Overview

Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are free with a Google account. Google Workspace (paid) adds business features like custom email, more storage, and admin controls.

Step 1: Share and Set Permissions

Control who can access your documents.

1

Share a Document

Open the document in Google Docs/Sheets/Slides
Click the blue 'Share' button (top right)
Enter email addresses of collaborators
Set permission level: Viewer, Commenter, or Editor
Add an optional message explaining what you need
Click 'Send' to share via email notification

2

Link Sharing

Click 'Share' → 'Copy link'
Change 'Restricted' to 'Anyone with the link' if needed
Set permission level for link access
Link sharing is useful for wider distribution
Be cautious: anyone with the link can access the document

Step 2: Real-Time Collaboration

Work together effectively in shared documents.

1

Co-Editing

Multiple editors see coloured cursors showing who's typing where
Changes appear instantly for all users
No need to save: Google auto-saves continuously
Use the chat feature (speech bubble icon) for quick messages
See who's currently viewing the document at the top

2

Comments and Suggestions

Highlight text → right-click → Comment to add feedback
Use @mentions in comments to notify specific people
Switch to 'Suggesting' mode (pencil icon) to propose changes
Editors can accept or reject suggestions individually
Resolve comments when issues are addressed

3

Version History

File → Version history → See version history
View all changes with timestamps and author names
Click any version to see what the document looked like then
Restore previous versions if needed
Name important versions for easy reference

3

Advanced Collaboration Features

Use Google Docs Explore feature to research without leaving the document
Insert charts from Google Sheets that auto-update when source data changes
Use Smart Chips to embed links to people, files, dates, and calendar events
Create document templates for recurring document types (meeting notes, proposals)
Use Building Blocks for quickly inserting formatted sections
Enable offline editing for working without internet access

4

Organisation and Administration

Create a Team Drive (Shared Drive) for team ownership rather than individual ownership
Set up naming conventions for files and folders across the organisation
Use Google Vault for retention and eDiscovery of Google Workspace content
Configure data regions to control where your organisation's data is stored
Set classification labels on documents to control sharing based on sensitivity
Review sharing activity reports in the Admin console to identify over-sharing

Overview

Step 1: Share and Set Permissions

Share a Document

Link Sharing

Step 2: Real-Time Collaboration

Co-Editing

Comments and Suggestions

Version History

Advanced Collaboration Features

Organisation and Administration

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