1. Create an area
   Before you start probing, mark an area where you will search. You can return to this area later and add more finds.
   
   
2. Measure finds & GPS data while sounding with your cell phone
   You can enter your finds quickly and without writing, even in wet and cold conditions, using the large find category tiles and even faster using your personal favorites.
   
   
3. Enter more photos, videos, information and other finds at home using your PC, laptop or cell phone
   After cleaning the finds, you can create more photos and videos, collect more information and add them conveniently at home alongside other finds on your PC, laptop or tablet.
   
   
4. Visualize finds & areas
   View your finds on the map and filter and color them by category, subcategory, age or material. You will make amazing discoveries.
   
   
5. Share finds with archaeologists, landowners, tenants and friends
   With V-Tector you can share what you want, with whom you want. 
   
   
6. Publish your selected finds in the finds show
   Here you will receive comments, likes and help from the community in identifying your finds.
   
   
7. Report, archive and export finds with printable find slips and find lists
   With V-Tector, the paperwork for reporting and archiving your finds is done in seconds. You can download and print out lists of finds and find slips for your collection.

Each detectorist has their own way of measuring, photographing, cleaning, and archiving finds. V-Tector adapts to your needs and offers different ways for you to measure and add finds:

Type 1: On-site, quick
You create a new find on your phone in V-Tector and enter the category of the find via the tiles & your favorites, along with 2 photos (front & back). You don't need to type any text into your phone for this. It takes approximately 40 to 60 seconds.
From this moment on, theoretically, you can already share the find with your archaeologist or the finds gallery, live on-site.

At home, after cleaning the finds, you can add more photos & videos, as well as additional find details such as material, dating, or dimensions.

Type 2: On-site, extremely fast
You want to cover ground and measure finds in just about 20 seconds as simply as possible in the field. For this, you take 2 photos of the find with your phone (front & back) with geotagging enabled and continue your search. This way, you get maximum search time on the field.

At home, you upload the photos of the front sides of all finds together in one upload in your area. For each photo, a new find is automatically created with the GPS data of the photo as the find position. From this moment on, you can already share the find with your archaeologist or the finds gallery.

You can then add the photos of the back sides, additional photos & videos after cleaning, as well as additional find details such as material, dating, or dimensions.

Type 3: Import from Excel, CSV & Tect O Trak
You already have the data of your finds in Excel or CSV tables? Then you can import all finds at once into V-Tector.

To do this, download the Excel or CSV template from V-Tector and upload a file in the same format with your entered finds again.

If you use the Tect O Trak app, you can upload all your areas and finds with just one upload and then fill them in further in V-Tector.

Type 4: Digitize & protect your find collection
You already have hundreds or thousands of ground finds at home, rarely viewed and admired by people who know about it and share our hobby?

Your collection should become visible and protected for archaeologists and all people who love history and treasure hunting. It is an important piece of the puzzle for archaeology that you have created with countless days of work over a long period.
Now with V-Tector, you have the opportunity to digitize your collection and share selected finds in the finds gallery. The images and data of your collection are thus protected in the cloud against data loss due to device failure or loss, fire, or theft. This way, you always have access to your collection from anywhere.
You receive comments and likes from other users on your finds, as well as help with identification from archaeologists. GPS data is not published in this process.

• Title: The designation of the find by the finder.
• Category: Which category does the find belong to?
• Area or Region: Where was the find discovered?

• Front Photo: This is displayed as the thumbnail image.
• Back Photo: Optionally, this can be shown as an additional thumbnail image.

