Add custom URL to Google Apps for work App Launcher

Question

Is it possible to Add custom URL to Google Apps for work app launcher? I have read that it may be possible to publish the URL as a marketplace app in the Google Apps Marketplace and then install that so that it will show up for my users domain-wide, but I am unsure of how to accomplish that...any suggestions?

Answer 1

It is not only possible, but also quite straightforward.

The documentation surrounding it can be tricky to get to the best source though as plenty of out of date info is still in the googlesphere. Any page that is referencing the Google Apps Extensions console is out of date and won't get you anywhere

The best start is as you say, creating a Marketplace App. In truth there is very little that is app and more about simply the listing for an app. In this instance your 'app' is whatever link you want to set it to.

Because the process is tied up with the Apps Marketplace, there are more steps than will seem necessary, but it is tied up with much more potential. Jump through the hoops.

1. Create a Google API Project
2. Create an icon for your link (it will need to be at 128x128, 96x96, 48x48 and 32x32 though in the end, only the 128 gets used.
3. Create a screenshot 1280x800 (again not used but required)
4. Create a promo image 440x280 (again not used but required)
5. Enable the Google Apps Marketplace SDK (GAMSDK) and disable all other APIs
6. Configure the GAMSDK (this bit is where you specify various bits of information that you'll specify again elsewhere... but key is the enabling of the Universal Navigation Extension
7. Add an Oauth2 client ID
8. Register as a developer at https://chrome.google.com/webstore/developer/dashboard (if you are only adding a link for your own domain then no fee is required)
9. Create a 'manifest.json' file

    {
      "manifest_version": 2,
      "name": "Welcome Aboard",
      "version": "0.0.0.1",
      "description": "a plain text description",
      "icons": {
        "128": "icons/128x128-icon.png",
        "16": "icons/16x16-icon.png"
      },
      "container": ["DOMAIN_INSTALLABLE"],
      "api_console_project_id": "428464274542",
      "app": {
        "launch": {
          "web_url": "http://www.example.com/morepath/"
        }
      }
    }

10. zip up the manifest and an icon (relative path referenced in the manifest)
11. Upload Zip
12. You'll now be asked to add screenshots and icons that you thought you'd added in the API configuration and in the manifest (these were just hoops to jump through)
13. Select private as your visibility
14. Publish
15. If you are a domain admin with privileges you can at this point install for yourself and all (or selected OUs) users in your domain.

That's it. It's a shame there is so much old info around, but this is the straightforward but long-winded way to add a link yo your Nav grid.