LutePile Pro - User Guide

Welcome

LutePile Pro helps you manage your instrument collection in one place. You can track instruments, organize them into racks, record maintenance (including string changes), share your collection with technicians or collaborators, plan for succession, and generate reports for insurance or inventory purposes.

Getting started

Complete this checklist once. It prevents common setup problems later.

First-run checklist

1. Open the app. On first launch, select your App Mode (Owner, Collaborator, or Legacy Admin).
2. Optional: if you want cross-device sync, confirm iCloud is enabled on your device.
3. Open More → Manage Tunings and confirm standard tunings appear.
4. Open More → Case Presets and confirm default presets appear.
5. Add one test instrument to confirm forms, picking a tuning and string set.
6. Try applying a setup specification preset when adding your instrument.

Navigation

Tabs

Use the bottom tab bar to move between major work areas.

• Dashboard
• Inventory
• Racks
• Maintenance
• More

More menu

Use More for tools and app settings. Items are organized into groups:

Sharing & Collaboration

• Sharing Center — manage shares with others
• Legacy Planning — succession planning and reports
• Technician Dashboard — for service providers

Tools

• Reports
• String Database
• Stock Management
• Settings

App

• Manage Tunings
• Manage Storage
• Case Presets
• About
• Feedback
• Help

Inventory

Inventory is where you add and manage instruments. Think of it as your "single source of truth" for identity, value, and configuration.

Add an instrument

The Add screen is intentionally minimal—just the essentials to get an instrument into your collection. You can fill in additional details later via Edit.

1. Open Inventory.
2. Tap Add.
3. Fill in the Identity section: Type, Category, Make, Model, Nickname, Year, Strings, and Serial Number.
4. Fill in the Physical section: Color, Manufacturer Color Name, and Country of Origin.
5. Tap Save.

Edit an instrument

The Edit screen organizes fields into collapsible sections. Opening one section closes the others to reduce visual clutter.

1. Open the instrument from the inventory list.
2. Tap Edit.
3. Expand a section by tapping its header:

• Photos — always visible at top
• Identity — Type, Category, Make, Model, Nickname, Year, Strings, Serial (expanded by default)
• Physical — Color, Manufacturer Color Name, Country of Origin
• Storage & Location — Home Storage, Current Location
• Cases — Primary case, Manage Cases
• Setup & Strings — Tuning, Preferred String Set, Setup Specs (relief, string heights)
• Acquisition & Value — Acquisition Date, Type, Condition, Purchase Price, Estimated Value
• Notes — Description, Priority

Search and filter

• Use search to find by nickname, brand, or model.
• Use filters to narrow to a family (guitar/bass) or other supported criteria.

Add photos

If you track photos for receipts, serial numbers, or condition:

1. Open the instrument detail screen.
2. Use the Photos section to add images.
3. Prefer clear shots of serial number plates and full-front/full-back photos for insurance.

Racks

Racks are groups. Use them to keep your inventory usable when it grows.

Create a rack

1. Open Racks.
2. Tap Add.
3. Name the rack (for example: “Gig rotation”, “Studio”, “For sale”).
4. Select instruments to include.
5. Save.

Common rack patterns

• Gig rotation: what is ready to go this month.
• Needs service: what requires setup, strings, or repair.
• For sale: isolate items you are listing.

Maintenance

Maintenance helps you remember what you did and when you did it. It also helps you plan what is coming next.

Two views: Upcoming and History

Log a maintenance event

1. Open Maintenance.
2. Tap Add (or add from an instrument detail view).
3. Select the instrument.
4. Choose the maintenance type.
5. Add date and notes.
6. Save.

Log a string change

1. Create a maintenance event of type String Change.
2. Select the string set used.
3. Confirm gauges and notes (optional).
4. Save.

Tunings

Tunings let you store and reuse string-by-string pitch setups.

Pick a tuning for an instrument

1. Edit an instrument.
2. Open the Tuning row.
3. Select a preset (standard tunings are included).
4. Save.

Create a custom tuning

1. Open More → Manage Tunings.
2. Tap Add.
3. Name the tuning.
4. Set pitches for each string.
5. Save.

Strings

LutePile Pro can track string sets and your preferred string set per instrument.

Set a preferred string set

1. Edit an instrument.
2. Find Preferred String Set.
3. Choose a string set (brand/model).
4. Optionally confirm gauges.
5. Save.

Manage your string sets

1. Open More → String Database.
2. Search by brand/model.
3. Add or sync string sets as needed.

Cases

Case presets help you standardize case entries (for example: typical case types you own).

