Bill Kracke

Tools I Use: Google Apps for Your Domain – Email

I’m never sure if everyone knows about this: Google will let you hook into GMail, Google Calendar, Google Docs and more for free (if your a small shop like mine). When I first heard the news, I was completely underwhelmed. Why would I need this stuff when my hosting provider adds email to every account? Let me explain…

Email Independent of Hosting

I’m a big fan of GMail, but there is something a whole lot more professional when your mail comes from YourDomain.com instead of YourDomain@gmail.com. So you leave your mail with your host, right? Imagine the following (all real-life experiences of mine):

• The email system your hosting provider uses is awful. There are some hideous webmail/email solutions out there; difficult to configure, horrible web interface, lack of functionality.
• You need to switch hosts. Setting up email to not bounce usually requires a backup MX server when switching domains, then you have to reconstruct every mailbox at the new host. Headache.
• You were using the webmail interface to stay mobile and you have to switch hosts. All of your mail is on the old server. Pull it down. Switch hosts. Figure out how to upload it all back.

How I Use GApps

These are just a few pointers on how I maximize my use of Google Apps.

• Make the switch already! Once you get past the “Where are my folders?” phase of GMail and realize you can search your mail with the power of Google, you’ll never go back. Simple interface. Lots of help for setting up email clients, etc. Just great stuff.
• Set up your MX records per Google Apps instructions. If you can’t, I’m available for Technical Coaching & Support sessions!
• Use IMAP. Odds are you won’t notice the difference if you are using an email client. (Unless it’s Outlook. If so, may God help you.) And the first time you need to access you email away from your computer, you will be delighted to find everything right there waiting for you.
• Back it up. Google is not perfect. They have lost data in the past. They will lose data again. You can use your email client for this – if it’s IMAP, just make sure you download more than headers. Or you can use a standalone app, like Gmail Backup.
• Play in the Labs. There are some GREAT features in Google Labs available to your GApps account, eventually. My current faves: OFFLINE – this is killer: using Gears or the Chrome browser, your online email is now your offline email; Mutiple Inboxes – to get a view of incoming mail, on hold, and TAKE ACTION mail; Superstars – I use 2 icons to distinguish actionable and waiting-on email
• Try Affixa. To really pump it up, try Affixa. This great little app sets up GMail (even the GApps version) as your default mail handler in Windows. Not only that, but it integrates with Drop.io for sending large attachments. Not only that, but you can set up “baskets” of standard attachments (like your TOS, a service brochure, your CV/Resume, etc.) for one click sharing.

That’s How I Email

This setup keeps me pretty much bullet-proof. Neither crashed computer, nor abysmal hosting can keep me from getting my email. Now that I have Offline access from Google Labs, I have set up a Chrome application so my GMail launches like it were Outlook or Thunderbird. It’s a beutiful thing.

And we haven’t even talked calendar or documents yet.