Outlook 2007 & Google Apps Sync April 2010

Intro to Google Apps Sync Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook is an Outlook 2003/2007 plug-in that lets you use Outlook as a client for Google Apps email, calendar, and contacts. Email, calendar events (including recurring meetings), and contact information are all synchronized between Google Apps and Outlook. Use Google Apps Sync when working offline. Contact IT for Google Apps Sync installation.

Benefits of Google Apps Sync The Google Apps Sync seamlessly syncs calendar entries, and is more reliable than using a traditional IMAP connection.   The latest version of the Google Apps Sync also has Free/Busy status for ISB Google Apps and Exchange users when connected to an ISB network. Global Address listing of all the Google Apps email accounts. Google Apps Sync can be used with Outlook 2003/2007 on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 computers. Google Apps email accounts have larger email limits than Exchange 2003 email accounts.

Features that aren’t Synchronized between Outlook and Google Apps Notes Tasks Personal Distribution Lists Signature – you’ll need to create your signature in both Outlook and Google Apps. Multiple contact folders – add to a Contact Group in Google Apps instead.

Unavailable Features Sharing of contacts with another Google Apps user. Setting importance levels for recipients. Recovering Deleted items – IT recommends using the Postini archiving system. Postini archives all ISB emails that are sent or received including emails that are deleted.

Differences Between Outlook and Google Apps Email flags appear as stars in Google Apps Importance levels (marking messages high, low priority) are only available in Outlook. Category definitions and category assignments are available only in Outlook. Rules in Outlook are similar to Filters in Google Apps –these have to be set up in both Outlook and Google Apps.

Viewing Free/Busy Information In Outlook 2007, click on Calendar. Click on the new button for a new calendar entry/appointment/meeting. Then click on the button in the toolbar. Click on the Add Others button (located in the lower left) and select Add from Address Book.

Viewing Free/Busy Cont. Select meeting attendees from the LDAP or GAL Address books and click required for each name. Outlook will show the Free/Busy information for each meeting attendee.

Out of Office – Vacation Responder Use the Google Apps web page to set up the vacation responder. Vacation responder now allows to you specify when time-off begins and ends in advance.  Google Apps>Settings>General tab

Sharing Calendars Share your calendar on the Google Apps web page. By default, only free/busy information is shared with ISB email accounts. Click on Calendar, Settings and then Shared: Edit settings. You can share your calendar with specific people and give them permission to view or edit your calendar.

Multiple Calendars Google App Sync allows you to view multiple calendars in Outlook. Calendars that have been shared can be viewed in Outlook.

Multiple Calendars If you have edit permissions on a Google Apps calendar, then the calendar will be listed in Outlook under My Calendars. You can choose whether to see more than one calendar at a time. If someone grants you permissions to view their calendar, then the calendar should automatically appear in Outlook.

Searching Emails in Outlook Easily search for Google Apps emails in Outlook 2007. Type the subject or keywords into the Search box and the requested items should be listed. The search will look through all of the Google Apps emails in Outlook - including emails in folders. If Outlook recommends Windows Desktop Search, then contact IT and we’ll install it for you.

Questions?