I use an Excel spreadsheet with the several fields. Some are mandatory, some are less important but can help with sorting the list (i.e. when choosing which games to create giveaways for). Once a game is given (or in the past - traded), it's hidden from the list because I set the spreadsheet to only display rows where status of the key is available (blanks).

Mandatory fields:

  • Game name
  • Key or gift link
  • Status (possible values: blank (available), given, traded, may want to activate)
  • Extended status (e.g. giveaway site name, trader name, reason may want to activate)
  • Source (site name)
  • Notes (e.g. bundle name)

Optional Steam-specific fields (if I don't have something better to do with my time)

  • Price
  • Recommended %
  • Cards (Yes/No)

Any other ideas or suggestions?

L4+ GA Ended

9 years ago*

Comment has been collapsed.

I dont

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

as do i :/

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

i do as

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I do ass?

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Deleted

This comment was deleted 3 years ago.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

A spreadsheet, several tabs, some highlights when they are "used" in a GA, and remove entirely a week after they are marked as received. Listed where I want to give them away.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

When you say remove entirely, you mean you delete the data? Wouldn't it be better to hide it so that you can still have some tracking in case you want to revisit it?

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I also have a calculated field to tell me how many times I have GA'd each game on SG (to inform me when I'm hitting the 5 per game threshold), and I have a status for running GAs, but otherwise that pretty much covers my one tab (minus the Steam stuff - that's all in another set of tabs to keep track of my collection, wishlist, etc.).

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Name | Steam link | Key/Gift link | Price | Source
Link is colour coded for games under 65% ratings, price is colour-coded for bundle and non-bundle according to site rules.
Used keys are moved to a different tab immediately so the available list doesn't get cluttered.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Nice! I think I'm going to steal some of your methods :-)

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I just use IsThereAnyDeal but I don't trade.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I do everything with flat files, usually comma separated.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Also a spreadsheet user here. OpenOffice Calc in my case, I go pretty basic and just do Title-Source-Key-Status-Notes.

As an alternative, you may want to consider using a database like MS Access or MySQL. It would take a bit longer to get set up, but much better at things like search/sort/filter and more customizable. I currently have a WIP database solution for my games collection/wishlist and might add something in there for key management down the line, though I haven't had a huge need to organize my keys beyond what a spreadsheet can handle fairly readily.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I don't have too many keys. At the moment they are saved in my E-Mail account within the original bundle page. Since I only generate keys for games I either activate on my account of for a giveaway I can see easily which ones are used and which are not used. But like I said I have only 5 bundles bought plus minus one.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Personally, I gave up

ACE - Arena: Cyber Evolution - ACE Founder Pack DLC
H990K-V9LYK-LPFYD

Glow Ball - The billiard puzzle game
Z8HFG-XDJFD-087BN

Ionball 2: Ionstorm
DA3YZ-5P6MI-ZAZGE

Pahelika: Revelations HD
J9KAK-FN6KI-PJT9G

Siege Wars
6LDJ6-HLH9R-C8Y3Q

:D

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I ninjad Ionball 2! Thanks :-)

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

No problem. Happy to know at least one guy grabbing keys can say thanks.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Many thanks for Siege Wars Key!

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Deleted

This comment was deleted 1 year ago.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Google docs spreadsheet:
Website | PackName | GameName | AppID (currently not filled in for any game) | Key/Link | Satus (blank for available, trading, unsure) | Notes (used for trade links)

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Spreadsheet with game name, full price, key, where i got it, date i got it, and any additional notes (like where/who i gave it to)

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

The date is something I regret I didn't include, mainly to reset sorting to the original order of rows added. There may be a different way to do it in Excel, but I couldn't find one.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I originally just had game name and key in a text file, with no further information. So most of my list is missing which bundle and what date I got it. And sometimes I was not very descriptive, like "Arena Cyber Evolution DLC" ... which DLC is it? who knows :)

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I keep on notepad =)

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Same.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Haha... I don't XD
I think I tried to do a database in access(heck, I think I even finished it) but never actually used it. When I need to find a key it takes me several minutes T_T , I'm that disorganized with my stuff.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

ArchiBoT database.

I'm unique yet again.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Here's my excel's fields:

Game Name, Keys, Status (Used/Unused), Type, From, Notes, Date Traded, Trader

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Spreadsheet (Open office Calc)

Games for trade
Games I may want but may trade if I find something better (thus not on my "have" list in the trade forum)
Games I want but won't redeem until I've played more of my current library
Delete anything once redeemed by me or others.

Most of my gibs so far have been gifts so no category for it on my spreadsheet yet. All current keys due for giveaways are simply on the bundle website I got them from.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I get rid of leftover keys before the list gets too long....

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Easy. For every new Steam key I acquire, I immediately try to redeem it on Steam. If it tells me I already own the game, I create a giveaway here, minimum duration, open to all. No need to complicate things. (I wasn't always this efficient, and it was a pain in the posterior.)

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

This. And if it turns out that it was a game that I can't make a giveaway for I just drop the key somewhere in the forum for ninjas.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I do something like this, but I don't try to redeem games, I check from the store page whether I own the game or not. This is to save time, and to prevent the key activation lock thingy. I always set duration to 1 day so that people from different timezones have a chance to enter.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I don't have a keys list.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

On Excel, these fields: Sites - Bundles - Games - Keys :)

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Since you covered most of it I use Color Backgrounds on Excel Cells to see at a glance for activated, keep, given.

Also for others reference there's an app which might be useful: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/gkeybank

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Google Docs

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

+1 Used to use Excel but I feel safer with Docs.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I used to use listhings but it messed up so many times and now I discover it doesn't go behind a certain number of characters, so my recent keys were never saved

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Just two columns, game name and key.
Three sheets - the main one is unused keys of course
second sheet is for keys for my currently running GAs, when all are marked as received they go to the
third sheet, which is keys I've given away. Don't know why I keep this one. Maybe just to stroke my ego at the number of rows in there?

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

To keep tabs on what was sent, and if there is some trouble after the key was marked, it is possible to search for it. Or if the key was sent through Steam chat, it is possible to re-send it.
Plus, in general, if one works in an office, they learn that you never delete data, you just archive it.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

What he ^ said...

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I keep them all in an Evernote note. 4 columns: game, key, where I got it from, status (used, ongoing ga, ...) Think I might start colour coding them based on everyone else's systems.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Sign in through Steam to add a comment.