Google Workspace
Gmail, Docs, Drive, Chat, Classroom and Chrome how-tos.

Account Security

Google Authenticator - Backup Two-Step Verification
The district use two-step verification as a security measure on faculty accounts. Usually a yes/no prompt will appear on your phone to confirm you are logging in. Other times you may need to use an 8 digit backup code you’d either downloaded or requested from the tech office.
The Google Authenticator app is a handy alternative to these backup codes, providing a 6 digit code that is refreshed periodically. Setting it up is very quick but you’ll want to pull up the QR code on a second device such as a laptop. Instructions are as follows…
Install The App
On your phone, go to the App Store or Play Store and search for “Google Authenticator”, it will be from Google LLC.
As of writing, the logo looks like the one below.
While this downloads, continue to the next section to pull up the QR code on a second device.
Get QR Code
In the chrome browser, signed in to your school account, you can follow this link: https://myaccount.google.com/two-step-verification/authenticator
You will be prompted for your Google password. You will then have a page where you can add an authenticator app, clicking this will pull up a QR code to be scanned. We will follow the on-screen instructions.
App Setup
On your phone, open the Google Authenticator app and tap the + sign in the bottom right.
Choose “Scan a QR code”
Scan the QR code and follow the prompts on the screen, it should have you enter one of the codes to confirm the app.
After following the prompts, you should be all set. Now, when verifying a login, you can select “Try another way” and pick the option for authenticator app. Simply open the app and use the 6 digit code before it expires.
If you would rather follow the Google support article, it is as follows: Get verification codes with Google Authenticator - Android - Google Account Help
Originally posted by Stephen Hale on the West Fork Technology Hub (2024-03-26).

Chat & Spaces

Google Chat - Spaces
If you haven’t discovered Google Chat, you are missing out.  The tech department uses this all the time to communicate with each other and other people on campus.  It is like texting, but it is easily accessible within your email.  Plus, it works well on mobile.
Anyway, we are going to discuss a specific part of Google Chat in this tip.  Spaces.
Spaces is designed for group collaboration.  It allows you to organize conversations into threads, collect shared documents into a common space, collect and assign tasks, and install additional apps for things like polls.
Setting Up a Space
Create a New Space
Visit mail.google.com
Click on the “Chat” button in the left menu
Click “New chat.”
Click on “Create a space”
Enter a name, and choose to add an emoji if you want to.
Make sure to choose “Collaboration.”  Announcements has a purpose as well, but it isn’t what we are currently looking for.
The access settings section should USUALLY be left as it is.  Again, there are exceptions, but make sure you think about changing these carefully.
Click create.
Accessing a Space
Visit mail.google.com
Click on the “Chat” button in the left menu
On the left, click the name of the space you are looking to participate in.
Add People To a Space
Inside a space, click the name of the space.
Click on “Manage members”
Click on the “+Add” button
Type in the names of the people or groups you want to add to the space.
When you have everyone added, click on the “Add” button
Add An App to the Space (Using Polls)
Inside a space, click the name of the space.
Click “Apps & Integrations.”
Click on “Add apps.”
Select the app of your choice from the list.  I’m going to select “Absolute Poll” to allow voting on questions in the Space.
Click the “Add” button.
Once added, you will often get a message from the app that provides instructions on how to use it.  For example, since I added the poll app, I can type: 
/poll and then hit enter, I’ll get a form.  I can provide the requested information (I don’t have to put 4 options, and scrolling provides more settings), and when I “Submit,” I’ll get a poll for the users.
Using a Space
Threaded Conversations"
When a message is posted in a space, replies become “threads.”  This concept is just organizing a conversation.  Think about threads as topics of discussion.
To start a thread, it is as easy as sending a message.  The magic happens on the replies.
To reply, I’ll hover my mouse over the message I want to reply to.
I’ll then click on the little word bubble icon
You will now see a split screen with the main space on the left, and the thread on the right.
I’ll then type my reply in the RIGHT side reply box.
when I’m finished typing, I’ll hit enter, or I’ll click the airplane icon.
This does two things.  First, it adds a reply indicator to the original message.  Clicking on that will open up the thread.  Second, it adds the response under the original message to the right side of the screen.
Viewing All Space Threads
To view all of the treads that are in a space, click on “Threads” in the top right corner of the space.
This will open your screen in a split view, and you will be able to see all of the threads for the space on the right side of the split.
Quoting Conversations
Sometimes it is helpful to quote a message.
Please note that this will NOT create a thread.
To quote, I’ll hover my mouse over the message I want to interact with.
You will see the quoted message and a reply box.
Press enter or hit the airplane button.
This will result in a message with the quoted text above what you sent.
Knowing When There Is a Message
There are two primary indicators to let you know you have a new message in a space.
First, like your email, the chat icon will show the number of unread messages you have waiting for you.
Second, in the bottom left corner of your email inbox, there will be a stack with the icons of the spaces you have unread messages in.
Adding Drive Files to a Space
Of course, you can share a file like normal, but it is often helpful to have files in a collective area along with communication.
Inside the space, click the circled plus button next to the message box.
Click the “Google Drive” option.
If the file already exists in your drive, click on “Attach a Drive file.”  If you want to create a new file and automatically share it with the members of the space, choose one of the other options.
You will then be prompted to pick the file you want to share or to add a name for the new file you are about to create.
If you created a new document, that will open in a split view, but whether the document is new or attached, you will get an icon, and in the lower right corner of the icon, it will allow you to open it in split view.
There is plenty more you can do inside of Spaces.  Hopefully, this is enough to get your collaboration efforts started though!
Originally posted by Cory Robbins on the West Fork Technology Hub (2024-03-08).

