WJU and Google Apps

Welcome to the WJU and Google Apps blog site. The purpose of this site is to allow the WJU community to share its knowledge of Google Apps with others.  Tips, Tricks, How-Tos, and Questions are encouraged to be posted!

If you would like a new topic posted, even if it is a simple as a question that you want to start a discussion about, just reply with a comment here stating your question or topic. A new post will then be created for everyone to start using!

Most of the posts should fit into the categories on the left. New categories will be added based on the discussion topics.

Here are links to the several documents that are meant as an introduction a couple of the apps:

• Introduction to Mail
• Introduction to Calendar
• Introduction to Contacts

Google App Mail does not have the sort columns that many are used to using in Thunderbird, but it’s okay.  Searching your mail is a much more efficient way to find what you are looking for.

The Search Mail box at the top of your mail screen can do a lot more than just search for a word or two.  The options below let you customize a search to find exactly what you are looking for in your email.

This information is from a Google Help page.  To view the complete article, as well as access additional information, please use this link: http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=7190

You can set your calendar events to remind you by Email, Popup, and SMS.   SMS is Short Message Service, basically Text Messaging, or Texting.

Here’s how you can set it up:

1. From your calendar, click on the Settings link in the top, right corner.
2. Click on the “Mobile Setup” tab.
3. Enter your Cell Phone number in the appropriate box.
4. Click the “Send Verification Code” button.
5. You will receive a text message with the Verification Code.
6. Enter that code in the appropriate box.
7. Click the “Finish Setup” button.

Now you can select an SMS reminder from the Options for any of your events on your calendar.  The Reminder Options allow you to select any number of minutes, hours, days, or weeks prior to the event that you would like to receive the reminder.

WJU has an online Master Calendar for campus events, including individual calendars for

• Academics
• Alumni
• Athletics
• Campus Activities
• Campus Ministry
• Career Development
• Performing Arts
• Service Opporunities

Each of these calendars has a publicly accessible, iCal compatible URL.  This means that you can add each of these calendars to your calendar application and always have up-to-date information.

In Google Apps Calendar, in the left sidebar area, under the Other Calendars box, click the “Add” link.  From the popup menu, select “Add by URL”.

Copy the desired calendar’s URL from below, and paste the URL into the box.  Click “Add Calendar”, and it will appear in your list of Other Calendars.

Master Calendar
http://webevent.wju.edu/webevent/scripts/webevent.plx?cmd=ical&calID=1000

Academic
http://webevent.wju.edu/webevent/scripts/webevent.plx?cmd=ical&calID=996

Alumni
http://webevent.wju.edu/webevent/scripts/webevent.plx?cmd=ical&calID=1004

Athletics
http://webevent.wju.edu/webevent/scripts/webevent.plx?cmd=ical&calID=973

Campus Activities
http://webevent.wju.edu/webevent/scripts/webevent.plx?cmd=ical&calID=965

Campus Ministry
http://webevent.wju.edu/webevent/scripts/webevent.plx?cmd=ical&calID=977

Career Development
http://webevent.wju.edu/webevent/scripts/webevent.plx?cmd=ical&calID=981

Performing Arts
http://webevent.wju.edu/webevent/scripts/webevent.plx?cmd=ical&calID=992

Service Opportunities
http://webevent.wju.edu/webevent/scripts/webevent.plx?cmd=ical&calID=1186

The best place to start first is with the Google Help site for Mobile devices.  From your Calendar, click on the “Sync” link in the top, right navigation.  This will open a new window and display options for you to select which device you have.

Normally, when you are sending and receiving emails, a replies from the recipients get spread out through your Inbox based on the date/time the replies are received.

Basically, the conversation view of your inbox works like a file folder for you, grouping ‘like memos’ into a single container.  If you pull out a single memo and respond to it, only the sender gets the response, not everyone in the file folder.  If you forward a single memo to someone else, that person would only receive that single memo; not all the others in the file folder.

An additional challenge mentioned about conversation view is when you sent a message to multiple recipients, and some of their responses are about other items.  I’ve sent out messages about an email hack attempt and then receive responses about a printer not working.  With education/training people would learn to change the ’subject’ of the message to make a new conversation, instead of responding ‘off-topic’.  Blogs and message boards are always reminding people to not respond ‘off-topic’ and start new threads when needed.  Email communication will need this as well to effectively use the conversation view.

The important conclusion is that there are no additional security issues compared to using Thunderbird or Outlook to do the same thing.  It will take time to get used to it, and it will help to have some education/training at the beginning.