Drive is an excellent tool for collaborating on Google Docs, projects, and other files.
Because everything is stored in the cloud, there's no need to email files back and forth.
Instead, you can work on the exact same document with anyone you want. All the other person
needs is a Google account of their own.
To get started, select the file you want to share using the checkbox on the left. Then
click the Share button.
Here, you have several different options. First, I'm going to show you how to share
your file one-on-one with people you know.
All you have to is look for the box that says Add People… then start typing the addresses
of the people you want to share with.
Next, click the drop-down arrow to the right to control whether they can edit, comment
on, or just view the file. Remember, only files in Google Docs format can be edited
online by different people.
I'm happy with this option, so I'm going to go ahead and click Add Message… then type
a note to my friends.
By default, the people you share with have the ability to change the permissions on the
file. That means they can invite new people to view or even collaborate on it. If that's
something you'd rather avoid, click the Change link at the bottom of the window… then choose
the option that says Only the owner can change the permissions.
When you're happy with your settings, go ahead and click Share & Save. And your friends will
be added to the list of people who have access.
Another way to share files in Drive is to provide a link - one that anyone can use to
access the file, even if they don't have a Google account. This can be especially useful
for files that are too large to send as an email attachment, like a video or a photo
album.
To share a link, start by following the same steps as before. This time, however, we're
going to click Change next to the first item on the list.
Here, you can change your visibility options. Just click Anyone with the link… then the
Save button to continue.
The original dialog box will reappear with a link that you can share on social media
sites, or just copy & paste.
Now you can send this link in an email, for example, or post it on your blog. It's important
to use good judgement with this method, though. Even if you share the link with only a few
people, there's chance anyone could find it online. So just to be safe, never use a link
to share anything personal, sensitive, or private.
I have one more tip when it comes to sharing files in Google Drive. It has to do with files
that other people share with you.
You'll always find them in the folder called Shared with me. However, you could lose access
to these files at any time if the owner of the file decides to unshare it with you.
If you have a shared file that you want to keep permanently, not to worry - there's a
solution. All you have to do is drag & drop it to the link that says My Drive. You could
also drag & drop it to one of your folders.
Now the file is saved to your Drive. You'll always have access to it even if the owner
decides to unshare it.
So how does sharing work? Let's take a look at some of the things you can do in Google
Docs.
You can work on a document with more than one person at a time. This feature is great
for work, school - even planning a potluck dinner, like in this example.
Drive will let you know who else is working on the file with you, so there's no need to
pass revisions back and forth.
You can also leave comments; for example, to give someone feedback, ask a question,
or start a dialog. To add a comment, just select the text you want to comment on…
then right-click… and choose Comment. Your comment will appear on the right.
This is also where you'll see comments from other people.
So, now that you know how it works, what do you want to share in Google Drive? Maybe a
spreadsheet? A presentation? There's so much you can do when you start collaborating, so
make sure you give it a try.
