3 apps to get started with Google Workspace on a smartphone

2 years ago 413

People caller to Workspace volition apt privation to instal Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Drive connected Android oregon iOS devices. This walk-through explains the steps.

When radical articulation an enactment that uses Google Workspace, the IT squad typically helps radical get acceptable up and acceptable to usage the assorted Workspace apps. On desktop systems, that typically involves installing a mates of apps and configuring a fewer settings (see 5 steps to assistance your users get started with Google Workspace).

The Google Workspace setup process varies importantly connected smartphones. On company-owned devices, you mightiness take to instal each disposable Google Workspace Android oregon iOS mobile app. By my count, that would easy mean much than 10 apps to install.

As your IT squad members assistance radical caller to Workspace get started connected a smartphone, I urge you instal and absorption attraction connected the pursuing 3 halfway Workspace mobile apps: Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Drive. With these apps, radical whitethorn negociate communication, coordinate calendars and entree Drive files from a phone. (And arsenic radical motion successful and get acceptable up, you mightiness explicate however to configure notifications and behaviour searches wrong each 3 of these apps.)

SEE: Google Workspace vs. Microsoft 365: A side-by-side analysis (TechRepublic Premium)

Install and motion successful to the Gmail app

First, download the Gmail app to your device. Tap the app to unfastened it, past travel the prompts to motion successful with your Google Workspace account. The app often highlights caller features the archetypal clip you unfastened it.

The Gmail app really handles 3 tasks: email, chat and conferencing. As wrong Gmail connected the web, Gmail connected mobile bundles entree to Google Chat (messaging) and Google Meet (conferencing, arsenic shown successful Figure A, left). No longer bash you request to instal 3 antithetic apps for these features. Instead, instal Gmail and alteration entree to Chat and Meet wrong the settings (as shown successful Figure A, right). Modern Gmail is 1 app with 3 messaging methods.

Figure A

(left) Meet screen, with New gathering and Join a gathering options, displayed successful the Gmail app connected Android, and (right) Gmail settings surface connected iOS, with Chat and Meet some acceptable to show, nether General settings.

Install and motion successful to the Google Calendar app

Next, instal the Google Calendar app and motion successful to it with your Google Workspace account. On mobile, Google Calendar syncs and allows you entree to the aforesaid acceptable of calendars you person disposable successful Google Calendar connected the web, specified arsenic calendars shared by colleagues (Figure B, right), arsenic good arsenic immoderate third-party calendars you've added. Within the Google Calendar app you whitethorn adhd events, tasks and reminders and configure Out Of Office settings and notifications (Figure B, left).

Figure B

(left) General settings successful Google Calendar Android app, with Notify connected this instrumentality slider acceptable to on, and (right) Available calendars, with 4 selected to amusement (Events, Tasks, Reminders, and Liz Wolber -- the calendar for the author's spouse) successful the settings.

Install and motion successful to the Google Drive app

Now, instal the Google Drive app and motion successful to it with your Google Workspace account. The Drive app provides entree to the organizational files — those connected My Drive arsenic good arsenic immoderate Shared Drives you whitethorn access. You tin hunt and benignant files (Figure C, left), arsenic good arsenic customize notifications (Figure C, right). Additionally, having the Google Drive app installed makes it casual to upload photos and files from your telephone to Google Drive.

Figure C

(left) Drive connected Android, with folder benignant items acceptable to show items "Last modified by me" and (right) Drive connected iOS, with Notifications enabled, and acceptable to notify maine astir changes to Shared items, Requests for access, and Comments.

If you program to make oregon edit files from your phone, you besides mightiness instal the Google Docs, Sheets oregon Slides mobile apps, too. However, this is wholly optional. When helping radical get acceptable up with Google Workspace connected their archetypal day, I thin to notation these apps, but not instal them. The Drive app allows radical to preview and remark connected Docs, Sheets and Slides files and volition punctual radical to instal the due app erstwhile radical effort to make oregon edit a document, spreadsheet oregon presentation.

SEE: How to go a Google Docs powerfulness idiosyncratic (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

What different Workspace mobile apps bash you deploy connected time one?

Of course, determination are galore apps beyond Gmail, Calendar and Drive (and Docs, Sheets and Slides) disposable for radical who usage Workspace connected a smartphone. Install the Chrome browser to entree synced past and settings. Or see Cloud Search to hunt broadly crossed your Workspace data, Currents for workplace discussions, Jamboard to gully collaboratively, Google Keep for notes oregon Google Tasks to negociate items to beryllium done. Not to notation Google Voice, which whitethorn grip your organization's telephony needs.

What apps bash you instal erstwhile you assistance a idiosyncratic caller to your squad acceptable up Google Workspace connected a phone? Do you configure the halfway 3 apps covered above? Are determination further apps you see essential? Or bash you instrumentality an wholly antithetic attack to helping radical get started with Workspace connected a smartphone? Let maine cognize what you recommend, either successful the comments beneath oregon connected Twitter (@awolber).

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