One of the most popular features in Google Workspace is Google Calendar. This tool functions as a multi-purpose workflow planner and event management resource. By setting up events and meetings within Google Calendar, you can ensure that all team members have access to a clear-cut schedule that can be integrated into existing Google products such as Gmail and Google Meet. In this article we will outline how to create events in Google Calendar.

Topics include

• Using Events in Google Calendar
• Creating an Event
• Creating an Event via Gmail

Using Events in Google Calendar

The ability to create and track events in Google Calendar is useful for a number of purposes:

• Planning Team Meetings
• Scheduling 1-on-1 Conferences
• Setting Up Team-Building Events

Using Google Calendar to plan events also allows for a number of details to be included in the event itself. You can add a physical address for meetings, video call links for video-conferencing, as well as a brief description of the event. This makes it easier for users to see all of the relevant event information in a single place, rather than needing to refer to a separate planning document to see information about upcoming events and meetings.

For example, let’s say you want to setup a team-building event at a local laser tag venue. To set this up, you’d create the event in Google Calendar using the steps outlined in the following section, then you’d include details such as the address for the venue, the time-frame for the event, and additional information such as whether or not non-team members such as family are allowed to participate in the event.

By setting up the event in Google Calendar, the calendar entry will serve as both a detailed invitation as well as a calendar reminder. Instead of sending an invitation via physical mail or email, inviting a user to a Google Calendar event automatically updates their own calendar to provide reminders as the event draws closer.

Creating an Event

There are two primary ways to create new events on Google Calendar. The first is by directly clicking on the date you want to schedule an event for:

1. First, open Google Calendar.
2. Next, click on an empty date in the calendar.
3. The system will prompt you to input a title and details about the event.
4. Once done, click Save.

You can also create events by clicking on the Create button at the top of the calendar:

1. Open Google Calendar.
2. At the top left of the calendar click Create +.
3. Input a title for the event as well as event details.
4. Once done, click Save.

Creating an Event via Gmail

One of the most convenient features of Google Calendar is integration with Gmail. This integration allows you to easily convert email reminders for events and meetings into Google Calendar entries.

1. First, log into your Gmail account.
2. Next, locate a message containing event planning details such as time, date, and location.
3. Once you have selected a message, click More > Create Event at the top of the page.
4. An event will be created automatically using the event title and details from the email message itself. At this point feel free to change any details such as event time and date before completing the process.
5. Once done, click Save.

Next Steps

To help you further organize your Google Workspace teams, consider setting up organizational units. If you need help managing your physical resources such as meeting rooms and teleconferencing equipment, you may want to set up building management.

After setting up Google Workspace to use Google Chat, you can begin to modify certain aspects of the user experience if you have administrative privileges. Two important modifications include choosing between two different versions of Google Chat and enabling history logging of Google Chat messages. In this article we will outline how to perform these basic administrative tasks to make your Google Chat and Google Workspace experience easier.

Topics include

• Transitioning From Classic Hangouts to Google Chat
• Choosing Chat Service
• Enabling Chat History

Transitioning From Classic Hangouts to Google Chat

While long-time users of Google text chat may recognize Google Hangouts, it is worth noting that this feature will be deprecated in the near future and will be replaced with Google Chat. To help you prepare for this, you will likely want to adopt a transition strategy to move your users from Classic Google Hangouts to Google Chat. This strategy will generally consist of three steps: timing, communication, and implementation.

Timing of the transition is important, since you want to ensure that you give users enough time to update their workflows and integrate Google Chat to replace Classic Hangouts. This can generally be accomplished by picking a set date where the official transition will take place.

The next step, communication, involves bringing team members and other users up-to-speed with Google Chat and ensuring that they are aware of the transition date that has been set.

The third step is implementation, where you finally update Google Workspace to use the new chat service. At this point, your team should be prepared for the change and ready to integrate Google Chat into their daily workflow and communications.

