How can I create a user in Google Cloud Platform without having to create a new Gmail user?

2
votes

I want to create a user account for contacting developers using their own email addresses, not a new Gmail user in my account. Google Cloud Platform seems to let me create the users, but they never receive an email and hence can't complete the account creation.

As it happens, they are Google Docs users with their own Google accounts, but naturally they'd rather not have yet another email address. Is this even possible or does Google tie Google Cloud Platform into Google Docs? It seems a major limitation of Google Cloud Platform if they do.

2
google-cloud-platform
Can you clarify your question? Google Cloud Platform does not support emailing except as part of events or notifications of Google Cloud (GAE excluded). This is the job of an email program. All Google Docs users have a Gmail account or use a public link to access documents. Improve your question with the service that you are adding email addresses to. – John Hanley
Part of the process of creating a new user is that GCP asks for their email address and sends them an email to complete the creation process. That email does not appear to be delivered if the user's email address is not a member of the same G Suite account. – mcqj
Actually, based on @DazWilkin answer, it appears that only new owners get an email confirmation. – mcqj

2 Answers

2
votes

Google Cloud Platform, G Suite (formerly "Google Docs") and all other Google services share an identity system. The identity system requires humans to have user accounts while software|machines have service accounts. One Google user account equals one user.

There are 2 flavors of (Google) user accounts: [your-name]@gmail.com and those created by an organization for its users [email protected]. For example, Google uses Google identity internally and so Googlers have emails [their-name]@google.com.

When you create a Google Cloud Platform project, anyone with a Google account may be added to it. Whether their Google account is [email protected] or an account created by their employer for them.

The only time your users will receive an email from you when you add them to a Google Cloud Platform project is if you make them project owners. This is because, ownership requires acceptance of Google's Terms of Service. Other types of users will be added without receiving an email (from Google about it) but will be able to access your project's resources.

I suspect your users have been added correctly and you're ready to go!

0
votes

the most simple is to share a directory with those off-domain email addresses

this is possible, because Google Docs is backed by Google Drive as storage.

setting them up with IAM would only add complexity, which is not required

(at least, unless you won't have to grant them access to GCP resources).