Read this entire article if you are using (or plan to use) a Google Workspace Add-on (i.e. Certify'em, EventForm, Flubaroo, Autocrat, and many others) in a Google Workspace environment such as a business or school. And if you are having issues with email quota, bounced emails, or many emails being marked as SPAM. Be especially sure to carefully review the "Setup SPF and DKIM Records" topic.

This article does not apply if you are just using an Add-on with your personal Google/Gmail account.

Topics Covered Below:

• Common questions and answers about using Add-ons with Google Workspace.

• Important setup information, especially for brand new Google Workspace domains.

• Important things to know about obtaining a higher email quota (1500 / day) with Google Workspace.

• Why emails may initially bounce with Workspace, and what to do about it.

• How to avoid emails sent by Add-ons from being marked as SPAM.

What is Google Workspace (formerly G Suite)?

Google Workspace is Google's cloud-based productivity suite, comparable to Microsoft's O365. If you're accustomed to using Gmail, Google Calendar, or Google Drive, think of Workspace as the paid equivalents that offer additional controls and capabilities to business, schools and other organizations. Most importantly, you can create and manage a set of users (i.e. employees, teachers, club members) and manage how they share their data. And that data is under the control of your Workspace domain, rather than a disparate set of Gmail accounts owned by different people.

What is an Add-on?

Add-ons are third-party apps that extend the capabilities of Google Workspace, and are available from the Google Workspace Marketplace. Unlike other types of stand-alone apps, Add-ons are unique in that they tightly integrate directly into the Workspace apps (Gmail, Sheets, Docs, Forms, Drive, Meet, Chat, Classroom, etc). Some Add-ons can also be set up to take actions automatically, such as to send an email when a Google Form is submitted, or to run a process once per day.

For example, an Add-on might integrate directly into a Google Sheet to allow teachers to do grading, show-up in Gmail to load customer data for an open email, or appear in a Google Meet meeting to facilitate a whiteboard. Google Chat "apps" or "bots" are another form of Add-ons.

Do I need Google Workspace to use an Add-on?

No.  Add-ons can be used with a simple, free Google/Gmail account. However, there are different benefits that Google Workspace users have applied to their accounts which can be useful when using Add-ons. For example, Add-ons used by individuals in a Google Workspace domain can sometimes send more emails - up to 1,500 per day*. 

However, these users are also subject to the rules set by their organization's Workspace administrator, who may restrict or completely disallow the use of Add-ons for some or all users.

*This higher limit (1) requires a "mature" Workspace account (see below), and (2) does not apply to "Individual" Workspace accounts (see here), which despite the similar sounding name, are an entirely different thing than what you get if you purchase Workspace for your organization.

How do I know if I already have Workspace?

You may already be using Google Workspace if:

• Your school, business, or organization already routinely uses tools like Gmail, Calendar, and/or Google Drive & Docs to conduct business.

• You and your fellow colleagues have email addresses that end in the same domain name (i.e. maya@mycoolclub.com and jenny@mycoolclub.com).

If you're still not sure, ask the I.T. Admin or Help Desk at your organization if your user account is a Google Workspace account.

How do I get Google Workspace?

You can sign-up for Google Workspace online at workspace.google.com.  As part of this process you will also need to purchase a domain name (i.e. mycoolclub.com), or specify one you already own.  A domain name is necessary so that users can sign-in, send and receive emails, etc. 

There are many online videos and guides for setting up a new account you can follow. Be prepared to spend several hours or more obtaining and setting up your Google Workspace account.

My organization uses Workspace, but why am I unable to install/use an Add-on?

It's possible your organization's Google Workspace admin has blocked access to some or all Add-ons, or blocked access to certain APIs (like the Google Drive APIs). Inquire with your I.T. admin if they can help enable your Add-on for you. See the "Grant Access" section below.

Will Workspace's higher email limits apply right away?

