Google Groups

Overview of using Google Groups

Overview

Google Groups allows you to create a shared space where university members can collaborate and communicate easily. Many departments use Google Groups as a shared inbox to manage group emails. The collaborative features allow teams to streamline communication, assign tasks, and manage email threads efficiently.

Google Groups are especially useful for departments that need to handle high volumes of emails, assign specific conversations to team members, and ensure all incoming messages are tracked and completed.

Security Consideration: Permissions in Google Groups are crucial. Make sure group membership and "send as" permissions are correctly managed to prevent unauthorized access to the group inbox.

Accessing Google Groups

How do I access Google Groups?

Log in to groups.pugetsound.edu with your individual university credentials. You cannot log in with a shared username and password. If you’re already signed in to Google Workspace, you can also find Google Groups via the app launcher waffle menu.

If there’s a shared mailbox you had access to previously but do not see in Google Groups, please submit an access request.

How is group membership managed?

Technology Services manages group membership. To add or remove a member, submit an access request. Ensure that appropriate permissions are given, especially if members need to send emails as the group or manage conversations.

For ASUPS club-related Google Groups, please contact the ASUPS DMTS for support.

• Owner: Full control, can manage settings, permissions, and members.
• Manager: Can manage members and moderate conversations but cannot change group settings.
• Member: Can send and receive emails within the group.

How do I check emails sent to a group on a mobile device?

There is no dedicated Google Groups mobile app. However, you can access groups.pugetsound.edu via a browser or configure your group settings to receive email notifications in your individual @pugetsound.edu inbox.

To streamline mobile access, consider forwarding group emails to your university email account and managing them through the Gmail app.

Using Google Groups

How do I manage my group subscription settings?

You can adjust your subscription settings to control whether you receive emails in your individual inbox for messages sent to the group email address. If you are an active group member, you can also visit Google Groups directly without needing to subscribe to emails.

1. Sign in to Google Groups
2. Click My groups
3. Go to the desired group
4. Click My membership settings
5. Under Subscription, select an option:
   • Each email: You receive each message individually
   • Digest: Messages are bundled in sets of 25
   • Abridged: Bundled in sets of up to 150 messages, with at least one daily email
   • No email: No messages sent to your inbox, but you can still check Google Groups manually

How do I create labels?

Labels help organize email threads. To create labels:

1. Open your group in Google Groups
2. Hover over Labels in the left panel and click the three dots
   • If you don’t see Labels, submit a request to have shared labels enabled for your group.
3. Click Add label, enter a name, and click Add
   Note: Names cannot include spaces or special characters (e.g., ! ~ ` @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) + =).

How do I apply labels to conversations?

• For a single conversation: Open the conversation, then click the Labels icon in the upper-right.
• For multiple conversations: Check the boxes next to the conversations, then use the Labels icon.

To remove a label, open the conversation and click the "X" next to the label name.

How do I assign conversations?

• For a single conversation: Open the conversation and click Assign to me or Assign to someone.
• For multiple conversations: Check the boxes next to the conversations, and use the Assign icons.

If assigning to someone else, type their name or email address. They must be a group member to be assigned conversations.

Best Practices:

• Define conversation owners to ensure accountability.
• Use consistent labels to track the status of email threads.
• Regularly update and manage labels and assignments to avoid confusion.

What are some tips and tricks for managing a collaborative Google Groups mailbox?

• Assign conversations to specific group members to maintain accountability.
• Create and use standardized labels to track the status of conversations (e.g., Pending, Completed, Needs Review).
• Mark conversations as completed once they’ve been addressed.
• Set up auto-responses during busy times or when the office is closed.

Sending Emails with Google Groups

How do I send an email from a group email address from Google Groups?

1. Sign in to Google Groups
2. Click the desired group
3. In the top left, click New conversation
4. In the "From" field, select the group email address from the dropdown
5. If the recipient is not a group member, type their email in the CC field
6. Click Post message

 

How do I send an email from a group email address from Gmail?

1. Log in to Gmail
2. Click the gear icon in the upper-right and select See all settings
3. Click Accounts, then click Add another email address under the "Send mail as" section
4. Enter the Google Group’s display name and email address. Keep "Treat as an alias" checked.
5. Click Next step, then click Send Verification
6. Return to Google Groups, open the verification email, and click the confirmation link
7. Once confirmed, you can select the Google Group email from the "From" dropdown in Gmail

Important: Never share verification emails or confirmation links with unauthorized users. If you need to review or revoke someone's "send as" permissions, submit a permission audit request.

Tip: Always add the group email address to the To, CC, or BCC field so the conversation is saved in the Google Group.

Sending Emails to a Google Group

Option 1 - Send an email to the group email address from Gmail

1. Open Gmail
2. Click Compose
3. Type the group email address in the "To" field
4. Click Send

Option 2 - Start a new conversation within Google Groups

Note: You must be a member of the Google Group to use this method.

1. Open Google Groups
2. Click the desired group
3. In the top left, click New conversation
4. Click Post message