Use a case preset

1. Open More → Case Presets.
2. Create or select a preset that matches your case.
3. When adding a case, apply the preset to fill common fields quickly.

Storage & Location

Track both where an instrument belongs and where it is right now. This is especially useful for touring musicians, technicians, and anyone with instruments in multiple places.

Two location fields

Create a storage location

1. Open More → Manage Storage.
2. Tap Add.
3. Name the location (for example: Home, Studio, Rehearsal, Storage Unit).
4. Save.

Assign storage to an instrument

1. Edit an instrument.
2. Expand the Storage & Location section.
3. Select a Home Storage location from the picker.
4. Optionally enter a Current Location if the instrument is elsewhere.
5. Save.

Reports

Reports generate documents you can store or share, typically for insurance, inventory audits, or personal records.

Create an insurance report

1. Open More → Reports.
2. Select Insurance Report.
3. Apply filters if needed (rack, category, etc.).
4. Export or share the report.

Sharing

Share your instrument collection with technicians, collaborators, auditors, or family members. Each share can be customized with specific access levels and permissions.

Who can you share with?

What can you share?

• Entire Collection: share all your instruments at once.
• Specific Rack: share only instruments in a particular rack.
• Selected Instruments: hand-pick individual instruments to share.

Create a share

1. Open More → Sharing Center.
2. Tap Create Share.
3. Choose who you are sharing with (Technician, Collaborator, or Auditor).
4. Enter their name and email.
5. Select what to share (entire collection, a rack, or specific instruments).
6. Optionally set an expiration date.
7. Tap Save.
8. Send the share invitation to the recipient.

Accept a share from someone else

1. Ask the owner to send you a share invitation link.
2. Open the link on your device.
3. Accept the invitation in the dialog that appears.
4. The shared instruments appear in Sharing Center → Shared With Me.

Manage your shares

• My Shares: see shares you have created and edit or revoke them.
• Shared With Me: see shares others have given you. You can leave a share at any time.

Share status indicators

Each outgoing share shows a status indicator so you know where things stand:

Reshare with someone who left

If a recipient leaves your share (or you need to create a fresh invitation), you can reshare using the same configuration:

1. Open Sharing Center → My Shares.
2. Select the share showing "Left" status.
3. Tap Reshare.
4. Confirm that the old invitation link will become invalid.
5. Send the new invitation link to the recipient.

Control what recipients can see

When creating a share, you can choose a visibility level:

• All Fields: full transparency, nothing hidden.
• Service Focused: hides financial information (good for technicians).
• Inventory Only: basic identification only.

Temporarily hide shares

You can hide shares temporarily without revoking them. Hidden shares are excluded from your dashboard and reports until you show them again.

1. In Sharing Center, swipe left on a share.
2. Tap Hide.
3. To show again, expand the "Hidden" section and tap Show.

Legacy Planning

Plan the future of your instrument collection. Assign instruments to specific recipients and create detailed succession documents.

Why use Legacy Planning?

• Document who should receive each instrument.
• Add notes about special wishes or instructions.
• Generate reports for estate planning.
• Share your collection with a trusted family member who can see your plans.

Add a legacy recipient

1. Open More → Legacy Planning.
2. Tap Manage Recipients.
3. Tap Add.
4. Enter the recipient's name and relationship (family, friend, institution, etc.).
5. Add contact information if desired.
6. Save.

Assign an instrument to a recipient

1. Open an instrument from your inventory.
2. Scroll to the Legacy Planning section (tap to expand if needed).
3. Select a recipient from the list.
4. Add any notes about special instructions.
5. Set a priority (High, Medium, Low) if helpful.
6. Save.

Generate a legacy report

1. Open More → Legacy Planning.
2. Tap Generate Report.
3. Choose PDF or CSV format.
4. Export and share the document.

Share with a Legacy Administrator

Invite a trusted family member to view your collection and legacy plans:

1. Open More → Legacy Planning.
2. Tap Share Collection.
3. Enter the administrator's name, email, and relationship.
4. Tap Create.
5. A confirmation appears with next steps. Tap OK.
6. Go to More → Sharing Center.
7. Find your new share under My Shares.
8. Tap Create Invitation Link.
9. Send the link via AirDrop, Messages, or Email.

Legacy Administrators have read-only access. They can see everything including legacy assignments, but cannot make changes.

iCloud sync

If enabled, iCloud sync keeps your inventory consistent across your devices signed into the same Apple ID. iCloud also powers the sharing features.

What to expect

• Changes made on one device appear on others after sync completes.
• First sync can take longer for large libraries or slow networks.
• Shared instruments sync between you and your share recipients automatically.

