Table of Contents
Overview of Google Docs Access Google Docs
Links to Google Docs
Convert attachments to docs from Apps mail Compatibility
Works for everyone Import/export options Advanced import options
Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office Google Docs Offline
Overview
Intermittent Internet connection Use Google Docs offline securely Allow offline access for your computer Sync items to view offline
How to view Google Docs offline
Overview of Google Docs
Offering word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, forms, and drawings, Google Docs provides an easy-to-use, integrated way for teachers and students to work together on projects, reports, and more, and to collect and share information in a secure online environment.
Some of the advantages of using Google Docs include:
Anytime, anywhere access
Web-based Google Docs safely stores documents online, making them accessible to authorized users from any computer or mobile device, whenever they're needed. No need to save files to a USB thumbdrive, you can always access your files from any internet browser.
Collaboration support Google Docs lets users easily invite others to work on the same document, at the same time, without the hassle of attaching and sending documents. Sharing privileges ensure access by only the right people or groups, and allow either editing or read-only access.
compare, or revert to a prior version at any point.
Shared collections Files and docs that are regularly used by teams or groups stay organized and up-to-date – without the need to manage and communicate changes.
Templates Ready-made templates covering a wide range of document and report types help jump-start writing projects. You can also create and publish your own document templates to establish assignment structures for your students. Templates can be copied with one click and then modified like any other document.
Access Google Docs
Links to Google Docs
You can access Google Docs from any of your school Google Apps product pages. 1. In the top left corner of any product main page, you will see a list of links. 2. Click Documents.
In addition to the links at the top left of any Google Apps page, you can also access Google Docs through a custom URL for your school:
1. Type http://docs.google.com/a/yourschool.org into your browser address bar. Please replace yourschool.org with your school Apps domain name
Convert attachments to docs from Apps mail
When you are using Apps mail, Google will automatically detect supported file types for your attachments and offer an option to open the attachment using Google Docs, either as a Google document, spreadsheet, or presentation. When you open the attachment in Google Docs, you don't need to download the file to your computer and it will be available with the rest of your Google Docs files.
Compatibility
Works for everyone
Because Google Docs is accessed online via a browser, there are very few compatibility issues that exist when you use installed software. This can save time and simplify the process of sharing and exchanging files.
Any computer, any operating system Whether you use a Mac, PC, or Linux computer, you access Google Docs the same way – in your browser. Google Docs works with most modern browsers. You can start a document on a Mac at school and continue editing it on a Home PC with no difference in quality or functionality.
No need to install upgrades Google Docs is constantly updating new features, but because it is accessed online, there is no need to install or upgrade software. Since everyone is always using the same version of Google Docs, there are no differences in saving or opening files. When viewing files on a different computer, you won't have to worry about formatting surprises or compatibility errors.
Latest version Passing around attachments of files via email or external media can cause a confusion with what is the "latest" version of a file. With Google Docs, you can share one file
which everyone can view and edit.
Import/export options
Docs Spreadsheets Presentations Drawings Import & Convert Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) OpenDocument text (.odt)
StarOffice text (.sxw) Rich text (.rtf)
Plain text (.txt) HTML (.htm, .html)
Microsoft Excel (.xls, .xlsx)
OpenDocument spreadsheet (.ods) Comma-separated values (.csv, .txt)
Microsoft Powerpoint (.ppt, .pptx, .pps) Windows Metafile (.wmf)
Export Microsoft Word(.doc) OpenDocument text (.odt)
Rich text (.rtf) Plain text (.txt) HTML (.htm, .html) PDF
Microsoft Excel (.xls) OpenDocument spreadsheet (.ods) Comma-separated values (.csv, .txt) PDF, HTML Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt) PDF (.pdf) Text (.txt) PNG, JPEG, SVG, PDF
Advanced import options
Spreadsheet has an extensive list of import options available for bringing data into a Google Spreadsheet. For example, when importing a .csv file, you can create a whole new spreadsheet, append to the current sheet, add a new sheet to your existing spreadsheet or even replace your entire spreadsheet with this new version.
A custom delimiters option is also available which allows users to what character to parse the data file with, giving users maximum flexibility when dealing with data files.
Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office
Google Cloud Connect is a plug-in for Microsoft® Office 2003, 2007, and 2010 that lets you share and simultaneously edit Microsoft Word, PowerPoint®, and Excel® documents with other people in your organization. You get the collaboration benefits of Google Docs, while continuing to use Microsoft Office.
System requirements
Google Cloud Connect works for Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files for users of Microsoft Office 2003, 2007, and 2010. It supports Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. It is currently not available for Macs. For more details, see System requirements.
