EngageBay and Gmail: what syncs, what doesn't, and how to set it up
EngageBay connects to Gmail with a two-way mailbox sync, a free Chrome extension for open tracking, and a Google Calendar sync. The help center puts the mailbox sync on the Pro plan.
- Connector
- Native, built by EngageBay: a mailbox connection in Preferences plus a Chrome extension published by ENGAGEBAY INC. Free to connect; plan rules below
- Sync direction
- Two-way for email; Gmail → EngageBay for contact creation; Google Calendar events show in EngageBay
- Setup time
- Four steps in Preferences; the help center gives no time estimate
- Availability
- Two-way mailbox sync: Pro plan per the help center, though the pricing page lists Gmail integration on every plan. Chrome extension: free. Google side: the docs name no Gmail plan requirement
- Our rating
- 4 out of 5. Two-way Gmail sync with contact creation, but the help center puts it on the Pro plan while the pricing page lists Gmail on every plan.
| What | Direction | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Mailbox conversations | Two-way | Emails sent from your mailbox appear in EngageBay, and emails sent from EngageBay go out through your own email servers. The help center calls this 2-way email integration. |
| Existing conversations | Gmail → EngageBay | Optional setting called Sync existing conversations. It pulls the mail already in the mailbox into EngageBay. |
| Existing conversations as contacts | Gmail → EngageBay | Optional setting. It creates EngageBay contacts from all existing conversations in the mailbox. |
| New conversations as contacts | Gmail → EngageBay | Optional setting. Each new conversation that reaches the mailbox creates a contact. |
| Google Calendar events | Google Calendar → EngageBay | You add a Google Calendar from the EngageBay calendar, and its events appear there. The docs don't say whether EngageBay events write back to Google. |
| Email open, click and attachment tracking | Derived | The Chrome extension adds a double check mark in Gmail: gray for sent, green for opened. It also notifies you of link clicks and attachment downloads. |
| Incoming and outgoing emails as contacts | Gmail → EngageBay | The Chrome extension can add the people in your incoming and outgoing Gmail messages as contacts. |
| EngageBay contacts and templates inside Gmail | EngageBay → Gmail | The extension opens your EngageBay contacts in one click. It also inserts documents and email templates into a message. |
| Smart BCC | Gmail → EngageBay | Copy your account's Smart BCC address on outgoing mail to add the recipients as contacts. You find the address under Preferences, Advanced Settings. |
Setting it up
- Click your Account Avatar in the upper right corner of EngageBay and open Preferences.
- Choose Email Accounts on the left, then click Add Account in the top right.
- Enter your Gmail address and follow the prompts.
- Choose the sync options: existing conversations as contacts, new conversations as contacts, and existing conversations. Leave the first one off until you have tested.
- Install the EngageBay Email Tracker extension from the Chrome Web Store if you want open tracking and contact capture inside Gmail.
- Open the EngageBay calendar and use Add Google Calendar to bring in your Google events.
Where the integration stops
- The plan requirement is unclear. The help center says two-way sync is available on the All-in-One Pro plan, and the Sales pricing page lists Conversational Inbox under Pro. The same page's comparison table lists Gmail integration and Conversational Inbox on every plan, including Free. Ask EngageBay before you buy for this feature alone.
- Syncing existing conversations as contacts is a bulk action. It creates contacts from the whole mailbox. Contacts and companies are capped per plan, from 250 on Free to 5,000 on Pro, so check the cap first.
- The docs don't cover deals. They don't say whether synced emails attach to deals, how duplicates are handled, or which labels or folders sync. Test with one mailbox before rolling out.
- Calendar and Google Contacts are thinly documented. The calendar article describes Google events appearing in EngageBay only. The Google Contacts entry says only that you can enable it to sync your contacts, with no direction or fields.
- The help articles are dated. The sync, Chrome extension and calendar articles all show as updated over a year ago. Screens may differ from what you see.
EngageBay connects to Gmail in two ways: a mailbox sync you switch on in Preferences, and a Chrome extension. The mailbox sync shows your sent and received mail inside EngageBay. The extension tracks opens and adds people to the CRM from Gmail. It suits small teams on EngageBay who work from Gmail and want conversations on the contact record. The general Gmail integration page covers the Google side.
The fact that surprises teams is the plan. The help center says two-way sync is available on the All-in-One Pro plan. The Sales pricing page lists Gmail integration on every plan. Check EngageBay pricing and ask EngageBay which rule applies to you.
Email syncs both ways, and you choose how much
EngageBay calls this 2-way email integration. Mail sent from your mailbox appears in EngageBay. Mail sent from EngageBay goes out through your own email servers.
You pick the scope when you add the account. Three options exist: sync existing conversations, sync existing conversations as contacts, and sync new conversations as contacts. The first only pulls in history. The other two create contacts.
Start with new conversations only. Switch on the existing-conversations option once you know how many contacts it will create.
The Chrome extension does what the sync doesn't
The extension works inside Gmail. It shows a gray double check for a sent email and a green one once it is opened. It reports link clicks and attachment downloads. It also inserts documents and templates, and opens your EngageBay contacts in one click.
It can add the people in your incoming and outgoing messages as contacts, so it overlaps with the sync options. If you want contacts created from Gmail, pick one method, not both. The extension is free, and EngageBay publishes it on the Chrome Web Store.
Calendar events come in, and the docs stop there
The EngageBay calendar adds a Google Calendar through an Add Google Calendar button. Its events then appear in EngageBay. The docs describe no write-back of EngageBay events and no field mapping.
Google Contacts appears in the list of apps you can sync. The entry gives no direction or field list, so treat it as untested. A pilot with one user will tell you what the docs don't.
What you build yourself
The docs describe no Gmail-specific automation, such as drafting or labeling mail from a deal stage. They also don't say whether synced email attaches to deals. If you need either, test it first or plan a Zapier or API route.