Help Using The Rack App
Everything you need to get started and make the most of The Rack.
Getting Started
First login and setup
Collection
Managing your animals
Clutches
Tracking incubation
Sales
Recording transactions
QR Codes
Labels and scanning
Import Data
From MorphMarket
Getting Started
First Login
After purchasing The Rack, you will receive an email with your license code and a link to the app. To log in:
- Go to app.therackapp.io
- Enter the email address you used to purchase
- Enter your license code (found in your purchase confirmation email)
- Click Sign In
Your personal Google Sheet will be created automatically on first login. This is where all your data lives, and you own it completely.
Dashboard Overview
After logging in, you will see your Dashboard. This is your home base showing key stats at a glance: total breeders, males, females, active clutches, hatchlings, and sales figures. The Alerts section highlights items needing attention like overdue clutches or unshipped sales.
Click any alert card to jump directly to the relevant animals or clutches.
Managing Your Collection
Adding Animals
To add a new animal to your collection:
- Go to Collection in the sidebar
- Click the + Add Breeder button
- Fill in the animal details (name, sex, genetics, etc.)
- Click Save
Each animal automatically gets a unique ID in the format B-YYYY-0001 (for breeders) or H-YYYY-0001 (for hatchlings). The year is based on the date of birth.
Filtering and Searching
Use the filter dropdowns at the top of the table to narrow down by sex, status, species, or genes. The search box lets you find animals by name, ID, or genetics.
Animal Statuses
Each animal has a status that tracks where it is in your program:
- Breeder - Active breeding animal
- Holdback - Keeping for future breeding
- Listed - Currently for sale
- Unlisted - Not yet listed for sale
- On Hold - Reserved by a buyer
- Sold - Sale completed
- Pet Only - Not for breeding
- Deceased - No longer alive
- Retired - No longer breeding
Tracking Clutches
Adding a Clutch
When a female lays:
- Go to Clutches in the sidebar
- Click + Add Clutch
- Select the Dam (female) and Sire (male)
- Enter the Lay Date
- Enter egg counts (total laid, fertile, slugs)
- Click Save
The app automatically calculates the estimated hatch date (lay date + 59 days) and tracks how many days until hatch.
Hatching a Clutch
When eggs start pipping:
- Find the clutch in your Clutches table
- Click the Hatch button
- Enter the hatch date and number of hatchlings
- Click Create Hatchlings to generate individual records
- Fill in details for each hatchling (sex, genetics, notes)
- Click Save All Hatchlings
Add notes when creating the clutch to remind yourself of anything special. These notes will pop up when you click the Hatch button.
Recording Sales
Marking an Animal as Sold
When you make a sale:
- Go to Hatchlings in the sidebar
- Find the animal and click the Sale button
- Enter sale details: price, buyer name, email, ship date
- Click Save Sale
The animal's status automatically changes to Sold and appears in your Sales view.
Generating Invoices
To create a professional invoice:
- Go to Sales in the sidebar
- Click Create Invoice
- Select the animals to include
- Add buyer information and shipping details
- Click Generate Invoice
- Print or download as PDF
Tracking Shipping
The dashboard shows alerts for animals that need to ship soon or are past their ship date. Update the Ship Date field when you schedule shipping to keep these alerts accurate.
QR Codes and Bin Tags
What QR Codes Do
Each animal has a unique QR code that links directly to their record. Scan the code with your phone to instantly view the animal's details or log an activity.
Printing QR Labels
- Go to Tools in the sidebar
- Click Print QR Codes
- Select the animals you want labels for
- Choose label size (1 inch or 2 inch)
- Click Print
Printing Bin Tags
Bin tags are larger labels with more information. They include the animal's name, ID, sex, genetics, and QR code. Perfect for tub labels on your rack.
- Go to Tools in the sidebar
- Click Print Bin Tags
- Select animals (use the search to find specific ones)
- Click Print Bin Tags
Scanning QR Codes
When you scan a QR code with your phone:
- You will be taken to the Activity Log page for that animal
- Quickly log a feeding, weight, shed, or other activity
- The animal's ID is pre-filled so you just select the activity type and save
Importing Data
Import from MorphMarket
If you have animals listed on MorphMarket, you can import them directly:
- Go to MorphMarket and navigate to My Animals
- Select the tab you want to export (Breeder, Holdback, For Sale, or Sold)
- Click the Export button to download a CSV file
- In The Rack, go to the appropriate import option in the sidebar
- Upload your CSV file
- Review the preview and click Import
The import checks for duplicates automatically. If an animal already exists (matched by MorphMarket ID), it will update the existing record instead of creating a duplicate.
What Gets Imported
The import brings over: animal name, sex, date of birth, species, genetics, weight, price, status, breeder source, sire, dam, and notes. You can always edit any field after import.
Logging Activities
Activity Types
The Rack tracks 12 types of activities:
- Took Meal - Animal ate
- Refused Meal - Animal did not eat
- Weight - Weight measurement
- Shed - Completed a shed
- Note - General observation
- Health Hold - Health concern
- Paired - Introduced to mate
- Lock - Breeding observed
- Follicle Size - Ultrasound measurement
- Ovulation - Ovulation observed
- Pre Lay Shed - Pre-lay shed completed
- Laid - Eggs laid
Quick Logging
The fastest way to log activities is to scan the QR code on an animal's bin tag with your phone. This opens the activity form with the animal pre-selected.