Google Workspace for Education (formerly G Suite for Education) integrates your school's email, collaboration tools, and data storage with d6. This guide walks you through the prerequisites and account provisioning process to enable seamless integration.

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Prerequisites for Google Workspace integration

• Active Google Workspace account: Your school must have a valid Google Workspace for Education subscription active with Google.

• Administrator access: You must have super admin or email administrator privileges in your Google Workspace domain.

• Domain ownership: Your school's domain must be verified and active (e.g. school.org.za).

• API access enabled: Enable Google's Admin SDK and Directory API in your Google Cloud Console.

• Service account credentials: Download a service account JSON key from Google Cloud to authorise d6 integration.

How do I set up Google Workspace in d6?

Step 1: Create a service account in Google Cloud

1. Go to Google Cloud Console: Visit https://console.cloud.google.com and sign in with your super admin account.

2. Create a new project: Click Select a Project at the top and click New Project. Name it "d6 Integration" and click Create.

3. Enable APIs: In the sidebar, click APIs & Services > Library. Search for and enable: Admin SDK, Directory API, and Gmail API (if email synchronisation is needed).

Step 2: Create a service account and download credentials

1. Go to Service Accounts: In Google Cloud Console, click APIs & Services > Credentials.

2. Create a service account: Click Create Credentials > Service Account. Enter the name "d6-integration" and click Create and Continue.

3. Grant roles: Assign Editor (for directory access) and optionally Cloud Identity Administrator for advanced user management.

4. Create a key: Click the service account, go to the Keys tab, click Add Key > Create New Key, choose JSON, and click Create. The JSON key file will download automatically.

5. Enable domain-wide delegation: In the service account details, enable Domain-Wide Delegation to allow d6 to act on behalf of your domain.

Step 3: Connect Google Workspace in d6

1. Click Connect Google Workspace.

2. Upload or paste the contents of your downloaded JSON key file.

3. d6 will test the connection and request authorisation to access your Google Workspace directory.

4. Choose which user data to sync (e.g. email addresses, staff names, learner groups) and click Save.

Step 4: Verify integration and provision accounts

1. Click Sync Now to pull user data from Google Workspace into d6.

2. Monitor the integration dashboard to confirm all staff and learner accounts are recognised.

3. In d6, verify that Google Workspace email addresses are correctly mapped under People > Staff or Learners.

4. Optionally enable auto-provisioning to automatically create Google Workspace accounts when new staff or learners are added to d6.

Important information

• API rate limits: Google Workspace APIs have rate limits. For large schools, request a quota increase from Google Cloud Console.

• Sync frequency: Data synchronises between d6 and Google Workspace at regular intervals (typically every 4 hours). Manual synchronisation is available in integration settings.

• Email address matching: Ensure d6 user email addresses match Google Workspace email addresses exactly (case-insensitive).

• Security: Keep your service account JSON key secure. Never share it publicly or regenerate it if compromised.

• Deprovisioning: When a user departs, deactivate their account in both d6 and Google Workspace to prevent unauthorised access.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a premium Google Workspace subscription to integrate with d6?

Yes. The free Google Workspace for Education tier does not support the Admin SDK and Directory APIs required for d6 integration. You need at least a Business Starter subscription or higher.

Can I synchronise learner email addresses from Google Classroom groups?

No. d6 integrates with Google Workspace's Directory API, which manages organisational accounts, not Google Classroom. However, you can manually or bulk-import learner email addresses created in Google Workspace.

What data is synced from Google Workspace to d6?

By default, the sync includes email addresses, full names, job titles, and organisational unit (department). You can customise the sync to include or exclude specific fields in integration settings.

What happens if I change a user's email address in Google Workspace?

The next automatic synchronisation will update the user's email in d6. If auto-provisioning is enabled, the change propagates within 4 hours. You can also trigger a manual sync immediately.