Team Signatures
What if a teammate edits their email signature manually?
It depends on which platform you deploy through, and the difference matters if you rely on signatures for compliance.
On Microsoft 365, the Outlook add-in applies the signature at compose time, so what goes out is the version you control regardless of what the person has set in Outlook.
On Google Workspace, the signature is written into that person's Gmail signature settings. Gmail lets them edit it afterwards, and the edit stays until something installs over it.
Why Google Workspace behaves that way
A Google Workspace install puts your signature into Gmail exactly as if the user had set it themselves. From Gmail's point of view it is their signature, so nothing stops them changing it.
What brings it back is the next install. With Auto install on, a template edit reinstalls across the group and overwrites local changes. Installing manually from the group does the same.
There is no continuous watcher. Nothing scans for people who have gone off-template, so between one install and the next, a manual edit stays in place and nothing alerts you. If you need to know that everyone is currently on-template, the reliable move is to reinstall rather than to assume.
What this means if signatures carry a disclaimer
If your signature carries a legal disclaimer or regulatory text, treat Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 differently.
On Microsoft 365, compose-time application means the disclaimer is applied to outgoing mail. On Google Workspace, a teammate who deletes the disclaimer from their Gmail settings will keep sending without it until the next install. Reinstalling on a schedule, by making a small template change or by installing from the group, closes that window.
Should you stop people editing?
Usually the better question is why they edited. In practice the common reasons are a wrong job title, a missing phone number, or a link they wanted. All three are better solved at the source:
- Fix the underlying value on the teammate record, or let the directory maintain it.
- Use per-person fields so their details are correct without anyone editing layout.
- Invite them as a Teammate so they can update their own details in a controlled way, rather than rewriting the signature in Gmail.
A teammate editing their signature is usually a sign the template does not fit them yet.
Common issues and fixes
| Issue | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| One person's signature is off-brand | They edited it in Gmail after install | Reinstall from the group. Turn on Auto install so edits are overwritten routinely |
| The disclaimer is missing from one sender | Same, and on Google Workspace nothing restores it automatically | Reinstall, and consider a regular reinstall if disclaimers are mandatory |
| Manual edits keep coming back | The template is missing something that person needs | Fix the underlying field instead of policing the edit |
| It never happens on Outlook | The add-in applies the signature at compose time | Expected behavior, not a difference in policy |
Related articles
- How to fully automate email signatures covers turning on Auto install.
- What are groups explains reinstalling across a whole group at once.
- What are Smart Fields covers fixing the underlying values people edit around.
- How to add a disclaimer to your email signature covers the compliance case.
Still stuck? Email support@syncsignature.com and tell us which integration you use.