5 steps to help your users get started with Google Workspace

Illustration: Andy Wolber/TechRepublic

Behind the scenes, a Google Workspace head takes each sorts of actions earlier a caller summation to the enactment begins work. This includes hundreds of configuration settings that impact however the assorted Google Workspace apps operate. And, of course, it besides means the instauration of an relationship for each idiosyncratic caller to the organization.

However, an further task remains connected the precise archetypal time radical articulation the organization: the request to assistance radical get acceptable up, signed successful and acceptable to work. It's casual to overwhelm radical with excessively overmuch accusation successful 1 league — particularly connected their archetypal day.

The pursuing 5 steps are the ones I've recovered onslaught a bully equilibrium betwixt excessively overmuch and excessively small information. These steps, specifically, are ones I suggest you usage to assistance radical who are mounting up Google Workspace connected a Windows oregon macOS desktop oregon laptop. (Chrome OS and mobile instrumentality Google Workspace setups necessitate antithetic steps, which I'll screen separately soon.) So, connected the archetypal time that idiosyncratic joins your organization, I urge you person idiosyncratic connected the IT squad assistance the caller idiosyncratic done the pursuing activities and information.

SEE: How to usage Google Meet (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

1. Install and motion successful to Chrome

First, download and instal Chrome (as shown successful Figure A). Google Workspace apps enactment successful astir modern desktop browsers, specified arsenic Safari, Microsoft Edge and Firefox. But immoderate features, specified arsenic offline entree for Gmail and Google Calendar, enactment lone with Chrome. I powerfully urge that radical who usage Google Workspace for enactment oregon schoolhouse connected a machine bash truthful portion signed successful to Google Chrome. 

Figure A

First, download and instal Chrome and motion successful to your Google Workspace account.

After you person installed Chrome, sign successful to your Google Workspace account successful Chrome. I urge you let Chrome to sync your settings. This allows bookmarks, past and different settings associated with your relationship to sync crossed systems. Should you ever motion successful to Chrome connected different computer, sync helps supply a accordant acquisition successful Chrome not lone crossed antithetic devices (e.g., a desktop and a laptop), but besides crossed antithetic operating systems (Windows, macOS, etc.).

2. Install and motion successful to Google Drive for Desktop

On Windows and macOS systems, I urge that you download and instal Google Drive for desktop (as shown successful Figure B). Once installed, you whitethorn browse, unfastened and prevention files stored connected Google Drive overmuch arsenic you would entree files stored connected your computer. Drive for Desktop makes it overmuch easier for radical to usage Google Drive not lone with Google Workspace apps, but besides with locally installed applications. For illustration you whitethorn make a caller papers with Microsoft Word locally and past prevention it to Google Drive. And, of course, Drive for Desktop lets you browse and enactment with Google Docs, Sheets and Slides files.

Figure B

On Windows and macOS systems, download and instal Google Drive for Desktop.

3. In Gmail, alteration Chat and Meet

With a tweak of 2 settings, Gmail tin service arsenic the cardinal connection hub not lone for email, but besides for chat and web meetings. In Gmail, prime the Settings sprocket | See All Settings | Chat And Meet (tab), past marque definite that Chat is acceptable to Google Chat (not Off) and Meet is acceptable to Show The Meet Section In The Main Menu (as shown successful Figure C). Select the Save Changes fastener to marque some Chat and Meet disposable successful Gmail.

Figure C

In Gmail settings, take to crook connected Google Chat and to Show The Meet Section In The Main Menu. (Note that Chat, Spaces and Meet show successful the lower-left corner.)

Additionally, erstwhile I assistance idiosyncratic get started with Gmail, I typically constituent retired 4 items connected the page:

• The Compose button, to make caller email
• The Search container and Show Search options icon, to find email
  
• The broadside panel, for entree to Calendar, Keep and Tasks wrong Gmail
  
• The app launcher, to entree Workspace and different apps

SEE: Google Workspace vs. Microsoft 365: A side-by-side investigation w/checklist (TechRepublic Premium)

4. In Calendar, configure clip portion and moving hours

When you decently acceptable some your clip portion and moving hours successful Google Calendar, you astatine slightest assistance trim the chances that you'll beryllium accidentally invited to meetings astatine inconvenient times. In Calendar, prime the Settings sprocket | Settings, past scroll to the Time Zone. Adjust it, if needed, to accurately bespeak your determination (as shown successful Figure D, left). Optionally, you mightiness besides take to show a secondary clip zone. Typically, this mightiness beryllium either a determination wherever galore of your colleagues enactment oregon UTC / Coordinated Universal Time. Scroll down to Working Hours & Location (if available) and prime Enable Working Hours. Customize the hours for each time to bespeak your modular docket (as shown successful Figure D, right).

Figure D

In Google Calendar, cheque your clip portion (left) and alteration and configure your moving hours (right).

When I assistance idiosyncratic get started with Google Calendar, I typically constituent out:

• The View switcher, to alteration the time-span displayed
• The Add Other Calendars option, to observe and show a colleague's schedule

SEE: How to usage Google Calendar: 6 tips (TechRepublic)

5. Briefly present to Google Drive

With those 2 indispensable configuration changes made, I proceed to present radical to Google Drive. That means opening Google Drive and covering the basal differences betwixt My Drive, which holds folders and files you whitethorn entree (but that whitethorn oregon whitethorn not beryllium shared with different people), and Shared Drives, which holds folders and files with entree levels that alteration based connected each Shared Drive member's support level (as shown successful Figure E, left-side menu).

Figure E

Introduce Google Drive and explicate the quality betwixt My Drive and Shared Drives.

While connected Google Drive, I besides typically inquire the idiosyncratic to prime My Drive, past click connected the + New button. This brings up a paper that offers options to marque a caller folder, upload items oregon make a caller record (new Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, etc.).

I suggest you besides constituent retired the hunt container (and hunt options icon) and the app launcher icon.

SEE: How to get started with G Suite shared drives (TechRepublic)

What steps bash you recommend?

Of course, determination are galore different setup steps that a idiosyncratic caller to Google Workspace mightiness find helpful. Some radical acceptable Chrome to automatically unfastened Gmail arsenic the homepage. Others bookmark often utilized Workspace apps (e.g., Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs). Often, radical configure Gmail, Calendar and Drive for offline access. 

What steps bash you instrumentality erstwhile you assistance radical get started with Google Workspace connected their archetypal time successful your organization? Do you screen a overmuch longer list? Or bash you absorption connected acold less setup steps? Let maine cognize what halfway Google Workspace cognition you cover, either with a remark beneath oregon connected Twitter (@awolber). 

Also see

• How to go a Google Docs powerfulness idiosyncratic (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
• Power checklist: Local email server-to-cloud migration (TechRepublic Premium)
• How to adhd G Suite bookmarks that everyone successful the enactment tin access (TechRepublic)
• How to acceptable up Google Apps successful 5 elemental steps (TechRepublic)
• How to deploy and negociate Google's Chrome browser astatine your organization (TechRepublic)