• Cleaning Status: Indicates the cleaning status of the find in the respective photo/video.
• Reference Image: Example image of the find in good condition with copyright notice.
• Epoch: 3-stage epoch system with over 100 regionally adapted epochs.
• Dating: Year, time span, or centuries with multiple selection.
• Material: More than 25 materials, multiple selection is possible.
• Found: Date and time of discovery or unknown.
• Finder: Finder of the find, which can be yourself, another V-Tector user, or another person.
• GPS Position: Indicates the GPS position of the find (Decimal degrees WGS84 and UTM ETRS89) with automatic conversion. Alternatively, you can choose your own position or position on the map. If the exact location of the find is not known, specify the region (country, state, district, etc.).
• Accuracy: Default is GPS (5 meters), with 10 additional settings available.
• Description: Any additional information and observations about the find.
• Literature: Description of the find type in literature, list of all references.
• Inscription: All visible texts, numbers, and characters on the find.
• Mint: This field is only visible for coins and indicates the location or abbreviation of the mint.
• Country of Origin: The country where the find was produced.
• Condition: Completely preserved, mostly preserved, fragment.
• Detector Find: Yes, no, or unknown, indicating if the find was made with a metal detector.
• Conductivity: The find is measured with the largest possible surface about 10 cm in front of the coil. For example, a coin is held parallel to the coil, not upright.
• Detector: To correctly classify the conductivity, the detector model is specified. Some detectors, for example, have a scale up to 50, others up to 100.
• Length: The greatest length of the find in millimeters.
• Width: The width of the find in millimeters.
• Height: The height of the find in millimeters.
• Diameter: The diameter of the find in millimeters.
• Weight: The weight of the find in grams with up to 2 decimal places.
• Depth: The depth at which the find was discovered in the ground in centimeters.
• Direction: The compass orientation of the find's location. For example, if a spearhead is found, the orientation of the tip can be entered as north-east.
• Find ID: The find ID starts with VT- and is only assigned once. It is automatically generated and cannot be changed.
• Example: VT-Y9Q5S88Q
• Inventory Number: If the find has already been assigned a different ID by you or your archaeologist, you can enter it in addition to the automatically generated V-Tector find ID. Simply click on the plus sign next to the find ID.
• Finds Gallery ID: In the public Finds Gallery, each find has another, anonymous find ID that can be searched for. It does not contain your user ID, nor the ascending find number, nor the area ID. The ID is automatically generated and cannot be changed.
• Example: VT-4PLS745B
• Find Circumstances: Here you can enter special circumstances for your archaeologist, such as "found underwater", "in a cave on a cliff", "area will soon be developed", etc.
• Whereabouts: Where is the find currently kept? By default, the finder is entered.
• Collection: If the find is displayed in a collection, you can enter the name of the collection or museum here.
• Find Slip: Here you can download the automatically generated find slip in PDF format.
• Released to Finder: If a find has already been released to you by your archaeologist, perhaps during one of the previous find submissions, you can enter the date of the release to you here.

• Recording with a smartphone is perfectly adequate; you don't need a camera.
• Sound is not required and can be muted or replaced with music.
• Ensure sharp footage and good lighting conditions, and capture enough shots for safety.
• For small objects like coins, use the macro mode during recording.
• Utilize side lighting sources to enhance textures by casting shadows.
• Avoid uploading videos sent via WhatsApp, as they may have reduced quality during transmission.

• YouTube (Videos and Shorts)
• Instagram
• TikTok

1. To create your favorites, go to "Settings" (click on your user picture/initials in the top right corner) and then select "Favorites."
   
   
2. Next, choose a category and additional subcategories for the first entry. For example:
   
   Clothing & Fibulae > Button
   or
   Weapons & Armor > Ammunition > Lead bullet
   
   
3. Finally, enter a short title that will be displayed for your entry, such as "Button" or "Lead bullet," and save the entry.

1. Go to "Areas" in the menu and then click on "New Area"
2. In the "Title" field, give the area a designation that describes the location of the area for you and your archaeologist, such as "Mill Road right field to barn."
3. You can now enter your archaeologist, landowner, and tenant to share selected finds with them later.
4. Enter any additional information that you have available. For example, you typically receive a site number from your archaeologist in most cases.
5. On the map, click to set individual points that together form a closed area. You can change the shape of the area by dragging the points and then click "Save" to finish.

