How to capture incoming Gmail emails

BigContacts includes a feature called Custom Email, which lets you automatically capture and store incoming emails directly in your contact records without lifting a finger after setup.

This tool works with any email service, including Gmail, and only needs to be set up once per user. After that, it runs quietly in the background.

Here’s how to get started:

Step 1: Get your Custom Email address

Each user in BigContacts has a unique Custom Email address. Here’s how to find yours:

• Log in to your BigContacts account
• Click the Admin tab
• Under Manage Users, select Add/Edit Users

• Find your name in the list and click Request Custom Email

• The system will generate a unique address just for you

This is the email address you’ll use to forward messages to BigContacts.

Step 2: Set up Gmail to forward emails to BigContacts

Now that you have your Custom Email, let’s tell Gmail to send a copy of all incoming messages to it.

1. Open Gmail
2. Click the gear icon in the top right and choose See all settings
3. Go to the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab
4. Click Add a forwarding address
5. Paste your BigContacts Custom Email address and click Next
6. Click Proceed, then OK
7. Scroll down and click Save Changes

Gmail will now send a confirmation code to your BigContacts Custom Email.

Step 3: Confirm the Gmail forwarding setup

To complete the setup, you need to enter the confirmation code Gmail sent to your Custom Email address.

Here’s how to find it:

1. Go back to your BigContacts account
2. Click the Admin tab
3. Under Manage Users, click Add/Edit Users
4. Find your name again and click on your Custom Email address

This will open a window showing the most recent emails forwarded through that address. Look for the Gmail confirmation email and copy the numeric code (don’t include the “#” symbol).

Paste that code into the confirmation prompt in Gmail to complete the setup.

Once done, all incoming Gmail emails will be copied to BigContacts automatically and attached to the correct contact—based on matching email addresses.

Need help?

Google also has a step-by-step guide on forwarding emails:
Gmail forwarding instructions

If you encounter any issues, feel free to email support@bigcontacts.com. We’re here to help!