[CLZ News] “Find on eBay” links in all CLZ mobile apps

It’s already November 5, so the October Newsletter is definitely running a bit late!
But here it is today, with 5 big updates for all 5 mobile apps (eBay links!) and an overview of things to come.
The main upcoming event is of course the introduction of Custom Fields in the CLZ Web and mobile! More details about that one below.

In short, these are the topics today:

• All 5 CLZ mobile apps: Automatic eBay search links
• Coming up for CLZ Web: create your own Custom Fields!
• Coming up for CLZ Mobile: One-by-one mode for adding by barcode
• Coming up for CLZ Books: Reading history, dust cover condition and more
• “Incredibly powerful”, a CLZ Music Web review by user Matthew

All 5 CLZ mobile apps: Automatic “Find on eBay” links

The automatic eBay links (recently introduced in the CLZ Web software) are now available in the CLZ mobile apps too. All five apps now include automatically generated eBay search links, that let you find eBay listings for your collectibles.

These eBay links can be useful to:

• easily find available copies to buy on eBay (e.g. for your wish list items)
• quickly get a feel for a items’s value, by finding its Sold listings on eBay.

By default, the Find on eBay links are available in the Action button menu on every item’s details page, in the Add screen preview sheet, in the Edit screen’s Value tab (for books, comics and games) and in the Check Value screen (for comics and games).

Please note: the eBay links include our CLZ Partner ID, which means that we may earn a commission on any purchase you make after clicking the link.

Customizing the eBay links

We have included several settings for you to customize how and where the eBay Links appear on the item details page. Possible positions:

• In Action button menu (default)
• Next to cover (our favorite and recommended, but disabled by default because it may be too prominent for some users)
• In the Links section at the bottom of the details.

Other settings to customize the links:

• Show eBay Links (Yes/No): for switching OFF this feature completely
• Show based on Collection status: should the links show for all your items or only for wishlist entries.
• eBay search filter: control whether the links show available eBay listings (for buying) or completed listings (for determining value)
• eBay region: select which eBay site to use (.com, .ca, .nl, etc…)

Here’s some screenshots of how the eBay links appear in the 5 apps:
CLZ Movies 10.1 / CLZ Games 10.1 / CLZ Comics 10.4 / CLZ Music 10.1 / CLZ Books 10.3

Coming up for CLZ Web: create your own Custom Fields!

This is the big one, the Project with a capital P, the one we have been procrastinating for many years. Not only because of the size, but also because of the enormous complexity.

Yes, we are finally bring the “User Defined Fields” (UDF) feature of the legacy desktop software to the modern world of the CLZ Web cloud-based software and the CLZ mobile apps.
At the same, we’ll rename it to “Custom Fields”, as that is how most users seem to be referring to this feature.

So, what will the Custom Fields feature allow you to do? Simply said: it will let you create your own fields, to catalog information for which the software does not have a built-in field.
You will be able to create simple text fields, number fields, yes/no toggles, big text areas (like Notes), even pick list fields and multi-value pick list fields.
All fields you create will appear on a special Custom Fields tab of the Edit screen. Of course, you will be able to use the fields like any built-in fields, use them as columns, sort on them, use custom pick list fields as folders, etc..

We are currently developing this for the CLZ Web web-based software, but all web and mobile developers are involved, so that the technical design will, in the end, allow full syncing of Custom Fields between the Web software and the mobile apps!

ETA for Web: early 2026. Then for mobile a few months later?
In any case, this is going to be THE killer feature for 2026!

Coming up for the CLZ mobile apps: One-by-One mode for adding by barcode

Adding items by scanning barcodes is one of the most popular features of the CLZ apps. Just scan barcodes, bleep, bleep, bleep, and the scanned items are added to the queue. Then use the Add button at the bottom to add them all to your database in one go. Or, tap a queue entry to add that specific one with its own Pre-fill values.
Quick and efficient. Once you know how to use it.

In the upcoming updates for all 5 mobile apps, we are adding an optional “One-by-One” mode to the Add by Barcode screen, that is, *without* a queue:
Scan a barcode using a full screen camera screen, see the full item details, tap the Add button, do the Pre-fill, return to the camera screen to scan the next one.
Rinse and repeat, clear and easy.

I know, this may sound like a step backwards 🙂 But we are confident the new One-by-One mode will become the preferred add method for many users. For new users, it will be more intuitive, easier to understand. But even for existing users, the advantages of seeing full item details and doing the pre-fill per item, will be a nicer way to add new collectibles.

Coming soon! ETA: within 2 weeks, with the book and movie apps coming up first, maybe as soon as early next week.

BTW: don’t worry, the queue mode isn’t going anywhere and will not even be changed. Just switch between the Queue mode and One-by-One mode using a “Open/Close Queue” button in the bottom right corner of the camera screen.

Coming up for CLZ Books: Reading history, dust cover condition and more

Web developer CLZ Michiel just started on this, so the release is not any time soon. But we just finalized the feature set, so I figured I’d give you a heads up!
Another big update is coming up for CLZ Books, first for Web, then later for mobile (as CLZ Books 10.5), with several new data fields:

• Reading history: track multiple reading sessions, with their own Start and End Date, Status (Reading/Finished/Dropped), Progress (134 of 718 pages) and Reader name.
• More book dimension fields: Spine Thickness and Weight
• Next to Book Condition, a new field for the Dust Cover Condition
• Place of Publication

“Incredibly powerful”, a CLZ Music Web review by user Matthew

Long time customer Matthew started with the (now legacy) Music Collector software back in 2016, and switched to the CLZ Music Web web-based software in 2023. He is loving the web-based interface and wrote this nice review:

I’ve been using CLZ for years, and I honestly can’t imagine managing my collection without it. The software is beautifully designed, easy to use, and incredibly powerful. Adding new items takes seconds, syncing across my devices works flawlessly, and the customization options let me organize everything precisely the way I want.

I first discovered CLZ’s website several years ago. As I began downsizing my possessions, I decided to create a gallery wall in my office displaying my music collection.

Read the rest of the review on our blog here

Enjoy!