If you’re using Membrain to manage your sales process but still bouncing between email, calendar, and CRM, you’re wasting time (and probably missing stuff). This guide is for sales teams, managers, and anyone tired of copy-pasting meetings and emails into their CRM. Here’s how to actually get your inbox and calendar talking to Membrain, what’s worth setting up, and what to skip.
Why bother integrating email and calendar with Membrain?
Let’s lay it out: - No more double entry — emails and meetings log automatically. - Less context switching — see your sales pipeline right from your inbox. - Fewer mistakes — no missed follow-ups or forgotten meetings.
The catch: these integrations aren’t magic. They take a bit of setup, and not every feature is as slick as the marketing suggests. But done right, it absolutely saves you time and headaches.
Step 1: Know what integrations Membrain actually supports
Before you dive in, check what’s possible. Membrain connects natively to Outlook and Google Workspace (Gmail and Google Calendar). If you’re on something obscure, you’ll need workarounds.
Supported out of the box: - Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Exchange Online) - Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Calendar)
Not supported: - Apple Mail/Calendar (directly) - Most third-party or legacy email platforms
You can use Zapier or similar tools for more complex setups, but don’t expect miracles. Native is always more reliable.
Step 2: Prep your accounts (don’t skip this)
You’ll need: - Admin access to your Membrain account, or at least integration permissions. - Credentials for your email/calendar provider (company logins, not personal Gmail). - If your organization uses multi-factor authentication or tight security, get your IT folks on standby.
Pro tip: If your team uses shared mailboxes or calendars, check if Membrain supports these. It usually doesn’t play well with aliases or shared inboxes unless configured carefully.
Step 3: Connect your email to Membrain
For Outlook/Microsoft 365 users
- Go to your Membrain user settings.
- Look for “Integrations” or “Email & Calendar Integration.” The UI changes occasionally, so if you can’t find it, use the help search.
- Click “Connect” next to Outlook/Microsoft 365.
- Follow the Microsoft login flow.
- You’ll be asked for permissions. Grant access to email, contacts, and calendar.
- Choose what to sync.
- You can often pick if you want just email, just calendar, or both.
What works:
- Sent/received emails can be automatically logged to the right contacts and deals.
- You can send emails from inside Membrain using your Outlook address.
- Calendar events can be linked to deals and tasks.
What doesn’t:
- No drag-and-drop of emails into Membrain.
- Attachments sometimes get lost or aren’t linked as cleanly as you’d like.
- Shared mailboxes are finicky—expect issues.
For Google Workspace users
- Head to Membrain’s integrations as above.
- Select Google Workspace (Gmail/Calendar).
- Authenticate with your Google account.
- Google will nag you about permissions. Approve them if you want the sync.
- Pick what gets synced.
- Some users only want calendar events, not email. Choose what actually helps.
What works:
- Emails sync both ways, so replies from Gmail show up in Membrain.
- Calendar events created in Membrain appear in Google Calendar, and vice versa.
What doesn’t:
- Filtering is limited: you can’t pick which folders or labels sync.
- If you use multiple calendars, only your primary one usually syncs.
- Google Groups and shared calendars are mostly a no-go.
Step 4: Set up calendar sync
This is worth its own step because calendar sync is often more brittle than email.
- Events created in Membrain should appear in your Outlook or Google Calendar.
- Meetings scheduled in your calendar app can be linked to deals in Membrain.
- Reminders and follow-ups can be set in one place and show up in both.
Gotchas: - Recurring events: Sometimes only the first in a series syncs, or edits don’t sync both ways. - Time zones: Double-check, especially if your team is distributed. - Invites: If you add someone to a meeting in your calendar, make sure Membrain also sees the change.
Pro tip: Test with a dummy event before trusting your real pipeline to the sync.
Step 5: Adjust your workflow (and your expectations)
Just because you can sync everything doesn’t mean you should.
- Don’t sync every email.
Only link emails to deals or contacts that matter. Otherwise, your CRM fills up with noise. - Use templates, but don’t overdo it.
Membrain lets you send templated emails, but make sure they still sound human. - Keep your calendar clean.
Private events (doctor’s appointments, etc.) might sync over. Mark these as private or use a separate calendar.
What to ignore: - “AI-powered” auto-linking. It’s usually just keyword matching and can make a mess of your data. - Overly-complex tagging and folder rules. Set up one or two rules, see what works, and don’t try to automate everything at once.
Step 6: Troubleshoot and maintain
No integration is set-and-forget. Here’s what to watch for:
- Sync failures:
If emails or events stop syncing, re-authenticate your account. Tokens expire, especially with Google. - Duplicates:
Sometimes the same event or email appears twice. Clean these up or ask support for help. - Security reviews:
If your company tightens security policies, integrations can break. Stay in touch with IT.
Pro tip: Schedule a 10-minute review every month to make sure things are still working. Don’t wait until you miss a meeting.
Step 7: Explore (cautiously) advanced automations
If you’re comfortable, you can do more:
- Zapier or Make.com:
Use these to push Membrain data into Slack, Teams, or other tools. Just know that reliability drops with every extra integration. - Custom fields and workflows:
Set up reminders or automations in Membrain tied to emails or calendar events. Start simple, see what’s actually useful before building out.
What’s not worth your time:
- Syncing every possible email thread or calendar from your entire team. It creates clutter and confusion.
- Complex rules that require ongoing tweaking. If it breaks easily, skip it.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple
Integrating your email and calendar with Membrain is about saving time, not creating new chores. Start with the basics — connect your main account, test the sync, and make sure the important stuff flows both ways. Skip the shiny features you don’t need. As your team gets comfortable, tweak and add more if it actually helps.
You’ll probably never have a “perfect” integration — and that’s fine. If you keep it simple, you’ll spend less time fixing tech and more time actually selling.