HOW TO: Davies RV Travel Log/ Service/ Inventory spreadsheet (Excel/ Numbers)

EDIT 08/11/18 Uploaded a (corrected) Numbers Revision 01 file and a (new) Excel Revision 01 file. Note: I will keep any future major updates or important comments in this first post. I do not want for them get lost in subsequent replies.

If you are at all familiar with Excel or Numbers, this may be helpful. I was keeping my records in a variety of forms, and the data was getting increasingly messy and hard to interpret, so with the help of my wife I now have an all-in-one spreadsheet that I can update on-the-fly, as long as I have an internet connection. I back it up in the Cloud, so I can do data entry from my iPad at a campsite as easily as I can from my iMac at home. It has four tabs or sections.

The first is the Trip log. The Date column "self-formats" so all the dates look alike. The Total column automatically updates when you enter the Trip (daily) number of miles. Don't mess with the figures in the TOTAL column.

[attachment file=Trip log capture.png]

The second tab is the Service Schedule/ Tech page. I have service reminders (stuff I need to do soon), torque values, service info and my Squawk List (aka the "Honey-Do List") - stuff I either want to or need to address, eventually.

[attachment file=Service Tech Capture.png]

The third tab is the actual Service Record, which includes all routine work, repairs, and mods. I did not include extra columns for cost and detailed lists - I summarized since a future owner would only need that rough data. The paper records are there if I need to get down to small part costs.

[attachment file=Service Record capture.png]

The last tab is an Inventory section, for me to keep track of loose stuff that is carried in the trailer, in case of loss.

[attachment file=Inventory Capture.png]

The sample file, which includes the data shown in the screen captures above, but not all my history, can be found at my Dropbox page. Follow this link for the NUMBERS file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/u4fmo7ko7oxde6y/DAVIES%20SAMPLE%20RV%20LOG%20Serv%20Rec%20Inv%20REV01%20%20NUMBERS.numbers?dl=0

Follow this link for the EXCEL file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/07kvpx7u1d9l7bc/DAVIES%20SAMPLE%20RV%20LOG%20Serv%20Rec%20Inv%20REV01%20%20EXCEL.xlsx?dl=0

I strongly suggest that you save your file as a Master, duplicate it and work with the copy in case you mess up some how. Change all the entries and headers as you see fit. I hope it is useful to some of you.

The first and third tabs print very nicely in Landscape, the other two work in Portrait. Use the "Fit to Page" option, print one tab at a time, and they will all stay on one printed page, so they are easy to read.

Please let me know if there are any problems downloading or opening the file. I know very little about spreadsheets, but way more than I used to ;)

John Davies

Spokane WA

Kudos to Mrs. Davies! I have a bit of a spreadsheet aesthetics OCD problem and your spreadsheet is not only functional, it is visually appealing.  Thank you for sharing!

Chris

Kudos to Mrs. Davies! I have a bit of a spreadsheet aesthetics OCD problem and your spreadsheet is not only functional, it is visually appealing. Thank you for sharing!

 

Chris

 

Chris, have you looked at the actual file? Please see if there are any formatting or functional issues, and tell me what program you use.

Any suggestions/ improvements/ or even donuts are always welcome.

Thanks.

John Davies

Spokane WA

Updated with some corrections to the look of the Numbers file (Freeze Headers, some very minor appearance alterations), and also exported it as an Excel file, so you MicroSofters can open the spreadsheet directly into Excel.

Please test these out, make sure the links and the files are working OK. LINKS ARE IN THE FIRST POST, I wanted to keep everything together.

Thanks,

John Davies

Spokane WA

Chris, have you looked at the actual file?

John, only on my phone. When I get home tomorrow night, I'll pull it up on my laptop.

John,

Great effort, it certainly captures historical information.   I looked at them, but not in great detail,  although I'm pretty, or was, decent with spreadsheets, and data bases, my problem is keeping them current.  Past performance is, in this case, accurate for me on future performance!

So - I usually - no - always end up with pen and paper. I've done so with my new TV, and will do so with the Ollie. Simple to keep up, no electronics needed, and user friendly. Documentation on paper, works for me in this case. Yet I know I could do better.

Kudos for your checklists - we used them this weekend - keeps my wife happy knowing everything is in ready order and good for launch. Its the teacher in her, herding kids all day requires rigorous systems, validation,  and record keeping.  Me, I'm a little more relaxed here, she contends I just "wing it"  but I know the  value of documentation.  I just do it in my head. So thanks again.

Does anyone else feel like they should be down on knees bowing up and down while mumbling, “We’re not worthy, We’re not worthy...”? John, thanks so much for sharing all your labors of love regarding your Oliver!

Alison

John TY TY TY,

I was looking for something along this line.  Especially the 2 & 3 Tabs.  Maggie said we could $ave Money by buying an Oliver, and now i will track it and show here how much we will be $aving...

I too will keep a paper log... which is an empty printout of the TAB, and i will fill it in each day.  when we eventually return home, then i will transfer it to excel.

Hello John,

I noticed on your service list that your torque values for the lug nuts is 90 lbs

this is different than the service bulletin posted by Jason / see below

120 lbs seem a lot. Please explain why you choose a lower torque value than the factory recommendation 

JEssary

• Oliver Staff 40

1 hour ago, taylor.coyote said:

120 lbs seem a lot. Please explain why you choose a lower torque value than the factory recommendation 

Hi, thanks for your question! There was a thread about this a few years ago, but I can’t find it. I even started a service ticket back then asking WTF? I never got a satisfactory answer about where they got that figure. (The same ticket asked why they did not have a correct tire pressure chart.) The bottom line is that 120 ft pounds is simply too much for a 1/2” stud. Typical recommendation is 90. Some sources go as high as 110. This one says 90-100 for a 16” alloy wheel. 

And this one:

Tire Rack, Wheel Lug Torquing

OTH, 120 is perfect for a 9/16” stud. Do some research, if you can find a source that says 120 for Dexter 1/2” studs, please post a link, I would appreciate it. I have been using 90 for five seasons with no problems. After the initial installation I retorque them after say 100 miles, and they rarely need any additional torque after that. 

How is the download working? I haven’t been back to this thread in quite awhile. I am still using the log, it has been a great help.

John Davies

Spokane WA.

thank you.. I'm going to run with the 90lbs on my next trip starting Wednesday. will check often until I'm comfortable.

10 minutes ago, mossemi said:

This page is from the Dexter Axle Manual.

Mossey

Thanks. All well and good, I think I have seen that page before, but the specs are for steel wheels. Alloys usually have a lower recommended figure. 

John Davies

Spokane WA