Top 5+ Google Workspace Online Team Collaboration Tools

The Google Workspace suite is the new version of g-suite which comes with all its tools as were available in G Suite but in a much-enhanced manner.

The plans on offer with Google Workspace are well curated and provide custom email for business.

The new version of G Suite (Google Workspace products list) includes collaboration tools like:

• Gmail
• Google Calendar
• Google Meet
• Google Chat
• Google Drive
• Google Docs
• Google Sheets
• Google Slides
• Google Forms
• Google Sites and more

With work from home in recent times, Google Workspace plays an amazing role with its sense of collaboration and drive for teamwork which can also be observed in the cloud tools built for team productivity.

Let’s look at each of the Google collaboration tools:

1. Gmail

Gmail is one of the most commonly used collaboration tools for email that comes with 15 GB of storage space per account.

Within Google Workspace, Gmail is one of the most popular collaboration tools as it enables delegation as an option.

When an individual is nominated as a delegate, they can read and send email on behalf of the email owner while accessing the account. This feature of GWS makes it very useful

How to Set Up Gmail?

1. Click the ‘Settings button (gear icon)’ in Google Workspace. Click ‘Choose’
2. Select ‘Accounts and Import’ tab at the top.
3. Scroll down to ‘Grant access to your account’.
4. Make the selections for ‘Mark as read’ and ‘Sender information’
5. Click ‘Add another account’, enter Gmail address of the person you are delegating to, and click ‘Next Step’.
6. Confirm the email address and click ‘Send email to grant access.’

2. Google Calendar

Google Calendar comes with Google Workspace and helps organize the day-to-day routine as it helps you set reminders for various tasks and meetings.

This collaboration tool supports sharing where one can share calendars with people to schedule meetings and organize events.

How to Share a Calendar?

1. Click the ‘Options’ button (three dots) to the right of the relevant calendar in the main list. Select ‘Settings and Sharing’.
2. On the next page, scroll down to ‘Share with specific people’
3. Click ‘Add people’ and then enter the person’s email address.
4. Choose ‘Permissions’ dropdown box and pick the privilege you want to allow. One can also change this later in the same section of the settings.
5. Click ‘Send’
6. One can share their calendar using a link. On the same calendar ‘Settings’ page, scroll down to ‘Integrate calendar’.

A public URL and secret URL is created and this generated URL is sent to colleagues or friends.

Exabytes has a super tech savy support team who are always eager to help customers with any tech issues they might encounter.

3. Google Sheets

Within Google Workspace, Google Sheets is a productivity tool which one can share and use in parallel with other users.

This app comes allows conditional formatting and built-in spreadsheet formulas to save time of all collaborators as edits can happen real time.

How to Share the Spreadsheet?

1. Click ‘Share button’ on the upper right in Google Spreadsheet.
2. Add email addresses of the people you want to access the spreadsheet.
3. Click the ‘Pencil’ icon and specify who can view the sheet, edit or comment on it.
4. One can use ’Get a shareable link’ option and send the link manually. Choose viewing and editing permissions and massage or email the link to the team.
5. Click ‘Done’ once finished.

With google sheets, work from home is no longer a challenge as you can easily connect with your colleagues real-time and work together on a document.

Want to send a notification to a collaborator in the sheet? Just right-click the cell in your sheet and pick ’Comment’.

Type a plus sign followed by the collaborator to send a notification to their email address.

4. Google Docs

Another very useful element of Google Workspace is Google Docs.

This helps work together with your colleagues as you brainstorm with them or make to- do list together to get better inputs.

With Google Workspace, the document is shared with people in similar manner as that of Google Sheets.

One can use the shareable link in the corner of the sharing box, or follow certain advanced settings step as below.

1. Click ‘Share’ button on the top right.
2. Click ‘Advanced’ in the pop up window to see the link to share with those who have an access and invite those who have access or invite more people.
3. Under ‘Owner settings’ one can check boxes for those additional options and prevent editors from changing access or adding others. There is also a disable option for commenters and viewers to download, print, or copy it.

Pay attention to the colorful, flag-like icons with people’s names while looking at the document to learn who’s making the changes.

5. Google Slides

Google Slides is one of the best collaboration tools that helps make a group presentation.

This collaboration facilitator allows for real time editing by any authorized individual.

Follow the process for granting privileges with ‘Share’ button on the upper right of the window.

With Google Workspace, work from home becomes easy, simple and productive.

The collaboration tools and productivity tools facilitate real-time sharing of working even for remote working groups

6. Google Keep

Google Keep is a project management tool of Google Workspace that acts as a place for notes, drawings, lists, pictures, and audio clips.

1. Click the ‘Collaborator icon’ at the bottom of the note.
2. Enter the person’s name or type in email address.
3. Click Save.

7. Google Hangouts or Google Chat

Google Hangouts or Google Chat is a messaging app that allows one to chat with up to 150 individuals. One can launch a video chat with about 10 people.

To start a new conversation, one needs to click on the plus sign, then add people by name, email address, or phone number and choose if to go for a message-based conversation, phone call, or video call.

Let more people join by clicking the person icon and clicking the Invite People icon on the top and follow the same process you initially did when creating the chat.

Feel as if you are all on-site together while you are actually on work from home mode.

8. Google Meet

Within Google Workspace, Google Meet enables video call as a service and is suitable for professional use.

Google Meet ideally is a paid service which is presently free due to COVID-19 pandemic whereas Google Hangouts is more for consumers.

Using Google Meet can accommodate up to 250 participants per call for g suite users and 100 with personal Google account.

Google Meet is very easy to use. To start or join a meeting, one needs to just go to the website, click ‘Start a meeting’ or ‘Enter meeting code’ to join.

Related: 7 Useful Virtual Meeting Tools You Can Consider

Exabytes Singapore consults and offers Google Workspace tools as a product along with essential services and support.

Connect with our team to learn more about the collaboration tools.

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