FAQs

Q: Does this mean we are going away from Microsoft Office?

A: No, we will continue to use Microsoft Office products. Google Drive supports the ability to upload and either retain an MS Office document in the current format or to convert to a google doc.  Some formatting may be lost in any conversion so, please check to make sure that your document format is retained should you try to convert it.  Google drive supports collaborative document editing which cannot be done in a standard Microsoft Office product so, you will be provided the option for how you want to share information. 

Q:    What browsers are supported by Google Apps?

A:    All current versions of Microsoft IE, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome are supported.

Q:   I don't know my ABSS password.  How can I access it?

A:    Submit a ticket to the Web Help Desk. 

Q:   How do I change my ABSS password?

A:    Passwords can be changed two ways:  1)  on a Windows machine, Control + Alt +

         Delete; one of the options will be to change or reset your password; 2) for OWA

          users, go to https://mail.abss.k12.nc.us 

Q:    I forgot my Google password.  How can I have it reset?

A:    Submit a Help Desk Ticket through the Web Help Desk.

Q:    Can students save files to the device itself?

A:    Yes. Google drive has an option to save files as pdf, office, open office, text, or html. We 

        recommend saving to Google Drive.  Files saved to the device can be uploaded 

         or automatically synced to Drive when internet is available.               

Q:    Can staff and students download apps of their choice?

A:    Yes, staff and students will be able to use apps contained in the ABSS approved apps list for    

        students and staff. Apps that are not on the list can be requested and approved if they do not 

        pose a threat to supporting our networks and technology.      

Q:    Who do I contact for assistance with technology issues?

A:    First speak with your school's ITS.  If you continue to need assistance, the ITS may 

        contact the Help Desk or ask you to submit a Help Desk Ticket if they deem that help desk 

        needs direct information from you.

Q:    How is my ABSS Google Apps account different from my personal Google Apps account?

A:    Services may differ from your personal google apps account. Make sure that you are 

       using ABSS account to  conduct ABSS business. If you log into Google Apps with a Non-ABSS  

        email address, you will not have access to all of the approved services and applications 

        that are available to ABSS employees.  While using  your ABSS  Google Apps account, 

        you will:

       NOT have access to your personal files, resources, services and applications you created/accessed

       that are in your personal Google Apps account.

       NEED to contact the ABSS Help Desk if you have forgotten your password.  You cannot 

       use the password recovery tool in Google directly since this is an organizational Google Apps 

       account, not a personal Google Apps account. 

Q:    How do I sign in to my ABSS Google Apps account?

A:    Step 1 -In any web browser, go to http://www.google.com

        Step 2 - Log in with your ABSS email address, i.e. john_doe@abss.k12.nc.us, and password.

Q:    Do I have to use Google Apps?

A:    Yes, for ABSS business communications purposes.

Q:    Why do I keep getting a screen that says I have a conflicting account?

A:    You must have previously created a Google Apps personal account using your ABSS email 

        address.  This personal account has automatically become what is referred to as a 

        "conflicting" account.  This is because two accounts cannot be based on the same email address.

        View the section on conflicting accounts for complete information on renaming your personal         

        account and moving any organization data from your personal account over to your new Google 

        Apps organization account.

        NOTE: You will continue to receive the message about conflicting accounts until you rename your

        Google personal account or actually delete the account.  

Q:    What do I do if I already have a personal Google Apps account?

A:    Your ABSS Google Apps account is a new organizational account and will not interfere 

        with your use of your personal Google Apps account.  However, if you used your ABSS email             

        address when you created your personal account, your personal account has automatically 

        become what is referred to as a "conflicting" account.  This is because two accounts 

        cannot be based on the same email address.

        View the section on conflicting accounts for complete information on renaming your personal             

        account and moving any organizational data from  your personal account over to your

        new Google Apps organization account.

Q:    How can I move my data between my accounts?

A:    Since Google Apps is a cloud product you can share a link to a google document between

        accounts.  The ABSS Technology Department cannot help you move data from your personal 

        Google Apps account.  Our department has access only to those accounts owned by the district,

        the Google Apps organization accounts.  View additional information on moving data from your 

        personal account for more information on how to move data from your Google personal account 

        to your ABSS Google Apps organization account if needed.

Q:    Do I need to be on an ABSS networked computer to access Google Apps?

A:    No.  You can go to the ABSS Google Apps URL http://www.google.com/a/abss.k12.nc.us/ or

        http://www.google.com and sign in with your ABSS Google Apps username and password.

Q:    How do I change my personal Google Apps password?

A:    View the instructions Google provides for changing your password.

Q:    How do I login to my old, personal conflicting Google Apps account?

A:    If you have already renamed your personal Google Apps account and you don't remember the new 

        username or what your password is, you'll need to use Google's recovery assistance to determine the

        username and/or password.

        If you haven't renamed your personal Google Apps account, you can log in using your new temporary

        username and your old password.

Q: Will my voicemail come to my Google Mail?

A: Yes.  There are some differences in the way voicemails integrate with Google mail.  With the new system,

     you will continue to receive a copy of your voicemails in your Inbox. However, once you have read and/or  

     deleted the messages within your Inbox, you will still have to use your desk phone to delete the messages    

     from your desk phone's voicemail.  Any messages left on the phone for more than 30 days will automatically      be deleted.

     If you have forgotten the PIN number to your voicemail, please put in a Technology WebHelpDesk ticket

     under VoIP Phone Management and we can reset it for you.  At the school level, the ITS can assist with

     creating the ticket or you may call the Technology Help Desk at 336-438-4357.