Conclusion: Choose a method that complies with everyday rules and allows you to record without stress!
Paper is the best option if you only want to record it occasionally, Excel/spreadsheet is the best option if you want to create your own analysis items and graphs, and a dedicated app is the best option if you want to quickly and efficiently input data immediately after a match or aggregate results regularly. When choosing an app, check in advance whether it can switch between three-player mahjong and four-player mahjong, support uma, oka, rate, tip, and table fees, as well as whether it can modify input, back up, and output data.
If you are starting mahjong and don't know what to record, firstIntroduction to mahjong rules for beginnersAfter getting a feel for the flow of Hansho, try selecting the recording items you need.
Compare three profit and loss management methods
| point of view | paper | spreadsheet | Dedicated app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of getting started | Just paper and writing utensils | Items and formulas need to be prepared | Easy to enter after initial setup |
| input during match | Free but transcription required | Tables can be difficult to use on smartphones | Fast if the screen suits your purpose |
| automatic calculation | hand calculation | create your own formula | Automatically within corresponding rules |
| Freedom of analysis | Aggregation is done manually | expensive | Easy to check prepared indicators |
| Unique rules | can write freely | formula can be adjusted | Depends on the range of setting items |
| correction | Erase/rewrite | fix cell | Check the history editing specifications |
| Output/Share | photo or hand delivery | Files/Shared Links | Depends on functions such as images and CSV |
| storage | Be careful not to lose or deteriorate | File management required | Check storage location and backup |
An app doesn't necessarily mean it's convenient. If it does not correspond to the usual payment rules, you will have to rework it after inputting it. On the other hand, if detailed original analysis is not required, the flexibility of spreadsheets may become a burden for preparation.
Emphasize ``I can do it every time'' rather than ``I can'' in the comparison table.
Profit and loss management is not a one-time calculation, but it is entered every time there is a match, and it leads to the aggregation. Even if the method is highly functional, it takes a long time to register one item, and the number of incomplete entries is likely to increase. Enter the same match for each candidate, and measure the operation from start to save, points of confusion, and the effort required to make corrections.
Paper is not affected by batteries or the communication environment, and is a great way to take notes on the spot. With Excel and spreadsheets, you can create your own calculation formulas and graphs, but you also manage adding columns and changing formulas yourself. While dedicated apps connect input items and aggregation from the beginning, it is not always possible to add unique rules that are not supported.
Methods suitable for different purposes
Paper: I want to start recording as soon as possible.
In addition to your score, you can freely write down reflection points and events without any initial settings. When you want to tally data, you will need to post it, so it will be easier to migrate data by aligning columns such as date, participants, format, final score, and ranking.
Excel/Spreadsheet: I want to create my own tally
You can freely design special ranking points among friends, chim battles, location-specific tallies, etc. Protecting your validation rules and formulas and placing scores, final points, and profit and loss conversion values in separate columns will help prevent formulas from breaking down and units from being mixed up. The calculation examples on this site use a neutral unit P that does not represent money.
Dedicated app: Want to shorten the process from input to aggregation
This is suitable for entering results on a smartphone and wanting to display average placement, ranking distribution, score, profit and loss, etc. in a standard format. Check the number of operations on the screen and the corresponding rules, and judge whether you can get the indicators you want to see.
You can also use paper + app or Excel + app together.
If you write down your final score on a piece of paper during the match and enter the final score into the app when you get home, you can reduce the amount of time you spend using your smartphone at your desk. Another option is to export CSV from a dedicated app and perform your own long-term analysis using Excel. To avoid double entry, decide which one should be the original and which one should make the corrections.
8 items to check with mahjong profit and loss management app
- Game format:Can I save four-player mahjong, three-player mahjong, East-only game and Hanshuang separately?
- Ranking points:Is it possible to set the uma and oka that I usually use and rounding?
- Actual profit and loss:Can rates, tips, and table fees be handled separately from point sticks?
- Input speed:Is it possible to save 1match with a reasonable number of operations?
- Fix:Is it possible to correct input errors or member changes later?
- Analysis:Are there necessary metrics such as average placement, first-place rate, last-place rate, and profit and loss by period?
- Output:Can it be exported to a format for later use such as CSV or image?
- Storage:Is there a backup and restoration method in case of model changes or failures?
Check the handling of data before use
If you want to record the names and locations of your matches, check where they are saved, whether they will be sent externally, how to delete them, and the privacy policy. Please also check that the images and files you share do not contain unnecessary names.
Score the 8 items with ○, △, ×.
Don't judge only from the store description, mark the items that you can confirm on the actual device as ○, if there are conditions, mark △, or if they are not supported, mark ×. Prioritize the items that are essential to you first, such as making separation and backup of three-player mahjong and four-player mahjong mandatory, and sharing images optional.
There is a difference between ``having a large number of analysis indicators'' and ``accurately calculating the indicators you need.'' Even though the indicators have similar names, such as win rate and first-place rate, they have different meanings depending on whether it is the percentage of positive score matches or the number of first places divided by the number of matches. Check not only the label but also the numerator/denominator and help.
Try with 1 sample match
Rather than comparing only by explanation, you can see the difference by entering a sample that reproduces the usual rules.
