How to Set up Custom Admin Alert Rules in Google Workspace

Quick and easy-to-follow guide for Google Workspace administrators

What are Google Workspace admin alerts

By default, Google tries to stay on top of potential issues and other significant events related to your Google Workspace account and alert administrators.
You can choose to be notified about specific events, or turn off notifications for other events.

When to create and enable custom admin alerts

Some premade alerts are easy to enable right now, but you can make your own rules based on things you can see in your Google Workspace audit logs if you need something else.

How to create and enable custom admin alerts step-by-step with images

Step 1

In the Google Admin console at https://admin.google.com, in the menu on the left, click Reporting, then Audit, and then choose the audit log that records the type of event you’re interested in.

You can see a list of all audit logs and what they do here.

Step 2

On top of the page, click + Add a filter to narrow down the scope of the log search so that it only finds precisely what you want to track.

Step 3

The filter provides a few options to select from when narrowing down the scope of the search. You can make use of one or more options in a single search.

Step 4

For example, select Event name in the Admin audit log.

You can search for specific types of events occurring in the Google Admin console. These events are actions that admins perform. For example, creating Groups, deleting Groups, updating Gmail settings, and so on. Select one and click Apply.

Step 5

In this case, we selected Group Creation. We will use that to set up a notification whenever any admin creates a Group in our Google Workspace account. You can click + Add a filter to add more filters.

Step 6

Having set up the log to look specifically for the type of event you’re concerned with, click the Create reporting rule icon on the top right.

Step 7

Type a name for it under Reporting rule name.

Choose who receives admin alert notifications

Then under Recipients, make sure the switch button is flipped to the right if you want all Super Admin users to get notified when this event occurs.

Additionally, you can click Add recipients and type email addresses there if you want other people to receive the notifications.

Click CREATE.

Step 8

To see your custom activity rules, click the Rules icon in the Google Admin console home page at https://admin.google.com.

Step 9

Click + Add a filter.

Step 10

Click Rule type.

Step 11

Check Reporting and click APPLY.

Step 12

To remove one of your custom activity rules, hover over it and click the Delete icon to the right.

To update it or view details, click its name.

Step 13

Click any of the three sections to see more info or update the rule.

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