Non-Profit Google Workspace shared user help

Here's a fun problem to solve - A couple years ago, my non-profit organization started a professional workspace in order to centralize the content and streamline the annual board turnover. We have 10 users, 6 of those user accounts are often trying to be accessed by multiple people (at different IPs). 

The issue: At login, authentication via email code or text is being asked. The back up email is our admin account that is currently only being monitored by myself and often times, the person trying to log in can't and gives up. This leads to the board member using their personal email and/or Drive and applications to conduct business. 

Solutions tested and failed:

  • Issued "employee" ID's for each user and set up sign in challenge.
    - Nobody was ever asked for their ID, but asked to verify via text or email. 
  • Tried forwarding filter for Google Sign in codes. Set filters to look for key words and then send those emails to the user's corresponding group email. 
    - Board members were being bombarded with a lot of unrelated emails. Perhaps I was not specific enough when setting up the filter
  • Tried sign-ins via incognito browser
    - I honestly don't know if those who are saying this doesn't work is actually trying it. 

Seeking Expertise Support with -

2-Step verification methods - Would using Duo or Google Authentication Apps to generate passcodes work? Meaning multiple people would need to set up the apps for the same user email account & password to generate passcodes. 

Open to other suggestions or solutions too. ๐Ÿ™‚ 

1 REPLY 1

Hi, 

If you are using the accounts for emails and you just need access to the account to look at emails, I would suggest using "delegated access" - https://support.google.com/a/answer/7223765?hl=en  With delegation, you will not be using password base authentication and you will not need to have 2sv codes problems. Now if on the other hand, you are all using one single user for multiple individuals, I would suggest using a different method because this could get that account suspended. I would use Groups for email delivery and have that group deliver emails to free Gmail accounts if you cannot have more than 10 users.