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Google Workspace: Setting up integration and SSO

Learn how to integrate Google Workspace with Small Improvements to enable Single Sign-On (SSO) and automate user imports, making it easier to manage employee access and profiles.

Updated over a week ago

What gets synced

Connecting Google Workspace lets you automatically import key employee details. Small Improvements syncs the following fields:

  • First name and Last name

  • Login email

  • Employment type (e.g., Full-time, Part-time)

  • Account status (Active or Deactivated)

Note: This integration does not import manager relationships or reporting lines. You can assign managers manually within the platform or update them in bulk using our CSV Import feature.

Before you begin

To ensure a smooth setup, please keep the following in mind:

  • Subdomain: Reach out to the Small Improvements support team to set up your custom subdomain (e.g., https://yourcompany.small-improvements.com).

  • Email Matching: For SSO to work, the login email in Small Improvements must match the Google Workspace email exactly, including the casing (e.g., [email protected] vs [email protected]).

  • Administrative APIs: Confirm that Administrative APIs are enabled in your Google Workspace settings.

Step 1: Install the Small Improvements app

  1. Log in to your Google Workspace admin account.

  2. Navigate to the Google Workspace Marketplace and locate the Small Improvements app:

  3. Click Install App.

  4. Grant the requested permissions to allow Small Improvements to securely access your user data for imports and logins.

Step 2: Configure the integration

  1. In Small Improvements, navigate to Admin > Integrations > Google Workspace.

  2. Click the Configuration tab.

  3. Enter your Service Account details.

  4. If you only want to sync a specific group of people, enter the Organizational Unit (OU) path starting with a / (e.g., /Engineering). This will include all users nested within that unit.

Tip: When entering your Service Account details (Step 3), we recommend using a dedicated "robot" account with User Management Admin permissions. This ensures the integration remains stable even if individual admin accounts change.


Step 3: Preview and import users

  1. Switch to the User Import Preview tab to review the list of users identified in Google Workspace.

  2. Click Import to run a one-time manual sync.

  3. To keep your directory updated automatically, return to the Configuration tab and select Run automatic imports.

  4. You can review past sync results at any time in the User Import History tab.

Tip: Once your users are imported, remember to manually Send Welcome Emails from the Directory when you are ready for your team to start using the platform!

Troubleshooting the connection

If you run into any hurdles while syncing, try these quick steps:

  • App Status: Double-check that the app is still listed as "Installed" in your Google Workspace Marketplace settings.

  • Reinstall: If the connection seems broken, removing and reinstalling the Marketplace app often re-establishes the link.

  • Suspensions: Remember that suspending a user in Google will mark them as Deactivated in Small Improvements, but deleting a user in Google will not automatically remove them from our platform.

Need more help?

If you have questions about specific error logs in your User Import History, feel free to reach out to our support team with a screenshot of the error!

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