Google Drive

1. There are two ways to add files to your drive. You can create Google Drive documents using an application in G Suite, or you can upload files from your computer. To create a new file or upload a file or folder, click the NEW button.
2. Select an option in the menu.
   • Selecting Folder will allow you to create a new folder on Drive.
   • Selecting File upload or Folder upload will take you to your computer drive where you can select any files or folders on your computer to upload.
   • Selecting anything named Google in the lower half of the menu will allow you to create a new document using one of the applications in G Suite.
     

NOTE: Some examples of files you can create using an application in G Suite include:

• Docs– This open the Google Drive equivalent of Microsoft Word.
• Slides – This opens the Google Drive equivalent of Microsoft PowerPoint. Files can be exported as Microsoft PowerPoint, PDF, JPG, and other formats.
• Sheets– This creates a blank spreadsheet. Spreadsheets can be exported as Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice, PDF, CSV, and other formats.
• Form– This allows you to create forms that can be filled out online. Forms can be exported to CSV files.

Considerations when using G Suite applications: 

• While the applications are similar to ones in Microsoft Office, you will not have some of the advanced capabilities you have in MS Office applications.
• Also, you can only share/edit documents in Drive that are created using a G Suite application.
• G Suite applications are not compatible with their Microsoft Office counterparts, but they can be converted. Be careful that you don’t lose data in the conversion.

One of the reasons you would convert a non-Google file, like a Word document, is that you cannot edit in real time AND share docs that are non-Google in Google Drive. You can share a Word doc in Drive, but it cannot be editable in Drive.

1. Click on the New button.
2. Select File upload. You will be taken to your computer drive window.
3. Find the file you want to upload to Google Drive and double click on it OR select it and click Open. The file will appear in your Drive window.
4. To convert it to Google Docs, (in this example the original file is a Word doc), select the file, then click the More icon (three dots) in the upper right hand area of the window.
5. Select Open with> Google Docs.
6. The file will be opened in and converted to Google Docs, (the MS Word Equivalent in G Suite), and you can now save it so that it can be shareable/editable in Drive.
   

1. Open a document, spreadsheet, presentation, or other file in Drive. NOTE: It has to be a document created in a G Suite application in order to edit it and see your revisions in Drive.
2. Click the File menu and select See revision history. If you aren’t seeing all the revisions for the file, click Show more detailed revisions at the bottom of the panel with the time stamps on the right.
3. Click a time stamp in the panel on the right to see a previous version of the file with the revisions being shown.
4. If you click a time stamp and you would prefer to keep “that” version of the file OR you would like to keep the “original” version of the file, select Restore this Revision in that time stamp.
5. Click the Left arrow next to Revision history to return to editing your document.

NOTE: Files are saved automatically in G Suite applications so use of the Revision History can be helpful if you decide you want an earlier version.

Email attachments have become a thing of the past, ever since sharing files became easier, with cloud storage apps like Google Drive.  By sharing files, there is no need to download them first and then send duplicate copies to different recipients. Instead, the same copy of a file can be shared among members, which also helps with collaboration, since everyone can work together on a single file. Working on Google Drive has its own set of benefits, starting with a universal Google account.  With Google Docs, it becomes easier to:

• Edit files online
• Collaborate in real-time
• Share data

Important
In order to share files on Google Drive, all participants will need access to a Google Email account.
Different Access Levels for Files
Edit Access
When edit access is given to a user, he can:

• Edit documents
• Share/unshare with other users
• Suggest edits
• Comment on files
• Save file copies to a personal Google Drive account
• Download files

Comment Access
When comment access is given to a user, he can:

• Suggest edits
• Comment on files
• Save copies to his own Google Drive account
• Download files

View Access
When view access is given to a user, he can:

• Save a copy of files to his own Google Drive account
• Download files

NOTE: One thing common between all these three access levels – users can copy content to their own Google Drive, or download the file, which means even with the lowest access levels, data isn’t fully protected from being copied.
Sharing Via Emails or Links
Files on Google Drive can be shared by inviting users with their email addresses OR sending links to everyone. Links work when the same file is shared with a large number of users, so, instead of inviting individuals, the same link can be sent to multiple users. At the same time, inviting users through their email address is a more secure option, since other users can share a link and outsiders could access the file.
Clicking on the Shareable link option, present on top of the Share box will generate a link for the file, and access can be user set. Users can also choose to share files via both emails and links, with different access levels.
Share via Email

1. Select the file in Drive that you would like to share and double-click it to open it.
2. Click File> Share.
3. Under Peopleenter the emails of the people you are sharing the document with.
   
4. In thetext boxbelow that, enter any note you would like to include with the share invite.
   
5. In the drop down box with the pencil icon, select the type of share you want people to have.
6. Click Send to send the share invite.
7. Once sent, the person(s) you sent a share invite to will have access to your document.

An example of an email invite:

Once received, the person you shared the document with only has to click on the link provided in the email (Open in Docs).
Share via Link

1. Select the file in Drive that you would like to share and double-click it to open it.
2. Click File> Share.
3. Click Get Shareable Link in the upper right corner.
   
4. Click Copy Link.
   
5. Click in the Anyone at Bard College can view drop down box, and select a share option.
   
6. Click Done if you’ve selected any of the options settings.
7. Paste the link in emails to people you want to share the file with. Once sent, the person(s) you sent a share invite to will have access to your document via the link.