This integration connects Visitly to your Google Workspace account so your employee directory stays current without manual updates. When you add, update, or remove employees in Google Workspace, those changes sync to Visitly automatically within 24 hours. You can also trigger a manual sync anytime changes need to appear immediately.
How it works
Visitly connects securely to your Google Workspace directory using the Google Admin SDK Directory API. . Once connected, any changes you make in Google Workspace; new hires, updated profiles, or removed employees, will automatically reflect in Visitly within 24 hours. No manual updates needed on the Visitly side.
You can also trigger a manual sync anytime you need changes to show up immediately.
Before you begin
If you're not your organization's Google Workspace Super Admin, share the steps below with your IT administrator before continuing.
One-Time Setup (Google Workspace Super Admin)
Your Google Workspace Super Admin must complete the following steps before the integration can be connected.
Step 1 — Approve the Visitly OAuth Application (If Required)
Some organizations restrict third-party applications through Google Workspace security policies. If your organization enforces app restrictions, your Super Admin must approve the Visitly OAuth application before administrators can connect the integration.
Step 2 — Grant Administrator Permissions
The administrator connecting Visitly must have read permissions for Users, Groups, Organizational Units, and Domains in Google Workspace. In most environments, a Super Admin performs this one-time OAuth authorization directly. If you prefer to use a delegated administrator account instead, that account must have all four of these read roles assigned before proceeding.
To verify or assign permissions:
1. Open the Google Workspace Admin Console.
2. Navigate to Account → Admin Roles.
3. Select the administrator account that will connect the integration.
4. Confirm that the following read permissions are enabled:
Users → Read
Groups → Read
Organizational Units → Read
Domains → Read
Note: If the connecting account does not have all required permissions, authentication will fail with the following error:Authorization Error — Error 400: admin_policy_enforced
If you receive this error, ask your Google Workspace Super Admin to grant the required permissions or approve the Visitly application, then try connecting again.
Setting up the integration
In Visitly, go to Integrations Hub > Employee Directory.
Find Google Workspace and click Connect.
Select the Google account that has admin permissions.
Review the permissions requested and click Allow to grant access.
Once connected, Visitly will sync all employees from your Google Workspace directory automatically. You can also trigger an immediate sync anytime by clicking Sync Now.
Configure Sync Scope (Optional)
By default, Visitly syncs your entire Google Workspace directory. You can narrow the sync to specific groups, org units, or domains using Sync Configuration.
- From Integration Hub → Employee Directory, click Manage on the Google Workspace card.
- Click the Sync Configuration tab.
- Under Sync Scope, select which criteria to apply. Users are synced if they match any of the selected criteria.
| Scope Option | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Google Groups | Syncs only users who are members of selected Google Groups |
| Organizational Units (OU) | Syncs only users from selected Organizational Units |
| Domains | Restricts sync to users with email addresses from selected domains |
Note: Use Google Groups if your team is organized by group membership, Organizational Units if you follow a department/team OU structure, or Domains if you need to limit sync to a specific email domain (e.g., filtering out contractors on a subdomain).
- Under Advanced Settings, configure exclusions:
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Exclude suspended users | On | Suspended Google Workspace users will not be synced to Visitly |
| Exclude archived users | On | Archived Google Workspace users will not be synced to Visitly |
- Use the Sync Preview panel on the right to see an estimated count of users that will be synced based on your current selections before saving.
- Click Save Configuration & Sync Now to apply your settings and trigger an immediate sync.
Note: If no sync scope is configured, Visitly syncs your entire directory. A yellow notice will appear on the Overview tab to remind you of this.
What gets synced
Visitly pulls the following employee details from Google Workspace on each sync:
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Name & email | Synced automatically |
| Job title & department | Synced if filled out in the employee's Google profile |
| Work and mobile phone numbers | Synced if listed on the employee's Google profile |
| Profile photo | Synced as the employee's avatar in Visitly |
| Employee ID | Synced from the employee's Google Workspace profile |
| Account status | Active, suspended, or archived — used to automatically activate or deactivate the employee in Visitly |
Any updates to these fields in Google Workspace will carry over to Visitly on the next sync cycle.
Keeping your directory up to date
Automatic sync runs every 24 hours — any additions, edits, or removals in Google Workspace will be reflected in Visitly automatically.
Manual sync is available anytime from the integration settings if you need an immediate update.
Manually added employees (like contractors or temps) can coexist alongside synced employees and won't be affected by the sync.
Need help?
If you run into any issues during setup, reach out to our support@visitly.io and team and we'll be happy to help.
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