Discogs + Vault
How to import a Discogs collection into Vault
Connect Discogs to Vault and import your collection step by step while reviewing pressings, duplicates, plan limits, and condition.
If you have already cataloged your records in Discogs, you do not need to enter them again one by one. Vault can read your collection with a personal token and import the available entries while preserving the reference to each release.
The import is a starting point. You should then review duplicates, complete the condition, and add details specific to your copies. These steps turn an imported list into a useful personal catalog.
Quick summary
The process in 5 steps
- 1Review and clean up your Discogs collection.
- 2Create a personal token in Discogs developer settings.
- 3Save the token in Vault Settings.
- 4Check how many entries were found and confirm the import.
- 5Review results, condition, notes, and possible duplicates.
1. Prepare the source collection
Before importing, open your Discogs collection and correct entries you know belong to a different pressing. Also review copies you no longer own and duplicate items. Import quality depends on the source information.
You do not need to complete every custom Discogs field. What matters is that each entry points to the correct release and that the collection is accessible through the account that generates the token.
2. Get a personal Discogs token
Sign in to Discogs and open the developer settings. Generate a Personal Access Token and copy it somewhere safe. The token acts as a credential: do not publish it in screenshots, shared documents, or messages.
In Vault, sign in and open Settings. Paste the token in the Discogs integration section and save it. Vault will check the connection and display the associated user when it can validate it.
3. Check the collection before importing
Use ‘Review collection’ so Vault can check how many entries are available. Make sure the number looks reasonable before confirming.
Your plan determines how many records can be added. The free plan supports a limited collection, while Premium can import a larger one. If there is not enough room, the import may stop at the limit; the original Discogs entries are never deleted.
4. Run the import
Confirm ‘Import now’. Large collections are processed in pages, so progress may take time. Keep the session open until you receive the summary of imported, existing, and failed entries.
Vault compares identifiers to avoid saving a release that already exists. However, two legitimate copies of the same release and certain source differences still require manual review.
- Imported: new entries added to the catalog.
- Already exists: matches Vault did not create again.
- Failed: entries that need another attempt or review.
- Skipped by limit: entries for which the plan had no room.
5. Review the imported catalog
Search for a few representative records and confirm the artwork, year, country, label, and catalog number. Pay attention to releases with several similar reissues and older entries you may have identified quickly in Discogs.
Complete the vinyl and sleeve condition because it may be unavailable or may not describe your copy in enough detail. Add notes about inserts, provenance, defects, and relevant physical details.
6. Decide how to use synchronization
The connection can also help add releases identified in Vault to your Discogs collection and, when instance data is available, synchronize condition and notes. Review the option before saving to avoid unwanted changes in the external collection.
Discogs and Vault serve complementary roles. Discogs is a large community database; Vault adds a visual identification flow, personal catalog, guided condition grading, wishlist, export, and a read-only public view.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions
Does importing from Discogs delete or change my original collection?
Importing reads the entries and adds them to Vault. It does not delete the Discogs collection. Later synchronization actions are shown separately and require the connection to remain active.
What if I already have some records in Vault?
Vault tries to detect existing entries through the available identifiers. After importing, review the summary and manually check albums you truly own in more than one copy.
Is it safe to store a Discogs token?
Treat it like a password and share it only with services you trust. You can revoke it in Discogs at any time and remove the connection from Vault Settings.