1. Accessing, Syncing & View Persistence
Vaultli is designed to run locally or from the web with full real-time database synchronization and session view persistence.
Launch Shortcuts
- macOS: Double-click
Vaultli.webloc to launch in your default browser.
- Windows: Double-click
Vaultli.url to launch.
- Direct Link: Visit: vaultli.netlify.app
Browser Refresh & View Persistence
If you reload the page, Vaultli preserves your active collection group view instead of forcing you back to the home dashboard overview.
Technical Mechanics: Navigation operations store your active view in localStorage under vaultli_current_view and append ?view=viewId to the browser query parameters. On startup, finishInit() reads these variables to hydrate and route the viewport instantly.
Real-Time Cloud Synchronization & Privacy
Vaultli stores data in a secure PostgreSQL database on Supabase. Logging in synchronizes your inventory records, layouts, and options across all your personal devices in real-time.
Technical Mechanics: All tables enforce strict row-level security (RLS) policies matching auth.uid() = user_id. Your data is 100% private and cannot be viewed by other users or the database administrator. Checked layout settings trigger immediate JSON writes to the vaultli_settings table in Supabase, bypassing local client silos.
2. Data Field Option Customization & Safety Controls
Data option lists in Vaultli are category-isolated and protected by strict safety limits.
Category-Specific Dropdowns
Dropdown options for **Brand / Manufacturer** and **Source / Vendor** are isolated per category (e.g., *Guitars & Basses* vs *Watches*). Creating or selecting an item automatically filters dropdown lists to show only options relevant to that category.
Inline Option Creation & Smart Sorting
Add missing options inline using the + Add New Option... menu. The app automatically detects list types: alphabetical lists (brands, finishes) insert new entries in alphabetical order, while custom-ordered lists (condition) append options to the end.
Deletion Safeguards & Validation
- In-Use Lock: You cannot delete dropdown options currently assigned to active items in your inventory.
- Rename Propagation: Renaming options in Settings automatically updates all matching records in your inventory database.
- Factory Reset Preservation: Resetting dropdowns to defaults automatically preserves any custom options currently used in your inventory.
3. Custom Fields, 31-Category & Data Perpetuity
You can customize the workspace by adding fields, creating custom categories, or hiding/deleting entire collection groups.
Adding Custom Fields & Categories
Add text, checkbox, or dropdown fields to any category in settings. Create custom categories with custom icons and subgroups to expand the 31 default onboarding categories.
Data Preservation & Data Perpetuity Safeguard
Hiding a category removes it from navigation sidebar links and forms. Deleting a category updates the layout settings list but **never deletes** your inventory item records.
Technical Mechanics: Toggling visibility or deleting a category only updates the layout settings metadata inside the customCategories array. The underlying items stored in the gearItems array and the vaultli_items table are kept intact. Restoring the default category via the settings checklist re-appends the layout definition, instantly re-hydrating and displaying the items and their custom specs.
4. Scan, Autofill & Mobile Integration
Vaultli turns mobile phone and tablet cameras into instantaneous barcode scanners.
Physical Scanning Guidelines
- Framing: Align the barcode inside the red target box.
- Lighting: Ensure good lighting and avoid reflections on glossy surfaces.
- Distance: Hold your device 6–8 inches away from the item to trigger auto-focus.
Technical Mechanics of Mobile Scanning
- Autofocus constraints: Enforces
focusMode: "continuous" (when supported) via Media Stream Track configurations, eliminating camera hunting.
- Camera Configuration: Enforces
facingMode: "environment" to select the rear macro lens.
- Downscaling: Streams at
1280x720 resolution and downscales the viewport crop onto a Canvas buffer for processing, letting the barcode reader decode lines instantly.
5. Financial Portfolio, Trade-Ins & Consignments
Track purchase costs, estimated current values, and realized sales gains in real-time.
Trade-In Support & Cash Surplus
Check "Link to a Trade-In Item" when adding or editing a purchased gear item. Search and select a traded-in item from your active inventory to capture its trade-in credit, and the app will automatically calculate the net cash outlay and record the bi-directional transaction details on both records. The traded-in asset's status transitions automatically to 'Traded-In' with metadata fields locked down as read-only, showing a clean connection back to the new purchase.
Consignment Tracking
Check "This item is currently on consignment" to input consigned asking price, duration (in days), start date, and consignment vendor. The app automatically calculates the contract expiration date and displays real-time countdown badges indicating days remaining or if the contract has expired.
Sales Realization & Disposals
Changing an item's status to **Sold** prompts for quantity sold, sale type, date, price, fees, and shipping costs. Setting it to **Gifted**, **Donated**, or **Disposed** treats the item's estimated value as a realized loss on the dashboard.
Donation Tax Integration
When an item is marked as **Donated**, dedicated fields appear for **Is it tax-deductible?**, **Has deduction been taken?**, and **Deduction Value** (defaulting to the item's current estimated value) to track portfolio write-offs.
6. Reports, Dashboards & Valuation Helpers
Gain insights and generate reports for insurance or resale purposes.
Market Price Lookup Helper
In the Add/Edit form, click the search icon next to Current Value. This opens a modal with search links for Reverb, eBay, and Google using your gear item's Brand, Model, and Year in a new tab to find current market values.
Dashboard, Charts & Hover Zoom Previews
The dashboard renders real-time stats including total portfolio value, net investment, unrealized delta, realized gains, and annual recurring software costs. Hovering your mouse over any thumbnail photo (on card tiles, list rows, or edit forms) opens a high-resolution, responsive hover zoom preview window next to your cursor.
Insurance Report Generator
Click **Reports** in the top header. You can fill in the owner name, carrier, and policy number. Apply custom filters (category, status, brand, model, source) and choose whether to include images and specifications. You can download the resulting report as a structured CSV or print a formatted PDF summary.
7. Import, Export & CSV Mapping
Migrate or backup your database instantly.
- JSON Backup: Downloads or restores a complete database file (containing settings, categories, and inventory items).
- Spreadsheet Exports: Exports your entire inventory into a clean CSV format.
- Fuzzy CSV Header Mapper: When importing a custom spreadsheet, the app prompts you to map your columns to the application fields. It utilizes a fuzzy matching algorithm to pre-select matching columns, letting you easily verify and import arbitrary spreadsheets.