Choosing Chat Service

Google Workspace supports two different versions of instant messaging software: Google Chat and Classic Hangouts. When setting up instant messaging for your Google Workspace account, you can choose between them using the following instructions:

1. Before beginning this process, ensure that you have placed your various users in organizational units.
2. After logging into your Google admin dashboard, navigate to Apps > Google Workspace > Google Chat and Classic Hangouts.
3. Next, select Service Status.
4. To apply this to all users in your organization, select the top organizational unit in the hierarchy.
5. Next, select which type of chat you wish to use:
   
   Chat Preferred – Google Chat can be used in Gmail and everywhere else. Classic Hangouts can still be used by visiting hangouts.google.com.
   
   Chat Only – Only Google Chat will be accessible in Gmail and everywhere else. Classic Hangouts will be disabled.
   
   Both Turned Off – Both types of chat will be disabled.
   
6. Once you’ve made your selection, click Save. 

Your choice of chat software will depend on your organization’s relationship with Google Workspace as a whole. 

If you are setting up a new organization in Google Workspace, it makes more sense to use Google Chat only since Classic Hangouts will be deprecated in the near future. 

If your organization has been using Classic Hangouts all along, you may want to consider leaving it enabled for now to give users the ability to migrate to Google Chat when they are ready.

Enabling Chat History

1. After logging into your Google administrator dashboard, navigate to Apps > Google Workspace > Google Chat and Classic Hangouts.
2. Next, click History for Chats.
3. Next, under Organizational Units select the organizational unit you wish to update.
4. To turn chat history on or off, select On or Off. 
   
   If you turn chat history on, messages will be archived in your Google Vault as per your data retention settings. If you turn chat history off, messages will be deleted after 24 hours.
5. Once done, click Save.

Congratulations, you now know how to enable chat history!

Next Steps

Now that you’ve set up a convenient way for your Google Workspace organization to communicate, you may want to consider setting up building management. If your organization works out of a centralized location such as an office, setting up building management will make it easier to allocate and schedule physical resources such as meeting rooms, projector equipment, and teleconferencing hardware. Combined with Google Chat, this tool will make planning that much easier and more efficient.

Google Sync is an automated utility that uses Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync 12.1 technology to synchronize data between Google services and mobile devices. The purpose of this utility is to streamline the syncing of data, allowing mobile devices to access and store information obtained from Google resources. In this article we will discuss Google Sync and provide basic instructions on how to enable this utility for your mobile devices.

Topics include

• What is Google Sync?
• Using Google Sync on iOS

What is Google Sync?

As mentioned previously, Google Sync is an automated utility that synchronizes content across mobile devices. For example, Google Sync can be used to import emails from Gmail directly into Apple Mail, or import Google Calendar events into Apple Calendar. Rather than requiring iOS users to download separate email and calendar applications, importing this data into native applications simplifies the process and enhances overall user experience. Google Sync works with both Android and iOS devices, as long as they are connected to Google Workspace.

Using Google Sync on iOS

To enable Google Sync with your iOS device, use the following instructions:

1. On your iOS device, tap Settings.
2. Next, navigate to Passwords & Accounts > Add Account.
3. Select Microsoft Exchange.
4. Enter your Google Workspace email address, then select Next.
5. Select Configure Manually.
6. Next, enter your Google Workspace account password, then select Next.
7. Next to Server, enter m.google.com.
8. Next to Username, enter your Google Workspace email address, then select Next. 
9. Choose the services you wish to sync.
10. Once done, select Save.

Congratulations, you have successfully enabled Google Sync on iOS!

Next Steps

If you need help organizing your Google Workspace users, consider setting up organizational units that you can use to apply settings and customize permissions for large groups of users simultaneously. For fine-tuned control over mobile device access, consider implementing mobile endpoint management via Google Workspace.

Depending on the size of your organization, you may have a large number of computers connected to your Google Workspace resources. These connected computers, also known as endpoints, have access to your private Google Workspace data. As such, it is important to provide them with comprehensive security policies that will prevent unauthorized access to your important data. In this article we will discuss computer endpoint management and explore how it can be used to increase security for your organization.