Data to try
- Usually used three-player mahjong or four-player mahjong format
- Final starting points and ranking
- uma, oka and rounding
- rate, tip, table fee
- Conditions that make inputting difficult, such as tied scores or negative scores
After saving, check if the final profit and loss including everyone's point total, tip receipts and payments, and table fees are as expected. The order of calculation ismahjong's profit and loss calculation methodIt is summarized in
Be sure to edit once after saving
Intentionally change the final starting points of one of the four people and see if the ranking, points, profit and loss, and tally are updated accordingly. Then return it to its original value. Even if the input screen is fast, if you have to delete and recreate the history when making corrections, it will be a burden for long-term use.
If you use three-player mahjong, create a separate sample from four-player mahjong.
The number of people, starting points, return points, ranking points, tsumo payment, treatment of north, etc. may be different from four-player mahjong. We do not judge that it is compatible with three-player mahjong just by successfully registering four-player mahjong, but we separately reproduce the three-player mahjong conditions that are usually adopted.
Check CSV/backup/model change separately
Just explaining that you can "recover data" does not tell you what can be restored. CSV, shared images, app-specific backups, and entire device backups have different purposes.
| method | Main uses | Check points |
|---|---|---|
| CSV | Aggregation and storage using Excel, etc. | Character code, column, target period, possibility of re-importing |
| image sharing | show the results | Cannot be used for recalculation or restoration |
| In-app backup | App data recovery | Creation location, restoration procedure, target data |
| Device backup | Migration/recovery of entire device | WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS INCLUDING APP DATA |
Excel can read and write CSV, but CSV does not retain workbook-specific features such as cell colors, multiple sheets, and formulas. Don't assume CSV is a "full app restore file". Offline use of Google Sheets also depends on settings and device conditions, so if you want to use it in a match location, try testing it beforehand.
- Register about 3 sample matches
- Create a CSV or backup and check the save destination
- Copy to another location and include the creation date in the file name
- If possible, try the recovery procedure with sample data.
- Decide how often to create regularly
The scope of confirmation for backups is not only that they were created, but also that they can be restored when needed. Rather than trying to restore important records for the first time, we test it with a small amount of data at the beginning of use.
Item design for keeping records
If you try to leave everything from the beginning, the input will not continue. First, make the date, format, participants, final score, ranking, and score mandatory, and add profit and loss and notes if necessary.
| priority | Recorded items | purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Required | Date, format, participants, final score, ranking | Minimum information to reproduce match |
| For payment | uma・oka, rate, tip, table fee | Leave evidence of profit and loss |
| for analysis | match time, location, rule name, notes | Review by condition |
When looking at the totals,Guidelines and views on mahjong's average placementPlease also check the number of matches and comparison conditions.
Rules for adding input items later
For new items, set the start date, such as ``required from next time'' or ``blank for past items.'' If you forcefully fill in the past 100 cases, guesswork will be mixed in, making analysis more difficult. Please also decide whether to treat blank fields as 0 or exclude them from aggregation.
Avoid spelling variations in participant names and avoid registering the same person under different names. If you select the location and rule name from the candidates, you can prevent accidents such as "Tonan", "Hanshu", and "East-South game" from being counted separately.
When in doubt, count backwards from your goal.
Arrange the columns for date, participants, format, final score, and ranking so that it can be transcribed later.
Design your own validation rules, formula protection, and backup destinations.
Check the usual rules, edits, CSV, and backups with a sample match.
Decide on one location for the original and corrections, and treat the CSV as a copy for analysis.
mahjong profit and loss management app FAQ
Can I choose just the free apps?
Price is important, but if you don't deal with regular rules, corrections, output, and backups, the burden of re-entering will increase. Check one sample match and backup method in the free range, and decide on the necessary functions and ongoing costs.
Which is more accurate: Excel or a dedicated app?
Accuracy is not determined by tools alone. Excel verifies the formula by itself, and the dedicated app checks the corresponding rules and calculation specifications. It is safe to check the same sample match with hand calculations.
If I have a CSV, can I restore it after changing the model?
Not necessarily. CSV output is only for analysis and storage, and may not be able to be re-imported into the app. Separate your CSV and app-only backups and check the official restore instructions.
Materials referenced during comparison
- Microsoft Support「Import or export text (.txt or .csv) files」 — Excel CSV input/output and checking format differences
- Google Docs Editor Help "Access your spreadsheets" — Check device and offline usage conditions
- M-League Organization General Incorporated Association “Chimu Scorecard” — Official example of multiple indicators arranged in Grade Center
- Takuya Ogami et al. “Estimation of ability in mahjong using variance reduction method” — Uncertainty of match result accumulation and average placement
The suitability and unsuitability of paper, Excel, and dedicated apps is not a ranking of materials, but an editorial comparison of this article. The features and prices for each product are subject to change, so please check the official display at the time of use and the actual product. Document confirmation date: July 25, 2026.
Summary
Tools for profit and loss management are selected based not only on the number of functions and popularity, but also on whether the rules can be entered correctly and can be modified, output, and restored later. Paper, spreadsheets, and dedicated apps each have their advantages. It is best to enter one sample match and check whether it is a hassle that you can continue to do every time.