Excel is for TPS reports. Not your logbook!

Excel, so useful for running a business but such a nightmare to use. Sure the happy little columns keep data neat and you can sort if you need to, even do a basic search. But while a great tool for some things, Excel should not be your boundbook solution.

We used to record every transaction by hand in paper form, hence the term boundbook. These paper nightmares were large, time consuming and ripe for compliance issues. Enter computers! While excel was a great option in 1999 contemporary FFL boundbook software is leaps and bounds a head of excel for automation features, ease of use, and most importantly compliance.

 

ATF Excels… or do they?

Any software worth anything, as FastBound of course is, will be complaint with ATF Ruling 20016-1. The new ruling permits federal firearms licensees to use software systems to maintain their A&D books, but they must meet certain standards. A big one being: all software must create an audit trail. Systems like FastBound do this automatically so you never even have to thing about the process, while a system like excel track changes would be noted manually and allow room for compliance errors and issues with the ATF.

Spreadsheets don’t update!

If you create your own Excel spreadsheet, you have to manually add columns for each piece of information. That includes:

  • The model of the firearm
  • The date you received it
  • The date you transferred it
  • The serial number
  • The manufacturer or importer
  • The number of Form 4473
  • The type of firearm
  • The gauge or caliber
  • The name, company name, address, and FFL number of transferee

But what happens when the ATF changes a regulation? For instance, maybe the ATF changes the A&D requirements to include the birth date of the transferee. Unless you are up-to-date with the ATF’s changes, you wouldn’t know. Hopefully a fellow business owner (or maybe a customer) would inform you, but that isn’t a strategy to rely on.

Cloud based software systems like FastBound automatically update to keep you up to date on new ruling, changes, or better compliance practices  at all times, without giving it a second thought.

Blue screen of death. Microsoft error!

 

In the age of computers we’ve all had one die. Now imagine your ATF logbook was on that computer. Sorry mister ATF inspector, but computer crashed! How will that work? About as effective as ‘the dog ate my homework’. Files become corrupt, so you may have a second location but how often do you check it? At FastBound we focus on Ease of Use, Automation and Compliance. Nothing seems to be more time consuming, cumbersome, or open for errors than transferring around multiple excel files, making sure they all match, and deciding where to store your precious date.

We could go on and on on why Excel should haunt your sleep, but since there is a simple solution, hint hint it’s FastBound, we won’t. So get started. Save time, stay compliant and stop worrying about that blue screen of death  – Try FastBound for free.

 

 

Recent Blogs

Uncategorized

How To Get an FFL in Virginia

Virginia stands as a prominent destination for firearm enthusiasts, where the legalities of firearm sales
Legal

August 2023 Updates: Unpacking the New ATF Form 4473

A Comprehensive Look at the Revised ATF Form 4473: What FFLs Need to Know The
Uncategorized

What You Should Know About ATF Form 5

ATF Form 5 is a critical document when it comes to navigating the intricacies of
Uncategorized

A Guide To ATF Form 2

Navigating the intricacies of the ATF Form is pivotal for any individual or entity engaging
Uncategorized

How To Get an FFL in Pennsylvania

In recent years, there’s been a surging interest in firearms, not only as a means
Legal

What is ITAR Compliance?

In an interconnected world where the exchange of defense articles and services forms a significant
Uncategorized

What is 922r Compliance?

Navigating the complex maze of gun laws in the United States can be a daunting
Uncategorized

How to Get an FFL in Illinois

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on securing a Federal Firearms License (FFL) in the state
Uncategorized

Everything You Need to Know About ATF Form 3

Are you a firearms enthusiast in the United States? If so, you’ve likely encountered ATF
Uncategorized

How to Get an FFL in Arizona

The United States has a long-standing tradition of firearms ownership, with Arizona playing a significant
Business

FastBound Wins the Summer 2023 Top Performer Award in Compliance from SourceForge

FastBound is proud to win the Top Performer award from SourceForge, the world’s largest software
Software

FastBound’s Latest Release: Streamlining FFL Software with SSO and Enhanced 4473 Form Functionality!

We’re elated to announce the launch of our latest SaaS release, packed with customer-requested features