Configure Google Workspace to use third party email server

Question

I have set up a new Google Workspace account, however I would like to keep using my own email server to handle the incoming/sending emails and still see them in the "emails" in google workspace email interface. How would this be possible?

If i direct MX record on my domain to google servers then all the incoming email will be handled by google, and that's not good, as i want to be able to deliver email to other email addresses handled by my third party email server that are not Google Workspace suite users.

Let's say i have Google Workspace a user john@somedomain.com. I have tried leaving my mx settings untouched and then adding custom IMAP/POP server addresses in ** Settings > Accounts > Check mail from other accounts / Send mail as **, however, when I try to add email john@somedomain.com and point the configuration to my third party mail server it says i cannot do that.

Then i have tried adding a different account to Google Workspace with login john.loignonly@somedomain.com, and configured IMAP/POP external servers in the same settings as above but this does not work completely. While i see the received emails and can send the emails successfully, the emails are not being sent other email providers, it does not deliver the sent emails to gmail addresses (maybe it thinks it's spam?)

Could someone please help me configure Google Workspace email to just read/receive messages from my external mail server?

Answer 1

If I understand you clearly, you mean you want to be receiving emails on the same domain using two different receiving email servers? if so, what you need do is check and update the MX records for the domain DNS RECORDS.

1. You can add the MX records of the receiving email address servers and just change the priority points. Grant google workspace(gmail), say 10 points PRIROTY and the second email receiving server , say 50 points priority.

If an email is sent to your domain, the mail exchange algorithm will first check if delivery email is in the first priority server, if not it moves to deliver the email in the email address on the second priority server.

Answer 2

SUGGESTION

What you're asking is actually feasible using dual delivery with your third-party email server and Google Workspace. Assuming that they have that service available on their end. This would let you keep using your email server as the primary sender and receiver of emails and let you receive emails with your Google Workspace account as well.

What you'll need to do is point your MX records to your third-party email service provider and set up a forwarding from their end that would be pointed to Google's MX records (Google Workspace MX record values) for your Google Workspace account to receive emails. Since the legacy server, as Google's article calls it (your third-party email server) was not provided, you may review this article for more information. Deliver email to multiple inboxes with dual delivery.

UPDATE

Here's what you can do to set up dual delivery:

• Reach out to your third-party email provider and ask if dual delivery is available on their services. Note: Not all email hosting providers have this feature.

If it's available, the only thing you'll need to do is seek assistance on how to set it up and they should know what to do. Based on my experience, you'll be adding Google's MX records to the place where you manage your email services so that it may be set up. Once done, you should be able to receive emails from both providers when it kicks in.

If the feature is not available, I would recommend that you change the place where your MX records are pointed to so that this can be achieved. Since Google Workspace has this feature, go to your DNS records and point your MX records to them, afterwards set up dual delivery through your Admin console pointing to the MX records of your third-party email provider. That way, you'll be able to receive emails from both providers.