A Review of Google Workspace With Outlook

Google sync enables customers to use Google Workspace with Microsoft Outlook. You can sync all of your core Google data to Outlook (email, calendar, etc.) when paying for Google Workspace. To use both Outlook and Google Workspace together, you will need the free Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook (GWSMO) tool.

Email data syncs well with GWSMO, but calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes may not sync accurately. Some types of Outlook data are not compatible with Google Apps, like journal entries or a few other features, but remember you can still access your old data in Outlook.

Below you can learn exactly which Outlook features and functions sync well with Google Workspace. Read on to learn the specific pros and cons of using these two interfaces together.

You will be able to find all of your calendar data, assignments, and RTF material in your Google Workspace Profile in Outlook. However, you won’t see your RTF, categories, or attachments in Google Workspace itself.

Other Functions

Personal Contacts: In most cases, all of your contacts will transfer to Google Contacts.

Personal contacts that aren’t in your official Contacts will not work with Google Workspace (although you can still access them in Outlook with GWSMO), and your Contact folders from Outlook will not sync to Google Workspace.

Your rich formatting in text (bold, italics, etc.) will not transfer to Google Workspace. If you update your contacts from your Google account, you will also lose your RTF on Outlook. Your mailing list from Outlook won’t sync to Google Workspace, but you can still create Google Groups.

For notes larger than 16 KB, you will see shortened versions on Google Workspace and will be able to access full versions on Outlook. Your categories or user-defined fields will not transfer to Google Workspace, but can still be viewed on Outlook.

Global Contacts: Everything will transfer. The only difference: You will not be able to hover over an email address and see that individual’s global contact list either on Outlook or Google Workspace.

Notes: Everything transfers, except category assignments, which will not transfer to Google Docs.

Tasks: The following will not sync to Google Tasks:

  • In Progress or Deferred task status
  • Reminders
  • Start dates
  • Category assignments
  • Top-level folders in tasks
  • Subfolders in tasks

Journal entries: Journal entries will not sync to Google Docs.  

Benefits of Using Google Workspace with Outlook

Maybe your co-workers all use Google tools and programs, but you’ve been using Outlook for years. The GWSMO tool makes it possible to utilize both Outlook and Google Workspace at the same time without losing your most critical information.

As you can see from the charts, you can maintain all of your basic calendar, mail, and other Outlook information and use it all in Google Workspace.

Benefits of using Google Workspace with Outlook include:

  • Allows you to work on both your Outlook and Gmail simultaneously.

  • Will work for every Windows user and Microsoft programs 2003-2019.

  • GWSMO is a free tool that combines the functions of Office 365 and Google Workspace, giving you more bang for your buck.

  • Unleash the power of Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Presentations, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Hangouts and more with both platforms.

  • Enjoy the flexibility of the Cloud with the familiarity of Outlook.

  • Easy to use anytime, anywhere on various devices.

  • Secure and reliable.

  • Maintain your professional domain email instead of the free @gmail address.

  • Spread your social presence across new online applications including Google+ and YouTube.

  • Use IMAP to keep your inbox in sync on your computer, mobile device, and tablet.

  • Add or remove users as your business ebbs and flows in a more cost-effective way than with Microsoft Exchange.

  • Centralize work and business communications

Drawbacks of Using Google Workspace with Outlook

If you have your Outlook honed in with various categories, flags, rich text format, journal entries, etc., don’t expect all of your hard work to sync to Google Workspace. Of course, you can still access it on your Outlook profile.

Remember that even if some information does not transfer, there are features on Google Workspace that are comparable to Outlook, and you will be able to use those features instead. The drawback is reentering data if you believe you will need to do that.

Potential drawbacks of using Google Workspace with Outlook include:

  • Setting up Google Workspace with Outlook can sound intimidating or time-consuming at first.

  • Mac users cannot use GWSMO to sync Outlook and Google Workspace.

  • Calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes don’t sync as well as email because their formats aren’t standardized.

  • You cannot export Google Tasks to Outlook.

  • Trying to keep up with both interfaces can be overwhelming.

  • When you attempt a resynchronization, Google overwrites local data instead of doing a two-way sync, which in some cases may delete recent changes you’ve made in Outlook.

  • Sync errors do exist in the GWSMO tool

Before you sync your Outlook with Google Workspace, consider that any synchronization process can be sticky and slow. In most cases, though, the process is smooth, and you will maintain all of your important information.

How to Start Using Google Workspace with Outlook

Ready to enjoy the perks of both platforms? Here’s a basic how to get started using Google Workspace with Outlook:

  1. Set up a Google Workspace account, any level.

  2. Set up mail, calendar, GAL, service & apps to sync with Outlook.
    Example: For mail, go to Apps -> Google Workspace -> Gmail. Go to End User Access and switch Enable Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook for your users to ON.

  3. Install GWSMO.

  4. Import your data
  5. GWSMO usually launches the synchronization tool when the user imports data to create a user profile, or immediately after profile creation

For more help setting up Google Workspace with Outlook and syncing your mail, calendar, and other functions, check out the official Google Workspace documentation.

Conclusion

For some users, the GWSMO tool is magic that allows them to use all of Google’s and Microsoft’s tools and better connect with their team members. For others, merging Outlook and Google Workspace is too painful and complex of a process to be worth the benefits.

Related Posts

....

....