Chrome, Search & Extensions

Clear Cache in Google Chrome
When you use a browser, like Chrome, it saves some information from websites in its cache and cookies. Clearing them fixes certain problems, like loading or formatting issues on sites.
On your computer, open Chrome.
At the top right, click More
Click More tools 
 Clear browsing data.
Choose Advanced
At the top, choose a time range. To delete everything, select All time.
Next to “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files,” check the boxes.  We recommend checking everything except “Passwords and other sign-in data” and “Autofill form data.”
Click Clear data.
Originally posted by Carl Clements on the West Fork Technology Hub (2023-01-17).

Google Search Tools
Google is the most used search engine in the world.  It has many useful but hidden-away capabilities.  This article explores some well-known and some lesser-known tools that are accessible from the Google search bar.  Many of these are super handy in the classroom.
Click the arrow next to each topic for more details.
Timer
Type the word “timer” in the Google Search bar.
A 5-minute timer will load automatically.
Adjust the number of minutes by clicking on the time.
Click Stopwatch to switch modes
Clicking Full Screen is handy if displaying on a projector.
Calculator
Type the word “calculator” in the Google Search bar.
A basic scientific calculator is displayed.
Alternatively, type a math problem directly in the search box.  The calculator will load with the answer.
Unit Conversion
Type a number and then two different units in the Google Search bar.
Examples: 5 km in miles or 2 cups to ml
Use the drop-down to change the type of conversion.  Length, volume, time, temp, etc.
and 3. Use these drop-downs to change the units.
Dictionary/Pronunciation
Type define and a word in the Google Search bar.
Click on the audio icon to hear the word pronounced.
Google Translate
This is a simplified version of Google Translate.
Select the input language or begin typing and let Google detect.
Select the output language.
Click the microphone for audio input.
Click the speaker to hear the translation.
Sunrise/Sunset
Type “Sunrise” or “Sunset” in the Google Search bar. This will display the sunrise or sunset time for your current location.
For more fun enter an alternate location and add a date.
Time In Any Location
Type “Time In” followed by a location in the Google Search bar to see the current time.
Type just “Time In” to see the time in your current location.
Coin Flip
Type “Coin Flip” in the Google Search bar.
This can be a fun and unbiased way to decide between two options.
Also handy when teaching probability.
Click Flip Again to repeat.
Spinner Wheel
Type “Google Spinner” in the Google Search bar.
This could be a creative way to call on students (or many other uses).
Click in the upper left corner to change the wheel size.
Click in the upper left to change the wheel to a fidget spinner.
Click Spin to spin again.
Roll Dice
Type “Roll Dice” in the Google Search bar.
This is handy for playing games or probability lessons.
Click on a die to remove it from the board.
Click a die type to add it to the board.
The total is displayed automatically.  Use the plus/minus button to add/subtract from the total.
Click Roll to roll again.
Google Metronome
Type “Google Metronome” in the Google Search bar.
Click + or - to change the Beats Per Minute.
Click play to start the metronome.
Google Tuner
Type “Google Tuner” in the Google Search bar.
Click the microphone icon to begin.
It will display the musical note and if it is in tune.
Originally posted by Carl Clements on the West Fork Technology Hub (2024-02-27).

