PigeonVaultChoosing pigeon pedigree software: 8 questions
There are several programs for keeping pigeon pedigrees and your loft records. Which suits you best depends on how you work. This is PigeonVault's blog, so we are not neutral. That is why we give no ranking, but questions you can ask of every program, ours included.
1. Can it read your paper pedigrees?
Most fanciers already have a pile of pedigrees. Do you have to retype them all, or can the program read a photo or scan? Try it with a real pedigree of your own, preferably a difficult one, and see how much you still have to correct.
2. Does it understand your language and notation?
Results are written differently everywhere: "1st Fed 3,214 birds", "1e Bourges 4.120 d." or "1er Nat. 4.120 p.". Colours too: chequer, geschelpt, écaillé. Check that the program understands the notation used in your country and on the pedigrees you buy.
3. Does it work on your phone?
In the loft or at a buyer's you have no computer with you. A program that works in your phone's browser, with nothing to install, is handy then. Also check that it stays readable on a small screen.
4. What does the PDF look like?
For a buyer, the printed pedigree is often all they see. Ask for an example: is it readable on A4, are the results neatly with the right bird, and are your name and loft on it?
5. Can a buyer tell the pedigree is genuine?
A PDF is easy to copy or alter. Check whether the program shows who made the pedigree, for example with a name and reference number, or with a link or certificate a buyer can check for themselves.
6. Can you take your data with you?
Your pedigrees are yours. Can you export them if you stop, and in what format? A program without an export makes you dependent on it.
7. Who can see your pigeons?
Read the privacy policy. Who can see your loft and your pedigrees? Is anything shared without you asking? Within the EU a service must follow the GDPR and be able to delete your data on request.
8. Is the price clear and can you cancel?
Check whether you can try it first, what it costs per month or year, what happens when you have more pigeons or pedigrees, and how you cancel. An honest price is simply on the website.
And PigeonVault?
This is how we answer those questions. PigeonVault reads photos and PDFs of paper pedigrees, in English, Dutch and French. It works in the browser on phone, tablet and computer. The PDF puts four generations on one A4 sheet, with the name of whoever made it and a reference number, and you can add a certificate of authenticity or a secure link. You can try it free for 7 days, pay by card or SEPA direct debit and cancel any time; when you cancel, we prepare an export of your data. Everything else it does is on the features page.