Master Your Google Drive!
Does your Google Drive look like this?
Yes? You are in the right place!
Organizing is PERSONAL!
At home, you have a way that you organize your closet. Maybe your closet is organized by color, by style of clothing, or another way. Either way, your organizational system is personalized and meets your needs.
The same idea of personalized organization applies to your Google Drive as well. Below you will be provided with tips and tricks to help you organize your Google Drive; however, you must use the method that works best for you!
Organizational Tips and Tricks
TIP #1: Use a Folder Structure Within Your Drive
Application:
- If you haven't created a folder structure yet in your Drive, take a critical look at what exists now in your Drive and brainstorm various ways you could set up your folder system.
- You have an existing folder structure? Analyze if your structure works for you. Do you need to revise? Spend a few minutes and do that now.
TIP #2: Use Naming Conventions
As mentioned in the video, naming conventions help you identify easily between multiple types of files and folders within your drive.
Based on your role, here a few suggestions below:
Teacher
- If you teach according to units, name all Google files with the unit number at the beginning.
- Ex: Unit 1 Lesson Plans
- Ex: Unit 1 Agendas
- Ex: Unit 1 _________
- You teach multiple grades or subjects? Start your Google files with the grade.
- Ex: 1st Grade Feature Article
- Ex: 1st Grade Reading Reflection
Administration
- For Leverage Leadership you could start your Google files with LL to indicate it's a file pertaining to Leverage Leadership.
- Ex: LL Coachees
- Ex: LL Observation
- Ex: LL Feedback
Application: What naming conventions could you use for files and folders in your Drive? Would using dates possibly work better for you? If so, consider looking at folders or subfolders that adding the year to might be useful. Make changes as necessary now to your Drive.
When sharing folders with others, keep in mind that your naming convention may match a system the receiver already uses. This can make it hard for the individual on the receiving end of a shared folder to keep his/her own drive organized.
Solution: Add your initials or some other specific naming convention to indicate it's different that what the receiver may have within their drive.
TIP #3: Color Code and Personalize Google Folders
Watch this short video on how to color code folders within your Drive.
Check out this super informative post on Ladybug's Teacher files website about color coding as well as using clipart to personalize Google Drive folders.
http://www.ladybugsteacherfiles.com/2016/08/color-code-and-organize-your-google.html
Application: Practice color coding a folder or two. You can always remove color after you have color coded. Consider if certain colors could be associated with certain types of folders.
Tip #4: "Star" Your Files or Folders to Locate Easily
When you are within your Drive, you have a section called "Starred". The "Starred" section serves as a place to quickly locate files you have deemed important. By "starring" a file or folder within your Drive, it places essentially a shortcut to that file in the "Starred" area. That file is still in your Drive, but you can now access it too within "Starred".
When you no longer need quick access to that file or folder, you can simply un-star the item.
Extension Quick Bytes has some great tips posted on their blog for how to "Star" items.
Did you know you can type "S" to quickly star a folder or file while you have it selected in your Drive?
Application: Look through your Drive and "star" a few items that you access frequently.
TIP #5: Be Proactive When Sharing Folders
USER BEWARE!
Once you start sharing folders of your own or receive shared folders from others, you need to have a firm understanding of how some issues may arise.
From Google's G Suite Adminstrator Help area below:
Issue: Files keep disappearing from a shared folder
If you drag a file from a shared folder into My Drive (or any other folder), the file is moved, not copied. The file is thus removed from the shared folder and other users with access to the shared folder will no longer see the file.
More information here.
If you want to share a folder with others, but don't want them to be able to remove anything, share the folder with "view only" rights.
Want to know how to do this? Go here.
Application: Now that you know more about sharing of folders, if you've already shared folders, take a look at your set permissions. Make changes as necessary.
Tip #6: Search Efficiently Within Your Drive
If you are ever stumped and cannot figure out where a file is located in your Drive, you can always use the search feature within Drive to locate that file.
Check out Alice Keeler's Tips!
Application: Practice searching for a file within your Drive. Can you identify where exactly that file is located?
Tip #7: Change Your View to Meet Your Needs
Grid View vs. List View
Within your Drive, Grid View shows your folders in a grid with singular files below.
Within your Drive, List View shows your folders and singular files in a list format with added details.
Depending on which view you are using, you can sort files and folders differently. Check out Google's tips on this!
Application: Try switching back and forth between list view and grid view within your Drive. Practice sorting in both views, and then set your view to your preference.
If you score 70% or above, you have earned your Google Badge for Level 2: Drive Organization!
You are an Organization Master!
Good luck!