Google Workspace: Email, Drive & Settings

Your Side branded Gmail, Google Drive, calendar, and email signature — how to set it all up and get help when you need it.

Overview

Google Workspace gives you a suite of productivity tools under your Side branded email address. Most teams manage their own Google Workspace independently — your Google account login follows Google's own policies and is separate from Okta. Okta does not enforce or control your Google password.

📧 Gmail

Your Side branded inbox. All Side system notifications, DocuSign envelopes, commission summaries, and FUB lead alerts arrive here. Check it daily.

📁 Google Drive

Cloud storage for your team. Files are private by default — they only appear in others' search results if you grant domain-wide permissions.

📅 Google Calendar

Synced with your Side email. Use it for showings, client appointments, and Side events (added via Workvivo RSVP).

👥 Google Groups

Shared email lists for your team. Membership can be self-managed via Google Groups — useful for team-wide email addresses.

Email on Mobile

You can add your Side branded email to Outlook, Gmail, or Apple Mail on your phone. During setup, you'll be redirected to an Okta login page — this is expected and required to authenticate your Google account securely.

Connecting Your Side Email to a Mobile Email App →

Step-by-step setup for Outlook, Gmail, and Apple Mail on iPhone (iOS) and Android — including how to handle the Okta login prompt during setup.

Setting Up Your Email Signature

Your team's branded email signature is set up in two stages — customising your template in Google Docs, then installing it in Gmail. Full step-by-step instructions with screenshots are in the guide below.

Email Signature Setup Guide — Step by Step →

How to customise your signature template in Google Docs and install it in Gmail, including how to add your logo and headshot.

If You Get an Error During Installation

If you run into an error when trying to paste or upload the signature into Gmail, Side's support team can create the signature for you and send an HTML file to upload directly — no manual formatting required.

Getting an error installing your email signature?

Email help@side.com and the support team will create your branded signature and send you an HTML file to upload directly into Gmail.

Email Forwarding

While it's technically possible to forward your Side branded email to a personal address, this is not supported or recommended by Side.

Side does not assist with forwarding setup or troubleshoot issues caused by it
Forwarding doesn't give you full functionality — you must still log in directly to your Side email to access the Side App, FUB, and other integrated platforms
For the best experience, access your Side email through Gmail on web or mobile

Google Groups

Google Groups let you create shared email addresses that route to multiple team members — useful for things like info@yourteam.com or admin@yourteam.com. Group membership can be added and managed directly through groups.google.com by anyone with the appropriate access on your Workspace account.

Google Drive

Why Am I Seeing Other Teams' Files in Search?

If you search Google Drive and see files belonging to other agents or teams, those files were shared with broad domain-wide permissions — either deliberately or accidentally — using the "Anyone in this group can find and view" setting.

Your files are private by default. Files you create in Google Drive are only visible to you unless you explicitly share them. They only appear in others' search results if you grant domain-wide view access. When sharing, always prefer sharing with specific people over domain-wide settings.

To check the sharing settings on a file you own: right-click the file → Share → review who has access. Change any unintended domain-wide permissions to Restricted.

Google Voice

Google Voice is not included or managed for Side-managed Google Workspace accounts. If you want a Google Voice number, you'll need to set one up using a personal Gmail account. Alternatively, your existing phone number can route leads directly into Follow Up Boss — contact FUB support for setup guidance.

Common Questions

My email signature looks right in Gmail Settings but doesn't appear when I compose

Go back to Gmail Settings → Signature → and confirm your signature is selected in the Signature Defaults dropdowns for both "For new emails" and "On reply/forward." These must be set explicitly — creating the signature alone doesn't make it default.

I see other teams' files when I search Google Drive — is this a security issue?

Not a security breach — those files were shared with domain-wide view permissions by their owners, either intentionally or accidentally. Your own files remain private unless you share them. If you're seeing something sensitive that shouldn't be visible, contact help@side.com.

Does my Google account password need to match my Okta password?

No. Your Google Workspace account follows Google's own password policies, separate from Okta. You can update your Google password independently at myaccount.google.com without affecting your Okta login.

Can I forward my Side email to my personal email address?

Technically yes, but Side doesn't support or troubleshoot forwarding setups. Forwarding doesn't replace direct access — you'll still need to log into your Side email for the Side App, FUB, and other tools to work correctly.