Manage Google Workspace with Gusto

Here’s how to buy a flexible (monthly) Google Workspace plan through Gusto.

You must already own a primary domain—you can purchase one through many providers. Your company must also have a bank account and company address listed in Gusto to purchase Google Workspace. 

Step 1: Sign up in Gusto

1. Sign in to your Gusto admin account.
2. Go to the App directory.
3. Using the search bar, choose Google Workspace. 
4. Click Get Google Workspace. 
5. Find your desired plan and click Choose plan.
6. Enter your primary domain name.
   • If you don’t have a primary domain yet, you can purchase one through many providers. 
7. Click Continue.
8. Double-check the domain name you entered and choose Continue.
   • If you receive an error message, click here for a list of domain error messages and next steps. 
9. Now you’ll create an administrator account for your new Google Workspace subscription.
   • Admin account email: Create the username you want to use for this Google Workspace account. This will become your Google Workspace admin account email address.
   • Full name
   • Current email: This is where Google will send your onboarding email.  
   • Company address: Choose which address you’d like to associate with the Google account. 
10. Click Continue. 
11. Review your plan info and click Continue.
12. Keep your Gusto page open in your browser—after you create your admin password in Google, you’ll return to Gusto to complete step 3 below. 

Step 2: Activate admin account 

Google will send your onboarding email to your current email address.

1. Go to your current email inbox that you entered in Gusto (this link will expire within 48 hours).
2. Find the email from Google (subject: “[Action Required] You’ve signed up for a Google product: What’s next?”). Follow the instructions there to accept the Google Workspace terms and conditions and create your password.
3. If there are any other terms of service to accept, Google will have sent you a second email. Follow the prompts in the email. 

If the activation email has expired, follow these instructions under Option 2 to renew it. 

Step 3: Verify your domain 

Next, you’ll need to verify your domain. Google includes this security step to make sure no one else can use it.

Important: If you activate your admin email but don’t verify your domain, you’ll still be billed for Google Workspace, so it’s important to verify your domain. 

1. Select the Verify Domain link in the yellow box towards the top of your Google admin console—you'll be directed to the next page.
2. On this page, select Verify on the first step.
3. Follow the instructions on this page to add your verification code to your domain host.
4. Return to Gusto and select Check now below to check whether your domain is verified.

Need help? Click the question mark at the top right of the Google admin console to have a Google support team member walk you through the verification process.

Once your domain is verified, you can follow the last step below to start managing your team’s accounts right from Gusto. 

Google Workspace will be added as a line item on your monthly Gusto bill. Your first month’s bill will be prorated to the day you created your account in Gusto.

Step 4: Set up employee work email provisioning

To get the most out of your Google Workspace plan, connect Google Workspace to your Gusto App directory. This will let you securely manage your team members’ access to their Google Workspace accounts right from Gusto.

1. Click the Connect button.
2. You'll be redirected to Google to log in with your Google Workspace credentials. Allow Gusto to access your Google account to continue.
3. Once successfully connected, you'll be redirected back to Gusto and brought to the Accounts tab where you can create accounts for your team members in Step 5.

Step 5: Create work email accounts for your team members

1. Once on the Accounts tab, find the person you want to create an account for and click the three dots icon.
2. Click Create account. 

Step 6: Activate your Gmail account

Once your Google Workspace plan begins, you can start sending emails immediately. In order to receive emails, you must follow these steps to activate your Gmail account. Once you activate Gmail, you can start receiving emails in about an hour.

If you no longer want to be billed for Google Workspace through Gusto, follow the steps below to transfer your billing back to Google. You’ll then be billed separately by Gusto and Google for your respective accounts. 

The Google Workspace integration will still be connected to Gusto for provisioning employee accounts, unless you fully disconnect the integration or cancel Google Workspace.

Here's how to transfer your Google Workspace back to Google:

1. Sign in to your Gusto admin account.
2. Go to the App directory.
3. Select Google Workspace.
4. Click the Billing tab.
5. Next to "Billing Provider," click the i icon.
6. Select Transfer billing to Google. 
7. Fill out your reason for transferring.
8. Click Continue.
9. Click Transfer my billing.

If you transfer your billing to Google on the first of the month, Google will invoice your next Google Workspace bill in full. If you transfer your billing after the first, you’ll receive two prorated bills for that month: one from Gusto for the first part of the month until your transfer, and one from Google for the rest of the month after your transfer. 

You have 30 days from the day you transfer to set up your new payment details in Google. Your account will be active during this time and you can manage your subscription in the Google Admin console. 

Canceling your Gusto account

If you cancel your Gusto account, we’ll transfer your Google Workspace billing management to Google at the end of your Gusto billing cycle.  

Check your Google settings

If you’re having trouble connecting Gusto to Google Workspace, check the settings in your Google admin console.

Make sure Reseller access and API access are turned on. If they’re turned off, the connection won’t work.

Check reseller access

Go to Google's how-to if you get stuck.

1. Sign in to your Google Workspace admin console.
2. Go to Account.
3. Click Account Settings.
4. Choose Account Management.
5. Find “Reseller Access” and make sure its checkbox is checked.
6. Click Save changes.

Check your API access

Go to Google's how-to if you get stuck.

1. Sign in to your Google Workspace admin console.
2. Go to the Menu.
3. Click Security.
4. Click Access and data control.
5. Click API controls.

If either setting is turned off, the connection won’t work and we cannot offer billing support. Your account would transfer back to Google on its renewal date. 

Google Workspace troubleshooting resources

Start here for popular help articles from Google. 

Account access

• Sign in to your Admin console
• Recovering administrator access to your account
• Username and Password Guidelines
• Can't sign in to your Google Account
• Set up Google Workspace on an iOS device

Admin permissions 

• Who is my administrator?
• Administrator privilege definitions

Gmail, calendar, and groups 

• Manage your Gmail Account
• Gmail sending limits in Google Workspace
• Gmail messages are missing
• Check Gmail through other email platforms
• Getting started with Google Calendar
• Migrate mail, contacts & calendars
• Create a group in your organization

Support

• How to contact support