Creating users and groups is one of the first things you’ll do after setting up your domain.
There are multiple ways to create users and groups in Google Workspace for Education:
- Manually add users and groups individually in the Admin console.
- Add multiple users at once by uploading a .csv file in the Admin console.
- Synchronize and create users and groups automatically from your LDAP directory server in Education edition (recommended if you use an LDAP server).
- Provision users and groups with partners who can place your student information system (SIS) in the cloud to create users in Education edition (recommended).
- Create your own provisioning application using the Education edition Directory API.
| Provisioning method | Benefits | Costs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual provisioning (Admin console) |
Easy to do and quickest way to get set up if you don’t have many users |
If you have a lot of users, this manual process could take a long time |
Manual process and not scalable |
| CSV upload (Admin console) |
Easy to do and quick for creating many users at once |
Requires you to create a list of users |
Manual process |
| Google Cloud Directory Sync (GCDS) |
Automated method to create and continually synchronize all your users and groups |
Requires time to configure the tool, but it’s a one-off setup |
GCDS is recommended if you have an LDAP directory server, as it not only provisions users, but continually synchronizes new ones |
| Directory API (Custom development) |
Integrates with your specific environment and useful for complex directories |
Requires coding experience |
Applicable for highly complex environments |
| Provisioning partners (Who use Directory API) |
Automated method | Legal considerations for placing SIS in the cloud |
Quickest and easiest way to get your Education edition account up and running |
Note: We recommend that you enter the Admin or Help desk contact information for end user password recovery, so users can contact the right team in case of any login issues. It only takes a minute! For specific steps, go to Set up password recovery for users.