Guide
Watched films spreadsheet: the columns worth keeping
Is a spreadsheet a good place to keep films? Yes, and it's safer than it looks: the file stays with you, doesn't depend on a server and doesn't vanish when an app shuts down. The question is which columns to keep and how far it can go.
By the Cinapp team · Updated on
Recommended columns
These are the ones I would use. You can cut some, but don't cut date or rating.
| Column | What it is for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Day you watched it. Use YYYY-MM-DD so sorting works. | 2026-03-12 |
| Title | Film name, always the same. | Central do Brasil |
| Year | Release year. Filter by era. | 1998 |
| Director | Who directed it. Great for following an author. | Walter Salles |
| Rating | From 0.5 to 5, your own rating. | 4,5 |
| Where you watched | Cinema, streaming, DVD or other. | Couch, streaming |
| List or theme | The theme of the queue, like "classics" or "horror". | Classics |
| Short review | One sentence about what you thought. | Simple on the surface, heavy inside |
| Rewatch | Y or N, to remember what you want to rewatch. | S |
Date, title and rating are the core. Without them, the spreadsheet counts nothing.
Useful formulas
These formulas assume Date in column A, Rating in column F and a header in the first row. I did not test them in Excel or Google Sheets. Check with a few films before trusting them.
Films watched in 2026:
=CONT.SES(A:A;">="&DATA(2026;1;1);A:A;"<="&DATA(2026;12;31))Average of your ratings in 2026:
=MÉDIASES(F:F;A:A;">="&DATA(2026;1;1);A:A;"<="&DATA(2026;12;31))In English, the functions are COUNTIFS and AVERAGEIFS. If Excel complains about the separator, switch the semicolon for a comma or the reverse, depending on your regional settings.
When a spreadsheet works
- You like controlling every detail. One column for what matters and nothing else.
- You don't want notifications. A spreadsheet doesn't remind you of anything. If you forget to open it, you forget.
- You want the data in your own place. The file stays on your computer or your cloud, and it only disappears if you delete it.
- You watch few films. Twenty a year? A spreadsheet handles it easily.
When an app is worth it
The spreadsheet has limits, and I'd rather talk about them:
- Calendar. A spreadsheet doesn't tell you what to watch today. An app with a calendar, like Cinapp, schedules the film and shows the queue.
- Reminder. An app can remind you on planned days, if you turn on notifications. A spreadsheet only exists when you open it.
- Ranking and points. If you like competing or keeping streaks, a spreadsheet won't do that on its own.
- Phone. Editing a spreadsheet on the phone is possible, but awkward. The iPhone and Android app was made for that.
- Duplicate. Two entries for the same film on different dates become two rows. An app handles that better.
And there's one point that weighs more than the others: the spreadsheet is yours, the app isn't. Whoever used TV Time and had no saved file lost their history when the app shut down in July 2026. If you pick an app, keep a copy of your spreadsheet or export your data when the app allows it. The page about the TV Time alternative covers this case.
How to move the spreadsheet to an app
Cinapp does not import spreadsheets or files from other apps. Use the spreadsheet as a guide: sort by year, copy each film's title and log it in Cinapp with the date. It's manual, but the spreadsheet keeps you from forgetting any.
Before you start, remove the duplicates and separate what you want to keep from what's noise.
If your spreadsheet turns into a real diary, the next step is the film diary. Just want to know how many films you have watched? See how to know how many films I have watched.
A template to start with
Copy this header into the first row:
Date Title Year Director Rating Where you watched List or theme Short review RewatchFill in only what you already know. You don't need to complete every field. The goal is to build the habit, not a perfect register.
Frequently asked questions
Which column matters most?
Date, title and rating. With those three, you can count films per year and average the ratings.
Do I need formulas?
No. You can just log. Formulas are for people who want automatic summaries.
When should I switch the spreadsheet for an app?
When you want a calendar, reminders or a ranking, or when you can no longer keep the spreadsheet up to date. If the spreadsheet works for you, don't switch.
Does Cinapp import my spreadsheet?
No. You log the films in Cinapp manually, with the date you watched them.
The one-movie-a-day challenge
365 movies in a year. You pick the movies, the calendar keeps the pace and the points show how far you've come.
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