Google Apps & shared calendars in Outlook

[drjones]

Hi guys.

I have a client who needs to move to some sort of exchange-based solution, primarily so that they can share calendars inside their office.

They aren't ready or willing to get their own exchange server (and I don't blame them) so the obvious solutions are some hosted exchange service or Google Apps.

My question is; with Google Apps, how does calendar sharing work? Does it work just like a traditional exchange environment when it comes to sharing calendars through outlook?

Yes, everyone in the office is tied to Outlook, so we'll setup the Google Apps Sync for Outlook widget.

Does anyone have experience specifically with Google Apps' calendar sharing function as it interfaces with Outlook?

I *may* entertain any other third-party app that would share calendars via Outlook, but prob looking to do it right the first time. Additionally, they would really like/need the ability to sync the calendars to their mobile devices, which again is why I'm thinking its best to just migrate them to either Google Apps or hosted Exchange.

Currently they are using basic pop (maybe some users on IMAP) through GoDaddy.

Thanks

 

[nlinecomputers]

I'd do hosted exchange. Google apps is fine by itself. Trying to tie it into Outlook can be done with 3 party apps but it is messy. Hosted Exchange will give the end user the experience they are looking for.

 

[YOCS]

I've setup Sync2 http://www.sync2.com/ for a customer and they seem to like it. You can sync via a shared folder on a server or FTP if they have road warriors that are out of the office

 

[PBComputer]

Yes you can share mailbox and calendars using the Google apps outlook sync tool.

I will reply in full tomorrow when I'm back at a pc in more depth than I can from my phone.

Paul

 

[drjones]

I'd do hosted exchange. Google apps is fine by itself. Trying to tie it into Outlook can be done with 3 party apps but it is messy. Hosted Exchange will give the end user the experience they are looking for.

It's not that bad; Google has an in-house software called "Google Apps Sync" that syncs your Outlook emails, contacts & calendars with your Google account.

I'm just not clear on how well, if at all, it works for shared calendars....

 

[skdmaster]

I recently setup a client on google apps but he also wanted to do a shared office calendar. I tried the google sync tool but the issue I found was you can not choose which calendar you want to sync so if you have a personal one and a shared office one then it won't work or at least I couldn't see a way to change it in the sync tool. I ended up purchasing one Office 365 account for $48 for the year and had it syncing across 6 desktops in a few minutes with instant updates unlike a sync tool working ever 5-15 minutes. Just saying what I found worked for me and but I could of missed something with the google sync.

 

[seedubya]

I recently setup a client on google apps but he also wanted to do a shared office calendar. I tried the google sync tool but the issue I found was you can not choose which calendar you want to sync so if you have a personal one and a shared office one then it won't work or at least I couldn't see a way to change it in the sync tool. I ended up purchasing one Office 365 account for $48 for the year and had it syncing across 6 desktops in a few minutes with instant updates unlike a sync tool working ever 5-15 minutes. Just saying what I found worked for me and but I could of missed something with the google sync.

There is not difficulty in doing what you needed to do. You just started at the wrong end i.e. in Outlook instead of in GApps. http://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=178356

 

[drjones]

There is not difficulty in doing what you needed to do. You just started at the wrong end i.e. in Outlook instead of in GApps. http://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=178356

Ok, so then it IS possible to easily share calendars using Google Apps and Outlook?

 

[PBComputer]

Sorry for the delay, yes it is possible to share email and calendar via outlook or web client.

To share email login to the account and go to the Gear on the top right and go to settings and the option is in their. if you wish to share the calendar you need to login to email then click the calendar tab on the web interface then go to the Gear and settings and you set who can see your calendar. is does take about 30-1 hour for the settings to take affect.

The best way to share them is using the web client and not outlook as their is less to go wrong. (you can only share 10 users email/calendar)

hope this helps

Paul

 

[drjones]

(you can only share 10 users email/calendar)



Paul

Wait, what? Is that 10 user limit from Google or Outlook? They will probably hit that within a couple months if they aren't already at 10 users....

Thank you for the reply.

 

[PBComputer]

Wait, what? Is that 10 user limit from Google or Outlook? They will probably hit that within a couple months if they aren't already at 10 users....

Thank you for the reply.

From memory and without looking on the support portal it's 10 for Web and outlook.

 

[rsarceno]

The best way to share them is using the web client and not outlook as their is less to go wrong. (you can only share 10 users email/calendar)

+1. It's better to use the Gmail Web client instead of Outlook for Google Apps. The limit is 10 for free non business use and but unlimited is available for $5 monthly with 25GB

I push both products, Outlook 365 and Google Apps. Both starts at $5 monthly. It's easier to use and implement Google Apps but Outlook 365 has more features for advance users. The main advantage is VOIP. It's easier to link voice mail with Outlook than Google. But for small business, Google voice is sometimes sufficient.

Hope this helps

 

[seedubya]

+1. It's better to use the Gmail Web client instead of Outlook for Google Apps. The limit is 10 for free non business use and but unlimited is available for $5 monthly with 25GB

I push both products, Outlook 365 and Google Apps. Both starts at $5 monthly. It's easier to use and implement Google Apps but Outlook 365 has more features for advance users. The main advantage is VOIP. It's easier to link voice mail with Outlook than Google. But for small business, Google voice is sometimes sufficient.

Hope this helps

No one who runs an actual business and who uses Outlook should be using the free version of Apps.

 

[PBComputer]

No one who runs an actual business and who uses Outlook should be using the free version of Apps.

Totally agree, all the Google apps account we manage for business are the paid version. I have set the free up for my parents but just for the spam filtering.

 

[callthatgirl]

I just set up 17 users on Google Apps for business, using Outlook.

Wow, did I learn a bunch of lessons on that set up!

Anyway, the calendar sharing is not the best, but it works with outlook and the "share" button on calendars, you have to right click to see the share permissions. Nothing great, but it does work. My clients have requested I find a solution.

 

[drjones]

I just set up 17 users on Google Apps for business, using Outlook.

Wow, did I learn a bunch of lessons on that set up!

Anyway, the calendar sharing is not the best, but it works with outlook and the "share" button on calendars, you have to right click to see the share permissions. Nothing great, but it does work. My clients have requested I find a solution.

What do you mean, can you please be more specific? The calendar sharing either works or it doesn't. On another client of mine that we just moved to in-house exchange, in Outlook 2010 there's a "Calendar Permissions" button that you click and you can fine-tune the permissions there.

Thanks to this thread, I now understand that with Google Apps, you have to enable sharing through the web interface, do you then also have to enable it/change permissions in Outlook?

Seems like this may be way too much of a hassle, may just be easier to go with a true Exchange solution...

 

[seedubya]

The calendar sharing either works or it doesn't.

It does, just not in the same way it would when attached to an exchange server. You seem to have some misconceptions about Google Apps.
I think this has everything you need.

 

[callthatgirl]

There is a calendar sharing option for Google apps in Outlook, you need to right click on the calendar you want to share and look for the Google Apps sharing option.

 

[ShinyTech]

Have you looked into Office 365, official exchange in the cloud.