Assign in Groups

How to assign conversations in a Google Group

If your shared address is a Google Group, you can give each conversation to one person. It happens in Google Groups, not in Gmail.

The short answer

Turn the group into a collaborative inbox. Then open a conversation in Google Groups and click Take to handle it yourself, or Assign to give it to another member, who gets an email about it. You can then search for the conversations assigned to you.

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Turn on a collaborative inbox

For example, you own or manage the group, and this is your team’s first time.

  1. Turn on conversation history for the group.
  2. In Google Groups, click the group’s name.
  3. On the left, click Group settings.
  4. Under Enable additional Google Groups features, select Collaborative Inbox.
  5. Give members the Who can moderate metadata permission, so they can take and assign conversations.
  6. Click Save changes.

Take or assign a conversation

For example, a customer’s email needs one person to answer it.

  1. Open a conversation in the group, or check the box beside several.
  2. Click Take to handle it yourself, or Assign to give it to a member.
  3. If you chose Assign, enter their email address.
  4. Add a note if you like.
  5. Click Done.

They get an email about it, with your note. Drop removes an assignment.

See who has what

For example, you’re back after a day away and want to see what’s yours.

  1. In the group’s search bar, click the down arrow.
  2. Click Assigned to.
  3. Choose Assigned to me, Assigned to anyone or Not assigned.
  4. Click Search.

An assignment shows who is responsible; Google’s help doesn’t describe showing who is replying now.

Mark it complete

For example, the customer has their answer.

  1. Open the conversation.
  2. At the top, click Mark as complete.

To hide finished ones, search for unresolved conversations rather than deleting them: deleted conversations can’t be restored.

Sources

Read 4 November 2026: Make a group a Collaborative Inbox · Set permissions for managing members and content · Use a group as a Collaborative Inbox

With Inbox Works

  • Your team handles the shared address’s email in Inbox Works, a separate app in the browser.
  • Without any Add-on, the list shows who is replying while they write.
  • An Admin adds the Hand off Add-on for the team. Then each email has Take and an owner button, and each row shows its owner, chosen by hand. A teammate’s reply doesn’t change it.

Limits

  • Google Workspace, in early access by approval: forward your shared address to Inbox Works, and replies go out from your own Google account. Microsoft 365, in early access by approval: sign in once to connect your shared address, and replies go out from it.

Related

Questions

Why can’t I take or assign conversations?

You need the “Who can moderate metadata” permission, which a group owner or manager gives in the group’s settings.

Does my teammate know I assigned it?

Yes. Google emails them, with your note if you added one.

Can I assign from Gmail?

Google’s help describes it only in Google Groups.

Can we use Inbox Works with our own email now?

On Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, yes, by approval: early access is open, so ask for it and we write when your team can start. The demo, with sample email, is open now.

Hand it off.

The demo opens this scenario with a sample team and points to each step.

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