Introduction

In this article, we will explore how to automatically suspend inactive users in Google Workspace. Productivity and risk management are two key factors that can make or break a business. Maximizing productivity ensures that every employee is making the most of their time and resources. On the other hand, minimizing risk is essential for protecting sensitive data, and safeguarding the reputation of the organization.

In the context of suspending Google Workspace inactive users can pose a significant risk to productivity and security. These users may still have access to sensitive information and applications, even if they are no longer actively using the platform. By automatically suspending such accounts, can mitigate the risk of unauthorized access and potential data breaches. Additionally, freeing up licenses and storage space can optimize the overall performance of Google Workspace for active users.

Definition of Inactive User
An Inactive User in this article is a user who didn't sign in for a set amount of time, e.g. 30 days. It's a concept from this article, not from Google. Not to confuse with Admin Console's user status, which is one of 3 states, Active, Suspended and Archived.

Automatically suspend inactive users in Google Workspace

There are 3 user statuses in Admin Console, Active, Suspended, and Archive. Inactive users, as outlined in this article, are those who haven't signed in for a certain period, such as 30 days. This is a concept from this article.Inactive Users in Google WorkspaceInactive Users in Google Workspace

What is xFanatical Foresight Automation tool and how does it work

xFanatical Foresight Automation tool is a powerful automation solution designed specifically for Google Workspace. It integrates with Google Workspace and provides a range of automation capabilities, including the ability for administrators to automatically suspend inactive users. It works by analyzing user activity and defining a threshold for inactivity. 

Once an account crosses this threshold, Foresight triggers the automatic suspension, preventing further access to Google Workspace resources.

Foresight, an automation building tool for Google Workspace, has the capability to address this IT security issue.

Demo

In this demo, we create an automation rule that watches inactive users whose last login time is exact 30 days ago. For example, if today is 2020/09/01 then any users who most recently signed in at 2020/08/02 will be suspended. The rule also appends an Email action so you receive an email notification for such change.

Rule creation with xFanatical Foresight Automation tool 

  1. Log in to your Foresight account with your Google Admin account.
  2. Go to the Rules page and click the New Rule button.
  3. In the Select a trigger screen, click the User turned inactive trigger.Rule creation with xFanatical Foresight Automation tool Select User turned inactive trigger
  4. Set the number of days after which users are considered inactive in the Inactivity timeout field. 30 days? 60 days? 6 months? It's entirely up to you.Set the number of days after which users are considered inactive
  5. Click NEXT.
  6. In the Select an action screen, click the Suspend user action.Select an action Suspend user action
  7. Click the Primary email field, to populate the variable menu. 
  8. Select User Primary Email variable. This variable is the primary email of an inactive user passed from the User turned inactive trigger.Click the Primary email field in Foresight
  9. Click Add Next Action and select Email action.
  10. Add a Subject line.Add a recepient and subject line
  11. Compose an email body and incorporate a variable.
  12. Click Review.Create a email body and add a variable link
  13. Name the rule and then click Create.Give your rule a name and click create
  14. xFanatical Foresight Automation tool now diligently monitors your user directory and and automatically identifies and suspends inactive users.Rule graph for Suspend User

xFanatical Foresight rule graph Automatically Suspend inactive Google Workspace users

Automatically delete inactive Google Workspace users

If you intend to permanently delete inactive users instead, replace the Suspend user action with Delete user action. The configuration remains the same.Select Delete User action with Foresight

Select action Delete user action in Foresight to Automatically delete Google Workspace user
xFanatical Foresight rule graph Automatically Delete inactive Google Workspace users

Notes

  1. You may not immediately see any notifications from Foresight because there was no one who signed in exactly 60 days ago. But someone signed in 29 days ago will trigger the rule tomorrow if s/he still does not sign in by then.
  2. Those users who already passed the inactivity timeout before you set up the rule will never trigger the rule.

Conclusion

xFanatical Foresight Automation tool is a robust automation solution designed specifically for Google Workspace, that allows businesses to maximize productivity and minimize risk by automatically suspending inactive users. By setting up xFanatical Foresight Automation tool, administrators can streamline user management, improve security, and optimize resource allocation.

Take control of your Google Workspace environment and start using foresight today!

Try a 14-day free trial with Foresight and manage your tasks.

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