Google Contacts

1. How can I find personal contact groups that migrated? How can I create new personal contact groups in Google?

Personal Contact Groups in Outlook migrate to Google Contacts as groups of contacts called “Labels.” For instructions on how to find and access Google Labels, click here. (When accessing Google Support pages, please note that it opens in a new tab. To return to the Going Google Site, return to this tab.)

2. What’s the difference between a personal contact group and a distribution list?

Distribution Lists are different from the Personal Contact Groups (or “Labels”) you can create via Gmail or via Google Contacts. To illustrate this, we’ll use the example of the Personal Contact Group “HR Team Leaders” vs. the distribution list careers@company.com. In this example, it’s likely that emails sent using “HR Team Leaders” and “careers@company.com” will reach a similar group of people - the Human Resources team.

However, a personal contact group or “Label” (“HR Team Leaders”) is analogous to a nickname for a group of contacts that you’ve created for your own personal use, while a distribution list (careers@company.com) can be used by more than one person. That’s because a distribution list has its own email address, so it can be shared in the directory and others can send messages to it. Personal Contact Groups don't have their own email addresses, so no one else can send messages to them.

Another difference is that Distribution Lists (i.e. official State of West Virginia email addresses) can only be created and managed by State of West Virginia IT Admins, whereas anyone with access to Gmail and/or Google Contacts can spin up a Personal Contact Group for their own convenience and ease when emailing a group.

Thus, if Bob and Mary both need to contact the same group of people, they should submit a GPM request and request the creation of an official State of West Virginia distribution list rather than creating and managing two separate personal contact groups.

Summary of Differences between Contact Groups and Google Groups

Personal Contact Groups

• Only group creator can use

• Created through Google Contacts

• Managed through Google Contacts

• Can share docs and sites with group (cannot share calendars)

Google Group Email List

• Group managers, members, and/or IT Admins can use

• Must be requested

• Managed through Google Groups by IT Admins

• Can share docs, sites and calendars with group

3. Why did my personal contact groups migrate over empty and how can I fix them?

Some employees have discovered that the transition to Google Workspace has left them with empty Personal Contact Groups or “Labels” when looking in Google Contacts, meaning that the name of their former Personal Contact Group is listed, but the “Label” doesn’t contain any contacts.

To repopulate empty personal Contact Groups in Google Contacts, add contacts to the Group from within Google Contacts. For instructions on how to add contacts to a Google Contact “Label,” click here. (When accessing Google Support pages, please note that it opens in a new tab. To return to the Going Google Site, return to this tab.)

1. After our Google Go-Live, what will happen to my Contacts?

Your personal contacts and personal contact groups will be moved from Outlook into Google Contacts. Distribution lists and State of West Virginia directory contacts will also be available in Google Workspace after the migration.

2. Why do I not see all my distribution lists and colleagues' emails in the directory in Google?

The Global Address List is available in Google Workspace. Therefore distribution lists and State of West Virginia employee emails should autocomplete when you are creating an email or inviting guests to an event. In the event you are unable to see a contact or Distribution List, please contact the support center for further assistance.

3. Is there a way to view supervisors or managers in Google Contacts (like there was in Outlook Contacts)?

Unless the contact is a company employee and in our Global Directory or you personally modified a contact record, no - at least not in a way like you could view in Outlook Contacts. For example, while you can go to Google Contacts, click on a Contact and see their contact card, you won't always be able to see as much rich information about their role, or their team hierarchy, or other things that you could see previously in Outlook Contacts.

4. Are contacts listed by first or last name?

By default, the directory pulls by first name. To modify this setting, use the gear icon in Contacts near the very bottom of the left navigation column, make your selection and click Save.

1. I’m an Executive Assistant. After our Google Go-Live, will I still have to delegate access to my executives’ mailbox and/or calendar?

Yes and No - while delegate access to your manager’s (or multiple managers’) calendar will be maintained after your transition into Google, email delegation does not migrate. Please work with your manager or managers to reset your email delegation. Prior to your Google Go-Live, you will receive training on how to interact with delegated mail and calendars.

2. Why do I have so many duplicate contacts in Google and how can I fix it?

Some employees have discovered that the transition to Google Workspace has left them with duplicate contacts. There is, however, an easy way to fix duplicate Contacts in Google Contacts with a Merge tool.

For information on how to use the Merge contacts tool to safely and reliably reduce duplicates, see the Merge Duplicates section here. (When accessing Google Support pages, please note that it opens in a new tab. To return to the Going Google Site, return to this tab.)