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Do you write them in an address book, an Excel spreadsheet? Do you write down the names of the bears they purchased, the dates and the price? I am beginning to think I should do this. What's the best way?
I use a spreadsheet when I make a bear, with all information you could possibly think to go with it.
It's name, date created, size, fabric, where I purchased the fabric, fabric cost, accessories, etc... I name and number each pattern I design and make sure I put that next to the bear I used it on. And then at the end of the row, I have ebay #, starting bid, dates, ebay user name of winning bidder, real name, shipping address, when I shipped the bear... I think I'm missing something here, 'cuz each row is pretty long...
But that's basically how I keep up. With it being in a spreadsheet, I can import it into a database program if I wanted, or sort the info by any column I wished...
That's more info that you wanted. 
I use a spreadsheet.
Laurie Lou BearsI write down the name of the bear,what pattern used(also any amendments to that pattern),what fur used and where I got it from.I also write down where I sold the bear and for how much and where it went to.I find this is enough otherwise you can spend more time on paperwork than you can making your bears!I am also lazy where paperwork is concerned 
Laurie :hug:
Aude-Mesange CreationsI do a spreadsheet with all the information and could still manage to mix-up two of my customers last week on an e-mail 
I couldn't live without. 
I keep contact and notes in my Mozilla Address Book (I regularly print this out. I'm still nervous about computer crashes although, supposedly, Mozilla has a copy offsite.). I like to keep everything in one spot so if the person contacts me I can instantly pull up their name and records. I also have my sales file (paper receipts) for record purposes. And I keep a design file with copies of my "Certificates" including a photo of each piece. Lately I have had to put up a board where I keep records of my limited edition series and who buys each piece. And I've started an ebay file listing collector's ebay names and a list of cat/kitten names I have used so I don't duplicate 
it's hard coming up with new names and not duplicating. It goes on 
.......Folders for each shop, future shows, magazines where I advertise, but the above are records for individual customers. :doh: I'm exhausted just thinking about it all!
Karen
I keep things fairly simple and low-tech with my records.
First, I record purchases in a boring accounting/ledger book and include price of item, tax, customer, name of bear, sales venue (eBay, website, show), and destination in that book. These are my customer and purchase records.
In a separate binder I keep records of my bear "recipes." It looks like a bunch of spreadsheets but it's a bunch of empty forms with rows and columns labelled HEAD, BODY, PAWPADS, etc., and much easier for me to use at my studio table with pen in hand (rather than in front of the computer) as I pull pattern pieces out of my files to create a particular bear "recipe" with these arms, and those legs, and the other head, etc. I list the name of the bear and which pattern piece I used for each part. This obviously means all my patterns need to be labelled and mine are. I call my patterns all kinds of things like SENDAK or LIME or STICK depending on what inspired me, what my mood was, or what color paper I had available at the time the pattern was created! Anyway, my book might read: SPRITE, Stick (head), Magenta (limbs), Precious (body). That way I know how to recreate the proportions of that bear by putting those particular pattern pieces back together next time. And similarly, if I didn't love the way the bear turned out, I simply don't use that "recipe" again. These are my bear construction records.
In a third book (gee this isn't sounding so simple after all, but really, it is!) I keep just photos, so I can yank it quickly off my shelf and take it to shows or bring it to meeetings, and every bear is represented there. It's a 4x6 album in a pretty pink color meant for display and not record keeping. These are my photographic records.
It sounds more complicated than it is. There's no setup or learning curve and it just takes a two minute scribble to have all my records complete, none of which relies on my computer working correctly! As much as I'm on the computer, I really am more of a paper-and-pencil gal and like my important files to be hard copies, like Karen!
Jellybelly Bearshaha, shelli your system sounds as conplicated as mine lol. I have one book with the recipe's, another with detailed pricing, I have a folder on my pooter with sub folders of all my bears which includs photos, emails, paypal notes etc all the bits and bobs i collect for that bear...then i have a spreadsheet with each bear sale, how much, profit, buyer etc etc I only include bears that I sell in this spreadsheet but every bear I make goes into the recipe book and bear folder.
and I do the same thing with patterns...usually they are called what the bears name is that i first made with it.
