The Value of Workspace Add-ons
Google Workspace Add-ons (formerly known as G Suite Add-ons) dramatically enhance productivity by integrating third-party tools directly into the interfaces of Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and Sheets. For example, a Salesforce Add-on allows sales representatives to log emails directly into their CRM without ever leaving the Gmail tab. A Zoom Add-on allows employees to add meeting links instantly to Calendar events.
Rather than relying on individual employees to discover, evaluate, and install these Add-ons themselves, IT administrators can forcefully deploy them organization-wide. This ensures all staff have immediate access to critical corporate tools while preventing the installation of unvetted, potentially malicious third-party applications.
Prerequisites
To perform these actions, you must possess Super Administrator privileges within the Google Workspace environment.
Step 1: Accessing the Google Workspace Marketplace
Add-on deployment is managed entirely through the Google Admin console.
- Log into the Google Admin console at
admin.google.com. - Navigate to Apps > Google Workspace Marketplace apps > Apps list.
- Here, you will see a list of any applications that have already been authorized for your domain. Click the Install app button.
Step 2: Selecting the Application
Clicking the button will redirect you to an administrator-specific view of the Google Workspace Marketplace. You can search for the application your company requires, such as “Asana”, “DocuSign”, or “Zoom for Google Workspace”.
Click on the application you wish to deploy. Instead of a standard “Install” button, you will see a blue Admin install button. Click this to begin the deployment process.
Step 3: Configuring the Deployment Scope
Google Workspace allows you to control exactly who receives the Add-on. You will be prompted to choose a deployment scope:
- Entire domain: Installs the Add-on for every single user in the organization. This is ideal for company-wide tools like Zoom or Slack.
- Certain groups or organizational units: Allows you to target specific departments. For example, you can deploy a Salesforce integration exclusively to the “Sales” Organizational Unit (OU).
Select the appropriate scope for your deployment.
Step 4: Reviewing Data Access Permissions
The most critical step in deploying an Add-on is authorizing its OAuth data scopes. Add-ons require extensive access to user data to function. A calendar integration will require read/write access to every targeted user’s Google Calendar. An email integration will require the ability to read, send, and delete emails.
Review the requested permissions carefully. By clicking Allow, you are granting the third-party developer access to your corporate data on behalf of your users. The users themselves will not be prompted to accept these permissions.
Step 5: Verification and User Experience
Once you confirm the installation, the Add-on will silently deploy to the targeted users in the background. This process usually completes within a few minutes, but can take up to 24 hours for large enterprises.
When the deployment is complete, employees will see the Add-on icon appear in the right-hand sidebar of their Google Workspace applications (Gmail, Calendar, Drive). They can immediately click the icon to sign in to the third-party service and begin using the integration.
Conclusion
Centralized deployment of Google Workspace Add-ons allows IT administrators to streamline employee workflows while maintaining strict control over API data access, eliminating the security risks associated with shadow IT.