Google apps email sharing between coworkers. Difficulty Level: MSOutlook
October 2, 2013 6:59 AM Subscribe
Like most impossible things, it seems like it should be simple. Basically trying to figure out a way to do project management via email with Outlook which is syncing from Google apps via MAPI / Google Apps Sync. I get an email, I put it into a folder, which then gives my colleague access to read and respond to that email in the same folder, and vice versa. Can it be done? All the juicy details inside.
It breaks down like this:
We're a two person company, PC based - Myself, the owner, lets say john@doe.com, and my one employee, jane@doe.com. Google Apps for Business is installed on the domain, with Gmail handling all the back end of email. We use outlook as a front-end because its quick, easy to use, and frankly, what we know and love, as flawed as it may be, and the Google Apps Sync tool to keep it all in check.
When a project starts, I make a new folder, and then drag emails from the inbox into the relevant folder. So lets say we have Project X, that will be the root, and then things like Documentation, Photos, Suppliers, all have their own subfolders.
What I essentially want to do, is to be able to share this exact folder structure with my colleague, thus giving them access to those emails, to either view for reference on the job, or respond to when I am unavailable.
So basically:
1) Email written directly to me at john@doe.com comes into main inbox via outlook
2) Email filed by me into Project X > Vendor in outlook
3) Jane@doe.com opens outlook, sees unread message in Project X > Vendor folder
3a) Jane@doe.com replies to email directly to original sender, does not cc john@doe.com
3b) John@doe.com opens outlook, sees Jane's reply as unread message in Proejct X > Vendor folder
Now I know this is pretty complex, and may not be entirely achievable on all fronts, but I'd like to see how close we can get. I know that MS exchange has some of this functionality, but I would prefer to stay with Google Apps.
A few notes:
-We'd be happy to switch email clients, as long as it's local and not web-based.
-We'd also be happy to look at a separate PM tool, however since email is our main avenue for corresponding with our project partners, it would have to be a pretty slick and seamless tool.
Any thoughts? :) Thanks for listening!
It breaks down like this:
We're a two person company, PC based - Myself, the owner, lets say john@doe.com, and my one employee, jane@doe.com. Google Apps for Business is installed on the domain, with Gmail handling all the back end of email. We use outlook as a front-end because its quick, easy to use, and frankly, what we know and love, as flawed as it may be, and the Google Apps Sync tool to keep it all in check.
When a project starts, I make a new folder, and then drag emails from the inbox into the relevant folder. So lets say we have Project X, that will be the root, and then things like Documentation, Photos, Suppliers, all have their own subfolders.
What I essentially want to do, is to be able to share this exact folder structure with my colleague, thus giving them access to those emails, to either view for reference on the job, or respond to when I am unavailable.
So basically:
1) Email written directly to me at john@doe.com comes into main inbox via outlook
2) Email filed by me into Project X > Vendor in outlook
3) Jane@doe.com opens outlook, sees unread message in Project X > Vendor folder
3a) Jane@doe.com replies to email directly to original sender, does not cc john@doe.com
3b) John@doe.com opens outlook, sees Jane's reply as unread message in Proejct X > Vendor folder
Now I know this is pretty complex, and may not be entirely achievable on all fronts, but I'd like to see how close we can get. I know that MS exchange has some of this functionality, but I would prefer to stay with Google Apps.
A few notes:
-We'd be happy to switch email clients, as long as it's local and not web-based.
-We'd also be happy to look at a separate PM tool, however since email is our main avenue for corresponding with our project partners, it would have to be a pretty slick and seamless tool.
Any thoughts? :) Thanks for listening!
This thread is closed to new comments.
You refer to Outlook and Google apps...and then say you want a project management system.
Something like Basecamp is a project management system, albeit web-based, that would do everything you describe for project management purposes. Why are you trying to shoehorn something into another thing with different capabilities? You're essentially trying to drive a nail with a screwdriver.
posted by dfriedman at 8:01 AM on October 2, 2013