---
{"title": "How to Build a Year-End Stats Summary in 2026", "description": "Learn how to prepare, organize, and present a year-end stats summary for a year in review, with practical steps for choosing the right tools.", "url": "https://vlcleanplayer.com/how-to-build-a-stats-summary-at-year-end-for-year-in-review-watchers/", "date": "2026-11-06"}
---
Learn how to prepare, organize, and present a year-end stats summary for a year in review, with practical steps for choosing the right tools.

Year-in-review watchers can build a year-end stats summary by deciding what information to include, gathering the relevant records, organizing the information into categories, and presenting the results in a clear format. Choose a tool based on the information it can actually collect. Watcharr turns a public IMDb list into a Radarr link for movies and a Sonarr link for shows. [^1] Check whether year-end statistics are offered before choosing it for the review.

| Option | What to check | Cost details |
|---|---|---|
| Manually maintained record | Check that the information needed for each category can be recorded and reviewed. | not published |
| Existing viewing record | Check which viewing details and dates the source actually provides. | not published |
| Watcharr | Pasting a public IMDb list into Watcharr produces a Radarr link for its movies and a Sonarr link for its shows. [^1] | not published |

## What you need before you start

Start by deciding what the year-end summary should tell its readers. A useful summary needs a clear subject, a defined period, and a consistent source of information. Without those decisions, the finished page can mix unrelated details or present information that cannot be compared.

Make a list of the categories that matter to the review. For a viewing-related summary, these might include the titles being reviewed, the types of content being considered, and the records available for those titles. Separate information that is already recorded from information that would need to be collected.

Decide which sources are relevant before collecting anything. A public list, a personal record, and a manually prepared summary are different kinds of information. Do not assume that one source contains everything needed for the finished review.

Choose a place to organize the information. The important requirement is that each entry can be identified and checked against its original source. Keep the original records available while preparing the summary.

Finally, decide who will read the finished summary and how much detail is useful. A short overview can focus on the main findings, while a more detailed review can explain the categories and the information behind each one.

## Step by step

1. **Define the year being reviewed.** Choose the period that the summary covers and use the same period throughout the document. State whether the summary concerns a calendar year, a personal viewing period, or another clearly defined timeframe.

2. **Choose the information to include.** Write down the categories that matter to the review. Keep the list focused on information that can actually be collected and checked. Avoid adding categories simply because they sound interesting.

3. **Identify the available sources.** Look at the records already available for the subject of the review. Record where each piece of information comes from. If a source provides a list of titles but does not provide viewing dates or viewing totals, do not treat it as evidence for those statistics.

4. **Collect the relevant records.** Gather the information for each chosen category. Keep the original source details alongside the collected information so that entries can be checked later. If information is missing, leave it identified as missing rather than filling the gap with an estimate.

5. **Organize the information.** Put related entries together and use consistent category names. Keep different kinds of information separate. For example, a list of titles should not automatically be treated as a record of completed viewing.

6. **Check the entries.** Review the collected information for duplicates, inconsistent names, missing details, and entries that belong outside the chosen period. Where two sources disagree, retain the source information needed to explain the difference.

7. **Prepare the summary.** Present the main categories in a readable order. Use short explanations to identify what each category represents and where the information came from. Distinguish recorded information from estimates and incomplete records.

8. **Review the finished document.** Check that every statement can be traced to the information collected. Confirm that the period is clear, the categories are consistent, and the summary does not imply that a list or record proves something it does not actually show.

9. **Keep the supporting information.** Retain the source records used to prepare the summary. This makes it easier to correct an entry, explain a category, or prepare another review without confusing the original information with the finished presentation.

## Tools that can do it

The right option depends on the information being summarized. A tool that organizes lists is not necessarily a tool that records viewing activity, and a tool that collects titles should not automatically be treated as a source of viewing statistics.

