In 2010 the EU SYNTHESYS project launched a simple to use, online self-assessment form to evaluate the status of natural history collections management. (www.synthesys.info/network-activities/synthesys3-na2/self-assessment/) Institutions self-assess at the level appropriate to their collections and resources i.e. institutional or departmental. The survey covers all areas impacting on collections from storage environment and use of materials to budget allocation. Institutions record performance against 63 benchmarks relating to managing collections and an automatically generated report is returned with suggestions for improvement. A criticality factor is applied to the results highlighting areas of greatest risk and also advice on non-urgent areas for improvement.Results were validated and consistency encouraged through audit visits by experts. Results suggested that variation between reported data and the auditors’ assessment was a result of interpretation of questions or a correctable weakness in the scoring system and need for audits could be less once these have been addressed. Seventeen institutions from eight European countries completed the survey representing more than 200 million specimens. Of these fourteen were audited. The results were analysed and common strengths and weaknesses identified. Particular areas of strength or weakness were related to institution size. If more institutions complete the survey the more useful data will be available to help direct training, staff development and to support large funding bids to address common weaknesses. Several institutions used the exercise as evidence to support their funding bids. Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm and Naturalis, Leiden for example used the data to plan major improvements to collections management.