ApproveThis manages your Steam Integration approvals.

Why Approval Automation Matters for Gaming Teams

Steam’s 132 million monthly active users aren’t just playing games – they’re managing budgets, tracking software licenses, and coordinating team activities. When paired with ApproveThis through Zapier, these operational tasks transform from time-consuming processes into automated workflows. This integration bridges Steam’s game management capabilities with ApproveThis’s structured approval system, creating new ways to control spending, track assets, and maintain accountability.

Consider this: 68% of IT managers report unauthorized software purchases as their top shadow IT concern. By connecting Steam’s purchase data with ApproveThis’s approval logic, teams gain real-time oversight without micromanaging every transaction.

Three Practical Use Cases (And Who Benefits Most)

1. Software License Control for Development Studios

When a new game appears in your Steam library, ApproveThis can automatically route purchase details to department heads. A mid-sized game studio reduced unapproved software spending by 41% using this method:

• Trigger: New Steam game added to corporate account
• Action: ApproveThis generates approval request with price, purchase date, and user details

Approvers receive email notifications with one-click approve/reject options – no Steam license required. Finance teams appreciate the automatic expense categorization, while project managers maintain visibility into tool acquisitions.

2. Esports Team Performance Tracking

Professional gaming organizations use Steam’s playtime updates to monitor training hours. When integrated with ApproveThis:

• Coaches receive automated alerts when players exceed preset practice thresholds
• Team managers approve tournament entry fees directly from practice time reports

This combination helped one esports franchise reduce administrative work by 22 hours/month while improving compliance with practice policies.

3. Enterprise IT Asset Management

Large companies with Steam-based training programs use playtime data to:

- Validate software utilization for license renewals
- Track employee training progress
- Audit department-level gaming expenses

ApproveThis’s calculated fields automatically compare playtime against training requirements, flagging underutilized assets for review. IT departments gain automated audit trails without manual spreadsheet tracking.

Implementation Guide

Setting up the integration takes under 15 minutes:

1. Create a Zapier account (free tier works)
2. Connect your Steam account via Zapier’s OAuth integration
3. Choose a trigger from Steam’s available events
4. Map data fields to ApproveThis’s request template
5. Set approval rules and escalation paths in ApproveThis

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis’s conditional thresholds to auto-approve small purchases while flagging high-cost items. For example, games under $20 could bypass manual review if total monthly spending stays below department limits.

Team-Specific Benefits

Finance Teams

ApproveThis’s calculated fields automatically sum Steam purchase totals against budget allocations. When combined with approval groups, this enables:

- Real-time budget utilization dashboards
- Automatic escalation of overspending alerts
- Multi-currency support for global teams

Operations Managers

Steam’s playtime data becomes actionable through automated approval requests:

- Trigger equipment upgrades when usage exceeds hardware capacity
- Approve extended server access during crunch periods
- Validate software renewals based on actual usage metrics

External Partners

Client-facing teams appreciate that external approvers don’t need Steam licenses. Marketing agencies can:

- Route game purchase requests to client stakeholders
- Track approval response times across multiple brands
- Maintain separation between client budgets in one dashboard

Advanced Configuration Options

Combine multiple Steam triggers with ApproveThis’s logic for sophisticated workflows:

Example 1: If a game is both purchased and played within 24 hours, trigger high-priority approval requests to prevent impulse buying.

Example 2: Use playtime thresholds to auto-approve DLC purchases for actively used games, while restricting unused titles.

ApproveThis’s vacation delegation ensures seasonal gaming spikes (like holiday releases) don’t cause approval bottlenecks. If a primary approver is unavailable, requests automatically reroute to designated backups.

Getting Started

Teams see ROI fastest when they:

1. Start with one high-impact workflow (e.g., purchase approvals)
2. Use ApproveThis’s template library for common Steam use cases
3. Gradually add conditional logic as processes mature

ApproveThis offers a 14-day free trial with prebuilt Steam integration templates. For complex implementations, their support team provides free workflow consultations.

The Bottom Line

Pairing Steam with ApproveThis solves three critical challenges:

1. Financial Control: Prevent unauthorized purchases while maintaining team agility
2. Operational Visibility: Turn raw playtime data into actionable insights
3. Cross-Team Collaboration: Involve stakeholders without sharing platform access

As one IT director noted after implementation: “We finally have guardrails that don’t feel like handcuffs.”

Next Steps

Ready to transform how your team manages Steam activities?

1. Create your free ApproveThis account
2. Explore prebuilt Steam workflows in the template library
3. Connect to Steam via Zapier in under 10 minutes

For personalized guidance, schedule a demo to see how gaming teams automate approvals while maintaining creative flexibility.