• Title: A title created by you describing the area.
• Area ID: This ID is automatically generated, cannot be changed, and consists of your user ID, an "A" (for "area"), and an ascending number. Example: FUWNAP-A25
• Manual Area ID: Additionally, you can specify your own area ID if needed.
• Archaeologist: The archaeologists selected by you for sharing finds from this area. However, finds will only be shared when you actively select to share them with your archaeologists while editing a find.
• Share Tracking Paths: If you want to share your recorded paths on the area with your archaeologists, check this box.
• Landowner: You can share selected finds from the area with the landowner. To do this, enter their information here and activate the checkbox for "Landowner" in the finds to be shared.
• Tenant: You can share selected finds from the area with the tenant. Enter their information here and activate the checkbox for "Tenant" in the finds to be shared.
• Country: The country where the area is located. Selecting the country is necessary to add country-specific epochs to the finds.
• Federal state: The federal state where the area is located.
• District: The district where the area is located.
• Municipality: The municipality where the area is located.
• Cadastral district: The cadastral district where the area is located.
• Parcel number: The parcel number where the area is located.
• Historical & Background Information: Here, you can enter all notes from conversations, emails, and research about the area.
• Edit find-location: Here, you can enter data about a find-location, such as the find-location-number and descriptions.
• Set Area Markings: Here, you can draw an area on a map by placing points. The marked area should generally correspond to a field or meadow.
  
  

• Chance find (without targeted search)
• Survey (systematic search)
• Metal detecting survey
• Field survey (without system)
• Excavation observation
• Excavation
• Unknown

• Hill (summit, spur)
• Slope
• Plain
• Marsh / Wetland (organic preservation)
• Village / Town center (built-up area)
• Waterbody: Stream or River (banks or underwater)
• Waterbody: Lake (banks or underwater)
• Intertidal zone (Wadden Sea area)
• North Sea (permanently underwater area)
• Baltic Sea (permanently underwater area)
• Secondary location (no longer in original deposition)

• Arable land
• Forest
• Grassland (pasture/meadow)
• Garden
• Building land
• Pathway

• Completely destroyed (entire soil removed, excavation pit, gravel pit)
• Above-ground destroyed (e.g., burial mound)
• Well preserved (only for visible above-ground monuments)
• No damage

• Plowed area
• Construction area
• None

• Single find (surface find)
• Two individual finds (surface finds)
• Scatter of finds (surface finds)
• Settlement (evidence of structures)
• Grave (e.g., cremation remains)
• Other (further details in explanations)

• Paleolithic
• Mesolithic
• Neolithic
• Bronze Age
• Iron Age
• Roman Imperial Period
• Migration Period
• Medieval
• Modern Period
• Other
  
  

• To do this, click on "Overlay Image" and select an image from your device.
• Now you can use the 3 sliders to adjust the transparency, zoom level, and rotation of the image.
• Clicking "Remove image" will remove the image from the map again.
  
  

1. First, go to "Sites", select a site, and click on "Tracking".
2. You will now see your position on the map as a blue dot.
3. You can now start recording by clicking the "Start Tracking" button.
4. Recording will continue until you put your phone on standby or click the "Stop Tracking" button to end the recording.
5. Once you start tracking, the path will be displayed in a new color. This allows you to see which areas you have searched in each session.
6. You can use the "Show Stops" checkbox to display stops on your path where you took a longer break, to get an overview of dug holes and actual finds on the site.
7. With the detail level, you can change the number of points in your paths to ensure smooth map display even with a weak internet connection.

• To do this, click on "Overlay Image" and select an image from your device.
• Now you can adjust the transparency, zoom level, and rotation of the image using the 3 sliders.
• Clicking "Remove Image" will remove the image from the map.
  