No. According to Google, the higher quota of 1500 emails / day won't take effect until (1) your new Workspace domain  has cumulatively paid Google at least USD $100 (or equivalent), and (2) at least 60 days have passed since reaching that payment threshold. They also don't apply while your Workspace domain is in its free trial. This is referred to on this site as having a "mature" Google Workspace account. So plan ahead to purchase and setup your Workspace domain at least two months before you need it.  Also note that you can pay the $100 USD (or equivalent) early, to minimize the time until your quota raises.  See this article from Google for more on paying early. 

Does Workspace require any special setup to work with my Add-on?

While most Add-ons should work with any Google Workspace domain without additional configuration, it's highly recommended that you read and follow the instructions outlined below to ensure proper behavior (i.e. avoid rejected/bounced emails, emails marked as SPAM), especially for a recently created Google Workspace domain.

Account in Good Standing

Ensure your account is no longer in its trial period and is fully paid-up by accessing the Billing section of your Google Workspace Admin console. Once in the Billing section, next to Google Workspace, click the "Actions" drop-down menu, and select "Access billing account". Under Your balance, click Pay Early or Make a Payment. Make sure that the payment details are correct, then click Confirm. 

Note: If you are interested in obtaining a higher email quota as soon as possible, you may wish to pay $100 USD (or equivalent) when you pay early. See prior section on this page entitled "Will Workspace's higher email limits apply right away?" for more details.

Setup SPF and DKIM Records (avoid bounced/rejected emails, emails marked as SPAM)

It is crucial that you set up common DNS mail records called an "SPF" and "DKIM" to avoid your domain being confused for delivering email spam if/when your Add-on sends emails on your behalf. If your domain is thought to be sending spam (vs just large numbers of valid emails), it can result in many of those emails getting bounced/rejected, as well as those emails ending up in the SPAM folders of the recipients' email account.

SPF Record: To see if you already have an SPF record setup for Google Workspace, visit https://mxtoolbox.com/spf.aspx,  type in your domain name (i.e. mycoolclub.com) and click "SPF Record Lookup". 

• • If you see the message "SPF Record Found", and includes something like  "v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all", then you're all set!

  • If you see the message "No SPF Record Found", or the record listed doesn't include something like "v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all", then you'll need to setup an SPF record for Workspace.  See below.

To setup an SPF record for Google Workspace,  you will need the ability to modify your domain's DNS records. This requires a login/password to the registry from which you purchased your domain name (i.e. GoDaddy, Google Domains, etc). If you're not the one who purchased the domain, you'll need to ask that person to do this for you (i.e. your organization's I.T. admin). See this documentation from Google to learn more about SPF records and how to configure them for your domain: https://support.google.com/a/answer/33786.

DKIM Record: To setup a DKIM record for Google Workspace, you will need the ability to modify your domain's DNS records. This requires a login/password to the registry from which you purchased your domain name (i.e. GoDaddy, Google Domains, etc). If you're not the one who purchased the domain, you'll need to ask that person to do this for you (i.e. your organization's I.T. admin). See this documentation from Google to learn more about DKIM records and how to configure them for your domain: https://support.google.com/a/answer/174124.

Passage of Time

Note that even once the above setup steps are met, it may take some time before automated emails (such as those sent by an Add-on) can be delivered outside of your domain. Google does this to discourage bad actors who would otherwise sign-up for Google Workspace for the purpose of sending out large quantities SPAM emails via automated methods. This period of time can vary, but is typically several weeks or more. 

Grant Access

Google Workspace gives your organization the option to restrict the access of 3rd-party applications (i.e. Add-ons) to its services (i.e. Google Drive). Follow the steps below if you are having trouble getting your Add-on to install or run, and think that your organization's Workspace administrator may have restricted access to it.

*Note: These instructions allow for Add-ons (i.e. Flubaroo, Certify'em, EventForm, Autocrat) to be installed by users. However, those Add-ons may still require paid licenses to access specific features, which these instructions do not cover. Please refer to the documentation for your specific Add-on to see if purchasing a license may be required.

We hope the tips on this page help you make the most out of your Add-on with your Google Workspace account! If you need help with an Add-on from Gleeda Software, please contact us.