Groups for Business is a core service in your Google Admin console that controls how your organization's groups can be used at the Google Groups user app at groups.google.com.
As a Groups admin, you use Groups for Business to:
- Control whether users can access your organization’s groups at Google Groups (determined by whether the Groups for Business service is on or off).
- Control how your groups can be used at Google Groups.
Groups for Business On vs. Off
When Groups for Business is On
Your organization's groups become available in users' Google Groups directory—available from users' App launcher
as shown here, and at groups.google.com.
- As an admin, you can allow users to create groups in your organization. You can also set organization-wide policies for accessing and working in your groups.
- You and other group owners and managers can make a group a Collaborative Inbox, set posting and moderation policies, and add other features at Google Groups.
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Members with the correct permissions can access your organization's groups in the Google Groups directory, view and post to group conversations, and do other tasks.
When Groups for Business is Off
- Your organization's groups aren't available at users' Google Groups app.
- Users can't be allowed to create groups in your organization.
- You can't use Collaborative Inboxes, moderate conversations, or add some other features.
- Admins can still create groups in the Admin console that can be used in a variety of other ways (see below).
Note: To show or hide external groups at Google Groups, use the Google Groups additional service.
Already decided? Turn Groups for Business on or off
Step 1: Compare available features
Here are features you get with Groups for Business turned on vs. off:
| Available Groups feature | Groups for Business service | |
|---|---|---|
| Google Groups app (at groups.google.com) | On | Off |
| Available in users' App launcher |
✔ | * |
| Shows public and other external groups | * | * |
| Shows your organization's Internal groups | ✔ | |
* Available only if the Google Groups additional service in your Admin console is on
| How groups can be used | ||
|---|---|---|
| Email and distribution lists, sharing, calendar invites | ✔ | ✔ |
| Configuration group for making Admin console settings | ✔ | ✔ |
| Target audience for Drive and Docs sharing | ✔ | ✔ |
| Collaborative Inbox | ✔ | |
| Group conversations with additional features | ✔ | |
| Who can create groups | ||
| Administrators with the Groups privilege | ✔ | ✔ |
| Internal users (if allowed by your settings) | ✔ | |
| External public (if allowed by your settings) | ✔ | |
| Options for managing group membership | ||
| Add members directly | ✔ | ✔ |
| Manage members dynamically, such as by department | ✔ | ✔ |
| Bulk member management via API or syncing with an LDAP server | ✔ | ✔ |
| Add external members to a group | ✔ | ✔ |
| Invite users to join a group | ✔ | |
| Allow non-members to request membership | ✔ |
Step 2: Learn where to manage your organization's groups
Skip this section if you turn off Groups for Business. In that case, all internal group management is in your Admin console.
If you turn on Groups for Business, you can manage your organization's groups from either the Admin console or the Google Groups app. Each place lets you manage the same groups, but you may have to go to one place or the other to use a particular feature.
Here's a breakdown of what you can do where.
- Admin console—At the Home
Groups list (unless otherwise noted)
- Google Groups—Opened from the App launcher
| Administrator task | Admin console | Google Groups |
|---|---|---|
| Create new groups for these uses | ||
| Email lists, sharing, calendar invites, moderated discussions | ✔ | ✔ |
| Collaborative Inbox | ✔ | ✔ |
| Target audience for Drive and Docs sharing | * | |
| Configuration group for making Admin console settings | ✔ | |
| Manage a group's membership | ||
| Add and remove members manually | ✔ | ✔ |
| Manage membership dynamically, such as by department | ✔ | |
| Assign default roles to members (owner, manager, member) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Create and assign custom roles for a group | ✔ | |
| View and manage group settings | ||
| View your organization's groups | ✔ | ✔ |
| Update a group name or email address | ✔ | ✔ |
| Delete a group | ✔ | ✔ |
| Add a welcome message, auto-replies, and more | ✔ | |
| Make a group a Collaborative Inbox | ✔ | |
| Manage and moderate group conversations | ✔ |
* Target audience groups are located at Directory 