GoogleDrive

= Google Drive and Docs =

What is Google Drive?
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Google Drive is a free service that allows you to store files online and access them from anywhere. It allows you to share files and collaborate with family, friends and coworkers. This cloud storage service offers five gigabytes (5GB) of storage space.

Google drive also gives you access to one of Google’s most popular services, Google Docs. This suite of tools, created in spring of 2012, can be used for creating and editing Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations and more. Since this files are stored online, You can open them from any computer or mobile device with an Internet connection.

What is Google Docs?
This program lets you create, share and manage documents. This online program is similar to Microsoft Office since the types of documents resemble one that can be created in Office programs.

Google Docs allows you to create and share:
 * Documents (letters, flyers, and essays)
 * Spreadsheets (organizing and storing information, number crunching)
 * Presentations (creating and presenting slides)
 * Forms (collecting and organizing data)
 * Drawings (creating diagrams and images)

Benefits of Google Docs
Google Docs makes it easy to share and collaborate by allowing the user to decide exactly who should see the document. There are three sharing setting to choose from:
 * Keep the document private
 * Share it with a few people
 * Make it public on the Web

In order to use Drive, you will need a Google Account. This account is free and will also provide the user with a Gmail (Google mail) address, a Google+ profile and access to other Google services such as YouTube, Calendar and Reader.

In order to create the account, you will need to enter some personal information such as name, birth date and location. (If you already have a Google Account, simply login).

** To create the account: **

 * 1) Go to www.google.com and click on the Sign in button in the top-right corner of the page.
 * 2) Click Create an account
 * 3) The Sign up form will appear. Follow the directions and enter the required information. Remember that with any online service it is a good idea to use strong passwords.
 * 4) Click the check box to agree once you have reviewed the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
 * 5) Once the Create your profile page appears, you can personalize you account or click next step to skip.
 * 6) Once the account set up is finished, the Google welcome page will appear.


 * To access Google Drive: **
 * 1) Go to www.google.com and sign in to your account.
 * 2) Locate the Drive option from the menus.

The Google Drive Interface

 * The Search bar allows you to look for specific files.
 * The Action buttons will appear whenever a file is selected. Some Action buttons available are Share, Organize, Delete or Preview
 * Sort - Your files are defaulted to date format. Click the sort button to reorganize your files by size, title or editing history.
 * List and Grid buttons will allow you to view files either in the traditional List view or Grid view
 * Create button - This button allows you to start a new document, spreadsheet, presentation or other Google document. This files will be saved automatically to your Google Drive.
 * Upload button - used to add files and folders from your computer to Google Drive. Microsoft Office files can be converted into the Google format allowing then to be edited online.
 * Folders - files can be organized into folders.
 * View Pane - displays all of your files. You can see who owns each file and which files are shares.

Using the Google Drive desktop app
Google Drive can also be downloaded and installed on your computer to allow you to upload files from your computer. This software is not necessary for using Drive but without it you will not be able to sync and upload files.


 * To install Google Drive App: **
 * 1) Locate and click Google Drive from the home page
 * 2) The Download Google Drive dialog box will appear. Review the terms and then accept and install
 * 3) The Installer will open automatically and you will receive step-by-step instructions
 * 4) Click close when the installer is finished.
 * 5) The Google Drive icon will appear in your Windows Taskbar. Click it to Sign in to Google Drive.
 * 6) The getting started dialog box will appear, click next
 * 7) Click Start Sync to complete the installation.
 * 8) The Google Drive desktop app is now installed on your computer. It will also automatically create a shortcut on your desktop.

** Uploading and Syncing Files **
Google Drive gives you 5GB of free storage to upload files from your computer. There are two main types of files you can store on your Google Drive
 * Files you can edit - Microsoft Office files, PDFs and other text-based files
 * Files you cannot edit - music, video, zip and most other files.

Google Drive will allow you to preview files even if you do not have the program installed.

Converting files to Google Docs Format
If you are uploading files you plan to edit, you will need to convert them. Converting them will allow you collaborate with others easily. Only files you can edit can be converted. Unfortunately, the conversion is not always perfect.

