Master artwork record: annotated template

Reviewed as of 27 September 2026. If anything has changed, let me know and I will update it with the date of the change.

The master record is the record from which all other documents derive: the technical sheet for an exhibition, the certificate of authenticity, the description on an invoice, the dossier entry and, in time, the entry in the catalogue raisonné. If it is well maintained, all documents repeat the same data. If it does not exist, each document is reconstructed from memory and discrepancies arise.

This template proposes essential fields and explains what they are for. It is an internal document: it is not handed over as it is and has no contractual effect. It can be managed in a spreadsheet, a database or a collections management system. What matters is that each work has a stable identifier, a single master record and a history of changes.

Downloads

The ODS file is the main version. It contains four sheets:

Master record (Ficha maestra), with one row per work.
Restricted data (Datos reservados), for owner, location, price, invoice, intermediary and insurance value.
Gallery consignment (Depósito en galería), for recording handovers, returns or sales.
Legend (Leyenda), with the formats and calculated fields.

The ODS incorporates validations, filters, fixed headers and an example row. In 'Gallery Deposit', the title is obtained from the master record via the inventory number. CSV files allow the three data sheets to be opened or imported separately; they use UTF-8 with BOM and a semicolon as a separator.

The 'Reserved Data' sheet contains personal, financial and location information. It must not be published or shared with the general record. The 'Gallery Deposit' sheet is a delivery log: it does not replace the contract nor does it independently regulate custody, liability, insurance, commission, discounts, payment or returns.

Identification

Inventory number

What to enter. A unique code that is never reused, even if the work is destroyed, lost or leaves the artist's collection.

Why it matters. It links the work to photographs, invoices, contracts, certificates, loans and publications. The title is not a stable identifier because it can be repeated or change.

Caution. The code should physically accompany the work, but it is not written directly on just any material. The labelling or marking method should be safe, findable and, where possible, reversible. If in doubt, consult a conservator. For works with separable components, record each part.

Title

What to enter. The current title and any known earlier titles.

Why it matters. A retitled work may appear under another name in older exhibitions, invoices or publications.

Date

What to include. Year of completion and, if the process was prolonged, year of commencement. Use an approximate date when the exact one is not documented, for example, 'circa 2019' or '2019-2020'.

Caution. Do not turn an estimate into an exact date just to fill in the field.

Series or project

What to enter. The group the work belongs to and its position within it, if relevant.

Material description

Medium, materials and support

What to include. A specific description, for example, 'oil on canvas' or 'pigment print on cotton paper'.

Why it matters. It affects identification, conservation, transport and installation.

Dimensions

What to enter. Height by width by depth, in centimetres, without frame. Add the framed dimensions separately when useful.

Caution. Always indicate the order and the unit. For variable installations, record the minimum, maximum or recommended dimensions and attach a plan. The template uses three numerical columns in this order: height, width and depth.

Weight

What to enter. The total weight and, where relevant, that of each component or crate.

Why it matters. It can affect transport, fixings, handling and safety.

Edition

What to include. Edition number, total print run and artist's proofs when the type of work is 'Edition'.

Caution. Copies share an edition but must have their own identifiers. Do not enlarge an edition that has already been announced or sold without weighing the contractual and commercial consequences.

Signature, inscriptions and marks

What to enter. Location and transcription of signatures, dates, dedications, stamps, labels and other marks. Also document them with photographs.

Image and files

Identification photographs

What to enter. The file names of the front, back, signature and other views or details. Keep a stable naming convention that starts with the inventory number.

Why it matters. The reverse, labels and details are often decisive in identifying a piece years later.

Digital files

What to enter. Name, format, version and location of the artwork's files.

Caution. Distinguish between the master file, the exhibition copy, documentation and any software needed to run the work. If you need to record size, duration, checksum or technical dependencies, add them to the field or to a linked document.

Process and authorship

Process

What to enter. References to sketches, studies, versions and working files.

If you used artificial intelligence tools, select 'Yes' in the corresponding field and describe separately what the artist did: materials provided, selection, editing, composition, transformation or material intervention. Do not present the mere use of a tool as automatic proof of authorship.

Installation instructions and variability

The downloadable sheet does not reserve an independent column for extensive instructions. Record a brief reference in 'Process' or 'Notes' and keep the complete document linked via the inventory number.

In an installation or a variable work, the instructions may be part of what allows the work to be recognised across its different realisations.

History

Exhibitions and publications

What to enter. Institution, venue, title, curators and dates of each exhibition; and enough detail to locate books, catalogues, articles, websites or audiovisual material.

Transfers, deposits and location

The general status is recorded in 'Current Status'. Personal data, location, price, invoice, intermediary and insurance value belong to 'Reserved Data'. Gallery deliveries are also recorded in 'Gallery Deposit'.

Caution. Distinguish between ownership, possession and location. Do not publish private information about the buyer or depositary.

Condition and conservation

What to enter. Current condition, damage, restorations and the date of each intervention. If you need a detailed report, keep the file linked through the inventory number.

Rights and conditions

The downloadable sheet is not intended to replace a complete legal record. Use 'Notes' to refer to contracts, assignments, licences, reproduction restrictions, photographic authorship and agreed credits. Keep the complete documents separately and relate them using a stable name or reference.

Notice. Selling the physical object does not in itself transfer exploitation rights.

Restricted data

The full record may contain personal, commercial and security data. The resource explicitly separates them from the master record.

Owner, consent and location

The 'Reserved Data' sheet allows for noting the current owner, consent to record their data, date and location. Consent is not the only possible legal basis for processing personal data and marking 'Yes' does not replace the corresponding analysis. The field serves to document whether such consent was obtained, not to assert that it is always necessary or sufficient.

Restrict access and avoid disclosing addresses or sensitive locations.

Price, invoice and insurance value

Record the sale price, date, invoice number, intermediary and insurance value separately. These are internal data and may change for different reasons.

Checks and maintenance

Delete the example rows before entering real data.
Do not reuse inventory numbers.
Update the record after every exhibition, deposit, loan, sale, intervention or move.
Keep contracts and full documents outside the sheet, linked by the inventory number.
Keep separate copies and check that they open.
Export the data sheets to CSV regularly.
Decide who will keep and be able to update the file if you cannot.

Fields included in the downloadable version

The 'Master Record' sheet includes:

inventory number;
title and previous titles;
year of completion and year started;
approximate date flag;
series or project;
medium and support;
height, width and depth in centimetres;
framed dimensions;
weight;
work type;
copy number, total edition size and artist's proofs;
signature, inscriptions and marks;
image files;
digital files;
process;
use of AI tools and description of the artist's intervention;
exhibitions and publications;
condition and restorations;
current status;
certificate number;
last update;
notes.

On the open conversation

This template draws on archive and collections registration practice. It is a starting point, not a closed standard. If you work in registration, conservation or artist archives and notice a missing field or wording that should be corrected, the template remains open.