# Connect a Gmail Alias

Keeping is fully compatible with Gmail Alias email addresses for shared mailboxes. This short tutorial explains how alias email addresses are treated and how to register them.

## What is a Gmail Alias?

Aliases are alternate email addresses that point to an existing Gmail address. For example you may have setup <mark style="color:red;"><support@company.com></mark> as an alias on your actual email address (e.g. <you@company.com>) so that you directly receive support emails.

We refer to the email account that receives the messages as the ‘Parent’ account.

* <support@company.com> = Alias
* <you@company.com> = Parent account

It’s important to note that aliases do not have login credentials and are managed via the parent account.

## Setting up a Mailbox with an Alias

The process is identical to [normal Gmail forwarding](https://docs.keeping.com/help/setup/connecting-a-mailbox/forwarding-your-mailbox), with the important difference that you'll login to the parent account to setup forwarding (as it receives emails sent to the alias ) and setup a filter that redirects your alias emails to Keeping. Let's do that now.

### In Gmail, sign into the Parent account for the Alias

![Sign into your parent account in Gmail](https://1058495162-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCHa8WIsJ5Z5NqmPmq5VS%2Fuploads%2FIcQvrHFjuFtmlRMEEWmn%2FActivate%20Mailbox%20-%20Alias%201.png?alt=media\&token=c356078d-2e7e-410d-b877-0fda0a286119)

### Access the settings page for the Parent account

![Access settings in your parent account](https://1058495162-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCHa8WIsJ5Z5NqmPmq5VS%2Fuploads%2FmoRrBufeoq58HQ1Y5on6%2FActivate%20Mailbox%20-%20Alias%202.png?alt=media\&token=93472365-2ecc-4c77-9b1e-baa150949f4f)

### Add a New Forwarding Address

Navigate to "Forwarding and POP/IMAP", and click "Add a Forwarding Address"

![Add a forwarding address](https://1058495162-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCHa8WIsJ5Z5NqmPmq5VS%2Fuploads%2FQTI47bNAd7cLutXvP84A%2FActivate%20Mailbox%20-%20Alias%203.png?alt=media\&token=561be831-da7b-44a2-9faf-cc33fc53eb5d)

### Copy your unique Keeping forwarding address

Copy your unique Keeping email address for the mailbox you've already created. You can find this on your [mailboxes page](https://app.keeping.com/mailboxes) in the Keeping settings.

![Access your mailbox settings](https://1058495162-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCHa8WIsJ5Z5NqmPmq5VS%2Fuploads%2FWq1n7Tlkxz8sV7tGKdW3%2FMailbox%20Setup%20-%20Access%20Mailbox%20Settings.png?alt=media\&token=f4eb39c5-6b03-4304-bd23-bf5c92bc1e56)

![Click the "Set Up Forwarding" link](https://1058495162-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCHa8WIsJ5Z5NqmPmq5VS%2Fuploads%2Fn558r3jhIsZ4j7ifNI16%2FMailbox%20Setup%20Forwarding%201.png?alt=media\&token=1212ff70-0551-45b6-8ce8-cce5666096dd)

![Copy the forwarding address](https://1058495162-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCHa8WIsJ5Z5NqmPmq5VS%2Fuploads%2FLSaBnVyoWxX5ZGVcwhm1%2FMailbox%20Setup%20Forwarding%202%20-%20rev%20.png?alt=media\&token=de85c24e-f564-4096-93ae-5c0008f4e54a)

### In the Parent account, enter in your forwarding address

Back in your Gmail settings, paste this address into the settings for your forwarding.

![Add your unique email address to Gmail's forwarding](https://1058495162-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCHa8WIsJ5Z5NqmPmq5VS%2Fuploads%2FgJe7uESCWhAeRx7Q79ft%2FActivate%20Mailbox%20-%20Alias%205%20\(1\).png?alt=media\&token=0eca05ca-557c-4a08-ad08-872e8967d3e6)

### Confirm the forwarding

Click Next and OK - Gmail will now send an email to confirm your forwarding settings. Since your shared mailbox address is an alias, this confirmation will arrive in your Parent account. Once it arrives, open that email and click the link to confirm forwarding.

![Find the forwarding confirmation email in your parent account](https://1058495162-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCHa8WIsJ5Z5NqmPmq5VS%2Fuploads%2F5ePNTzPIGDWr8S8xcfDO%2FActivate%20Mailbox%20-%20Alias%206.png?alt=media\&token=28f006ac-28d4-47dd-8d30-4a4c44142049)

### Create a filter in the Parent account

Once confirmed, it's time to go back to your Gmail settings in your Parent account, and this time choose the Filters tab (1). Click "Create a new Filter" (2).

![Create a new filter in your parent account.](https://1058495162-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCHa8WIsJ5Z5NqmPmq5VS%2Fuploads%2FyjBkdn8UEDUWJZ43OWh5%2FActivate%20Mailbox%20-%20Alias%207.png?alt=media\&token=df140726-0756-4cb9-ae32-0c848545f5ea)

### Filter email to your Alias email address

In the TO field, enter your **alias email address** and click on ‘Create filter with this search’.

![Enter your alias email in the "To" field](https://1058495162-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCHa8WIsJ5Z5NqmPmq5VS%2Fuploads%2FHYtziVdMoKTgTGIlhF7V%2FActivate%20Mailbox%20-%20Alias%208.png?alt=media\&token=d9d862e6-fc00-4b2c-a425-cee72500f60c)

### Forward email to your Keeping email

Then on the second screen, (1) tick ‘Skip the inbox‘ and (2) select to forward it to your Keeping email address. then click on ‘Create Filter'.

![Skip the inbox and forward it to your Keeping email address](https://1058495162-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCHa8WIsJ5Z5NqmPmq5VS%2Fuploads%2FANi6NkIzG2dKTio61KbU%2FActivate%20Mailbox%20-%20Alias%209.png?alt=media\&token=248fe201-a04d-4217-bd98-269d8af7a36c)

After you create your Gmail filter your mailbox is connected.  Send a test email to your shared inbox to make sure you are seeing new tickets in Keeping.