Creating new Documents
To create a new doc: You will not see a save button. Google docs automatically and immediately saves your files as you edit them.
 * 1) Navigate to your Google Drive
 * 2) Locate and click the Create button
 * 3) Select the type of doc you want to create from the drop-down menu.
 * 4) Your new document will automatically be opened in a new tab on your browser.
 * 5) At the top pf the page, locate and select untitled document. The rename document box will appear.
 * 6) Type a name for you doc and then click OK
 * 7) The document will be renamed.

Creating Docs with templates
A template is a predesigned doc you can use to quickly create documents without needing toformat them. Templates provide predefined margins, fonts and spacing.
 * 1) Navigate to From a template
 * 2) Using one of the following methods, find a template you wish to use.
 * 3) Enter a search term in the Search Templates Bar.
 * 4) Sort the templates
 * 5) Narrow the templates down by type or category.
 * 6) Select, Use this template when you find the template you want to us.
 * 7) A new document will be created using the selected template.

Finding, Filtering, Sorting, Organizing
These tools can be combined to find exactly what you are looking for.

Sharing and Collaborating
Whenever you share a file from Google Drive, you can let other view and even edit it. You can only use these features with Google Docs. You can: You can choose to share with a limited number of people or with a large group. When you share a file, your collaborators MUST sign in to view and edit the document. When you share with everyone, they do not need to sign in to view the file.
 * 1)  Keep files private
 * 2)  Share files and let other edit them
 * 3)  Share files publicly and do not let other edit
 * 4)  Have other share files with you.
 * Choosing sharing settings **

You can also provide a stable link to any file in your Google Drive. A stable link is like a private web address. This can be useful for files that are too large to email. Anyone clicking on the link will be redirected to the file.
 * To share with a limited group: **
 * 1)  Locate and select the file you want to share
 * 2)  Click on the Share button
 * 3)  The sharing settings dialog box will open, Add people by typing their email address
 * 4)  Click the drop-down arrow next to each person's name to decide whether they can edit, comment or just view the document.
 * 5)  You can add a message that will be emailed to the people.
 * 6)  By default, editors are allowed to invite new people to access the file. You can prevent this by clicking Change and changing the sharing settings and allowing o   nly the owner of the file can change permissions.
 * 7)  Click save
 * Sharing a link **


 * To Share a Link**
 * 1) Locate and select the file you wish to share
 * 2) The file action buttons will appear on the top of the page. Click on the Share button
 * 3) The sharing settings will appear, click change to make the file accessible to anyone with the link.
 * 4) The visibility options will appear. Select Anyone with the link and then click Save.
 * 5) The sharing settings will appear with the link to share. Right-click the link then select copy from the drop down.
 * 6) Paste that link in the body of an email.

Collaboration Tools
Whenever you share a file you can allow other to change and edit that file. There are several tools.available to make this easier.
 * 1) Additional sharing options allow you to download, email collaborations or publish to the web.
 * 2) Revision History allows you to view older version of the file. You can see changes over time or revert back to a previous version.
 * 3) Comment allows you to view a thread containing all comments related to the file, sorted chronologically.
 * 4) Share button allows you to see the current sharing setting
 * 5) Currently Viewing and Chat allows you to see who is currently viewing the file and chat with other people. The chats are not saved in comments.
 * 6) Cursor - a bright color cursor appears whenever someone is editing the document. The are done in real time.

Converting Files from Google Docs
There may be times when you need to download a file from Google Docs. When downloading a file, Google will need to change it into a formatted file like DOC, PDF, or RTF.


 * 1) Click to open the file you want to convert
 * 2) Locate the File menu
 * 3) Select Download as and then select the desired conversion format from the drop-down menu
 * 4) The file will be downloaded and placed in the downloads folder.


 * Converting multiple files**

Google also allows you to convert several files at once. They are zipped when downloaded.
 * 1) Select the box of each file you will convert
 * 2) Click the More button and then select download
 * 3) The convert and download will appear. Each type of file will be placed into groups
 * 4) Select the conversion format for each group
 * 5) Click the download to begin converting and downloading.
 * 6) Google will convert and zip the file. The Zip dialog box will appear and then disappear
 * 7) When zipping has finished, click Close to continue.
 * 8) When the file has finished downloading, a dialog box will appear a the bottom of the window
 * 9) Click Open

Printing Documents
When printing a Google document, you will download it to your computer as a PDF file and then open the PDF to print. If you are using the Google Chrome browser, the print dialog box will appear rather that a PDF file.