Create an email alias for a specific users

[Kirubakaran]

Hello @All 

We have a domain (example.com) configured and active in Google Workspace. Now, we would like to have another domain (example.org) configured in Google Workspace and create an alias for existing users in the example.com domain specifically. Additionally, we want to restrict sending and receiving emails from outside the example.com and example.org domains.

When I try to activate Gmail for the example.org domain, it shows, "Activate Gmail for everyone on example.org," and it lists all our users in example.com. I don't want to create an alias for example.org for everyone in the example.com domain— is that possible?

Thank you!

[SajithMohan · Accepted solution]

Hi @Kirubakaran,

Unfortunately it is not possible to create Alias email address just for one user. When you add an alias domain and activate Gmail, all of the users will have alias domain.

Thanks!

[icrew]

Check out the difference between an alias domain (where every user gets an alias in the new domain) vs. a secondary domain (where you can choose which users get an alias in the new domain, and even have it be a different address, like joe@example1.org getting an alias of jsmith@example2.org) over at https://support.google.com/a/answer/7502379

In terms of what you're describing, I think you probably want to set things up as a secondary domain.

If you want to be able to bulk-add aliases for many people, you can do that with the free, open source, command-line, indispensable GAM tool. Check out:

• GAM: https://github.com/jay0lee/GAM/wiki
• GAM Advanced (a variant with a few more features): https://github.com/taers232c/GAMADV-XTD3/wiki
• and the mailing list at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/google-apps-manager

for more details.

Hope that helps,

Ian

[Kirubakaran]

Hi @icrew 

Thanks for sharing the details. I'll check this out. 

[SajithMohan · Accepted solution]

Hi @Kirubakaran,

Unfortunately it is not possible to create Alias email address just for one user. When you add an alias domain and activate Gmail, all of the users will have alias domain.

Thanks!

[icrew]

This is true, if you create an alias domain. However, you can instead create a secondary domain and assign aliases from that secondary to accounts in the primary domain to as many users as you wish. See my other responses in this thread.

Hope that helps,

Ian

[Kirubakaran]

Hi @SajithMohan 

Thanks for the straight forward answer. Yes, it seems it will be creating an alias domain for all existing users in my primary domain not just the specific users I want. 

Thanks again 🙂 

[SajithMohan]

You're welcome @Kirubakaran. You may need to add a secondary domain name if you need to create email address for a specific user but it should be a separate inbox, and you'll charged the subscription.

[icrew]

This is not correct. You can add a secondary domain and assign aliases in the secondary domain to users in the primary domain. There is no requirement for separate accounts in the secondary domain. 

Here at UC Berkeley, we only have accounts in our primary domain, but have tens of thousands of aliases in secondary domains pointing to those accounts.

Hope that helps,

Ian

[SajithMohan]

I see. Thanks for the clarification @icrew 

[goldyarora]

You can add the domain as a secondary domain instead of an alias domain, and then create aliases for the required users on that secondary domain.

[Kirubakaran]

Hi @icrew & @goldyarora,

Thanks for your response. I have added my secondary domain successfully and when I try to activate Gmail - I have only one option to "Activate Gmail for everyone" which we do not want now, we would like to be able to activate Gmail only for specific users which currently not available . 

[goldyarora · Accepted solution]

That won't have any impact, by pointing your secondary domain's mx record to Google, you are asking google to receive any email sent to this domain,  but it'll deliver to only who has Gmail user/alias or group with that email (or to catch-all if thats configured) otherwise bounce it.

[Kirubakaran]

Oh I see. Initially I though it would create alias for all the users and deliver the emails which sent to their aliases.

then I will try activate Gmail on that secondary domain and try configure the alias for specific users to see that's all I wanted

Thanks again 🙂

[goldyarora]

That would have been true in case of domain alias (as it provides an alias to all users), but not in secondary domain.

[Kirubakaran]

@goldyarora  

I tested today and It worked as I expected - Thank you so much 🙂