Using Google Drive for Online Meetings
Setting Up Google Accounts
You need to have or create at least one Google Account - either one for the main executive position or one for each position.
This can include a Gmail email address (useful for a group executive role), or just linked to an existing email address.
https://support.google.com/accounts/?hl=en#topic=3382296 has information on how to check or create a Google Account.
Note the link in the new account fields where you can select to use an existing email address instead of creating a gmail address. This will be the preference for most committee members who do not require another email address.
Using Google Drive
Once you have the account going, start using Drive. This page has general information on how to use Drive.
https://support.google.com/drive/?hl=en#topic=14940
If you are using a Tablet or mobile, or wish to use one to view or edit files, you will need to install the Drive Apps on your device also.
Setting Up Meetings Folder/s
Drive allows users to set up any number of Folders to store information, just like on any PC. It would probably be best to create a folder specifically for Committee Meetings. This can then be used to store reports, files and the actual meeting Agenda and Minutes.
Refer to the Drive support page https://support.google.com/drive/?hl=en#topic=14940 for instructions.
Setting Up Meeting Documents
Online committee meetings still have the same requirements as normal meetings. Agenda need to developed, reports need to be submitted, presented, and some will need to be approved with mover and seconder, and minutes recorded. Some reports may only be for committee members, others will need to be provided to all members.
There are many options on how to do this. The following is based on the process that leverages the benefits of shared online storage and management of files.
Share the Folder Access
By setting up the sharing and committee access to the meeting folder, this will automatically provide the same level of access to all files created in that folder.
These can be changed individually if wanted - some committee members can be given full edit rights to documents, others only view access.
You can specify the email addresses of members to be given access - even if they do not have a Google Account they will receive an email which will provide them a link to access that folder, until the settings are changed.
See https://support.google.com/drive#topic=7000947 for details.
Create the Agenda
You must have the Agenda loaded in the Google Docs format to share and allow committee members to edit online.
This can be done by either uploading a prior agenda template, or creating a new one on the Drive system. If Uploading from another document, eg a Word document, you will need to convert this to the Google Doc format.
For instructions on uploading and converting files https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2424368 or if you open an unconverted file such as word doc or excel spreadsheet, the preview will have the option to ‘Edit in....’. Selecting this will create a Google format copy of the file that is fully editable.
You can set Drive to automatically convert any files you upload into the relevant Drive formats, eg word>docs, excel>sheets, powerpoint>slides. This will avoid the need to manually convert and then deal with two versions. Drive will also convert many other common formats.
Once you have created the general Agenda template, save this with the name of template or something to explain that this is the file to be copied for each meeting. Docs Templates has a couple of Meeting Agenda or Notes templates already available in the Template Gallery.
For each meeting, make a copy of the template, and name it with the meeting date. To do this, either view the list of files in the folder, right click on the template file name, select ‘Make a Copy’, or open the file and click ‘File > Make a Copy’ then change the filename and select the file location for the meeting date/name.
There are two options for managing the Agenda or Minutes.
The Agenda may be the one document used - when ready for the meeting, the document can be renamed as the Minutes - or leave this until after the meeting. The version management in Drive will be able to show the edits to the document, and the folder will retain only the final Minutes as the document.
The other option is to create a copy of the finalised Agenda to become the Minutes, which is the document edited by committee members. This will mean the folders will have separate Agenda and Minutes documents.
Set the Meeting Rules and Time
Once the Agenda is set, the rules of the meeting, and timeframe for meeting need also to be set, to explain the process for members in this rather different process to a normal face to face meeting. This can be provided on the meeting notice email, but may be better included in the top of the Agenda document.
Note: The meeting rules need to reflect your normal group meeting rules and be able to meet your legal and governance requirements, for example:
- If your meetings need a quorum for decisions, the online meetings will also need to address this need and show attendance/participation
- Records requirements to meet financial and time limits will need to be met
- Voting and agreement requirements will still need to specified and met.
For example the rules could be:
‘Meeting to be opened at XXXX, meeting discussion to be closed at XXX.
Members participating must write their name in the Attendance list, type comments within the document, including their name in brackets beside their information.
All reports and motions will need to be moved and seconded, objections need to written into the Minutes and discussed. If there are no objections, motions or decisions will be approved by entering name in the mover or seconder fields or (written contribution, no objection, etc) process.’
The meeting duration needs to be set based on the known or expected availability of committee members. This could be anywhere from a few hours to 2-7 days. This would need to be negotiated with committee members initially.
There are two options for this meeting duration:
- the specific time where all must be online concurrently like a normal meeting, or
- an extended time option where members drop in or out as time suits
There is no need for all committee members to be online at the same time, but for the longer time frame members will need to return to the document a number of times to review, discuss, move or vote on items as these are covered.
Logged in or Anonymous?
The level of access to files will depend on a few key factors.
Drive allows you to set a wide range of file access (sharing rights), from completely closed to registered and logged in users only, through to full public access, including viewing or editing.
See https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494822?hl=en&ref_topic=7000947 for details.
All these sharing rights can be changed, such as after a meeting is concluded.
Anonymous access (Anyone)
Initial online meetings may require enabling anonymous editing rights - ie Agenda set so that anyone with the link is able to edit the document during the period of the meeting. This is not recommended to be left in this access level after the meeting.
The link can be sent only to members of the committee directly using the sharing option, or added as a shareable link to an email sent by the Chair.
Google Drive keeps track of the versions and edit history of documents on the system. Committee members not logged in will be listed as ‘anonymous’ in this history.
The advantage of this is that in the early stages, those members who have not yet been able to set up a Google Account can participate in the meeting by editing the agenda.
The disadvantage is that all members will need to ensure they include their name in any information they add, so the committee can see who provided which information. The system will only identify those with an account and that are logged in.
Once the meeting is closed, change the access to remove the anonymous editing rights.
Logged in Access
For ongoing use of this option, groups will need committee members to set up a Google Account, and enable only logged in access to files. The folder can then be set so that only the specific registered members can access these when logged in.
Once these sharing settings have been set for the folder in which the Agenda etc will be loaded, they remain the same for all content added to the folder, unless specifically changed.
This also allows full access of members to the folder, so that reports and information can be uploaded for information and read by members, rather than added to the agenda.
The advantage of this option is that members do not need to add their name to their comments or recommendations, as the system will log all their edits in the version history for the document.
The disadvantage is that this requires all participants to have an account and be logged in. This limits ability of guests to participate if required (but this can be adjusted through sharing via a link.
At the End of the Meeting
Whichever option is used above, at the end of the meeting, the Chair or Secretary should change the rights to the Minutes to close all further edits by other members. This is particularly important if the anonymous access option has been used.
This document then has the file name changed and becomes the Minutes of the meeting, in the meeting folder. Closing further edit access from all committee members effectively closes and finalises the Minutes. The full history of edits, contributors and comments remains with the document.
The committee may want to have a ‘public’ folder on Drive which has more open access for general members to view (but not edit) the files such as minutes.
Once the Minutes are complete, this can be copied into the public folder as a viewable only file, and the link shared, or downloaded as a pdf for emailing or loading on a group website. It is not necessary to convert a file to a pdf, as Drive will preview Docs via browser.
Feedback
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