Provision Google Workspace for Education users

Creating users and groups is one of the first things you’ll do after setting up your domain.

There are multiple ways to create users and groups in Google Workspace for Education:

  • Manually add users and groups individually in the Admin console.
  • Add multiple users at once by uploading a .csv file in the Admin console.
  • Synchronize and create users and groups automatically from your LDAP directory server in Education edition (recommended if you use an LDAP server).
  • Provision users and groups with partners who can place your student information system (SIS) in the cloud to create users in Education edition (recommended).
  • Create your own provisioning application using the Education edition Directory API.
Provisioning method Benefits Costs Notes
Manual provisioning
(Admin console)
Easy to do and quickest
way to get set up
if you don’t have
many users
If you have a lot of
users, this manual
process could take
a long time
Manual process and
not scalable
CSV upload
(Admin console)
 
Easy to do and quick
for creating many
users at once
 
Requires you to
create a list of users
 
Manual process
Google Cloud
Directory Sync (GCDS)
Automated method to
create and continually
synchronize all your
users and groups
 
Requires time
to configure the tool,
but it’s a one-off setup
GCDS is recommended
if you have an LDAP
directory server, as it
not only provisions
users, but continually
synchronizes
new ones
 
Directory API
(Custom development)
 
Integrates with your
specific environment
and useful for
complex directories
 
Requires coding
experience
 
Applicable for highly
complex environments
 
Provisioning partners
(Who use Directory API)
 
Automated method Legal considerations
for placing SIS in the
cloud
 
Quickest and easiest way
to get your
Education edition account up and running

Note: We recommend that you enter the Admin or Help desk contact information for end user password recovery, so users can contact the right team in case of any login issues. It only takes a minute! For specific steps, go to Set up password recovery for users.

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