This year I really started using Google Drive in earnest. About two months ago I realized that I hadn’t even opened Word or Pages for over a month. So I thought about whether I really need these programs. Two of the biggest draws for me to use Google Drive were:
1. I’m constantly working on documents with my colleagues. Google Drive makes it easy to create a document and then share that document out to other people. We are then all able to get on the same document and see the changes in real time. No need for emailing files.
2. All changes are saved automatically. I no longer have to worry if my battery dies, or my computer crashes and all my work is lost. All my documents are saved in my Google Drive. I can even access these files from any computer with my login.
I thought about these points and I figured Google Drive will meet all of my needs and I’m going to use it as my primary productivity suite. There was just one little issue holding me back. What happens if I don’t have internet access do I not have access to my files? The answer is no!
You can enable offline access for your Google Drive. With offline access your are able to view and edit your files. The moment you get internet access again it will automatically update. This even works if you’re in the middle of typing a document and the internet cuts out.
You will need to setup this feature for all computers that you want offline access to your Google Drive. This feature will only work in the Chrome web browser, not Safari or Firefox. Click here for directions on how to set up offline access.
Using Google Drive has changed how I work. It’s great having the automatic saving. It doesn’t matter if I’m using a Mac or PC, I know I will be able to open, edit, and save my files. Click here for more information about offline access. If you need help setting it up, check out my calendar and set up a time for us to work together.
