We finally have the new DOCUMENT TABS in GOOGLE DOCS and they're awesome!
TECH TREATS
Sweet TECH TIPS and TRICKS
GOOGLE DOCS - Document Tabs
GOOGLE SLIDES - Import Theme
IMPORT THEME in GOOGLE SLIDES is the perfect way to use saved theme templates!
The Import Theme feature in Google Slides is amazing! I'm always looking for great templates for Google Slides and one of my favorite sources is Slidesmania (slidesmania.com). The templates are free and they're saved in your Google Drive. With Import Theme, I can import a saved theme template and I can choose the slides that I want to use from all of the slides. This is instead of using the template and having all of the slides in my presentation and having to delete the ones I don't want to use. Also, this eliminates the possibility that I would accidentally use the template and then I would no longer have my template that I could use again. I could make a copy of the template and use the copy but then I would again have all of the slides in my presentation. Import Theme is the perfect solution. You have access to all the slides but you can pick and choose the ones you want to use. You will still have your template saved in your Google Drive and you will still be able to customize any slides that you use in your presentation.
GMAIL - Offer Available Times
Did you know that you can use GMAIL to OFFER AVAILABLE TIMES for meetings and events? Check it out!
GOOGLE SHEETS - Pre-Built Tables
See how easy it is to use the new PRE-BUILT TABLES in GOOGLE SHEETS!
When you open Google Sheets now, you'll see the new side panel for Pre-Built Tables open automatically on the right. You don't even have to look for this new feature! If, for some reason, the Pre-Built Tables side panel doesn't open, you can access it by clicking the Insert tab and clicking on Tables. The panel will now appear on the right side of your Google Sheet. You can also type @ and when the menu appears click on Tables. The side panel for Pre-Built Tables will open. Pre-Built Tables include smart chips, placeholders, and custom color palettes. There are categories listed and under each category are options to choose. Click the arrow by a category name to see the options. When you scroll over any option, you'll see a preview of the table in Google Sheets. After you decide on a Pre-Built table that you want to use, click the Insert tab shown right beside it and the table will be inserted into your Google Sheet.
GOOGLE DRIVE - Dark Theme
It's finally here! We have DARK THEME in GOOGLE DRIVE now!
GMAIL - Snooze
The SNOOZE feature in GMAIL will help you control you Inbox.
Snooze is a great way to keep down the number of emails in your Inbox and also make sure that you don't forget about an email. If you receive an email that you don't want or need to deal with right now, you can Snooze it. You can even select the date when you'll be ready to deal with it. Snooze will take the email out of your Inbox and put it in the Snoozed label on the left below the Inbox. It will stay there until the date that you selected and then it will appear back in your Inbox so you don't forget about it. If you need to look at the email before the date you selected, you can click on the Snoozed label and see the emails that are Snoozed. You can even Unsnooze an email there, if you need to.
GOOGLE SLIDES - Speaker Spotlight
You'll be the star of the Slideshow with SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT in GOOGLE SLIDES!
What's the difference between Speaker Spotlight and the new Record feature in Google Slides? They're closely related and they're both new features but I'll explain the difference. Speaker Spotlight is designed to show the presenter on the slide when you're in Slideshow mode. It's most useful when you're presenting remotely. You can put the Speaker Spotlight on all of the slides or you can put it on just specific slides. The shape does not have to be the same on all of the slides and it can be in a different place on any of the slides. You don't have to be recording to use Speaker Spotlight. However, you can use the Record feature to record when you're using Speaker Spotlight. The Record feature will not override the design of the Speaker Spotlight shapes that you have set up and will follow that design. The Record feature is to record your presentation with a camera view of yourself. The Speaker Spotlight feature allows a camera view of yourself on specified slides while you're in Slideshow.
GOOGLE DRIVE - Lock & Unlock Files
This is no joke! Look how easy it is to LOCK & UNLOCK FILES in GOOGLE DRIVE!
It's so helpful to be able to lock a file in Google Drive and it's so easy to do. Locking a file prevents anyone, except Owners or Editors, from editing or commenting. You can lock a file in Google Drive by right clicking on the file or by clicking the 3 dots in the upper right hand corner when in the Grid View of Google Drive. Then, hover over File information and click on Lock. To unlock a file, repeat the same steps but it will say Unlock instead of Lock. Click on Unlock and the file will be unlocked. This is all done in Google Drive. When a file is locked, you can open the file and you'll see a little button that says "Locked" in the upper left hand corner. You'll also see that there are no editing tools. You can still view and present the file when it's locked. You can also unlock the file when you have it open. Just click on the button that says "Locked" and you'll have the option to Unlock the file, if you're the Owner or an Editor.
TECH TREAT of the MONTH - APRIL 2024
If you don't want people to FOOL around with your GOOGLE DRIVE files, you can easily LOCK & UNLOCK FILES!
GOOGLE DOCS - Auto Summary
Let Google do the work for you with AUTO SUMMARY in GOOGLE DOCS!
Click on the Outline symbol to find Summary. (If the Outline symbol isn't there, click on View and Show Outline.) After you click on the Outline symbol, a panel will open on the left side of your Google Doc and you'll see Summary at the top above the Outline. Click on the + sign next to Summary, and an Auto Summary will be created for you. If you don't want to use the Auto Summary, you can ignore it or you can type over it. If you want to use the Auto Summary, click on the Tab button to accept it. After you have accepted it, you can still edit the Auto Summary. You can also go back and edit the Auto Summary anytime later by clicking on the pencil in the upper right corner of the Auto Summary. Whether you want Google to do the work for you or to just get you started, you should check out Auto Summary!
GOOGLE SLIDES - Record Slideshow
Lights, Camera, Action! Get ready to RECORD SLIDESHOW in GOOGLE SLIDES!