  

• Find Search: Here you can search for words contained in the titles or descriptions of the finds.
• Category: You can select one or more categories simultaneously.
• Area: You can select one or more areas simultaneously.
• Epoch: You can select one or more epochs simultaneously. If there are sub-epochs for an epoch, they will be displayed after selecting the main epoch. If there are further sub-epochs of the sub-epoch, they will be displayed after the selection.
• Dating: Here you can specify an exact year, a range of years, a century, or multiple centuries simultaneously.
• Show Undated: Many finds are not yet dated and will still be displayed when filtered by "Dating" if this box is checked.
• Material: Here you can select one or more materials simultaneously.
• Image: For managing your collection, you can filter your finds here by the status of the images.
• Top Finds: With the blue star, you can mark all the finds you like best. This allows you to filter your collection by your top finds.
• Country: The country of origin of the finds.
• Review: Here only the finds with the selected review status are displayed.
• Identification: If this box is checked, only the finds for which you have chosen identification will be displayed.

• You can switch the map between map view, map view with terrain, satellite view, and satellite view with labels.
• The arrows on the left and right edges rotate the map.
• The arrows on the top and bottom edges tilt the map view.
• Use the plus and minus signs to zoom in and out on the map.
• The symbol above the plus and minus signs centers the map on your GPS location.
• The symbol in the top right corner shows the map in fullscreen mode.

• Each find is represented by a red dot that you can click on to open a small window displaying a photo, title, category, date of the find, and a link to the find.
• You can filter by categories and subcategories up to 6 levels, including multiple selections.
• Finds of different categories are displayed in different colors.
• You can display finds from one or more epochs.
• Under "Dating," you can display finds from a specific year or time period.
  
  

• Use the arrows on the left and right edges of the image to navigate between the finds. You can also use the mouse wheel, swipe, or the arrow keys on your keyboard.
• Clicking on an image zooms it in. Another click zooms out. You can also use the magnifying glass icon in the top right corner.
• The play button in the top right corner starts an automatic slideshow that transitions from one find to the next. You can pause the slideshow with the pause button. This also works with the space bar on your keyboard.
• Below the image, the find category and cleaning status of the find are displayed.
• Use the "Original" button to view the unedited original version of your photo in full size.
• With the "more photos" button, you can view additional photos of the displayed find. You will then switch to a gallery of the find where you can view only the photos of the find or switch back to the main gallery.
• Clicking on the "Edit" button takes you to the profile of the find, where you can edit it.
• The X in the top right corner, a click next to an image, or the escape key on your keyboard closes the gallery.
  
  

• Authority: For example, District Archaeology Paderborn
• Photo of the front side
• Photo of the back side
• QR code: Opens a webpage with all the find information using a mobile phone camera.
• Coordinates in UTM format
• District
• Municipality
• Cadastral designation
• Site name
• Site number
• Find date
• Find ID: V-Tector ID and manual find ID, if available
• Title
• Description
• Category
• Material
• Weight
• Length, width, height, diameter
• Dating
• Epoch
• First and last name of the finder
• Postal code and city name of the finder
• Whereabouts
• Inventory number (free field)

1. click on "Export" and then on "Find note PDF".
2. Now, a small checkbox "Find note" is displayed next to each find in the list, which you can keep activated to download a find note for that find or deactivate it to not add the find.
   Using the function above the list "Find notes: Select All" selects all the finds shown on the page. Another click removes the selection of all finds.
   This way, you can precisely select the finds that should be included in your PDF file.
3. Once your selection is made, click on the link "Find note Download" to download the PDF file.
   
   

• Number: Sequential numbering of the finds
• Photo: Photo of the front side of the find
• Title: Your find title
• Category: The category and subcategories of the find
• GPS Position: Position in UTM format
• Area: Title of the area
• Find Date: Date of the finding day

1. click on "Export" and then on "Find List PDF".
2. Alternatively, you can also choose Excel or CSV.
   Now, a small checkbox is displayed next to each find in the list, which you can keep activated to add the find to the list or deactivate it to not add the find.
   Using the function above the list "Select All" selects all the finds shown on the page. Another click removes the selection of all finds.
   This way, you can precisely select the finds that should be included in your list.
3. Once your selection is made, click on the link "Find List PDF Download" to download the PDF file.
   
