Tracking your Domains

[bensontwenty]

When I first came to Namepros life was simple.

I had my own registrar and their domain management screen was pretty ok.

Now, two months later, life has got pretty complicated. I have doubled the number of domains I had and have them spread across lots of different registrars.

The question then is - how do you guys manage all your domains across different registrars. Do you have a piece of software that does it. Do you use an excel spreadsheet. Calendar program or how.

I will over time transfer my domains to the one registrar but in the meantime I have that constant niggling feeling that I am 'losing it'

Any tips would be greatly appreciated before I start building my own tracker

jp

 

[armstrong]

Excel works for me. I imagine if I ever go beyond 1,000 domains I'll need something better.

 

[drmaximus]

I have 2 DOC files. First one lists domain name, registrar and expiry date, in alphabetical order based on the domain name. Second file lists domain name, registrar and expiry date, but this time arranged according to expiry dates.

Am conscientiously transferring all my domains to my Enom account. By next August, I should have 80-90% of my domains at Enom, assuming my acquisitions from this point forth are all at Enom.

 

[jj2ii3344]

Nice management! I keep all of domain registration email and enter them into an Access database!

 

[bensontwenty]

thanks guys - will prob go with the excel spreadsheet - thats the one i know best and i can do myself a nice little domain manager with it

 

[Coastalguy]

Yikes! I just write them down on a piece of paper (then again, I only have about 25 or so).

ST

 

[bensontwenty]

Originally posted by Coastalguy
Yikes! I just write them down on a piece of paper (then again, I only have about 25 or so).

ST

:lol: i haven't even got that far yet - just got loads of emails with them in it :bah:

 

[Darren]

Excel works the best for me. I check it every few weeks for any domains that may expire, and if there is any, I stick a yellow post-it on my monitor!

Also, to keep down the confusion, as soon as I get a new domain name, or sale one, I quickly add/delete the records in the speadsheet, otherwise, I'd only forget to update later, which could cause alot of touble at the end of the day!

 

[Wilfredo]

Best to set up some kind of database ;D

 

[Evilhaider]

Access Database or Excel is probably good enough for the purpose. I don't have so many that I need to manage them yet

 

[redhippo]

dont know much...about excel/access...

any one got a "ready made" fo NP$ sale?...s hort prog that can sort A2Z... or by exp dates...:tri:


thanks

 

[The Equivocate]

I just use Excel. Works fine...

 

[Evilhaider]

Originally posted by redhippo
dont know much...about excel/access...

any one got a "ready made" fo NP$ sale?...s hort prog that can sort A2Z... or by exp dates...:tri:


thanks

If you have Excel/Access with your Office Suite, they're very easy to learn, almost as easy as Microsoft Word...

 

[RMF]

I use excel. I have a 4 columns.

Domain: | Registrar: | Expiration Date: | Status:

The "status" is used to decide which names to renew, or let go. Like, one domain I want to keep will have "Must Renew", and if it needs to be renewed within 3 months, it will be BOLD. If I don't want a domain after it expires, I put "Sell or Drop".

For domain login/password, I print out them, and make backups on CD's. I also take screenshots of the whois on each domain, not sure if thats really needed, but it doesn't take long. I also keep everything at a safe locations. (fire proof, water proof, and most important, theft proof).

Keeping your files/documents safe is really important, and a lot of people don't even think about it. What happens if your house burns down?. What happens if you get robbed, and everything in your office is stolen?. What happens if theres an earthquake and your house falls into the core?

RMF

 

[redhippo]

Originally posted by Evilhaider
If you have Excel/Access with your Office Suite, they're very easy to learn, almost as easy as Microsoft Word...

EASY.....? never touched the...will have to try now before
my domains get wild

Originally posted by RMF
I use excel. I have a 4 columns.

Domain: | Registrar: | Expiration Date: | Status:

The "status" is used to decide which names to renew, or let go. Like, one domain I want to keep will have "Must Renew", and if it needs to be renewed within 3 months, it will be BOLD. If I don't want a domain after it expires, I put "Sell or Drop".

For domain login/password, I print out them, and make backups on CD's. I also take screenshots of the whois on each domain, not sure if thats really needed, but it doesn't take long. I also keep everything at a safe locations. (fire proof, water proof, and most important, theft proof).

Keeping your files/documents safe is really important, and a lot of people don't even think about it. What happens if your house burns down?. What happens if you get robbed, and everything in your office is stolen?. What happens if theres an earthquake and your house falls into the core?

RMF

RMF...thanks...you got all covered...never thought of these...safety measures...am getting to it..


very helpful-thanks


:bingo:

 

[bensontwenty]

Cool name RMF :lol:

As red says - you have all the bases covered - its refreshing to see someone with all these safety measures in place. I have a similar system for most of my other files etc and use multiple storage media as backups from removable hard drives, cds,etc to paper copies. I suffered a hard drive failure a while back and am still counting the cost for it - hence the backup systems now in place. Was going through them all when I suddenly realised that I had nothing in place to track my domains - hence the thread.

thanks for all the info guys - red - when I have finished it I will send you it. - will try to do it before the charity auction on Wed and you can make a donation to it in return:kickass:

jp

 

[Delete]

I had the same problem. What I do is I have the same username and same password for my accounts everywhere. Sounds dangerous but I'm a man with no fear :lol:

 

[bensontwenty]

Resurrected this thread from the depths because I had just about finished with a nice little excel spreadsheet when I picked up the most recent copy of .net magazine.

On the cover CD was this great little piece of software called KFWHOIS 2.4 from www.kfwhois.com

It costs money if you get it from there but they have a fully licensed version on the CD for your own use. They also have a Pro version with loads of other features.

It is internet explorer based and allows the facility of marking expiry alerts, grouping into user definable categories (My Domains, Competitors Domains, Target Domains etc) as well as letting you know if a domain is free. It imports all of the data from whois records and a great little feature is that it flags if a domains details have changed.

powerful little piece of software. Must Have IMO



:kickass:

 

[Kodeking]

I think its good to be diverse in registrars, what if one goes bad, you dont want to lose everything

 

[William9]

I agree with bensontwenty, that is, to use specialty domainer software. The problem with just using Excel is that it will not detect if a domain theft is in progress.

I have read that domain robbers change your domain’s E-mail contact by either:

hacking your registrar’s account,
stealing your E-mail account, or
using other methods.

Watch Your Domains Pro detect if any change in made in an E-mail contact as it contacts the Whois and in an Excel like fashion & displays the relevant info.

A free trial download is at http://www.domainpunch.com/products/wmdpro/ In addition, it will alert you if your registration is soon to expire – and has many other features. Click the “Screen Shots” tab on the left to see what I mean.

It alerted me to an unauthorized change of an E-mail contact on one of my accounts. Without it, I would not have known and it could have taken months (if ever) to recover the domain. Instead, I contacted the registrar and it was corrected immediately.

Shop around,