Here at Cloud Technology Solutions we want to be the first to let you know about some upcoming changes to Google Docs.
Over the next few weeks, Google will start transitioning to the new version of Google documents. Here are some of the new features in the new Google Docs that we are excited about:-
- Real time collaboration: See updates from other collaborators as they edit the document.
- Higher-quality imports: More consistent imports from your desktop into Google Docs.
- Chat with other collaborators: As you make your edits, you can chat with other document editors about the changes, from within the document.
- Ruler: Google documents have a ruler for setting margins, indentations, and tab stops.
- Google spreadsheets editable formula bar, and cell auto-complete.
The goal of these changes is to make sharing and collaboration even easier and to give you even more control of your Google files.
The basics aren’t different. You can still share your docs with as many or as few people as you like — and it’s all under your control. But now, you can assign a visibility option to a doc in just one step. Check out the descriptions of these options below to get started.
Within the domain
Private
When you create a private doc, you are the only person with access to it. And from there, you can grant access to other people. Anyone trying to access the document will have to sign in to verify that they have access to the doc, unless you change its sharing setting.
Private is the best setting for confidential documents or if you want to collaborate within a closed circle of people.
People at your domain with the link
A doc set to ‘People at your domain with the link’ is accessible to anyone inside the domain who knows the URL of the document. If you also select the ‘Allow anyone to edit’ option, anyone with the URL will be able to view and edit your document.
Docs in this category will generally not be indexed by internal search tools, but they may show up in search results if the doc URL is included on another page that is indexed.
Your domain
Docs that are set to your domain can be accessed by anyone in the domain. Docs with this setting may be indexed by internal search tools and may be opened by anyone in the domain. If you also select the ‘Allow anyone to edit’ option, anyone with the URL will be able to view and edit your document.
Outside the domain
Note: Some domain administrators do not allow docs to be shared outside of the domain.
Anyone with the link
If you select ‘Anyone with the link’, anyone who knows the web address of a document can view it. No sign-in is required to view the document. If you also select the ‘Allow anyone to edit’ option, anyone with the URL will be able to view and edit your document. Since sign-in is not required, viewers and editors may appear as anonymous users.
Docs in this category are generally not indexed by search engines, but they may show up in search results if the doc URL is included on another webpage that is indexed.
Public on the web
Public documents get indexed by search engines (like Google Web Search), and are accessible by anyone on the web. Set a doc to public if you want anyone to be able to see it.
Click ‘Share’ to open Sharing settings
To change the sharing setting of your doc (say, from Private to Anyone with the link), you’ll click the Share button in the top right corner of the doc. Here’s what you can do from the Sharing settings box:
- Change your doc’s visibility option — just click Change to the right of the visibility option.
- See who has access to your doc — their names are listed in the window, along with whether they can view or edit.
- Add editors or viewers by name — just click the white space below ‘Add people’ and type any email address.
- Reset your doc’s web address — just click Reset link under the doc URL (Anyone with the link docs only).
- Remove editors and viewers, or adjust how much access each person has.
- Transfer ownership of your doc to someone else. Just choose ‘Is owner’ from the drop-down next to any person with access to the doc.