Syncing and sharing documents
Google Cloud Connect tracks, manages and syncs all changes on your Microsoft Office
documents into one updated version for each document. Each document that you sync through Google Cloud Connect gets a unique URL, or web address, that you can share with
collaborators through IM or email. Depending on the privacy setting you’ve selected for the document, other people will be able to click this link and view the document in the browser.
Collaborating simultaneously on documents
that a document has been shared with them. From there, they can open a link to view the document in the browser, or if they want to make edits, they can download the document and open it in Microsoft Office. When another editor edits a document in Microsoft Office, all changes get synced to and will be reflected on your screen.
Open any Office file stored in Google Docs directly from within Microsoft Office.
From the Google Cloud Connect menu, click Open from Google Docs…
If you have a lot of files stored in Google Docs, use search to find the file you are looking for. After selecting a file to open, the file will be downloaded to your computer and opened automatically.
When you want to open the file again, you’ll be able to open it from the folder you downloaded the file into. Now you can collaborate, share and access revision history on that file in Microsoft Office.
Revision history
Using Google Cloud Connect, you can edit a document both online and offline. Every time you sync a document, the revisions of a document are stored so you can easily roll back to a previous version. You can retrieve and revert to any prior revision of a document at any time.
Google Docs Offline
Overview
connection. This is particularly useful when you're on an airplane or train without wireless Internet.
Here are some important notes about using Google Docs when you're offline:
● You'll need to Set up Docs offline from your Documents List to start accessing your documents and spreadsheets without an Internet connection.
● Offline access is available in the Google Chrome web browser only.
● Offline access is available only for documents and spreadsheets. Presentations,
drawings and other items from your Documents List are not available offline at this time. ● Documents and spreadsheets are only available in view-only mode. You must restore
your Internet connection to make any edits.
● You can't create new documents and spreadsheets while you're offline.
● You'll need to allow offline access separately on each computer where you want to view your Google Docs offline.
Intermittent Internet connection
If you're working with an intermittent Internet connection, type https://docs.google.com/offline into your Chrome browser for a more stable view of your offline Documents List.
Use Google Docs offline securely
Offline access is allowed on a computer-by-computer basis. In other words, you must allow offline access for each individual computer where you'd like to view your documents and spreadsheets without an Internet connection. Offline copies of your documents and
spreadsheets will be synced to each computer where you've enabled Google Docs offline. Anyone with access to a computer with offline access enabled will be able to view all of your synced documents and spreadsheets when they open Chrome. To help protect the security of your data, we strongly advise that you don't allow offline access on public or shared computers. Instead, allow offline access on personal computers where only you have access, and where your access to the computer is password protected.
Allow offline access for your computer
Follow these steps to enable offline access on your computer. Keep in mind that offline access is only available in Chrome.
1. Click the grey gear icon just above your Documents List. 2. Select Set up Docs offline from the drop-down menu. 3. The "Set up offline viewing of Google Docs" dialog will appear.
4. Click the blue button that says Allow offline docs. After a few seconds, you'll be able to move on to the next step.
store. If you already have the app installed, you won't need to complete this step. 6. You'll be taken to the Chrome web store, where you'll need to click Install on the
right-hand side of the browser window.
7. Once the app is installed, you'll be taken to a Chrome page with the Google Docs app icon. Click the icon to go back to your Documents List.
Sync items to view offline
When you return to your Documents List after authorizing offline access, you'll see a notification box in the upper left, indicating that your docs are being synced offline. While you have an Internet connection and are signed into your Google account, your most recently opened documents and spreadsheets will sync and be available for offline viewing when you open Chrome.
To sync documents and spreadsheets, you must have an Internet connection. To view sync progress, click the gear icon in the upper right of your browser window. You'll see a grey status message indicating sync progress or the time when your Documents List was last synced.
You can view all of the items you have available offline by selecting the View offline Docs menu item. You can also disable offline access by selecting Stop using Docs offline. Disabling offline will also remove the offline copies of Docs stored on this computer.
How to view Google Docs offline
After allowing offline access on your computer, you have two ways to view your synced documents and spreadsheets offline:
● Without Internet connection.
When your computer is disconnected from the Internet, open Chrome. Click the Google Docs app icon or visit docs.google.com. The offline version of your Documents List will load.
● After losing Internet connection.
If you're using Google Docs in Chrome and suddenly lose your Internet connection, reload the browser window. This will show the offline version of your Documents List and each of the Google documents and spreadsheets you have open.
A few seconds after you regain Internet access, your documents and spreadsheets will return to online mode automatically. You can always speed this process up by reloading the document or spreadsheet.
A few things to remember:
● Offline access is available in Chrome only.
● Offline access is available only for Google documents and spreadsheets.
● Documents and spreadsheets are only available in view-only mode offline. You must restore your internet connection to make any edits.