Best practices

• Enable iCloud before building a large library.
• Avoid repeated edits on multiple devices before the first sync completes.
• If you see duplicates of built-in tunings or presets, update to the latest build and follow the FAQ.
• For sharing to work, both you and your recipient need iCloud enabled.

Troubleshooting sync issues

• If sync seems stuck, use Settings → Cloud Tools → Force Sync.
• If you see duplicate instruments, use Duplicate Detection in Cloud Tools to clean them up.
• For persistent issues, Reset & Resync deletes local data and re-downloads from iCloud.
• If sharing fails, check the share details for a Troubleshooting section with repair options.

App Mode

App Mode customizes LutePile Pro for how you use it. Choose a mode to get a focused dashboard, relevant navigation, and default visualization settings that match your workflow.

Choose your mode

Select App Mode

1. On first launch, the App Mode selector appears automatically.
2. To change later, go to More → Settings.
3. Tap App Mode and select your preferred mode.
4. Confirm the change.

Setup Specification Presets

Setup presets help you quickly apply common instrument setup measurements. Instead of typing relief and string height values manually, pick a preset and adjust from there.

Built-in presets

• Electric Guitar Standard
• Electric Guitar Low Action
• Acoustic Guitar Standard
• Classical Guitar Standard
• Bass 4-String Standard
• Bass 5-String Standard

Apply a preset

1. Edit an instrument.
2. In the Setup Specifications section, tap Apply Preset.
3. Select a preset (presets matching your instrument type appear first).
4. Values are filled in automatically. Adjust as needed.
5. Save.

Save your own preset

1. Set up an instrument with the values you want to reuse.
2. Tap Save as Preset.
3. Give it a name and save.

Stock Management

Track your string set inventory. Know what you have, get alerts when stock is low, and generate purchase orders.

Add a stock item

1. Open More → Stock Management.
2. Tap Add.
3. Select a string set (or enter brand/model manually).
4. Set current quantity, minimum stock (alert threshold), and target stock.
5. Add unit cost and supplier info if tracking.
6. Save.

Stock status

• Out of Stock (red): 0 units remaining.
• Low Stock (orange): At or below your minimum threshold.
• In Stock (green): Above minimum threshold.

Record stock changes

Track purchases, usage, adjustments, and returns. Each transaction creates an audit trail.

1. Open a stock item.
2. Tap Adjust Stock.
3. Select transaction type (purchase, use, adjustment, return).
4. Enter quantity and optional notes.
5. Save.

Generate a stock order report

1. Open Stock Order Report from the top-level menu or Stock Management.
2. Choose whether to order to minimum or target stock levels.
3. Filter by brand, location, or out-of-stock only.
4. Export as PDF (purchase order) or CSV (spreadsheet).

Import & Export

Back up your entire collection or move data to another device. Export creates a .lpro file you can save anywhere; import restores from that file.

What can be exported

• Instruments and photos
• Maintenance records and string changes
• Tunings, racks, cases, storage locations
• Legacy recipients
• Setup spec presets
• Stock items and transactions
• Custom string sets

Create an export

1. Open More → Settings.
2. Find Export in Import & Export section.
3. Toggle what to include.
4. Optionally enable "Sanitize Personal Data" to remove sensitive info.
5. Tap Export and choose where to save the .lpro file.

Import from a backup

1. Open More → Settings.
2. Find Import in Import & Export section.
3. Select your .lpro backup file.
4. Review what will be imported.
5. Choose how to handle duplicates (skip, overwrite, or keep both).
6. Tap Import.

Settings

Settings control appearance, app mode, and data management.

App Mode

Choose Owner, Collaborator, or Legacy Admin mode to customize your experience. See the App Mode section for details.

Theme

Choose a visual theme that suits your environment and preference:

Dashboard

• Adjust dashboard chart style (system or colorful).
• Choose dashboard layout (separate charts or combined).
• Choose bar orientation (horizontal, vertical, or dynamic based on data count).

Import & Export

Back up and restore your data. See the Import & Export section for details.

Cloud Tools

Cloud Tools help you troubleshoot and maintain your iCloud-synced data. Find them in Settings → Cloud Tools.

• Force Sync — Manually trigger a sync with iCloud when you need changes to propagate immediately.
• Reset & Resync — Delete local data and re-download everything from iCloud. Use when local data is corrupted or stuck.
• Duplicate Detection — Check for and remove duplicate instruments that may have been created during sync. The cleanup keeps the oldest entry in each group.