Topics include

• Why Use Computer Endpoint Management?
• Computer Endpoint Management Options
• Enabling Endpoint Verification

Why Use Computer Endpoint Management?

Computer endpoint management is useful for enhancing security for your computer-based endpoints. Instead of letting potentially insecure machines into your Google Workspace network, endpoint management can be used to ensure that connected computers all use the same software and security settings, particularly in the case of Windows environments. Setting up this feature will allow you to fine-tune who has access to your Google Workspace network.

Computer Endpoint Management Options

Google Workspace provides a number of options for computer endpoint management, each offering a different level of security for your connected devices. By default, you can use this feature to determine what type of access, if any, a connected device will have. You can also use this feature to see when users sign in, regardless of which option you choose. To help you decide which options are best for your organization, we will describe them below:

Fundamental Management – Automatically enabled, provides features described above.

Endpoint Verification – Must be enabled for endpoint management to function properly. This feature allows you to find and email users that are not verified, giving them the opportunity to verify their connected device. Through endpoint verification, organization administrators can approve, block, unblock or delete devices. In order for a device to be verified, the administrator must approve the verification request.

Google Drive for Desktop – This option requires users to install the Google Drive for desktop application onto their computer. The advantage of using this option is that it can specify that only company-owned devices can run Google Drive, enhancing the security of your shared file sharing resource. Similar to endpoint verification, it is possible to approve, block, or delete devices connected to the network. By blocking a device, you will prevent them from accessing Google Drive regardless of the device.

Enhanced Desktop Security for Windows – This option is only available for computers that use Windows. Using this option allows organization administrators to apply Windows settings for connected computers and even remove data if necessary. Through this option, administrators can approve, block, or delete devices. Blocking a device from this option means it will no longer be able to receive configuration changes to Windows settings or have data removed.

Enabling Endpoint Verification

Google Workspace administrators can enable endpoint verification from the dashboard using the following instructions:

1. First, login to your Google admin dashboard.
2. Next, go to Devices.
3. On the next page, navigate to Mobile & endpoints > Settings > Universal Settings.
4. Next, navigate to Data Access > Endpoint Verification.
5. Click the checkbox labeled Monitor which devices access organization data.
6. Once done, click Save.

Congratulations, you now know how to enable endpoint verification in Google Workspace!

Next Steps

To assist with the management of non-computer physical resources such as meeting rooms and conference equipment, consider setting up building management in your Google Workspace organization. If your organization has a large number of users, consider setting up organizational units to make managing their permissions and access-levels even easier.

As organizations become increasingly dependent on mobile devices to keep teams and departments connected, the need for comprehensive mobile security is more present than ever. For organizations that use Google Workspace as their primary workflow resource, Google Endpoint Management is there to assist with this. In this article we will outline how to enable mobile endpoint management in Google Workspace.

• Why Use Mobile Endpoint Management?
• Enabling Mobile Endpoint Management

Why Use Mobile Endpoint Management?

As organizations become increasingly dependent on mobile devices for communication, the possibility of malicious activity also increases. Since mobile devices can be easily lost or stolen, enacting reliable security measures on those devices is prudent if you wish to protect your Google Workspace data. By setting up mobile endpoint management you can ensure that your mobile devices are protected. In the event that a mobile device is lost or stolen, you can remotely wipe the data to provide peace of mind and network security.

Enabling Mobile Endpoint Management

Mobile devices connected to your Google Workspace organization are referred to as mobile endpoints. These endpoints can be anything from a tablet computer to a personal smartphone. Since these devices are portable and contain large amounts of personal data, securing them is a primary concern for many organizations. To facilitate this, Google Workspace provides tools for mobile endpoint management.

Mobile endpoint management for Google Workspace is divided into two types: Basic and Advanced. Basic mobile endpoint management does not require the installation of a separate app, whereas advanced mobile endpoint management requires the installation of a management app onto your device. 

