Two useful tools in Google Docs Gmail Window

19/05/2009 in Google Apps by Neil | 3 comments

It probably isn’t the best practice, because it is a source of constant distraction, but I seem to have my Gmail interface open most of the time when I am on line. One of the slight ‘niggles’ that I have with Google Apps is the need to have different browser pages open for different functions; one for mail, one for your calendar and one for docs etc. This minor irritation can be alleviated to some extent by using 2 useful Google Labs features. Before we go into that, I know that you can have your own customised Google Start Page in Apps or iGoogle and I used these for a time, but I usually found myself back at the Gmail Browser Window waiting to be distracted by the next e-mail to arrive.

Now there are 2 new Google Labs Gadgets that make ‘living’ in the Gmail Browser Window an easier thing to do. Google Labs Gadgets are found in the settings tab in the top right of the Gmail window.
They add enhancements to the Google Apps/Docs workflow and there are many handy gadgets there, some of which I will be going through in the future.
The Labs gadgets are experimental though and do come with a health warning:

“Mail Labs is a testing ground for experimental features that aren’t quite ready for primetime. They may change,break or disappear at any time. If (when) a Labs feature breaks and you’re having trouble loading your inbox, there’s an escape hatch. Use https://mail.google.com/a/creativemixedmedia.com/?labs=0.”

If you scroll down to the bottom of the window, nearly reaching the bottom of the list (at the time of writing, no doubt Google will have added loads more shortly) you will find the Google Calendar gadget and Google Docs gadget. Click the enable button on each and then click the save settings button.
The Gmail window should now reload and you will have the Google Calendar and Google Docs gadgets appear to the left of your emails. 
I have found these really useful gadgets to have giving instant access to my diary and the ability to launch an new Google Document without leaving the Gmail window.
I will be writing more about Google Apps/Docs in the future so if you have any queries about these or other gadgets send me an email or leave a comment. If you want to start using the power of Google Apps for your business especially in conjunction with WordPress get in contact with us.

 

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  1. Gillian Hook’s avatar

    Gillian Hook on 15/06/2009 at 09:33

    Hi, I have been subbing features for a magazine in Google Docs but when I came to attach the finished versions to a gmail, I couldn’t find the document. I resorted to cut and paste but is there a better way to do this?

  2. Rose Collins’s avatar

    Rose Collins on 15/06/2009 at 09:56

    I have been using the chat function on googlemail and wondered if there was a way of saving those conversations – it would save me scribbling down the info I needed on a scrap of paper! Cheers!

  3. Neil’s avatar

    Neil on 15/06/2009 at 17:26

    You can ’share’ it and use the ‘add as an attachment’ to the email option. If they are a Word user, you can export it as a word document, save it to your desktop and attach it using the ‘attach a file’ in gmail function. Or, you can cut and past directly from the Google Doc straight into the body text of the email and it should retain formatting and links etc. if you have put some in.
    Neil Hickson