Accessing and Using Google Docs

Introduction

Google Docs is a free resource for file storage and sharing. You can upload files from your desktop and have access to those files from either the Internet or your wireless devices as long as you have an active internet connection. You can share your files with other users who can review and edit your documents from anywhere in the world. This allows for real time collaboration to get work done more quickly. By default Google docs allows each user 2400MB of storage space.

Procedures

1. How to create a Google Docs account
    
   1. Browse to www.google.com/docs
       
   2. If you have a Google or Gmail account, log in and go to step 2. If not, click on Create an account now.
      
      
      
       
   3. Fill out the required information. You can use your username@uwyo.edu email account to generate the account. Click the I accept. Create my account. button to accept the terms of the agreement.
      
      
      
       
2. How to upload files into Google Docs: 
    
   1. Click on the Upload… button. Click on Select files to upload and Browse… to the files you want to upload.
      
      
      
       
   2. Click the Start upload button. The file will be imported and available for view from the Internet.
       
3. How to share the file with other users
    
   1. Click on the file you want to share to open it. The document will appear as a webpage in your browser.
       
   2. In the upper right hand corner, click on Share.
      
      
      
       
   3. Change the sharing setting from Private by clicking on the Change link and choose either Public on the web for everyone, or Anyone with the link.
      
      
      
       
   4. Click on Save.
       
   5. Next, click on Change under the Add People section. This will allow only the owner to change the permissions.
      
      
   6. Click Save to save the changes.
       
   7. Click in the box underneath Add People and you can add email addresses to receive a link to the file. There is a drop-down menu where you can decide what permissions to the file each recipient will have.
      
      
      
       
   8. Click Share and an email message containing a link to the file will be sent to each email address you have added.