What are Docs & Drive? Docs Use Google Docs, Sheets and Slides for document editing anywhere, anytime. Google Docs is an online word processor that lets you create and format text documents and collaborate with other people in real time. Google Sheets is an online spreadsheet application (app) that lets you create and format spreadsheets and simultaneously work with other people. Google Slides is an online presentations app that allows you to show off your work in a visual way. Google Forms are a special extension of Google Sheets. With Forms, users can create a form document to publish to the web that will accept data and populate a spreadsheet behind the scenes. Google Drawings lets you easily create, edit and share drawings online. The tool includes all the sharing and visibility feature of other Docs & Drive products along with the ability to create shapes, layout guides, organize graphics and much more. Drive Google Drive lets you store and share all your stuff, including documents, videos, images and other files that are important to you. You can sync, store and access your files anywhere on the web, on your hard drive or on the go. Docs & Drive features Docs Collaboration Edits appear in real time so you always have the most up to date version. Easily insert a comment and use the + or @ symbol and a Gmail address to leave specific comments for specific people. You can comment on specific words in Docs or a specific cell in Sheets. To have conversations from different locations, chat right in the document. Unlimited storage Docs doesn t count against the 30GB of shared storage that can be used across Gmail, Drive and Google+ photos. Additional storage can also be purchased. Office compatibility Quickoffice for Google Apps works on your Android, iphone and ipad, giving you a way to create and edit Microsoft Office files when you need to make a quick edit on the go and don t have access to costly software.
Offline Docs Using the Drive Chrome web app, you can now access Docs, Sheets and Slides online and enable offline editing. On the web, you can edit Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drawings offline. On mobile you can edit both Docs and Sheets offline. Drive Access your files anywhere Google Drive is available everywhere on the web and on your mobile devices. To store and share on the go, download the mobile app. Download Drive to your Mac or PC to sync files from your computer to the cloud. Share files with anyone Share individual files or whole folders with specific people, your entire class or the entire school domain. Getting Started with Google Drive Introduction In order to use Google Drive, you will need a Google account. Google accounts are free, and signing up for one is fairly simple. During the process, you will also receive a Gmail (Google Mail) address and Google+ profile. Once you've created your account, you'll be able to use your Gmail address to access not only Google Drive but also other Google services like Calendar, YouTube,and Reader. In this lesson, you'll learn how to create a new Google account and how to install and access Google Drive. In addition, you'll become familiar with the Google Drive interface. Creating an account In order to create a Google account, you'll need to enter some information, like your name, birth date, and location. Creating a Google account will automatically create a Gmail email address and a Google+ profile.
If you have a Gmail address, you already have a Google Account, so you won't need to create an account you can simply sign in to Google using your Gmail information. YOUR STUDENT ALREADY HAS A GOOGLE ACCOUNT! GO TO: WWW.GOOGLE.COM ENTER: 9 DIGIT SCHOOL ID# COMPUTER LOGIN PASSWORD NOTE: if your child does not know his password, call their school and have the Principal or head secretary access that information for you. Below is directions for the general public. YOU can create one for YOU!!! or SKIP down to GOOGLE DRIVE To create a Google account: 1. Go to www.google.com. Locate and select the Sign in button in the top-right corner of the page. 2. 3. Click Create an account. 4.
5. The sign up form will appear. Follow the directions and enter the required information, such as your name, birthdate, and gender. 6. 7. Review Google's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, click the check box, then click Next step. 8. 9. The Create your profile page will appear. Click Add a photo if you wish to add a photo to your Google+ profile. If you don't want to set a profile photo at this time, click Next step. 10. 11. Your account will be created, and the Google welcome page will appear.
12. Just like with any online service, it's important to choose a strong password in other words, one that is difficult for someone to guess. Google Drive Once you've set up your Google account, it's easy to access your Google Drive any time by signing into www.google.com. For greater flexibility, you can also download and install the Google Drive desktop app. You will then be able to upload and sync files to Google Drive from your computer's desktop. To access your Google Drive: 1. Navigate to www.google.com (sign in to your Google account if needed). 2. Locate and select the GOOGLE icon at the top left of the page.
3. 4. Your Google Drive APPS will appear. Click on Google Drive. 5. Installing the Google Drive desktop app The Google Drive desktop app is actually a small piece of software you'll need to download and install to your computer. After the program is installed, you'll be able to upload files from your computer to Google Drive and access them anywhere you go. In this example, we will install Google Drive for Windows. Google Drive is also available for Mac, but keep in mind that the Mac installation process will be slightly different. You can still access a majority of Google Drive's features online without installing the separate Google Drive program; however, you will not be able to upload and sync files from your computer easily without it. To install Google Drive: 1. Locate and click Download Google Drive from the Google Drive homepage.
2. NOTE: The CREATE button now says NEW 3. The Download Google Drive for Windows dialog box will appear. Review the Terms of Service, then click Accept and Install. 4. 5. The Google Drive Installer will open automatically. Depending on your current browser and operating system, the download and installation process may be a little more complicated. Step-by-step instructions will appear in the browser window if you are not sure how to proceed. 6. Click Close when the installer is finished. 7. 8. The Google Drive icon will appear in your Windows taskbar. Click the icon to open the Sign in to Google Drive window.
9. 10. Click Sign in now. 11. 12. Enter your Google username and password, then click Sign in. 13. 14. The Getting started dialog box will appear, which explains how Google Drive works with your computer. Click Next to continue.
15. 16. Click Start sync to complete the installation. 17. 18. The Google Drive desktop app is now installed on your computer. Drive will automatically add a shortcut to your desktop. 19.
You can also view your Google Drive directly on your computer by clicking the Google Drive icon in your Windows taskbar and then selecting Open Google Drive folder from the drop-down menu. The Google Drive interface Your Google Drive may be empty right now, but as you begin to upload and create files you'll need to know how to view,manage, and organize them in the interface. Click the buttons in the interactive below to become familiar with the Google Drive interface. NOTE: THE INTERFACE HAS BEEN UPDATED. IT WILL LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN BELOW, BUT IS PRETTY SELF-INTUITIVE.
Drive for mobile devices Available for both ios and Android, the Google Drive app allows you to view, edit, and upload files to Google Drive using your mobile device. Whether you're proofreading an important document or showing off a presentation, the Google Drive app makes it easy to access and edit files on the go. Google recently introduced separate apps for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, which can be used in addition to the Google Drive app. To learn more about the new apps, check out Google's blog post on New mobile apps for Docs, Sheets,