The introduction of Google Apps has made it possible for many businesses to increase productivity while enjoying access to a variety of innovative solutions without the expensive price tag.
Regardless of the size of your organisation, Google offers a broad range of business apps which make accomplishing tasks easier and your business more productive. In this article, we will take a look at the top Google apps for business users including an overview of each app, the costs involved, and other pertinent information.
What are the advantages of using Google Apps ?
Many businesses are opting for Google Apps because of the many following advantages:
The annual cost for email and office applications is significantly reduced
Costly user licencing is replaced with an easy to manage monthly cost-per-user payment model
See a noticeable reduction in time spent on administration and maintenance
Increased mobility thanks to the capability to access Google Apps from any device at any time and from any location
The ability to collaborate in real-time regardless of team member location
Low cost document backup storage in a secure environment without having to implement expensive RAID technologies
The ability to collaborate on the same document using the same version of software which eliminates the roadblocks associated with passing the document across different software versions
The ability to add apps as you need them instead of being required to implement them all at once, regardless if you are going to use them immediately or in the future
A single login is required for access to the entire library of apps in the Google Apps domain
Easy integration with other Google Apps prevents hassles associated with using a variety of traditional software applications
Although Microsoft has stepped up to the cloud collaboration plate with the inception of Office 365, the collaborative services and capabilities of Google Apps are far more extensive.
Most Popular Google Business Apps.
The sky is the limit in terms of what you can accomplish as you become familiar with Google Apps. To simplify things, below is an overview of the most widely used Google Apps for business and how they can simplify everyday tasks.
Gmail.
Gmail is now one of the most widely used email applications in the world. There are many advantages of switching to Gmail from your existing email platform, business users of Gmail will gain instant access of up to 30 GB of drive storage, which can be increased significantly for an additional cost (up to 30 TB of cloud storage is available for business users of Google apps). Gmail can be integrated seamlessly with numerous desktop mail clients including Microsoft Outlook, Apple Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird and course like all other Google Apps, Gmail can be accessed from any machine that uses an internet browser. You can even choose an email address that matches your existing domain name.
Although Gmail is accessed from the cloud, you can still read and send emails offline using the clever Gmail app for Google Chrome. Any emails you write are saved as a draft and then sent automatically once you have access to the internet. Other great Gmail features include full integration with Google calendar, full compatibility with mobile devices including Andriod, Windows phone, black berry and the iPhone, single click translation and built in spam filtering.
Calendar.
The Google Calendar app provides an easy way to coordinate schedules for your business and staff, plan for collaborative meetings and schedule other business events. Like all Google Apps, the Calendar app is setup in the cloud to allow access from anywhere at any time, and with any type of device thanks to the two-way syncing feature. You can also configure notifications to reflect how you want to be reminded of important tasks and events such as by text on a mobile device or via email.
A primary advantage of Calendar is it is easily integrated with other programs. However, integrating it with your website can present a few minor challenges such as the inability to embed multiple calendars on a web page. Overall, Calendar is highly functional app that allows for easy collaboration and scheduling.
Drive.
Google Drive acts as a storage hub in the cloud for all of your business data including presentations, mind maps, brainstorming sessions, documents, images, presentations, videos, and more. There is also a feature that allows you to restrict access to files to a specific number of users. The users that have access can share edits to files and documents from any type of device using any type of operating system.
Drive is advantageous because it prevents the hassle of transmitting large files via an email attachment and keeps everyone in sync in terms of document edits. Drive can also tend to be choosy when it comes to various video file formats. Up to 30 TB of additional storage is available to business users.
Docs.
Google Docs is a widely used collaborative word processing app which is geared toward team projects. The app is designed to allow multiple people to work together on document edits without the hassles of passing it between different application versions. Team members can be located anywhere and collaborate in real-time which means you can see the document edits as they are created.
The advantage of using Google Docs is that everyone will be using the same document in the same version. However, there is a learning curve to discover where the essential functions are located in addition to file sharing features and more.
Slides.
Google Slides is a collaborative app which allows a team of users to work together on slide presentations. Multiple team members can perform individual changes to presentations such as changing text, inserting animations, enhancing slide design, embedding videos, and much more. The presentation can be accessed from anywhere at any time and with any type of device by accessing Google Drive.
Google Slides allows everyone to work from the same platform which eliminates compatibility issues. However, third party presentations are difficult due to lack of font support and other issues.
