Google Workspace Split Delivery

Here, we cover how to enable and configure Google Workspace split delivery working with your cPanel.

Split or dual delivery in Google Workspace (formerly G Suite or GSuite) refers to a configuration where incoming emails are delivered to two different email platforms simultaneously. In split delivery, some users continue to receive emails on their old email system, while others start receiving emails on Google Workspace.

Split or dual delivery with Google Workspace can be cost-effective for organizations that want to maintain their existing email system for most users but choose to utilize Google Workspace for specific, high-priority accounts or teams. By doing so, you can control costs by not migrating all users to Google Workspace, which may require higher licensing fees, while still leveraging Google Workspace's robust collaboration and productivity tools for select critical users.

This approach allows you to optimize your email and collaboration services, tailoring them to the specific needs and budget constraints of your organization.

Related Articles

Set Up Google Email Service Using Google MX Wizard
Set Up Email Forwarding in cPanel

Initial Setup

CAUTION: You must already have a Google Workspace subscription. If you do not have a Google Workspace subscription, one must be purchased before continuing, or you risk losing emails.

1. Log into the cPanel
2. Confirm the domain's MX records are configured with Google Workspace
   1. Using a DNS checker, such as whatsmydns.net, or via the command line, confirm the MX records are the following
      

      ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM.
      Priority 1
      
      ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
      Priority 5
      
      ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM.
      Priority 5
      
      ALT3.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM.
      Priority 10
      
      ALT4.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM.
      Priority 10

   2. If any other MX records are present
      1. Run the Google MX Wizard to configure the Google Workspace records
         NOTE: Users that subscribed to Google Workspace after April 2023 may use SMTP.GOOGLE.COM with a priority of 1 or can use the 5 MX records listed above.
3. Configure local email routing
   1. Navigate to Email Routing, located in the Email section of the cPanel
      
   2. Select the domain from the drop-down
      
   3. Click the circle next to Local Mail Exchanger
      
   4. Click Change to save
4. Update the SPF record
   1. Navigate to Email Deliverability, located in the Email section
      
   2. If any issues are reported, click Repair next to the appropriate domain
      
      IMPORTANT: If you are using external nameservers, Repair will not be available. In this case, use Manage to find the appropriate DNS records to add to your nameserver.
   3. Click Manage
   4. Under the SPF section, click Customize
      
   5. Under the Additional Settings section, locate the Include List
   6. Ensure that there is a record for _spf.google.com
      1. If there is no record for _spf.google.com,
         1. Click Add A New "+include" Item
            
            
         2. Add _spf.google.com
         3. Click Install A Customized SPF Record to save the new SPF record
            

Set Up in Google Admin

1. Log in to the Google Admin Console
2. From the left side menu, expand Apps
3. Expand Google Workspace
4. Click Gmail
   
   
5. Click Hosts
   
6. Click ADD ROUTE
   
   
   1. Enter a name or description for the new mail route
   2. Select Single host
7. Enter the hostname of the server or its IP address followed by 25 (port 25)
   NOTE: A hostname may have a custom name or be generic as vpsxxxx.inmotionhosting.com for a VPS server and securexxx.inmotionhosting.com for accounts hosted on a shared server.
   TIP: The hostname can be found in the Account Technical Details.
   EXAMPLE: In the example image, the hostname listed in the account details is secure235.inmotionhosting.com, so we would enter secure235.inmotionhosting.com in the hostname box and 25 in the port (second) box.
   
   
8. Locate the Options section
9. Check all boxes, except the Perform MX lookup on host
10. Click on Test TLS connection to confirm the TLS connection
11. Click Save
    
12. From the left side menu, click on Gmail
13. Locate the Settings
14. Scroll down and click on Routing
15. Click on CONFIGURE
    IMPORTANT: If other routes already exist, you will see ADD ANOTHER RULE instead.
    
    
    1. Enter a short route description 
    2. Select the boxes for both Inbound and Internal-receiving
       
       
    3. Select Modify message from the drop-down menu
    4. Select the box for Add X-Gm-Original-To header
       
       
    5. Under the Route options
       1. Select the boxes for Change Route and Also reroute spam
       2. Select the newly created route
    6. Scroll down and click Show options
       
       
    7. Ensure that the Account types to affect section only has Unrecognized/Catch-all checked
       
    8. Click Save to save the settings

Set Up in cPanel 

1. Log into the cPanel
2. Navigate to Forwarders, located in the Email section
   
3. Click Add Forwarder
   
4. Add the information needed for the email to forward
   1. For Address to Forward, input the email address of the Google Workspace user
   2. In the Domain drop-down, choose the correct domain name
   3. Forward to Email Address is the test domain alias' associate test email address
      TIP: Every Google Workspace account comes with a test user. A test email alias will be in the format username@domain.com.test-google-a.com, where username@domain.com is the Google Workspace account.
      
   4. Click Add Forwarder