accession cards alongside the software that way you can have a physical as well as digital copy, and that every pieces location can be tracked using the software.

Inconvénients :

It is not as modern and streamlined as other programs, but even in saying that it's such a simple software that I feel like a more modern version might be harder to use.

Good value software for museum collections management

Commentaires : PastPerfect allows us to keep record of all the artifacts in our collections as well as have a searchable database for assisting researchers locate items they might need. We are able to keep track of exhibition histories. PastPerfect has allowed us to maintain better intellectual control per industry standards.

Avantages :

PastPerfect is very cost effective. There are different sections to keep track of Archives, Library, Collections, and Library materials. You can also use it to track donors and capital campaigns.

Inconvénients :

It is far from intuitive and takes quite some time to get familiar with. It is also difficult to set up lists and their online presence costs extra and does not interface well with Wordpress.

PastPerfect outdated

Commentaires : I am learning. I feel that the system is outdated, but as the only one needing to register objects, I am creating a system for myself. Needing to block out whole days to register objects takes away from my job, but I am getting more efficient. I think they are behind in user-friendliness, but once you have done all of the steps, you can feel good that it won't go anywhere and will be easy to update with more info as needed.

Avantages :

Let me begin by saying that PastPerfect is a perfectly functioning system. It works and does exactly what it says it will. And, they have provided periodic updates. For museums, the object-logging and item databases are fine.

Inconvénients :

While the system works, if your are a museum required to log all of your exhibitions with the software, it is incredibly time-consuming to add artists, dates, information (on several pages for each item) and then to have to independently create an exhibit or event, and then separately log the loan, all before having to go back and add images and make all of these separate sources link. And if you have multiple registrars, having them all do the exact same thing is difficult. And it also makes it much more difficult to search items later on.

For the cost, this is a robust program that can let you do a lot.

Avantages :

It's relatively intuitive to use, and training materials are free available online. The program has plenty of flexibility for small- to medium-size organizations with a wide variety of collections. There are features that allow you to make your collections accessible online. If you have problems, the customer service is outstanding.

Inconvénients :

Because the program was originally developed by a museum curator, the library and archives modules are lacking, but have greatly improved with each version. If you don't thoroughly clean up your existing data before importing it, or develop a comprehensive plan for entering data anew to ensure consistency, you will end up with a lot of records that look sloppy and unprofessional, and there are few functions for making mass changes. PLAN and think through all scenarios before you process. When operating this program on a network, be sure to have enough space and speed on your network to handle the program, otherwise the program will run so slow to render it practically useless, or at least *significantly* lower your productivity. This will impact your real cost of implementing and maintaining this program. As far as cost, also keep in mind that every additional module which allows you to publish to the web and improve your workflow will cost extra money, so be sure to know your current and future needs in advance.

useful and user-friendly product

Commentaires : This database is great for small to medium sized museums. It's fairly easy to get the basics down if you're just starting out (i.e. volunteers and interns), and if you have some experience working in museum databases and want to become more organized, especially with collections management and everything related including loans and donations. It's convenient to have all the modules in one program. It seems to be geared mainly toward historical collections-- choosing an object type can be difficult when you aren't allowed to create your own, so art and archaeology, etc. objects can be a bit tricky to input. You may have to be creative with some categorizations. Overall, phone support is great and the training manual is helpful for reference. I haven't had any huge issues with the product and would recommend it, as it's a well-known software and an affordable option for many small organizations.

Avantages :

-easy to learn and use on a daily basis -combines modules for tracking objects, loans, donations, and people associated with it all

Inconvénients :

-it could allow for some more customization in terms of object types -better object search options would make this more user-friendly