Google account readiness — which Gmail/Calendar/Drive you'll connect in CW-1
Pick the right Google account for Claude Cowork, check your employer's AI policy, and set up clean scopes before the workshop.
CW-1's most powerful workflows depend on Claude reading your real Gmail, Calendar, and Drive. The 6-minute prep is about choosing which Google account you want to expose, confirming your employer's AI policy doesn't block it, and getting a feel for what permissions Claude will ask for. Doing this before the workshop saves a confused 20 minutes in the room when an employer's Workspace blocks the OAuth and the attendee has to scramble for a personal account.
Step-by-step
1.Identify your 'connected' Google account
Open https://mail.google.com. If you have multiple Google accounts, click the profile photo (top-right) and confirm you're signed into the one whose Gmail you actually triage daily.
Confirm the same account has https://calendar.google.com and https://drive.google.com active. The connectors work account-by-account; one Google account at a time.
2.Check for employer-imposed OAuth restrictions
Open Gmail (signed in to the account you'll use). Click profile photo → 'Manage your Google Account' → Security tab → 'Third-party apps with account access'.
Scan the list. If you see other AI tools (ChatGPT, Notion AI, Otter, etc.), OAuth is allowed for your account.
If the page says 'Access is being managed by your administrator' or similar, your Workspace admin has restricted third-party OAuth. Don't panic — you have options.
What to do if OAuth is restricted
Option A: ask your IT admin to allow Claude/Anthropic (they may approve, especially if they've allowed other AI tools). Option B: use a personal Google account for the workshop and connect work later if policy changes. Don't use a colleague's account or share credentials.
The 'Third-party apps with account access' page lists every app that has authenticated against this Google account, with the date authorised and the scopes granted. You can revoke any app's access from here.
3.Tour Google Account → Security
While you're in Security, confirm two-factor authentication is enabled (it should be, for any work-relevant Google account). Authenticator app or hardware key recommended; SMS is acceptable but weaker.
Bookmark this Security page. You'll use it to revoke Claude's access if you ever change your mind — single-click immediate revocation.
4.Tidy your Drive root (optional but useful)
Open https://drive.google.com. Look at the root view. If it's chaotic, create a folder called /Claude/ at the root. We'll save you.md, playbook.md, and other Claude-generated files here in CW-1.
If your root is reasonably organised already, no action needed.
Drive cleanup is the workshop's bonus content
CW-1 includes a Drive cleanup playbook that turns this root chaos into something tidy in ~30 minutes. If your Drive is already pristine, that's time freed for deeper work elsewhere.
5.Verify your Anthropic and Google accounts are different
If you signed up for Claude Pro with the same email as your Google account, you used 'Continue with Google'. That's fine — Claude and Google know each other already, which makes the connector setup smoother.
If you used a different email for Anthropic, you'll still be able to connect Google services in CW-1, but expect a brief 'allow Anthropic to access your Google account?' screen that's worth pausing to read.
What we'll connect in CW-1
- •Gmail — read access (always), send access (optional, you'll be asked).
- •Google Calendar — read + write (writes needed for event creation).
- •Google Drive — read access. Scoped to a folder or broad, your choice.
What we won't connect (out of scope)
- •Google Contacts — not needed for the workflows we cover.
- •Google Sheets / Docs APIs as standalone — Drive covers them via file reads.
- •Google Workspace admin APIs — not relevant for individual users.
Troubleshooting
I have personal + work Google accounts and don't know which to use.
Use the one whose Gmail, Calendar, and Drive contain the data Claude needs to read for your workflows. If it's work data (most attendees), use the work account if your employer allows OAuth. If not, use personal and accept that work data won't be touched.
Workspace admin says 'we'll review and get back to you' — workshop is in 3 days.
Use your personal account for the workshop. You can switch to work later. Don't delay the workshop waiting for IT.
I don't have a personal Google account.
Sign one up at https://accounts.google.com/signup. Takes 3 minutes. You'll need it as a fallback anyway.
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