By default, basic mobile endpoint security is enabled automatically. However, if this feature was turned off at some point or if you wish to increase the level of security, you can use the following instructions to enable the desired level of mobile security:

1. First, log into your Google administrator dashboard.
2. From the dashboard, select Devices.
3. On the left side of the next page, navigate to Mobile & endpoints > Settings > Universal Settings.
4. Next, navigate to General > Mobile management.
5. Select Basic or Advanced.
6. Once done, click Save.

Congratulations, you now know how to enable mobile endpoint management!

Next Steps

If you want to provide additional organization to your Google Workspace experience, consider setting up organizational units. These units can be used to keep track of user roles and provide an easy means to update policies for multiple users simultaneously.

If your organization uses Google Workspace, you may find yourself wondering how to best secure all of the various services and devices that are part of your daily workflow. Mobile devices, laptops, and desktops can all connect to your Google Workspace services, giving them access to your organization’s sensitive information and private data. This is why it is more important than ever to have comprehensive security policies across platforms. 

Fortunately, Google Endpoint Management can help you improve your organization’s data security with relative ease. In this article we will discuss Google Endpoint Management and explore how it can be used to increase your organization’s security.

Topics include

• Understanding Endpoints
• Types of Endpoint Management
• Using Endpoint Management For Information Security

Understanding Endpoints

Before discussing Google Endpoint Management, it’s important to first understand the concept of endpoints. An endpoint is a term used to describe any device that connects to a larger network. In the context of Google Workspace, an endpoint refers to any mobile device, laptop, or desktop that connects to one or more of Google Workspace’s services. 

It can help to think of endpoints as windows, and your Google Workspace as a house. The more windows your house has, there are more possible points of entry that need to be secured. Without endpoint management, you are essentially leaving the windows unlocked, making it easier for someone to gain unauthorized access to your private data. Fortunately, Google Endpoint Management is built into Google Workspace, giving you all of the tools you need to secure your endpoints.

Types of Endpoint Management 

Since there are multiple types of endpoints, there are different types of endpoint management depending on the type of device being used. Google Workspace divides endpoint management into two types: Computer and Mobile. Generally speaking, computer endpoints are composed of desktops and laptops, while mobile endpoints are mobile devices such as phones and tablets.

To help you keep track of the options available to you, here are the different types of endpoint management and their related features:

Mobile Security – Divided into two types of security, Basic and Advanced. 

Basic Security – Requires no set-up and is applied automatically to any device connected to your workspace. 

Advanced Security – Allows you to fine-tune the security of connected devices by requiring stronger passwords and enabling the ability to remotely wipe data. Through advanced security you can also manage iOS apps on connected Apple devices and implement work profiles for connected Android devices. 

Computer Security – This type of endpoint management applies to both laptops and desktops. With this enabled, you can block devices, sign out users remotely, and manage company-owned devices.

Based on this list of features, it’s easy to see how Google Endpoint Management can be used to increase your organization’s information security. For example, if a mobile device is lost or stolen, you can remotely wipe the data to prevent unauthorized access. Keeping track of company-issued devices has never been easier, since Google Workspace automatically incorporates basic mobile security by default. If you need to increase your security for any reason, the advanced security features give you easy ways to do so.

Using Endpoint Management For Information Security

The primary benefit of using endpoint management is the ability to remotely wipe data from connected devices. To help you get a better idea of how this works, we will outline the various ways you can remotely secure your devices.

There are two ways to delete or “wipe” data from defunct or compromised devices, the first involves the deletion of work-related user accounts, which removes the ability for the device to connect to your Google Workspace organization. The second method involves wiping data from the entire device, including work data and apps as well as personal data and apps. For Android devices, work profiles can be created that will allow for the deletion of only work-specific applications and data.

Depending on the type of device being managed, remotely wiping data is handled by different device policies:

• Android – Android Device Policy
• iOS Devices – Device Policy Profile
• Windows 10 Devices – Windows Device Management

These policies must be enabled in order to remotely delete sensitive information from lost, stolen, or defunct network endpoints.

Please Note: For Android devices, you are unable to delete user accounts without wiping the entire device unless it meets the following requirements:

• The device was originally under advanced mobile management but has been switched to basic mobile management.
• The device is set up as a company-owned device or a personal device set up as work only.

