How to transfer an unmanaged user account into your Google Workspace

When you get an error "User name conflicts with consumer account" when trying to add a new user account, this an indication that you are dealing with an unmanaged user account. Unmanaged user accounts are users who independently created a Google account using one of your organization's domains. In this case, the user account is individually owned and managed as opposed to being managed under your organization. Unmanaged accounts can be created from the following (but not limited to): 

• User created an individual account from a Google service (Youtube, Google My Business, etc) prior to the activation of the organization's Google Workspace (this creates an individually managed Google identity). 
• Account was used as an alias of their personal Gmail account.

Unmanaged user accounts can be transferred to your organization's Google Workspace by following these steps: 

1. Ensure that your domains are verified by Google. The error message is prompted when Google recognizes that the account used to create a new user is an unmanaged user account but Google cannot proceed with the transfer because the domain is unverified. Verifying domains allows Google to run user directory checks against your domains and to transfer any unmanaged user accounts to those domains. To verify a domain: 

• Login to Google Workspace Admin Console (Important: Needs a Super Admin)
• Go to Account > Domains > Manage Domains
• Click Verify Domain for the domain that needs verification
• Follow the steps prompted. You have the following options:
  • Verify by sign-in to domain host
  • Verify by DNS records (TXT and CNAME supported)

2.  Once domains are verified, retry adding a new user by going to Google Workspace Admin Console > Directory > Users. You will be prompted with options to handle the unmanaged user account causing the conflict on adding the new user: 

• Send an email to the unmanaged user account to acknowledge transfer of the account to the organization's Google Workspace
• Force rename the unmanaged user account with a "temp" prefix so the account can be used for the new user

You can choose bullet #2 if the Google service where the unmanaged user account came from was identified and it's not important to retain access to that Google service (Youtube for example). Otherwise, if it is crucial to retain access and data to the Google service, the first option is more appropriate. 

3. If you choose to send an email from step 2, you need to wait for the user to acknowledge the transfer. Once the user confirms the transfer, their user account will be transferred over to your organization's Google Workspace.  If the user is not responding/taking any action or have missed the email sent from step 2, you can resend the email of the transfer request: 

• Still in Google Workspace Admin Console> Directory > Users, click More options drop-down. 
• Select Transfer tool for unmanaged users. If step 2 has been performed, all unmanaged user accounts pending transfer acknowledgment as well as unmanaged users accounts identified by Google after verifying the domain will be returned. 
• Hover over a unmanaged user then click Email transfer request.