Duplicate Detection

Duplicate instruments can occasionally occur during CloudKit sync edge cases (network interruptions, device conflicts, etc.). Use Duplicate Detection to find and clean them up.

1. Open Settings → Cloud Tools.
2. Tap Check for Duplicates.
3. If duplicates are found, review the count and tap Remove Duplicates.
4. Confirm the action. The oldest instrument in each duplicate group is kept.

Advanced

• Diagnostic tools for troubleshooting sync issues and data validation are available in Settings when needed.

FAQ

I enabled iCloud and now I see duplicate built-in tunings or presets. What should I do?

Update to the latest build. Newer versions assign stable IDs to built-ins and run a cleanup pass to remove duplicates created by older builds. If duplicates remain, open More → Manage Tunings and More → Case Presets and let sync settle.

My Dashboard shows no upcoming maintenance, but I scheduled work.

Confirm the maintenance item has a future date and a scheduled state. If you use filters, clear them and check again.

How should I track strings?

Set a preferred string set on each instrument, then log string changes as maintenance. This keeps your preference accurate while preserving history.

How do I make an insurance-ready inventory?

1. Add serial numbers and valuation fields to each instrument.
2. Add clear photos (front/back + serial plate).
3. Export an insurance report from More → Reports.

How do I share instruments with my technician?

1. Go to More → Sharing Center.
2. Create a share and select Technician as the role.
3. Choose which instruments to share (all, a rack, or specific items).
4. Send your technician the invitation link.

Your technician can view setup specs and log maintenance, but won't see financial information.

Can I set a share to expire automatically?

Yes. When creating or editing a share, set an end date and enable auto-revocation. When the date passes, the recipient's access is automatically removed.

What happens when someone accepts my share?

The shared instruments appear in their app under Shared With Me. They can only see and do what you've allowed based on the role and permissions you set.

How do I remove someone's access?

1. Go to More → Sharing Center → My Shares.
2. Select the share.
3. Tap Revoke.

The recipient immediately loses access.

What if someone leaves my share and I want to invite them again?

Use the Reshare feature. When a recipient leaves, the share shows "Left" status. Tap the share and then tap Reshare to generate a fresh invitation link. Your permissions and settings are preserved—you just need to send them the new link.

What is a Legacy Administrator?

A Legacy Administrator is someone (typically a family member) you invite to view your collection and succession plans. They have read-only access and can see which instruments you've assigned to which recipients.

What is App Mode and which should I choose?

Owner is for managing your personal collection. Collaborator is for technicians who service multiple clients' instruments. Legacy Admin is for estate planning and succession management. Choose based on your primary use case—you can change it later in Settings.

How do I use setup presets?

When editing an instrument, tap Apply Preset in the Setup Specifications section. Pick a preset (like "Electric Guitar Standard") and the relief and string height values are filled in automatically. Adjust as needed for your specific instrument.

Can I create my own setup presets?

Yes. Set up an instrument with your preferred values, then tap Save as Preset. Give it a name and it's available for all your other instruments.

How do I back up my data?

Go to More → Settings → Export. Select what to include and tap Export. Save the .lpro file to iCloud Drive, Files, or another location. To restore, use Import with the same file.

Why is my export file so large?

Photos are embedded in the .lpro export and can significantly increase file size. For smaller backups, toggle off "Include Photos" when exporting.

What happens if I import duplicate data?

You choose how to handle duplicates: Skip ignores items that already exist, Overwrite updates them with imported data, or Keep Both creates new copies.

How do I track my string inventory?

Use Stock Management (More → Stock Management). Add your string sets, set minimum/target stock levels, and record purchases and usage. When stock is low, generate a Stock Order Report.

I see duplicate instruments in my inventory. How do I fix this?

Duplicates can occasionally occur during iCloud sync edge cases. Use the Duplicate Detection tool to find and remove them:

1. Go to Settings → Cloud Tools.
2. Tap Check for Duplicates.
3. If duplicates are found, tap Remove Duplicates.

The cleanup keeps the oldest instrument in each duplicate group based on creation date.

Sharing isn't working. What should I do?

If share creation fails or recipients can't accept your invitation:

1. Confirm both you and the recipient have iCloud enabled and are signed in.
2. Check your network connection.
3. If the share shows a failed state, tap it and look for the Troubleshooting section.
4. Try Repair Share Configuration to reset the share and generate a fresh link.

Support

If you need help beyond this guide, collect these details first. It shortens debugging time.

• App version and iOS version.
• Whether iCloud sync is enabled.
• Which screen the issue happens on and the exact steps to reproduce it.
• Screenshots or screen recordings when relevant.