   

1. Open the "My Finds" page.
2. At the top right of the list, you'll find the "Release Finds" button, which you click.
3. Now, in each find on the page's list, a new checkbox "Release Find" appears, which you can individually activate or deactivate. This way, you can select exactly which finds you want to release all at once.
4. To select or deselect all finds on the page at once, there is a checkbox located at the top left of the list next to the text "Release Selected Finds".
5. Once you have completed your selection and all the finds you want to release are checked, click on the "Save" button to the right of the text "Release Selected Finds".
6. The current date will automatically be recorded as the release date for all selected finds.

• The position of find spots on maps or references to the position of find spots may not be published in text or image form.
• Texts such as find descriptions and comments may not contain GPS data.
• GPS data may not be displayed in images and videos.
• Swastikas and other symbols banned in Germany must be covered or made unrecognizable.

• Finder: Your anonymous username.
• Find ID: An anonymous ID to search for the find in the Find-Show.
• Published: When was the find published in the Find-Show. This does not correspond to the find date.
• Photos & Videos: Do not contain GPS data of the finds
• Title: Your self-composed title of the find
• Category
• Epoch
• Dating
• Description
• Literature
• Inscription
• Mint
• Country of origin
• Material
• Condition
• Conductivity
• Detector
• Country
• District
• Dimensions (length, width, height, diameter)
• Weight
• Museum
  
  

• Optimizing content in the Find-Show for all users
• Supporting new and inexperienced users in navigating and posting finds
• Assisting users in describing and identifying their finds
• Resolving issues and violations and reporting them to admins

• Reviewing new usernames and real names for violations or issues
• Reviewing new profile pictures & channel banners for violations or issues
• Reporting inappropriate content, advertising, and violations to admins

• Fully reviewing new finds for violations or issues
• Checking updated and new content of finds
• Reporting inappropriate content, advertising, and violations to admins

• Encouraging helpful content in conversations and supporting with additional links and information
• Reading new comments for violations or issues
• Correcting spelling & grammar errors
• Reporting inappropriate content, advertising, and violations to admins

• Disabling identification for fully identified finds, enabling for unidentified finds

• Entering, correcting, refining, adding information from comments
• Correcting spelling & grammar errors
• Adjusting order of information partially to planned structure
• Moving messages into description
• Removing exclamation marks, emojis, special characters
• Moving own find IDs into description, informing users

• Entering, correcting, refining, adding information from comments

• Correcting spelling & grammar errors

• Entering, correcting, refining, correcting spelling & grammar errors

• Entering, correcting, refining, adding information from comments

• Fully reviewing images for violations or issues
• Selecting appropriate front and back images
• Deleting images with advertising, incorrect motifs, swastikas, Hitler heads & banned symbols, informing users

• Fully reviewing videos for violations or issues
• Deleting videos with advertising, incorrect content, swastikas, Hitler heads & banned symbols, informing users

• Moderators can only see and edit data of finds that are published in the Find-Show.
• Moderators can only see a portion of the data of a find in the Find-Show.
• All other information, such as GPS data or areas, are not visible to moderators and cannot be changed.
• The following data of a find in the Find-Show is visible to moderators and can be edited by them:
• Title, category, epoch, dating, material, description, literature, inscription, mint, country of origin, condition, images, videos

• Title: Dr. / Prof. (if applicable)
• First Name: optional
• Last Name: Last name of the person
• Roles: Archaeologist, landowner, or tenant
• Authority / Museum: Position of the person
• Email: Email address
• Mobile: Mobile number
• Phone: Landline number
• Address: Street and house number
• City: Workplace or residence
• ZIP Code: Postal code
• Country: Country of workplace or residence
• State: State of workplace or residence
  
  

1. To share finds with archaeologists, first create a contact with the role "Archaeologist" and enter the corresponding name and email address.
   
