A Google Cloud project is required to use Google Workspace APIs and build
Google Workspace add-ons or apps. A Cloud project forms the
basis for creating, enabling, and using all Google Cloud services, including
managing APIs, enabling billing, adding and removing collaborators, and managing
permissions.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** As an alternative to manually creating a Cloud project, you can build web apps in [Google AI Studio](https://aistudio.google.com/apps) with either a no-cost, Google-managed [Starter Tier](https://docs.cloud.google.com/docs/starter-tier) project for eligible Google Accounts or a user-managed Cloud project. For details, see [Build web apps in Google AI Studio](https://developers.google.com/workspace/guides/get-started#ai-studio) and [Deploy web apps from Google AI Studio](https://aistudio.google.com/docs/aistudio-deploying).

## Create a Cloud project

### Google Cloud console

1. In the Google Cloud console, go to Menu \> **IAM \& Admin** \> **Create a Project** .

   [Go to Create a Project](https://console.cloud.google.com/projectcreate)
2. In the **Project Name** field, enter a descriptive name for your project.


   Optional: To edit the **Project ID** , click **Edit**. The project ID can't be changed
   after the project is created, so choose an ID that meets your needs for the lifetime of the
   project.
3. In the **Location** field, click **Browse** to display potential locations for your project. Then, click **Select** .

   > [!CAUTION]
   > **Caution: Can't find your Google Workspace organization?**   
   > This means you aren't signed in to a Google Workspace account. Some of the features described in Google Workspace developer documentation are only available to projects associated with an organization.

4. Click **Create**. The Google Cloud console navigates to the Dashboard page and your project is created within a few minutes.

### gcloud CLI

In one of the following development environments, access the Google Cloud
CLI (`gcloud`):

- **Cloud Shell** : To use an online terminal with the gcloud CLI already set up, activate Cloud Shell.   
  [Activate Cloud Shell](https://console.cloud.google.com/?cloudshell=true)
- **Local Shell** : To use a local development environment, [install](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/docs/install) and [initialize](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/docs/initializing) the gcloud CLI.   
  To create a Cloud project, use the `gcloud projects create` command:

      gcloud projects create PROJECT_ID

  Replace <var translate="no">PROJECT_ID</var> by setting the ID for the project you want to create.

For further information on Cloud projects, refer to
[Creating and managing projects](https://cloud.google.com/resource-manager/docs/creating-managing-projects)
in the Google Cloud documentation.

## Optional: Enable billing for your Cloud project

Depending on the Google Workspace APIs and features that you want to
use, you might also need to enable billing for your Cloud project:

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** If you use a user-managed Cloud project with Google AI Studio, supported Google Workspace APIs do not require a Cloud Billing account.

> [!CAUTION]
> If you're unable to link a billing account, you don't have the permissions needed to make this change. For more information, see [Permissions required to enable billing](https://cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/modify-project#required-permissions-enable).

### Google Cloud console

1. In the Google Cloud console, go to **Billing** . Click **Menu** \> **Billing** \> **My Projects** .

   [Go to Billing for My Projects](https://console.cloud.google.com/billing/projects)
2. In **Select an organization**, choose the organization associated with your Google Cloud project.
3. In the project row, open the **Actions** menu (), click **Change billing**, and choose the Cloud Billing account.
4. Click **Set account**.

### gcloud CLI

1. To list available billing accounts, run:

       gcloud billing accounts list

2. Link a billing account with a Google Cloud project:

       gcloud billing projects link PROJECT_ID --billing-account=BILLING_ACCOUNT_ID

   Replace the following:
   - `PROJECT_ID` is the **Project ID** for the Cloud project for which you want to enable billing.
   - `BILLING_ACCOUNT_ID` is the **billing account ID** to link with the Google Cloud project.

For further information about billing, see
[Enable, disable, or change billing for a project](https://cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/modify-project)
in the Google Cloud Billing documentation.

## Next step

[Enable Google Workspace APIs](https://developers.google.com/workspace/guides/enable-apis)
in your Cloud project.