Google Docs received an overhaul this week that makes it easier for users to share items, upload documents, and stay organized. Shared Folders One of Google Docs best features is its ability to let you share and collaborate on documents with other users. The new tweaks also brought a slight change to the Google Docs homepage with a more uniform and simpler look. In the past, if you had multiple documents you needed to share with one workgroup, Google Docs required you to send out multiple sharing notices for each document.
Just drag and drop the files you need to share into a folder, and then click "share this folder" and invite members of your workgroup. The new shared folders feature solves this problem, by allowing you to set up sharing permissions for one folder. The people in your workgroup will get an e-mail notifying them you've shared this folder. The new feature is handy, but there is one few quirk you should keep in mind. Once they've logged on to Google Docs, members of your workgroup can see the files you've added to the folder, and also drop files into your folder to share with the same group. Even though a document is in a shared folder, the access permissions for that document are attached to the folder-not the file.
Managing Your Workflow Back by popular demand is the "Items Not In Folders" filter that allows you to see any documents you have that are not organized into folders. So if you pull a document that you own (i.e. you created it) out of the shared folder, your workgroup will no longer be able to access the document. Google brought back the feature because some people were using this as a workflow tool. Then you can move a document into a folder once it's ready for prime time. One way to take advantage of this filter is to use it as a tool for tracking documents in draft stage. There is one detail you should be aware of when using this feature: Let's say John shares a report directly with Mary, but John doesn't have that report in a folder.
The "Items Not In Folders" filter can be accessed under the "More Searches" menu in the left hand navigation pane. If Mary puts it into one of her folders, John will see the report has a folder tag, but it will still show up when John filters his documents by "Items Not In Folders." That way, Mary's actions don't interrupt John's workflow. Google Docs will also let you upload multiple files at once. You'll also notice Google Docs has a slightly different look. Just select all the files you want using the "shift" or "ctrl" ("command" on a Mac) keys, and then start your upload.
The new layout is a little boxier, and the visual icons (like starred, share, upload and delete) have been removed in favor of a text-only look. Live Mesh, launched last year, allows you to create a network of devices and sync folders between them. Sharing Alternative If Google Docs isn't for you, Microsoft also has two document sharing options. Live Mesh also gives you your own online desktop, called Live Desktop, where you can share folders with people outside of your network or Mesh. Live Mesh works on both PC and Mac systems. To use Live Mesh you have to download a small program, but people you share items with only need to sign up for the Live Desktop.
Microsoft's other alternative is its online storage space called Skydrive. However, Skydrive's sharing permissions are a little too complicated, so I recommend going with Live Desktop and Live Mesh if you are a Windows Live user.
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