Click here for an overview of Google Workspace.
Gmail
Filters
Filters are used to direct email to a specific location when they are received. For instance, you can immediately assign them to a specific label, automatically delete them, automatically forward them, or prevent them from ending up in the Spam folder.
Labels
Instead of folders, labels are used in Gmail. Labels allow the user to "tag" email messages with one or more identifiers. For example, you might receive an email from ABC Company with an invoice. Perhaps this invoice will need to be paid by one of your customers, XYZ Company. You can then create labels for ABC Company and XYZ Company and use both of them on this email you have received.
Later, this email should be easy to find, as you can click on "ABC Company" OR "XYZ Company" in the left-hand menu to locate it.
Please note: if you click on a label on the left column and then delete a message, that message will be deleted from all other labels associated with that email as well as from the inbox.
Stars
Stars can be added to signify that an email message is important. The level of importance can be determined by the color of the star (or other symbol). The types of stars and symbols available can be changed in your Gmail settings.
Calendar
Google Calendar allows you to create events, share your events (through invitations), and view others' events. You can have multiple calendars, such as a personal calendar, a corporate calendar, a holiday calendar, etc. If shared with you, you can also view calendars of coworkers. You can even set up reminders for important dates. With this app, coordinating events is easy since it is all updated in one location.
Your Google Calendar can also be synced with other calendars, and it can be viewed when you're no longer online. The Calendar can even be synced with your smartphone or other device.
Drive
With Google Drive, you can store all of your documents in the cloud. Storing items in the cloud prevents data loss should your computer or hard drive crash. The Drive has up 15GB of free storage, and you can access your documents from anywhere with any device that has the Internet when you login to your account. All you need to do is access your drive from your email account and beginning uploading! You can also download a program for your computer that allows you to drag and drop files into the Drive so you don't have to open a browser to do it.
Google Drive also allows you to share your documents with others. You and anyone else who has access to your document can edit it at the same time -- you'll see who is editing it based on color codes that represent people. This way, you can always update one draft of a document instead of having several copies of it floating around with different people.
Docs, Sheets, & Slides
Google Docs, Sheets, & Slides Help
Docs, Sheets, and Slides are the files that you can create, edit, and share online. Docs are similar to Word documents, Sheets are similar to Excel documents, and Slides are similar to Powerpoint documents. You don't need to have any of the Microsoft Office Suite program installed on your computer to utilize Docs, Sheets, and Slides on the Google Drive. However, Microsoft Office programs can easily open the Docs, Sheets, and Slides that you create and edit on the Drive. That way, if someone shares a Doc with you on the Drive, you can download it to your computer when necessary.
