5 Useful Ways to Integrate Gmail with NetSuite

Integrate Gmail with NetSuite to leverage the full power of having an integrated platform like NetSuite. One of the most common requests we see is customers asking how they can integrate their email, calendars, and file sharing platform with NetSuite. Depending on the platform you are using (usually Microsoft or Google), the answer will be different.

For now, let’s look at what the options are with Gmail. Unfortunately, the options are few and far between and with varying degrees of integration.

Integrate Gmail with NetSuite using the following options

Custom Integration

You can go full custom and integrate with Gmail using Google’s APIs, scripts, and custom records in NetSuite. To give you an example of how this might be done, consider using the following Gmail API calls:

• Users.messages: list
  • This call retrieves a list of unread emails
• Users.messages: get
  • This call gets the actual email along with all of its metadata using the message-id provided by the previous call
• Users.messages.attachment: get
  • This call gets an email’s attachments using the message-id
• Users.messages: modify
  • With this call, you can modify the status of a specific email. In this case, if you download an email to NetSuite, you might want to mark it as “read”.

With this data, you can use a custom record to store the information of the email in NetSuite. Once record entry per email. You could also map that email to a specific client, project, or opportunity (for example).

Generic Integration Platform

Another option is to use a generic integration platform such as Automate.io or Workato (to name a few). This option is the most limited but could also get you up and running quickly.

Celigo’s CloudExtend

This option is quite robust, and Celigo is continually investing in its product to beef up it’s offering. With this pre-built integration, you can get up and running in minutes and it does integrate with almost all records in NetSuite. I say almost as there are some limitations.

However, what it does include and do well is:

• GDrive
• Gmail
• GCal

The Gmail portion of it is geared towards the CRM more than anything so Project Managers beware, you may not get all of the functionality you’re looking for.

If you have an External CRM that is integrated with Gmail

Getting a CRM outside of NetSuite may be something your organization already has in place and so a custom integration, a third-party integration tool, or Celigo’s product may not be a fit there. In this case, you may be sending emails from your CRM (which is hopefully already integrated with Gmail) and have that be integrated with NetSuite.

Other Solutions

There are a few other custom solutions that exist out there that could work for you but keep in mind the R&D being put into the solution, the roadmap for the features that are going to be coming out and the support and longevity the provider can give you.

Ultimately, which option works for you will depend on your situation. Make sure to choose a solution that will be the right fit not only for your organization now but also in the future. Keep in mind the cost of storage within NetSuite (and external storage) and the value of having GDrive integrated with NetSuite records.

Now, get to tracking and sending emails within NetSuite!