Next Steps

For easy management of physical resources such as conference rooms and equipment, consider setting up building management for your Google Workspace organization.

If you use Google Workspace, you may find yourself struggling to locate information across Gmail, Google Docs, and other Google applications. To assist with this, Google created the Cloud Search utility to function as an internal search engine for Google Workspace and associated applications.

In order to start using Google Cloud Search (GCS), you will likely need to enable it from your Google Workspace administrator dashboard. Please note that you must be using either the Business or Enterprise editions of Google Workspace to have access to this feature. In this article we will outline how to enable Google Cloud Search for use in your Google Workspace organization.

Enabling GCS

Google Cloud Search can be enabled or disabled using the following instructions:

1. First, log into your Google admin dashboard.
2. Next, navigate to Menu > Apps > Google Workspace > Cloud Search.
3. Next, click Service status.
4. Depending on your current setting, you can either set the feature to On for everyone, or Off for everyone.
5. If you want to apply the changes to a specific organizational unit, select the organizational unit on the left side of the page.
6. Select On or Off. If the unit is set to Inherit, click Override to preserve changes even if the parent organizational unit is modified. If the unit is set to Override, click Inherit to revert to parent settings. 
7. Once done, click Save.

Congratulations, you now know how to enable Google Cloud Search! As soon as this feature is enabled, your organization can start using it to easily search across their various Google Workspace resources.

Next Steps

To further refine your Google Cloud Search results, consider setting up organizational units to help organize your workforce into easily identifiable categories. If you want to incorporate physical resources such as meeting rooms and conference equipment, consider setting up building management.

Google Cloud Search is an enterprise-oriented search utility that allows users to easily and quickly search through Google Workspace applications and related content. Instead of manually reviewing documents and individual applications, Google Cloud Search condenses all of that information into an easily accessible internal search engine. In this article we will discuss Google Cloud Search and explore some of its features.

Topics include

• What is Google Cloud Search?
• Why Use Google Cloud Search?
• Google Cloud Search F.A.Q.

What is Google Cloud Search?

As mentioned previously, Google Cloud Search (GCS), is an internal search utility that combines various Google Workspace applications and makes them easily searchable using simple keywords. Here are a few applications that integrate with GCS:

• Google Docs
• Google Sheets
• Gmail
• Google Drive

Since the applications use Google security permissions, any sharing settings specified for documents and other files will be reflected in the search results. This feature ensures that only users with appropriate permissions can access certain resources, maintaining your privacy and information security. Additionally, since GCS is part of the Google Workspace ecosystem, this feature can be rolled out quickly without any required setup. As soon as GCS is enabled for your organization, users can immediately make use of the search utility for their own workflows.

Why Use Google Cloud Search?

An aspect of GCS that can benefit your organization is the ability to find and identify users based on keyword searches. For example, if you wanted to find users responsible for Billing in your organization, you can use GCS to search for documents and users associated with the keyword “billing”. This type of transparency enhances team communication and promotes inter-departmental synergy.

It is important to note that GCS is only available in the Business and Enterprise editions of Google Workspace and licenses are required for continued use of the software. In addition, Google Cloud Search integrates with 3rd party services such as Salesforce, allowing you to seamlessly search between your Google Workspace and 3rd party applications.

Google Cloud Search F.A.Q.

Can I use 3rd-party apps with Google Cloud Search?

Yes, Google Cloud Search integrates with popular 3rd-party applications such as Salesforce, making it easier to locate information across toolsets and environments.

Can I use Google Cloud Search without a license?

No, Google Cloud Search is only available for certain editions of Google Workspace and an active license is required for use.

Which versions of Google Workspace include Google Cloud Search?

Google Cloud Search is included in the Business Plus and Enterprise editions of Google Workspace. Business Starter and Business Standard do not include Google Cloud Search.

Which Google services are supported by Google Cloud Search?

