Google Multifactor Authentication for Departments, Student Clubs, and Student Organization Accounts

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a critical security measure for protecting business data in email accounts. It adds an extra layer of protection by requiring users to provide two or more verification factors to access an account. The guidelines in this article detail the various strategies you can use to share account and/or data access after activating MFA depending on the number of people who require access for your department, student club, or student organization.

Overview

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a critical security measure for protecting business data in email accounts. It adds an extra layer of protection by requiring users to provide two or more verification factors to access an account. The guidelines in this article detail the various strategies you can use to share account and/or data access after activating MFA depending on the number of people who require access for your department, student club, or student organization.

Instructions

Groups with a single user accessing the account for Email/Calendar/Drive

• You can enable MFA with call/text to your office or personal phone and then set up MFA with an authenticator app, Google Prompts or Google Backup codes as backup options.

• After setting up MFA, you can configure delegates to access email and calendar if additional people need access.

• Gmail Mobile App access on Android and iOS is not compatible with account delegation.  To access a delegated account, you must use the Gmail desktop web client.

 

Groups with multiple users accessing the account for Email/Calendar only

• Have one dedicated account manager enable MFA with call/text to your office or personal phone and then set up MFA with an authenticator app, Google Prompts or Google Backup codes as backup options.

• Use account delegation for the other users that need access to email and calendar.

• Gmail Mobile App access on Android and iOS is not compatible with account delegation.  To access a delegated account, you must use the Gmail desktop web client.

 

Groups with multiple users accessing the account for Email/Calendar/Drive

• Delegating accounts does NOT provide access to Drive through delegation. Therefore, before enabling MFA, we recommend moving all My Drive files into a Shared Drive folder.

• Have one dedicated account manager enable MFA with call/text to your office or personal phone and then set up MFA with an authenticator app, Google Prompts or Google Backup codes as backup options.

• Use account delegation for the other users that need access to email and calendar.

• Gmail Mobile App access on Android and iOS is not compatible with account delegation.  To access a delegated account, you must use the Gmail desktop web client.

 

Groups with a large number of users accessing the account for Email/Calendar/Drive

• Consultation services are available to evaluate the needs of your group to access data in your account. Contact the CTS Helpdesk to set up an appointment.

• Before enabling MFA, we recommend moving all My Drive files into a Shared Drive folder.

• Have one dedicated account manager enable MFA with call/text to your office or personal phone and then set up MFA with an authenticator app, Google Prompts or Google Backup codes as backup options.

• Use account delegation for the other users that need access to email and calendar.

• Gmail Mobile App access on Android and iOS is not compatible with account delegation.  To access a delegated account, you must use the Gmail desktop web client.

 

Migrate to a mailing list in Mailman 

• If the account is only being used to send notifications to mailman lists or other Google Contacts lists, the account should be moved to a mailman list itself for mass mailings

  • For more information about Mailman mailing lists, read our related knowledgebase article. 

  • You can request a list by filling out a request form. Please note in the request that you would like to deactivate a group account and move to a Mailman list.

     

Need Help?

Need additional information or assistance? Contact CTS.