Sheets.
Google Sheets provides a way for your team to crunch numbers and share data for collaborative analysis sessions. Each team member can work with charts, formulas, tables, and formatting from the same platform which can be accessed from anywhere at any time and with any device. The documents are stored in Google Drive plus, you can access and edit other spreadsheet documents without having to use additional software.
Google Sheets is advanced. However, it is wirth noting that the app does not contain some of the complex functions which are included in Microsoft Excel.
WORKetc CRM and Projects (Third party)
WORKetc is a collaborative customer relationship management app that can be run in Gmail for Google Apps. The app can be integrated with other Google Apps and is designed to provide real-time customer support in multiple languages, as well as a series of back office tasks including billing, help desk, integrated CRM projects, document management, and more. When used with Gmail, it is easy to integrate contacts, support cases, potential leads, and more.
WORKetc allows multiple users to work on different accounts using the same app. Plus, it offers a series of cloud based features along with trustworthy and reliable support. A few of the functions are in need of minor improvements in terms of the interface but overall, its a great app. You can visit the official WORKetc page by clicking here.
Hangouts.
Google Hangouts is an app which allows for face-to-face conversations regardless of the participant’s location. The app is used to conduct business meetings for up to 15 people by launching a meeting directly from your Gmail inbox. There is also a feature that allows you to share your computer screen for the purpose of viewing presentations for discussion with team members.
The main advantage of Google Hangouts is collaboration with team members. However, each team member must also use Gmail and the Google Hangouts app which means you are unable to send messages to recipients with other chat and email clients.
Smartsheet Project Management for Google Apps (Third party)
Smartsheet Project Management allows you to convert Google Sheets, Excel spreadsheets, and Microsoft Project files into an online collaborative team project. It allows you to import a document and convert it to a separate list of tasks for individual team members. One click will create an easy to view Gant chart or calendar which clearly indicates different stages of project progress and deadlines. You can also customise each project, attach files, and collaborate on different work tasks.
Smartsheet Project Management allows for easy Google Apps integration with the ability to automate workflows with reminders and notifications. One drawback is there is no tool provided for resource planning. You can visit the official Smartsheet page here.
MindMeister Mind Mapping (Third party)
MindMeister provides a collaborative platform that creates a brainstorming environment which facilitates creativity and innovation among team members. The app allows for efficient project planning, meeting management, and the capability to design business plans with other team members in real-time. Once the brainstorming session is complete, you can export the data into other Google Apps as well as Word and PowerPoint documents. Plus, the app is secure thanks to SSL encryption and automated backups for data protection.
MindMeister provides efficient and productive cloud implementation of Mind Mapping. Pricing can be a drawback when compared to the cost of other Google Apps.
These are a few of the best Google Apps for business. Keep in mind if you research Google Apps for business online, you will find a host of other productive apps which can make tasks easier and daily business operations faster. You can find the official Google apps for business page here.
What technology is required to run Google Apps?
As a cloud based solution, you can run Google Apps from virtually any device at any time, and from any location. In terms of additional technology, this depends upon how the Google Apps domain is configured according to your business requirements.
What are Google App Add-Ons?
Google App Add-Ons are apps which developers have created to enhance the functionality of Google Apps for enterprises and individuals. We have listed a few of the apps earlier in this article such as WORKetc, to provide you with an idea of how the apps function and enhance the capability of Google Apps.
Google Apps Add-Ons make the widely used apps such as Docs, Gmail, and Calendar more appealing to enterprises since they add customized functionality while extending the capabilities of the basic Google Apps. For example, an add-on such as Gbridge provides a Virtual Private Network for Google App users to sync and share files and folders in Docs, Slides, and Sheets, as well as chat securely with another team member in a secure environment. In this regard, you are using the add-on which is integrated with the basic Google Apps to create a secure environment for collaboration.
Should you choose Google Apps for your business?
Depending upon the criteria you use to run a business efficiently, Google Apps represents a viable option for making tasks easier and your business more productive. Although some of the apps require a learning curve, in most cases it is not a drastic change over conventional office applications.
Additionally, Google Apps for Business delivers a productive and supportive cloud experience plus, tremendous value for the money. The mobile access capability is one of the most competitive on the market and the Google Apps domain allows you to backup and securely store any type of document or file which keeps everyone in the workplace consistently on the same page.
Does your business require some assistance?
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