Google Cloud Search supports the following services:

• Calendars
• Contacts (not including personal contacts)
• Drive
• Gmail
• Groups
• Classic Sites
• New Sites

What are the limitations of Google Cloud Search?

Google Cloud Search has the following limitations:

• Search results only include the information in your organization, not other organizations, regardless of sharing status.
• Deleted and draft emails are not displayed in search results.
• Only primary calendars are searchable, not secondary or shared calendars.
• For large documents, searchable text is limited to the first several thousand words in the document.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with the uses and features of Google Cloud Search, consider enhancing the quality of your Google Cloud Search results by creating your team events and meetings in Google Calendar.

Google Voice is a service that provides telephone and text-based communications over the internet. Instead of using your personal cell phone or landline to make calls or send text messages, you can use Google Voice to do all of that and more. In addition to conventional phone services, Google Voice also offers call screening and spam protection. In this article we will discuss Google Voice and outline how to use this service with your Google Workspace organization.

Topics include

• What is Google Voice?
• Setting Up Google Voice

What is Google Voice?

As mentioned previously, Google Voice is a telephone communication service that provides users with dedicated telephone numbers for the purpose of phone calls and text messaging. Residents of Canada and the US can choose their own phone numbers, adding a degree of customization to your phone-based communications. In addition to facilitating telephone calls, Google Voice also supports the following features:

• Voicemail Transcripts
• Call Screening and Spam Protection
• Block Unwanted Calls

Google Voice is useful for organizations that want to use dedicated phone numbers that are not tied to personal cell phones or existing landlines.

Setting Up Google Voice

If you want to integrate Google Voice within your existing Google Workspace organization, you can do so via the following instructions:

1. First, log into your Google admin dashboard.
2. Next, navigate to Apps > Additional Google Services.
3. On the next page, click Add Services at the top.
4. Within the Categories section, click Google Voice.
5. Below the voice subscription you wish to use, click Get Started.
6. From here, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

Congratulations, you now know how to add Google Voice to your Google Workspace organization.

Next Steps

If you need help setting up the rest of your Google Workspace organization, consider reviewing the instructions for setting up organizational units or building management. If you’re looking for a long-term backup solution that integrates with your existing Google resources, consider setting up Google Vault.

To get started with Google Currents, it is important to properly set up your user profile so that other users can find you and easily identify your position within the organization. In addition to setting up a custom profile picture and personal information, you can also customize the communities you are part of, giving you additional control over your Google Currents experience. In this article we will outline how to create and edit your Google Currents profile. 

Topics include

• Why Update Your Google Currents Profile?
• Creating a Profile
• Updating a Profile

Why Update Your Google Currents Profile?

Updating your Google Currents profile is an easy way to enhance your networking potential within Google Workspace and provide users an easy way to see where you fit into the greater organizational hierarchy. By selecting communities, you can show others where you devote your expertise and interests, allowing greater potential for collaboration and team-building efforts.

Creating a Profile

Before you can start using Google Currents, you will first need to set up your user profile.

1. In a web browser, navigate to currents.google.com.
2. On the next page, login to your Google Workspace account.
3. Once logged in, click Create profile.

The page will now prompt you to complete the set up of your profile. 

Updating a Profile

If you decide to make changes to your profile after creating it, you can do so via the following steps:

1. From the main menu, click Profile.
2. Next, click Edit Profile.
3. Now you can customize your profile by clicking on various icons. 
   
   Profile Picture – To modify your profile picture, click on the Camera icon to upload a profile picture.
   
   Communities – To modify your communities, click Edit Communities to select which communities you are a part of.
   
   Personal Info – To add to your personal information, click the exclamation mark next to the word Information.
4. Once done, click Save to save your changes.

Modifying your profile can be done at any time from the Google Currents home page. We recommend using a profile picture that can be used to easily identify you, and choosing communities that reflect your interests and job-specific information. For example, a graphic designer may get more use out of communities that provide design advice or best practices for graphics formatting. 

Next Steps

To enhance your Google Currents experience, consider setting up Google Chat to allow instant messaging communication between team members.