Using Appliantology to build my own database

[Appliance Guys]

Now I am realizing the importance of having my technicians be prepared with service manuals/bulletins/diagrams, and I have begun to build my own database of said information.

Is it appropriate for me to use Appliantology.org to help me with this? I'm thinking it would go like this:

1) get model number from customer

2) see if I have info in my database on model number. If I do-- great, I'm done.

3) If I don't,  I will check Appliantology forums for it using the search methods described in their videos. If I find it-- great, I'll save it and I'm done.

4) If I don't, I will create a post asking for the information. Once the information is provided for me-- great, I'll save it and I'm done.

5) If the information is not provided for me... well I'm not sure about that yet.

 

Is this an appropriate way to go about collecting this information? What do my fellow Appliance Samurai think?

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Everything you described is exactly what Appliantology is for! This site is an information tool to for prediagnosis and peer to peer help with appliance problem. This webinar recording explains all this plus gives lots of tips on how to use this site:

 

[Appliance Guys]

That's what I thought, but I wanted to be sure before I started blowing up your manual request forum

 

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

As long as you're first searching using the wildcard technique shown in the short screencast and using a valid model number, no problem!

[Appliance Guys]

So I'm chipping away at it and I see that there a large file available for download that has a but-load of information in it. I believe it is the most downloaded file on the site. The "master stash". I noticed that is categorized by brand but not by appliance type within that brand. Currently, I've been categorizing my files by brand, and then by appliance type (ref, dish, dryer, etc.). Would you recommend breaking it down that far or should I just separate by brand like the master file?

[DurhamAppliance]

I separate by brand,  then by type of appliance using dropbox... I use evernote to point me to a particular file.... let's say the manual lists 10 models that it covers.. I would copy and paste the list to an evernote and link the dropbox file.   I also copy the descriptions and tags used for that manual in the evernote file. 

 

What I do some time but want to do everytime is to create an evernote fir each repair i fo,  linking the manual,  tech sheet from dropbox, Include a screenshot of the diagnostic procedure,  a picture of the appliance itself and commentary from my repair along with linked discussions  from Appliantology. 

I hate when i know I've already performed tge repair or worked on a modek but can't find the manual I saved. 

[Appliance Guys]

Yea, I use Dropbox too, I'll have to check out Evernote.

That's impressively thorough!

[DurhamAppliance]

lol.. but I was either drunk or didn't have my glasses on when I made that post.... maybe both lol