Gmail + Levitate

How Levitate Imports Gmail Contacts

When you connect your Gmail account to Levitate, the system automatically imports contacts based on specific criteria. Understanding these criteria helps you ensure all the right contacts appear in your Levitate account.

What Gets Imported

Primary Sources

  1. Google Contacts — Your main contact directory
    • All contacts in "My Contacts"
    • Contacts in custom labels/groups
    • Contacts you've manually added to Google Contacts
  2. Other Contacts (with conditions)
    • Contacts you've emailed but haven't formally added to Google Contacts
    • Must have email interaction history to be considered active
    • May be imported based on recent email activity

Import Criteria

Levitate imports contacts from Gmail that meet these requirements:

Required

  • Valid email address
  • Contact exists in Google Contacts or "Other Contacts" with interaction history
  • Email address is properly formatted (name@domain.com)

Excluded

  • Contacts without email addresses
  • Duplicate email addresses (Levitate will merge these)
  • Contacts marked as deleted or in trash
  • Email addresses in suppression list (bounced, unsubscribed, etc.)

Understanding "Other Contacts" in Gmail

Gmail's "Other Contacts" are automatically created when you:

  • Send an email to someone not in your contacts
  • Receive an email from someone not in your contacts
  • Interact with someone through Google services

How Levitate Handles "Other Contacts"

  • Active "Other Contacts" with recent email interaction may be imported
  • Inactive "Other Contacts" with no email history may be excluded
  • To ensure an "Other Contact" imports, add them to your main Google Contacts

Ensuring Complete Contact Import

Before Connecting Gmail

  1. Review Google Contacts
    • Go to contacts.google.com
    • Check the "Other Contacts" section
    • Move important contacts to "My Contacts"
  2. Clean Up Contact Data
    • Merge duplicate contacts in Google
    • Ensure each contact has a valid email address
    • Update any placeholder or incorrect emails
  3. Organize with Labels
    • Create labels in Google Contacts (e.g., "Clients", "Prospects")
    • These labels can help you organize after import

After Connecting Gmail

  1. Check Import Results
    • Review your Levitate contacts
    • Look for expected contacts that may be missing
    • Check if any contacts were merged due to duplicate emails
  2. Manually Add Missing Contacts
    • If important "Other Contacts" didn't import, add them manually to Google Contacts first
    • Wait for next sync cycle (typically 24 hours) or disconnect/reconnect Gmail
    • Alternatively, manually add contacts directly in Levitate
  3. Monitor Ongoing Sync
    • New Gmail contacts are synced automatically
    • Changes to existing contacts sync regularly
    • Deleted contacts in Gmail will be marked accordingly in Levitate

Troubleshooting Import Issues

My Gmail contacts aren't showing up in Levitate

  1. Verify Gmail connection is active (Settings > Email Connection)
  2. Check if contacts are in "My Contacts" (not just "Other Contacts")
  3. Confirm contacts have valid email addresses
  4. Wait 24 hours for the initial sync to complete
  5. Try disconnecting and reconnecting to Gmail

I have fewer contacts in Levitate than Gmail

  • Levitate may have merged duplicate email addresses
  • Some "Other Contacts" without interaction history may not import
  • Contacts without email addresses are excluded
  • Check if contacts are in your Levitate suppression list

New Gmail contacts aren't syncing

  • Ensure Gmail connection is still active
  • Check if you've reached your Levitate contact limit
  • Verify the contact was added to Google Contacts (not just "Other Contacts")
  • Allow 24 hours for sync to complete

Best Practices

For Optimal Contact Sync

  1. Maintain clean Google Contacts before connecting
  2. Regularly promote important "Other Contacts" to "My Contacts"
  3. Keep email addresses current and properly formatted
  4. Use Google Contact labels to organize before import
  5. Review Levitate contacts after initial connection to catch any gaps

Ongoing Maintenance

  • Update contacts in Google Contacts when information changes
  • Remove or merge duplicates in Google to keep Levitate clean
  • Monitor your Levitate suppression list for bounced emails

FAQs

Q: How long does the initial Gmail import take? 

A: Initial import typically completes within 24 hours of connecting your Gmail account. Large contact lists may take longer.

Q: Will Levitate import my Gmail groups/labels? 

A: Gmail groups and labels don't automatically become tags in Levitate, but all contacts from those groups will be imported. You can recreate your organization structure using Levitate tags.

Q: What happens if I update a contact in Google Contacts? 

A: Changes sync to Levitate automatically, typically within 24 hours. This includes email address changes, name updates, and phone number changes.

Q: Can I choose which Gmail contacts to import? 

A: Levitate imports all eligible contacts from your Gmail account. To exclude contacts, remove them from Google Contacts before connecting, or delete them in Levitate after import.

Q: Do "Other Contacts" automatically become full Google Contacts? 

A: No, you must manually move "Other Contacts" to "My Contacts" in Google. This ensures they're consistently imported into Levitate.

Q: What if I have the same contact in both Gmail and another integration (like Redtail)? 

A: Levitate will merge contacts with matching email addresses. Information from both sources will be combined in a single Levitate contact record.

Q: How do I force a re-import of Gmail contacts? 

A: Disconnect your Gmail connection in Levitate settings, wait a few minutes, then reconnect. This will trigger a fresh import.

Still need help? Contact Us Contact Us