My domain name portfolio has grown to around 1,400 domain names. This is approximately 3x the amount of domain names I owned a few years ago. To keep track of my domain names, I use a pretty simple tool – Microsoft Excel.
My Excel file to track inventory is super simple. On the top row, I have the following headers bolded: Domain Name, Purchase Price, and Year Acquired. In the first column on the left side, I have all of the domain names listed.
When coupled with easily accessible Whois tools and domain registrar management tools, I don’t need much additional information when looking at domain names. Since my domain names are nearly all registered at GoDaddy, much of the other information that could be helpful can easily be found by logging in to my GoDaddy account.
I believe there are a variety of third party tools to help track a portfolio. My feeling is that I don’t want to give anyone else the data that would make an inventory tracking tool helpful. Maybe this is not a real concern, but I have never seen the need for anything more extensive than what I use.
The amount of information I store on my Excel file is limited for a few reasons. I don’t really see a need to add more information, particularly when it is so easy to access via the registrar. In addition, having more information would require me to constantly update the inventory tracking tool. For instance, if I had the list price as a data point in my inventory tracking, I would continually have to update this when I make pricing changes.
If I had any sort of motto in life, it would probably be “keep it simple.” I don’t need anything extensive to track my domain names beyond what I use. Nearly every domain name I own is on auto-renew, and pretty much every other piece of data is easy to find when needed.
Very basic indeed. I like to keep associated costs with mine as it allows me to accurately report to the authorities (IRS). 🙂
If it’s right next to the name, it’s easy to grab. Without that, you need to do a search for each name sold when it sells for the associated costs, or just leave it to rounding (in their favor).
Where would we be without Excel? Have you considered publishing your template for the benefit of the community Elliot?
Elliot -I disagree with you on one point here.
RE: For instance, if I had the list price as a data point in my inventory tracking, I would continually have to update this when I make pricing changes.
You see that as a negative – I see it as a very necessary postive!
I have a similar set of columns in my excel – except I also track where I have my domains listed for sale and at what price. Yeah, it is a bit of a pain to always update it when changing prices – but I see it as necessary and beneficial. I want to at a glance what prices I have listed for my domains – and easily conside which might need to be adjusted up/down.