---
title: Shared inboxes | Lightfield
description: Bring email sent to a shared address such as sales@ or a Google Group into Lightfield through a connected mailbox.
---

Many teams send inbound leads to a shared address such as `sales@yourcompany.com`. These addresses are usually Google Groups, aliases or distribution lists rather than real mailboxes, so you can’t connect them directly. Their email still reaches your CRM when you route it through a mailbox that’s already connected to Lightfield.

## Who can use it

Every plan. Any member who can connect a mailbox can set this up; Viewers can’t connect mailboxes.

A Google Group, alias or distribution list isn’t a mailbox you can sign in to, so **Add account** can’t connect it. Connect the personal mailboxes of the people on your team as usual (see [Mail and Calendar](/help/settings/mail-and-calendar/index.md)), then follow the steps below.

## Route shared email through a connected mailbox

To keep legal, investor or other sensitive threads out of the CRM while lead email still syncs, block those addresses or domains on the connected account. See [Blocked senders and domains](/help/settings/mail-and-calendar/#blocked-senders-and-domains/index.md).

1. In Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, set the group to CC a mailbox that’s already connected to Lightfield, such as your own address. Have it CC the original message rather than forward a copy (see [Forwarded email doesn’t show up](#forwarded-email-doesnt-show-up)).
2. In Lightfield, go to [Settings → Mail and Calendar](https://crm.lightfield.app/crm/settings/mail-and-calendar/) and click that connected account.
3. Under **General**, set **Account & contact creation** to **Always**.

Use **Always** because the default, **When you reach out**, doesn’t create records from inbound email until someone emails the sender, and a shared inbox mostly receives new leads. See [How records are created](/help/settings/mail-and-calendar/how-records-are-created/index.md).

When it worked, the next email a lead sends to the group appears in Lightfield within a few minutes, and Lightfield creates contacts from the people on it (the From, To, CC and BCC fields). Older email only appears if it’s within the mailbox’s **Backsync range**.

## Send from the shared address

If the shared address is a send-as alias on your own mailbox, you can pick it in the **From** menu when you write or reply in Lightfield. See [Aliases](/help/settings/mail-and-calendar/#aliases/index.md).

## Troubleshooting

### Forwarded email doesn’t show up

Lightfield only syncs email that involves at least one person outside your workspace. When everyone on a message is on your company’s domain, Lightfield treats it as internal and leaves it out. A forwarded copy hits this rule:

- A lead emails `sales@yourcompany.com`.
- The group forwards a copy to you, so the copy is from `sales@yourcompany.com` to `you@yourcompany.com`.
- Everyone on that copy is on your domain, so Lightfield skips it.

Have the group CC your connected mailbox on the original message instead, so the outside sender stays on it. An outside participant is required, but the mailbox’s record-creation settings and other [sync filters](/help/settings/mail-and-calendar/how-records-are-created/#whats-left-out/index.md) still apply.

### Email syncs but no contacts are created

Check the connected mailbox’s **Account & contact creation** setting. If it is **When you reach out** or **When someone responds**, new inbound senders may not create contacts. Choose **Always** if this mailbox should create records for new inbound leads, and check the [other sync filters](/help/settings/mail-and-calendar/how-records-are-created/#whats-left-out/index.md).

## Common questions

**Can I add our sales@ group as a connected account?** No. Group addresses can’t complete the sign-in. Have the group CC a connected mailbox instead.

**Will every email sent to the group sync?** No. The original message must reach a connected mailbox and include someone outside your workspace. Your mailbox’s record-creation settings, blocked addresses and other [sync filters](/help/settings/mail-and-calendar/how-records-are-created/#whats-left-out/index.md) still apply.

**Can I send email from our sales@ address?** Yes, if sales@ is a send-as alias on your own mailbox. Pick it in the **From** menu.