**A spreadsheet or manually maintained record** can be considered when the information is being collected and organized separately. Check that the chosen format allows the categories, original sources, and missing information to remain clear. No particular spreadsheet product or verified year-end reporting feature is established by the available facts.

**An existing viewing record** can be considered if it contains the information required for the summary. Check which dates, titles, and activity details it actually records before relying on it. Do not assume that an available title list represents completed viewing or supplies a complete history.

 It accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from the desktop site, phone site, and IMDb's other-language pages. [^1] A public IMDb list produces a Radarr link for movies and a Sonarr link for shows. [^1]

Radarr checks the movie link for new list titles every 15 minutes, and Sonarr checks the show link every 5 minutes. [^1] Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the household, with titles appearing on more than one list added only once. [^1]

Watcharr also displays list covers, with each cover opening TMDB information including the plot, genres, rating, backdrop, and trailer. [^1] Check whether personal viewing records and year-end statistics are offered before relying on this option for the summary.

Watcharr's hosted version needs no installation or account. [^1] Watcharr's code may be read and used for non-commercial purposes under its current licence; older versions use the MIT licence. [^1] Watcharr is limited to non-commercial use, so check whether the intended use falls within that limit. [^1]

For a year-end statistics project, check what each option records, whether its information covers the chosen period, and whether its output supports the categories required for the review. Watcharr creates separate movie and show links from a public IMDb list for Radarr and Sonarr. [^1] Check whether the viewing statistics needed for the review are offered.

## Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid confusing a list of titles with a record of viewing activity. A title appearing on a list does not, by itself, establish that someone watched it. Keep those categories separate when preparing the summary.

Avoid combining information from different periods without explaining the difference. A year-end review should make its timeframe clear, and every category should follow that same definition unless a different period is explicitly identified.

Avoid filling missing information with guesses. If a source does not provide a date, total, or other required detail, mark that information as unavailable. An incomplete but accurately described summary is more useful than one that presents unsupported figures.

Avoid counting the same entry more than once. Check for duplicate titles and inconsistent names before preparing the final presentation.

Avoid choosing a tool based only on the fact that it handles lists. Check whether it actually provides the information needed for the summary. In particular, distinguish list management from viewing records and year-end statistics.

Finally, avoid presenting figures without explaining what they represent. Give each category a clear description and retain the original records so that readers can understand where the information came from.

## Frequently asked questions

### How can year-in-review watchers build a year-end stats summary?

Start by defining the period being reviewed and choosing the categories that matter. Gather the relevant records, organize the information consistently, and check each entry against its source. Keep missing information separate from confirmed details. Present the results with clear category descriptions so readers can understand what each statistic represents and what information supports it.

### What information should a year-end viewing summary include?

The information depends on the purpose of the review. Possible categories include titles, content types, and available viewing records. Before including a statistic, check whether the original source actually provides the information needed to support it. A list of titles should not automatically be presented as a record of completed viewing, and missing dates or activity details should not be estimated.

### Can Watcharr create year-end viewing statistics?

Watcharr accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists and creates separate Radarr and Sonarr links for movies and shows. [^1] It also displays list covers and related TMDB information. [^1] Before choosing Watcharr for the review, check whether personal viewing records and calculated year-end statistics are offered. Check a separate source for the viewing information required by the review.

### Can Watcharr combine several IMDb lists for a year-end review?

For a household year-end review, signed-in Watcharr users can bring several public IMDb lists together into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link, with a title appearing on multiple lists added only once. [^1] Check the viewing records separately before counting completed titles or repeat viewings.

### What should be checked before choosing a year-end stats tool?

Check which information the tool actually collects, whether it covers the period being reviewed, and whether its records can support the intended categories. Look for clear source information and a way to identify missing or duplicate entries. If the project requires personal viewing statistics, confirm that the chosen source records viewing activity rather than simply providing a collection of titles.

Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. [^1] - [Visit Watcharr](/go/start-watcharr)

## Sources

[^1]: Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher) (/go/start-watcharr)