There are two ways in which a Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) user can have an unlimited number of inbound email addresses associated with their Google Workspace account. We’ll refer to these ways as “dimensions”, as they can be used in combination.
Google Workspace Email Aliases
The first dimension of unlimited email addresses are email aliases. Aliases are assigned to a user account by a Google Workspace admin. An admin can assign multiple values to what is technically called the Local-part of the email address, or the part before the @ sign.
In the following example, you will see that Lou’s default email address is lou@yourcrmdemo.com. Lou must use this address to login to her email account.
However, the Google Workspace admin has assigned multiple aliases to Lou, which means that Lou can provide a contact with any of the listed variants shown in the Aliases section.
Google Workspace Gmail “Plus Addressing”
Any Google Workspace user’s email address’s Local-part can be appended with “+” and a string. This is known as plus addressing. It is the second dimension to unlimited email addresses. Plus addressing also works with consumer Gmail.
If one of Lou’s email address aliases is:
lou@yourcrmdemo.com
Lou can submit a web form on a vendor’s website using:
lou+vendorname@yourcrmdemo.com
A major reason for using plus addressing is to filter incoming messages. For example, using a filter, Lou could send all newsletters to the same label (Gmail’s name for folder), provided Lou subscribes to newsletters using +newsletter in the Local-part.
Lou could also use an automation tool such as IFTTT to text message alert her if a VIP has sent her an email.
Since the two dimensions can work in combination, this email address is also valid:
lbalbo+newsletter@yourcrmdemo.com
In other words, any alias Local-part will work with any plus addressing Local-part.
A Difference Between Consumer Gmail and Google Workspace Gmail
What does work with consumer Gmail, but does not work with Google Workspace Gmail is adding periods to the Local-part of the email address (unless addresses with periods are added via aliases by a Google Workspace admin).
