Gmail for business – everything you need to know before implementing it

Gmail for business, or the so-called Google Workspace, is a secure company email service based on well-known Google tools. This service was initially called Google Apps for Work, then G Suite, and in 2020 it was rebranded to Google Workspace. This SaaS offering for Gmail business email has all the office applications necessary for teamwork, starting from Gmail and Meet, through Spreadsheets, to the admin console with robust security options.

Google Workspace features

Google Workspace and the Google Workspace account has been designed with business users in mind. The service is perfectly suitable for a sole proprietorship, a small startup, or a large enterprise. The offered tools allow for effective communication, work organization and cooperation. The biggest advantage of Google Workspace business account, compared to a personal Gmail account, is the ability to connect your own domain to Gmail to create the image of a professional company.

Let’s take a look at the tools and Google Workspace apps.

Communication tools in Google Workspace

Using the package allows for efficient cooperation between all employees, regardless of where they are. The applications allow you to facilitate communication, chat conversations and video calls with clients from around the world. In addition, users are able to easily schedule meetings at convenient times and reserve company resources, like conference rooms in the office.

Efficient communication is enabled by:

• Gmail – secure Google business email in your own domain, no spam or ads
• Calendar – an application that enables efficient time management by creating meetings, adding colleagues and company resources
• Google Chat – an application for instant messaging with colleagues and external users
• Google Meet – an application that allows you to create video conferences

File editing apps in Google Workspace

The Google Workspace office suite allows collaboration in real-time on documents, presentations,  spreadsheets and more. Therefore, you can carry out projects without downloading countless file versions. Each user has access to:

• Google Docs – an application for creating online documents
• Google Sheets – an application that allows creating online spreadsheets
• Google Slides – an application that allows creating online presentations
• Google Keep – an application that allows creating notes
• Google Forms – an application for creating online surveys

File storage and access

Thanks to the fact that Google Workspace users store their files in the cloud, they can search and access them from any mobile device after logging into their account.

This is facilitated by:

• Google Drive – a service for storing and synchronizing files
• Google Cloud Search – a search engine that enables searching through the company’s data stored in the cloud

Control and security

By using Google Workspace, you can keep control over the company’s data on users’ accounts remotely via the Admin console, and Google Vault allows data to be archived and secured, for example, for eDiscovery proceedings.

Features of the Google Admin console include:

• The ability to enforce two-step verification,
• Controlling the strength of passwords to Google accounts,
• Managing security keys – USB devices for login authentication,
• Whitelist of trusted domains and blacklist of domains associated with spam,
• Choice of a geographic location of the company’s data,
• Personalised security alerts,
• Single sign-on with Google accounts to other applications, 
• Google Drive audit log,
• Additional TLS encryption,
• Data Loss Prevention,
• Setting data retention rules in Vault,
• Security reports,
• Recovery of data from Gmail and Drive up to 25 days after deletion by the user,
• Management of mobile devices on which company data is processed. 

The advantages of Gmail in Google Workspace

• Professional and user-friendly email accounts – a company domain in an email address works as your online business card. Gmail with an easy-to-use interface is a convenient solution from the internal point of view, while a custom domain in the address allows you to maintain the professionalism of business correspondence.
• The best email search – search bar at the top of the Gmail app lets you find contacts, threads, attachments, files, and chat history with a precision increased by features like search operators and search chips. 
• Large cloud storage capacity – each Google Workspace Business user has from 30 GB to 5 TB of storage space in Google Drive. At the same time, the Enterprise edition clients enjoy an infinitely expandable limit on the combined weight of data stored in the cloud. You could keep archives of emails and attachments from many years ago and not worry about inconvenient limits of your email storage space.
• Advanced inbox organising features that most competing solutions lack. To understand how to make the most of folders, labels, filtering, extra mailboxes, tagging and other ways to keep your mail under control, read the article: How to introduce and maintain Inbox Zero in Gmail?
• No ads or spam  – professional Gmail account offers reliable spam filters that allow users to manage their mailboxes without distractions.
• Protection against phishing – Gmail in Google Workspace supports advanced verification of senders thanks to DMARC and SPF records and DKIM keys. It ensures that suspicious messages are clearly marked, and the risk of phishing decreases significantly.
• Groups and aliases – each Gmail user can have up to 30 aliases (alternative addresses), and Google Groups help ensure a transparent flow of information within your company.

Business Gmail account for free – is it possible?

Google Workspace for Non-profits

Google dedicated a free Google Workspace plan to NGOs. It is useful because it allows you to improve the work of the entire unit, create collections online and engage more and more volunteers.

To use the free version of Google Workspace, an organization should:

• have an official status of a charity,
• be verified as a non-profit organization by TechSoup or a TechSoup regional partner.
• be a public benefit organization, foundation, or association registered in the National Court Register, or a similar official national register.

Google Workspace for Education

Schools and universities can also use the free version of the package. To become a recipient of Google Workspace for Education, several conditions must be met:

• the institution must be an accredited educational institution recognised by the state authorities,
• the institution must award internationally recognised schooling certificates.

We devoted a separate blog post to the free version of Google Workspace for Education and for Non-profits.

Google Workspace package

Google Workspace apps have a free tier version for individual users but this version does not have all the features and possibilities offered by the paid Google Workspace. For businesses, a range of packages are available, from the most basic Business Starter to the Enterprise package, which offers the most comprehensive set of features. If you’re interested in getting the best possible terms (as much as 50% off for 3 years) on upgrading from legacy service to Google Workspace, check out all features and pricing of Google Workspace packages or contact FOTC’s sales team for an individually tailored offer.

Free trial period

Every company, regardless of industry, has the opportunity to test the Google Workspace for free for 30 days. To start the free trial, simply register on our website.

Opinions of Google Workspace users

The implementation of professional Gmail has solved various problems of many companies. It improved communication between employee accounts and allowed them to perform their daily work faster and more efficiently.
Why do businesses choose Google Workspace and business Gmail with own domain?
How they benefit from cooperation with FOTC?
What implementation problems can be resolved with the help of a partner?
Answers to these questions can be found in the Customers tab on our website. 

If your company is considering moving the email service to Google, schedule a free consultation with a specialist. We offer not only beneficial discounts but also technical support and assistance in the process of data migration and implementation of service.

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