Most people have heard of Google’s Gmail but are not aware of all the great Google Apps also provided – many for FREE. To name a few options: professional email, online storage, shared calendars, video meetings and more. They are built for business and designed for teams.
Google apps can provide you with a custom professional email (@yourcompany.com) as well as 24/7 support and 30GB of storage. It gives you the freedom to work from anywhere. You can create, edit and share from all of your devices as well as any computer by just logging into your Google account.
This has been really handy for both Kathy and I, we live in different countries and also travel a lot. You can create a folder and file system in the same way as you do on your computer. These can then be shared, either indivivual files or a full folder.
Google Apps
Gmail
Offers spam protection, powerful search and integrated calendars help you get more done. Enhanced business features include 99.9% guaranteed uptime, no ads and 30GB of storage.
Cloud Storage
Save work files in Drive, access them from any device and share them instantly with teammates. No more sending attachments or merging different versions.
Google drive is a great way to keep your information organized using folders. I am always able to locate the files I need.
Admin Console
Manage mobile devices, email addresses, security settings and more from the Google Admin console. Keep all your company data safe, centralized and protected from disruptions such as missing hardware or employee turnover.
Calendar
Schedule events in Calendar at times that work for everyone. Get meeting reminders directly to your Gmail inbox. I use the calendar to keep up with client appointments, personal appointments as well as birthdays and holidays, very handy!
You can also share a calendar:
- Share your main calendar with someone so they can see your schedule.
- Create a new calendar that multiple people can edit, like a “Hiking” calendar that everyone in a hiking group adds events to.
Sheets
Create a budget tracker in Sheets, share it with teammates and edit it in real-time. It’s automatically stored in Drive so everyone always has the latest version. No more sending attachments to get on the same page.
Docs
Create and edit text documents right in your browser—no dedicated software required. Multiple people can work at the same time, and every change is saved automatically.
I love using Google sheets and Docs for sharing work. I can create a doc and share it with anyone to assist in editing or proof-reading. Kathy and I have really increased our productivity using this tool!
Forms
Easy to create surveys and forms for everyone. Create custom forms for surveys and questionnaires at no extra cost. Gather everything in a spreadsheet and analyze data right in Google Sheets.
Slides
Create and edit polished presentations in your browser—no software required. Multiple people can work at the same time so everyone always has the latest version.
Sites
Launch an intranet for your company, a project site for your team or a portal for customers with the site builder. All without writing a single line of code.
Google+
A social network designed for business. Google+ makes it faster and easier to share and collaborate with your customers and team members.
Vault
Add archiving and eDiscovery to Google Apps. Manage, retain, search and export your organization’s email and on-the-record chats. Vault costs an additional $5/user/month.
If you’re not using Chrome Browser then you should get the Google Toolbar as well. It allows you to log into your Google account, access your email, bookmarks and browsing history.
This is a very handy productivity tool. Kathy uses it on her IPad when she doesn’t want to carry her laptop around!
Google Apps Business just makes good sense whether you’re just starting out or have been in business for years.
Attending college? Then check out Google Apps for Education. It’s completely free!
Check out the Google Apps Store and find out what Google can do for you.