GoogleApps Ninja: Week 2

Week 2 of your Ninja Quest includes tips for Gmail, Google Calendar,
Google Docs, and a chance to win a prize!

Gmail:  Add a signature to your outgoing emails.  Click the gear icon to get to mail settings >> General >> scroll down and find ‘Signature.’  Type what you’d like and click “Save changes”  (see a few non-tips below)

Calendar:  Viewing others’ calendars:  Under “Other Calendars” try typing my name or your principal’s name in the box.  You’ll be able to see whether they are free or busy—handy for scheduling meetings!  Now, think of your calendar as an overhead projector and each shared calendar is an individual transparency.  By clicking on the name of the calendar on the left, you can add or remove that calendar from view.

Another Calendar tip:  By default, your calendar will send you email reminders 10 minutes before each event.  You can modify this by going to Calendar Settings >> Calendars >> Notifications.

Docs:  When you create a document, it’s unnamed.  Make sure to name it by clicking on “Untitled Document” in the upper left corner.

Another Docs tip:  When someone shares a document with you, it appears on your home screen.  Want to hide it?  Check the box next to those documents and click “actions” or “more” at the top and select “Remove from Home”  Your doc is still there, just packed away out of sight.  Need to find it?  Use keywords in the search bar at the top.

Etiquette Alert!

General:  You can create a contact group which works for email, calendar invitations, and sharing docs.  Here’s how.

Gmail:  Here’s a tongue-in-cheek look at how not to create a professional email signature.

Calendar:  Remember that when sharing or inviting an entire group (such as a school, YESstaff, DAHSstaff, etc.) that your invitation includes everyone who works in the building, including support staff, custodial staff, etc.  While it’s easy to type one large group, take a moment to consider whether you there is a subgroup you can hone in on.

Docs:  Sharing a Doc vs. sending a doc as an attachment… Consider whether the doc is something you want your collaborators to have in their Docs Home page.  If yes, share away!  If not, consider sending it as an attachment.  Same goes for sharing docs with an all-school list.

Prizes!  To be entered in our drawing next week, add a comment below about what you love about GoogleApps so far…

This week’s winner is Elisa Welch, who shared how collaborating on a document keeps you on the “same page” and saves time!