   
2. In your contacts overview, a "Share finds" button will appear next to the newly created archaeologist contact. Click this button to send the invitation.
   
   
3. Your archaeologist will receive a notification in V-Tector where they can confirm the sharing. Once confirmed, you will receive a notification that you are now successfully sharing finds.
   
   
4. Your archaeologist can now see all the finds and areas shared with them, along with their GPS data, send feedback to you, and release finds for further analysis.

1. To share finds with landowners and tenants, first create a contact with the role "Landowner" or "Tenant" and enter the corresponding name.
   
   
2. In your contacts overview, a "Share finds & areas via link" button will appear next to the newly created contact. Click this button.
   
   
3. A small window will open where you can select how you want to share the link with the person: via WhatsApp, email, Facebook, X, or display and copy the link.
   
   
4. The landowner or tenant does NOT need a V-Tector account to view the shared areas and finds. They will receive access to all the finds and areas you have shared with them through a single link.
   
   
5. Send the link to the landowner or tenant and ask them to open the link in a browser on their mobile phone or on a PC/laptop.
   
   

1. Invite detectorists:
   After informing your detectorists about V-Tector and creating an account yourself, share your email address with your detectorists to be able to share areas and finds with them.
   
   
2. Invite contact for sharing finds:
   Once your detectorists have created a V-Tector account, they can create an archaeologist contact with your email address to share finds with you. If the detectorist clicks on the "Invite" button next to your contact, you will receive a notification (bell icon at the top right) in V-Tector.
   
   
3. Confirm sharing:
   Once you confirm the invitation to share finds, you will gain access to all the finds and areas shared with you by the detectorists. A new page called "Detectorists" will appear in the main menu for you, where you can see all areas and finds in an overview.
   
   
4. Review finds:
   You can now review all newly shared finds and mark them as reviewed, so you won't have to edit them again. If your detectorists add new finds, they will appear as unchecked in your overview.
   
   
5. Release finds:
   If a find is not historically relevant, you can release it to the detectorist. They will be notified of the release, and the information will be added to the find.
   
   
6. Find submission:
   Any finds not previously released to them will be handed over to you during the find submission process. For archiving purposes, automatically generated printable find slips and lists are available to both the finder and you.
   
   

1. First, open the list of your detectorists and then open the list of finds for a person.
2. Above the list on the right side, you'll find the "Mark as Checked" button, which you click.
3. Now, a new checkbox "Find Checked" appears for each find on the page, which you can individually activate or deactivate. This allows you to select precisely the finds you want to save as checked all at once.
4. To quickly select all the finds on the page at once, there's a checkbox on the left above the list next to the text "Mark as Checked".
5. Once your selection is complete and all the finds to be marked as checked have a checkmark in their checkbox, click the "Save" button to the right of the "Mark as Checked" text.
6. Now, the current date is automatically recorded as the check date for all the selected finds, and they will no longer appear in the unchecked finds.

1. First, open the list of your detectorists and then open the list of finds for a person.
2. Above the list on the right side, you'll find the "Release Finds" button, which you click.
3. Now, a new checkbox "Release Find" appears for each find on the page, which you can individually activate or deactivate. This allows you to select precisely the finds you want to release together at once.
4. To quickly select all the finds on the page at once, there's a checkbox on the left above the list next to the text "Release Selected Finds".
5. Once your selection is complete and all the finds to be released have a checkmark in their checkbox, click the "Save" button to the right of the "Release Selected Finds" text.
6. Now, the current date is automatically recorded as the release date for all the selected finds, and your name is recorded as the releaser in the finds.
7. At the same time, the finder receives a notification in V-Tector that the find has been released by you.