# Why do people still track media on spreadsheets, Notes, or Keep?

Even with powerful automated platforms like SIMKL, many users still rely on "manual" tracking methods like Excel spreadsheets, Google Sheets, Notion, or simple phone notes.

If you are a blogger or a community manager, understanding these motivations is key to helping users transition to a more efficient system.

Here is a detailed breakdown of why people stick to manual tracking and how SIMKL offers a superior alternative.

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## 1. The Need for Infinite Customization

Standard tracking apps often have fixed fields (Title, Date, Rating). However, power users often want to track highly specific data points that apps might not support out of the box.

* The Spreadsheet Advantage: A user can create a column for *anything* "Price paid for DVD," "Shelf location," "Borrowed by \[Name]," or even "Bitrate of the digital file."
* The SIMKL Solution: SIMKL’s Custom List Notes (supporting up to 4,000 characters per item) and Private Tags allow users to add this exact same metadata without the manual labor of building a spreadsheet from scratch.

## 2. Privacy and "Offline" Control

Some users are wary of social features or cloud-dependent apps. They prefer having a file that exists solely on their hard drive or a private note that no algorithm will ever see.

* The Notes/Keep Advantage: It feels private and "owned" by the user. There are no "Global" stats or public profiles to worry about.
* The SIMKL Solution: SIMKL offers Private and Unlisted list settings. Users can enjoy the benefits of automated tracking while keeping their data completely invisible to the community.

## 3. Avoiding "Platform Lock-in"

Users often fear that if a tracking website shuts down, they will lose years of history. A `.csv` or `.xlsx` file feels permanent and portable.

* The Spreadsheet Advantage: You can open an Excel file ten years from now regardless of which websites are still online.
* The SIMKL Solution: SIMKL provides robust Export tools. You can download your data at any time, giving you the "permanent" peace of mind of a spreadsheet with the modern features of an app.

## 4. Simplicity for Casual Viewers

For someone who only watches three movies a year, setting up a full profile might feel like "overkill." A quick note in Google Keep feels faster.

* The Keep Advantage: No login, no search, just "Type and save."
* The SIMKL Solution: Features like the QR Code Quick Share and the Sticky Share Bar make adding titles to SIMKL just as fast as typing a note, but with the added benefit of automatic posters, cast info, and trailers being added for you.

## 5. Cross-Platform "Universal" Tracking

Before the rise of unified trackers, people used spreadsheets to keep their Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll history in one single place.

* The Spreadsheet Advantage: It doesn't care which streaming service you use; it's all in one list.
* The SIMKL Solution: This is SIMKL’s core strength.\
  SIMKL is platform-agnostic, automatically syncing with various apps and Chrome extensions to provide that "Universal" view that manual spreadsheets once provided.

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## Spreadsheet vs. SIMKL

| **Feature**   | **Spreadsheets / Notes**  | **SIMKL Watchlist**                       |
| ------------- | ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Data Entry    | Manual (Time-consuming)   | Automated (One-click)                     |
| Updates       | Must remember to update   | Auto-syncs via Apps/Extensions            |
| Metadata      | You must find and type it | Populates automatically (Cast, Crew, Art) |
| Notifications | None                      | Airing & Release Alerts                   |
| Discovery     | None                      | Custom List Discovery & Recommendations   |
| Portability   | High (Files)              | High (Cloud + Export options)             |

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## SIMKL is much better that Manual Tracking

People track on spreadsheets because they crave control and customization. SIMKL's Custom Lists and Note features were designed specifically to give users that same level of control while removing the tedious manual labor.