Poker players dedicated to improving their win rates eventually realize keeping close records of their results is imperative. Not only does it help for the purposes of bankroll management and knowing at a glance whether they are winning or losing, but keeping records benefits in other tangible ways, too, such as helping players identify which games or stakes are most profitable as well as clarifying the difference between short-term swings and long-term outcomes. And, of course, for the professional player, having a reliable method of record-keeping is vital for many other reasons as well.
Traditionally a small notebook or perhaps an Excel spreadsheet has been a favored method for record-keeping, but more recently players have been turning to tracking apps for use on their mobile devices as a more handy resource.