The Sastrify browser extension simplifies shadow IT discovery and usage analytics, delivering actionable SaaS insights while upholding privacy and compliance.


Key features of Sastrify Browser Extension:

  • Shadow IT Discovery—Automatically detects SaaS tools accessed via corporate email accounts, identifying unapproved or unmanaged software.
  • Detailed Usage Analysis—Monitors usage patterns and frequency, enabling optimized licensing and efficient tool management.
  • Privacy-First Approach—Collects only essential data (URLs, login/logout timestamps, and access frequency) to ensure compliance with privacy regulations without intruding on personal and sensitive information.

IN THIS ARTICLE

What is Sastrify Browser Extension?


The Sastrify Browser Extension works with the employees' browsers and tracks SaaS access and usage patterns only when they access and interact with any SaaS application using their company email.


Once set up, the extension captures solely the following key data points to enhance SaaS visibility:

  • Tool Discovery—Identifies SaaS tools accessed.
  • Usage Analytics—Tracks the date of first activity, last activity (i.e., date of last use), user email, and frequency of use (daily, weekly, monthly).


Collected data is securely transmitted to your Sastrify platform, where your Sastrify Admin can review detailed usage insights in the Usage tab for each tool, as well as identify and manage newly discovered SaaS applications via Shadow IT Radar.


Sastrify upholds strict data privacy standards by only tracking SaaS URLs, last access timestamps, and login events, while excluding non-business applications. This ensures compliance with privacy regulations without monitoring unrelated activities.


How to deploy Sastrify for Chrome Browser Extension

  1. Log into your Sastrify platform and navigate to Integrations > Discovery.
  2. Under "Browser Extension Integrations", locate the Google Chrome connection card and click Enable.


  3. If you do not have an HRIS integration connected, you will be prompted to set up one before proceeding. 
  4. If you already have one or both integrations enabled, you will immediately see the available deployment options: Admin Install and Manual Install.
  5. Select one of the two deployment options.
  6. Click the "Next" button to proceed.
     


Deployment Option 1: Admin Install

Enables company-wide installation via the Workspace Admin Console, requiring only activation from employees.


This method is for administrators managing Chrome policies via the Google Admin console and requires Google Admin access.

For admin installs, there are two steps: installation and activation. The admin handles the company-wide installation, but each end user must activate the installed extension.


  1. Click "View Instructions", and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
    • Log in to the Google Admin Console. 
    • Navigate to Devices > Chrome > Apps & Extensions > Users & Browsers. 
    • Select the organizational unit (OU) that includes your employees. 
    • Click the “+” button and select “Add from Chrome Web Store”. 
    • Enter the extension ID and click Select. 
    • Set the extension to “Force Install.” 
    • Save the configuration and wait for Google to push the extension.
  2. Click the checkbox indicating that you have enabled the Google Chrome extension by following the instructions.
  3. Select the users or employees you want to install the browser extension for by ticking the checkboxes.
  4. Click "Notify" to notify employees with specific step-by-step instructions on how to log in and activate the browser extension.
  5. An email notification will be sent with instructions on how to activate and log in to the browser extension.
  6. Go to the "Employee" tab to monitor and track the activation for all users or employees.



Deployment Option 2: Manual Install

Allows employees to install the extension individually.


  1. There are no on-screen setup instructions for this step, as the installation is performed on a per-user basis.
  2. Click View Instructions to see what each user or employee will be notified about.
  3. Select the users or employees you want to install the browser extension for by ticking the checkboxes.
  4. Click "Notify" to notify employees with specific step-by-step instructions on how to add and activate the browser extension.

Frequently Asked Questions


Q: What does Sastrify browser extension track and monitor?

A: The extension will only track the access and interaction within SaaS applications accessed through the organization's email and the following associated data points: URLs, access times, and session activity (e.g., clicks and session length).


We strictly limit tracking to SaaS URLs, user emails, and access timestamps only, excluding non-business application URLs to ensure compliance with privacy standards.


Q: Do users need to be logged into Sastrify for this information to be collected?

A: No. As long as the browser extension that sits on your employees' browsers is properly enabled (they need to add the browser extension, log in using their work or company email, and activate it using the activation email that is triggered when the setup process is performed—see the "How to setup Sastrify for Chrome browser extension" section above), it will collect the data and push it seamlessly to your Sastrify platform.


Q: I use my work Chrome browser with my personal profile because I have all my personal bookmarks there. Will the browser extension also track my usage of the apps I access using my personal Gmail or email address?

A: No. Sastrify browser extension is very strict about what it collects and what it does not collect. It only collects usage data of the SaaS applications that are accessed using your company email address, which is the email address you use to log in to the extension. It does nothing beyond that.