If you use Gmail for work—or just want to send email blasts without a lot of fuss—you’ve probably bumped into the limits of regular old mail merge. That’s where Gmass comes in. Gmass plugs into Gmail and lets you send personalized emails to a bunch of contacts pulled straight from Google Sheets. No more copying and pasting. No more accidental “oops, forgot to BCC.”
This guide is for anyone who wants to actually use Gmass with Google Sheets for contact management and email campaigns, not just read a sales pitch. I’ll show you the real steps, gotchas, and what’s worth your time. Let’s get to it.
Why Use Gmass with Google Sheets?
Here’s what you get when you combine Gmass with Google Sheets:
- Simple contact management. Add, edit, or remove contacts in a spreadsheet—no separate CRM required.
- Personalization. Craft emails that greet people by name (or any other info you store).
- Easy updates. Update your Sheet, and your next campaign’s ready to go.
- No more manual errors. No more “Hello [FIRSTNAME]” fails.
Do you need Gmass? If you’re sending bulk emails from Gmail and want to stick to Google tools, yes. If you’re running massive, complex campaigns, you might want something heavier-duty, but for most people, this combo just works.
What You’ll Need
Before you start, make sure you have:
- A Google account (with Gmail and Google Sheets access)
- Gmass installed on your Gmail account (there’s a free tier, but it’s limited)
- A Google Sheet with your contact info (at least an email column)
That’s it. No extra plugins, no secret handshake.
Step 1: Set Up Your Google Sheet
Gmass takes the data from your Sheet and merges it into your emails. But it’s picky about format.
Here’s what your Sheet should look like:
| Email | FirstName | LastName | Company | CustomField | |--------------------|-----------|----------|---------------|-------------| | bob@email.com | Bob | Smith | Acme Inc. | Value1 | | alice@email.com | Alice | Jones | Beta LLC | Value2 |
Tips:
- The first row must have headers. “Email” is required—case doesn’t matter.
- You can add any custom columns you want (like “Company” or “PromoCode”).
- Don’t leave empty rows in the middle.
- Make sure emails are valid—Gmass will try to send to anything that looks like an address.
Pro tip: If you have data in another format (CSV, old CRM export), just paste it in and clean it up. Don’t overthink it.
Step 2: Install and Authorize Gmass
If you haven’t already, add Gmass to your Gmail:
- Go to the Gmass website and click “Add to Gmail.”
- Approve the permissions (yes, it needs a lot—it’s running inside your email).
- Once installed, you’ll see a little red Gmass button in Gmail.
Honest take: The permissions Gmass asks for can look scary. It needs access to send, read, and manage your email. If that bothers you, Gmass isn’t for you—there’s no way around it. For most users, it’s safe, but don’t install it on a sensitive or company-wide account without thinking it through.
Step 3: Connect Gmass to Your Google Sheet
Now for the magic. Here’s how you pull contacts from your Sheet into Gmail:
- Open Gmail and click “Compose” (like you’re starting a new email).
- Click the little Gmass icon (red button) next to the regular “Send” button.
- Select the “Google Sheets” icon in the Gmass pop-up.
- Choose your Google Sheet from the list. If it’s not there, click “Load Sheet” or “Refresh.”
- Pick the worksheet (tab) you want to use.
Gmass will grab all the email addresses from your Sheet, plus any other columns for personalization.
Reality check: If you update your Sheet after connecting, you’ll need to “refresh” it in Gmass before sending again. It doesn’t auto-sync in real time.
Step 4: Write Your Email—With Personalization
This is where the spreadsheet becomes powerful. You can personalize your emails with any column from the Sheet.
How to do it:
- In your email draft, use curly brackets for columns:
{{FirstName}},{{Company}}, etc. - Example:
Hi {{FirstName}},
Just a quick note from {{Company}}...
Gmass will automatically replace those brackets with the right info for each contact.
What works:
- Any column header can be used. If it’s in your Sheet, you can use it.
- You can even use fallback values:
{{FirstName|there}}(so if FirstName is blank, it says “there” instead).
What doesn’t:
- Don’t get fancy with formulas in the Sheet. Keep it simple—static values are safest.
- Don’t try to use images or attachments dynamically. Gmass supports attachments, but you have to add them manually or use advanced features (which aren’t as simple).
Step 5: Send a Test Email
Before you blast out to everyone, always send a test.
- In the Gmass window, click the “Send Test” button.
- It’ll send the email to yourself, using the first row of your Sheet for personalization.
Why bother? Because you’ll catch typos, weird formatting, and mistakes before they go out to everyone.
Step 6: Hit Send (or Schedule)
Ready to go? Click the red Gmass button. Gmass will send one email per row in your Sheet. You can also schedule emails for later if you want.
Stuff to know:
- Gmail limits: On regular Gmail, you can send up to 500 emails per day. On Google Workspace (paid business accounts), it’s 2,000. Gmass can’t magically break these limits.
- Deliverability: If you’re sending to hundreds at once, expect some emails to land in spam, especially if your content is salesy or your domain is new.
- Tracking: Gmass can track opens, clicks, and replies if you turn those options on. Just don’t expect 100% accuracy—email tracking is always a bit fuzzy.
Step 7: Manage Contacts and Campaigns
Here’s where Google Sheets shines. Want to add or remove people from your next campaign? Just update your Sheet.
Tips:
- Remove rows to stop emailing someone.
- Add new rows for new contacts. Gmass will pick them up next time you connect.
- Use filters in Sheets to segment your list. You can even create multiple Sheets for different groups.
What to ignore: Don’t try to build a full CRM inside Google Sheets. That way lies madness. For basic contact management and campaigns, a Sheet is fine. If you find yourself adding dozens of columns and complex formulas, it’s time to look at a real CRM.
Common Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
- Blank emails: If you forget to fill in the “Email” column, Gmass will skip those rows but might throw a warning.
- Duplicates: Gmass sends to every row, even if the same email appears twice. Clean up duplicates before you hit send.
- Google Sheets permissions: If you’re using a Sheet someone else owns, make sure you have “Editor” access or Gmass won’t see it.
- Row limits: Huge Sheets (tens of thousands of rows) can bog things down. Gmass works best with a few thousand contacts or less.
Pro Tips for Smoother Campaigns
- Use filters in Sheets to create mini-campaigns. Copy rows you want to email to a new tab, then connect Gmass to just that tab.
- Keep your Sheet tidy. Archive old contacts by moving them to another Sheet, don’t just delete them.
- Test merge fields. If you’re using
{{FirstName}}, make sure that column is filled for everyone. Otherwise, your email gets awkward fast. - Check Gmail’s “Sent Mail.” Gmass sends from your account, so you can always see exactly what went out.
When Gmass + Google Sheets Isn’t Enough
If you find yourself wrestling with these limits, it might be time to look elsewhere:
- You need advanced automation or drip sequences (Gmass has some, but it’s not a full marketing automation tool).
- You want deep CRM syncing or sales pipeline features.
- You’re sending tens of thousands of emails at once.
But for most small teams, freelancers, and even side projects, Gmass + Google Sheets is plenty.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Don’t overcomplicate things. Start with one Sheet, a few columns, and a single campaign. See what works, then tweak from there. You don’t need a massive CRM or a fancy email platform to send good emails—just a clean Sheet and a little patience.
If you hit a snag, check the Gmass help docs or just google your question—most issues have a straightforward fix. And remember: email is about reaching real people, not building the world’s most complicated spreadsheet.
Happy sending.