Using Google Docs

Janet asked a great question recently about using Google Docs and sharing documents through PulseWire and in general. I thought I'd post this as a new thread for everyone to read as I know it's something the group is working with and having some sticky points with.

Janet's question:
\"I posted a spreadsheet that is a doc at Google capable of being edited by our group, but when I posted here it is in \"read only\" form. That may be because I posted the doc from my other email program (Outlook Express), not Google directly. Or is it because you may have a policy abt editing docs in this public setting?\"

Unfortunately, our site does not currently support living documents - the ability to share and alter documents. We are looking into the possibility of incorporating a feature like this, but cannot currently offer such a feature.

Google Docs, while difficult to get acquainted with at first, it is actually a very useful tool for sharing documents and is what we use here within our staff at World Pulse.

In order to share your document with everyone:

Once you have uploaded a document to Google Docs, or have created a document within Google Docs - When you're in the document itself, there is a button at the top right corner of the document labeled \"Share\". Click here and there's a drop-down. You can click \"Invite people\" and add the emails of all who you want to access and alter the document. A window will pop up and under \"Invite\" you can add the emails and then send invites.
*** Note that under the box for entering emails, there is a \"To Edit\" and \"To View\" choice. If you want other people to have editing capabilities, be sure to highlight \"To Edit\" before sending access.

The other alternative - to keep the document viewable and editable for everyone who has the link - is enabled by clicking on the \"Share\" button at the top of the document and choosing the \"Get the link to share\" option. A window will pop up and you can choose an edit or view option here as well, then copy the link provided. Post this link in a post within this group and anyone who clicks on it can access the document.

Maybe due to the privacy of information - you will want to use the first option and \"share\" with people individually sending them access. If you need help with this, you can share me on the document: jade@worldpulse.com and I can add all members in this group. Because I am the Online Community Manager, I have access to members' email addresses as an administrator.

So, in conclusion, the documents cannot live within PulseWire, they must live within Google Docs.

I suggest using this great tutorial as a reference for Google Docs.
http://edutech.msu.edu/online/GoogleDocs/GoogleDocs.html

And let me know if you have any other questions.