Service Logs, Receipts, Manuals (paper and CD's), how to you keep track?

[krjeffcoat]

I must admit that I've gone full circle on record keeping for my gear. In the beginning, I used a shoebox to hold receipts for everything, including service receipts. I transitioned to the digital age and scanned everything and organized it in folders. There was one time when a drive failed that I lost about a year of data.....because all I could find was a old backup (come on, it's happened to us all and you're impressed that I even had a backup!). Frankly, I've come almost full circle now, stashing manuals (or CD's) in basic paper file folders and keeping paper copies of receipts and service logs. Paper also has its risks: fire, floods, divorce, children, rapture, pets.....

I just purchased a new ScubaPro regulator and noticed they recommend a "SCUBAPRO Log/Service Book" to maintain service records.....which isn't in my manual, on the CD or even on their website.

Since most warranties require proof of purchase and the service records to maintain them, the shoebox approach (or variations on it) seems to be the way to protect your investment.

Scubapro suggests a log that doesn't appear to exist....or atleast I can't find it. This doesn't help!

What do you do to maintain your paper trail?

 

[ams511]

Jeff I would recommend both and saving the electronic files on your hard drive and in the cloud. GDrive and Dropbox offer free services. The reason is that receipts do not last forever, even in a shoebox ink fades. Also the shoebox can get lost. I lost my logbooks and receipts in a move.

 

[Scared Silly]

I stick all that stuff in a file folder. My wife thinks I am nuts but when I can whip out a 30 year old receipt for something that has a life time guarantee and the mfg replaces it for free I am a happy camper. That said at least regarding regulators and especially ones that have some archaic rules I just service them myself.

 

[ams511]

I stick all that stuff in a file folder. My wife thinks I am nuts but when I can whip out a 30 year old receipt for something that has a life time guarantee and the mfg replaces it for free I am a happy camper. That said at least regarding regulators and especially ones that have some archaic rules I just service them myself.

This is so true, especially when manufacturers change warranties over time. I received a free replacement compass from Oceanic because I could show the gauges have a lifetime guarantee instead of the 5 years or whatever the current policy is. I wish I could find the paperwork because I have a SPG that broke.