Overview

sharing files in drive is very easy. Just a few clicks really. if the files are compatible with google applications (doc, sheets, slides, etc) then multiple people can work on the same document at the same time. sharing can be used to simply send files documents or folders. It can also allow people to make edits or comments on them which would update the files in real time. There are also shared drives, which is a space for a group that can have access to and edit. We will walk through how to share upload and use a shared drive and when it is appropriate to use each one.

Shared Drives

Shared drives are a space for where a group of people have accesses to.  Shared Drive allows users to create shared spaces within Google Drive.  When files are added to a shared Drive, they belong to the group on the drive and not an individual account. This simplifies the sharing process and ensures documents can be accessible to the group. 

there are different permission on a drive. these can be changed per member or per group

Viewer: can view all files in drive 

commenter: can leave comments on files

Contributor: can add and edit files

Content manager: can add, edit, move, and delete files and folders

Manager:  can do all the above and manage people in the drive

the creator of a drive will always default to manager

When to use shared Drives

Typical you want to uses a shared drive if you want to share a lot of files and folders with many people. it will keep things better organized and easy to find. this is the preferred method of sharing.

Using shared Drives

using shared drives is similar to using your own google drive. you can find shared drives in the sidebar

you will then see all shared drives you have access to all you have to do is open the drive you need to go to. If you want to upload files to the drive all you need to do is drag and drop them in. or alternatively in the drive you can click New in the top left and file upload or folder upload. then select what you want to upload. once done everyone else that has access to this drive can also access the file you uploaded in real time.

How to make a shared Drive

under shared drives Click New in the top left you will then be greeted with a pop up. please enter the name of your new drive

Once in the drive you can start uploading files right away. To add people or groups in the top left of the drive select people  then select people or groups you want to add. Remember to give them the permissions you want them to have. this can always be changed in the top right by clicking manage people.

Sharing Files and folders from Drive

this allows you to share files and folders with people you invite. this is different from drives as you have to manually invite each individual. this is less organized then drive because it will show up in the persons shared with me folder. how ever the advantage is that if its a file you don't want to share with a entire group but a select few or maybe even one person you can.

in drive right click on the File or folder you wish to share with others then click Share.

In the pop up you can type the email of the person you wish to share with or if they are in your organization you can just type there name and they should pop up. then you select the drop down from here you can select to make them a viewer, commenter, or editor.

Viewer: Can only view and read the document

Commenter: Can view and write comments that will appear on the side of the document for editors and other commenters to see.

Editor: Can Edit the document and write comments as well.

alternatively you can copy the link with the copy link button at the bottom of the pop up. this link will work corresponding to the general access drop down.

Restricted:  Only people with access can open with the link (people you share it with)

Anyone with the link:  anyone can view it if they have the link.

(group name): only people in this group can view it if they have the link

at anytime you can go to the share pop up and remove access from someone or change them from editor to viewer or vice versa.