1. Learn the basic first steps of the database software you are going to use.

• Choose a reputable product that is likely to have a long and happy life, because you will not want to change databases once this file is well established.
• Recommended: Microsoft Access; Appleworks (not just for Macs)
• Microsoft Access is a bear to begin, but not bad once you're up and running.  Click here for hints on getting started with the 2000 version.  (Newer versions are easier to set up. A few more hints can be found here; search [Control-F] this long page for "access.")
  
• Purchase a basic guide to the database you use - it will pay off in the long run.
• If you choose to go solely with an online ordering tool provided by a vendor, learn it thoroughly.  It's critical that you have a backup plan if this system changes, goes out of business, or breaks down. Also, think hard before you you set up your consideration system with a single vendor -- this is not sound practice.  If you use multiple vendors, how will you keep track of which items are on which list?
  

2. Set up a new file, called “consideration.”  Use the following fields:

• Author
• Title
• Year
• Publisher
• Vendor
• ISBN#
• Price
• Recommended
• Reading level
• Interest level
  
• Priority
• Call no.
• Other or Misc.
• Include other fields that you think you might need.

3. As you run across titles in your daily activities, enter them into the file.
This file is a permanent resource, and you should work with it regularly and often. Have it readily available on your workstation. Back it up faithfully. Any time a title is recommended in some way (by person, review, award, etc.), take a few moments to enter it.  Keep track of the source of recommendation the "recommendation" field.

4. When ordering time comes, generate a report that sorts by vendor, and then arrange in priority order.  Pull out only the items you will order from a given vendor.  Updating the price is optional, but it will give you a better indication of how much to pad.

5. Include a method to avoid back orders, because not all titles will be available.  A traditional method is to pad orders by 25% or more, clearly indicating the highest priority items.  Do not duplicate titles between vendors when ordering from multiple vendors at the same time.  If your vendor offers some other method of avoiding back orders, it may work. The biggest problem with back orders is that an entire shipment may be held up indefinitely waiting on items to become available to the vendor, and it can be difficult to predict which items will cause the difficulty.  If you absolutely must have a specific item, consider ordering it alone.

Padding an order is different from padding a budget.  Padding orders is a good idea, because it prevents back orders, while padding budgets is not.