Do you ever find yourself forgetting which books you’ve read or losing track of the ones you want to dive into next?
A book tracker can solve that! It helps you stay organized, track what you’ve read, and keep a running list of books you’re excited to explore. With Google Sheets, you can easily create a custom tracker that perfectly matches your reading habits.
Why Should You Track Your Book or Reading List?
Tracking your book or reading list helps you stay organized and motivated. It’s a simple way to remember what you’ve read, what you enjoyed, and what’s next on your list.
You can set goals, explore patterns in your reading habits, and even find out which genres or authors you love most. And, it’s a great feeling to look back and see all the books you’ve completed, giving you a sense of accomplishment and inspiration to keep going.
Step 1: Set Up the Spreadsheet
Open a new Google Sheet. Name it “Book Tracker” or something that resonates with you. You can rename the sheet by clicking on the default title at the top left corner of your screen.
Step 2: Create Headers
In the top row, create headers for each piece of information you want to track. Here are some common categories:
- Title
- Author
- Genre
- Start Date
- Finish Date
- Rating
- Status (like “Reading,” “Completed,” or “Want to Read”)
- Progress
- Notes
You can add more or remove some depending on your preferences.
Step 3: Enter the Book Details
Now that you have your headers, you can start entering the book information under each category, such as Book Title, Author, Start & End date.
Step 4: Freeze the Header Row
Freeze the first row so it stays visible as you scroll. Click on View > Freeze > 1 row. This will keep your headers in place even as your list grows.
Step 5: Set Up Dropdown Menus
To make data entry easier, especially for the “Genre” and “Status” columns, create drop-down menus. Select the cells under “Status”. Click Data > Data Validation. In the window that pops up, choose “Dropdown.” Type options like “Reading, Completed, or Want to Read.” Click Save.
Repeat these steps for the “Genre” column with genres like “Fiction, Non-Fiction, Mystery, Romance,” etc.
Step 6: Create a Rating System
You can rate books on a scale of 1 to 5. To make it visual, use star symbols. Here’s a simple way to do it:
In the rating column, you can type a number (1 to 5), and for a more visual effect, you can copy and paste star symbols (★) into the cells. If you want half-star ratings, you can use the half-star symbol (☆) to represent it.
Step 7: Add Filters
Filters allow you to sort through your list easily. You can sort by title, rating, or any other category you’d like. To add filters, click on the filter icon in the toolbar or go to Data > Create a filter. Now you can click on the dropdown arrows in the header row to sort or filter your books.
Step 8: Add a Progress Bar (Optional)
For some extra flair, you can add a progress bar to track how far you are in each book. Under “Progress,” use a percentage format to represent how much of the book you’ve completed (for example, 50% if you’re halfway through).
Then, add a new column beside the Progress column and name it with something like “Progress Bar.” Once the new column is ready, use the formula below:
=SPARKLINE(H6,{“charttype”,”bar”;”max”,1;”min”,0;”color1″,IF(H6>0.7,”green”,IF(H6>0.5,”yellow”,”red”))})
Assuming that “H6” is where the first entry of the Progress % is. You can also change the colors depending on your preferences.
Result:
Get the Free Book Tracker Template
Get a copy of the free Book Tracker Template. I’ve populated some cells as examples, but you can customize them as needed.
Final Thoughts
If you love crossing things off a list, this tracker will give you that little boost of motivation each time you complete a book. So, take your time with it, make it your own, and let it be a tool that inspires you to keep reading and exploring new stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate the number of books I’ve read using a formula?
You can easily count the number of completed books by using the COUNTIF formula. For example, if the “Status” column is in column E, you can use the formula =COUNTIF(E:E, “Completed”) to count how many books have been marked as “Completed.”
Is there a way to create a rating system using stars?
Yes! You can copy and paste star symbols (★) directly into the cells. Alternatively, you can use a number-based rating system (1 to 5) and display it with star emojis. You can type the star symbols manually or use formulas to repeat stars based on your rating. For example, if the rating is in column H, use the formula =REPT(“★”, H2) to repeat the star symbol based on the rating value.
How do I link book details to another sheet for more detailed notes or summaries?
You can link cells to another sheet by using the HYPERLINK function. If you want to link a book’s title to a detailed summary in another sheet, use the formula =HYPERLINK(“#Sheet2!A1”, “Book Title”), replacing “Sheet2” and “A1” with the actual sheet name and cell reference.