Kami - Google Chrome Extension
Kami is another free extension for Google Chrome (with paid advanced features).  It is most popular for allowing the editing/annotating of PDF documents, which will be demonstrated in this article.  However, it also has many other features including; text recognition, splitting and merging existing files to create new ones, free educational templates,  and even Google Classroom Integration.
To get started, add the Kami extension.  You can install it from a quick Google search or by searching the Chrome Web Store.  When prompted, choose the “Login with Google” option and accept the appropriate security notifications.
Go ahead and pin the extension to make it viewable to the right of the address bar.
Click on the K in the purple circle to launch Kami.
It will open the Kami home screen.  For this example, I will open a PDF form from the state about ACT testing.  Since it is already downloaded to my computer, I will click My computer and navigate to its location.  Keep in mind you can also open files from Google Drive.
Click the Text Box tool.  Then click on the screen where the text should be added and begin typing.  Once modifications are made, Kami will prompt saving the document to Google Drive.
Use the Markup tools to highlight, strikethrough, or underline text.  Great for giving student feedback on papers.
Use the Comment tool to add comments to the document.  This is very similar to comments in Google Docs and is another great way to provide feedback.
Once the modifications are completed, use the tools in the upper right to print, save, or download the file.
This is just one example of what Kami is capable of.  To learn more, check out their Youtube Tutorials on the Kami home screen.
Originally posted by Carl Clements on the West Fork Technology Hub (2023-03-28).

Grammarly Extension
Grammarly is a free extension for Chrome and other web browsers.  It is a powerful tool that checks for spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes.
To install Grammarly open the Chrome web browser and click this link:  https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/grammarly-grammar-checker/kbfnbcaeplbcioakkpcpgfkobkghlhen?hl=en-US
Click the Add to Chrome button and follow the prompts.
(It also works with Safari, Firefox, and Edge.)
Once installed, it will proofread your writing in Chrome as you type.  It works automatically in Gmail, Google Docs, and many other applications.  It currently does not work in Google Sheets or Slides.  Anything identified as suspicious will be underlined in red.  This example has a capitalization error, an incorrect word, and missing punctuation.  Grammarly will display a total of potential errors at the bottom right of the screen.
To clear the potential errors click on the underlined word or sentence and either accept the change recommended or choose “Dismiss” to ignore the suggestion.  Choose “Add to dictionary” for uncommon words that are correct, but identified as an issue.  ie: eSchool
Over time Grammarly will send reports by email that indicate your productivity, mastery, vocabulary, and tone.  Not life-changing but fun to look at!
Originally posted by Carl Clements on the West Fork Technology Hub (2023-03-14).

Useful Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are a faster and more ergonomic alternative for mouse-driven actions, allowing you to perform tasks with just a few keystrokes. Whether you're composing emails, crunching numbers in Google Sheets, or simply browsing the web in Chrome, there are keyboard shortcuts for almost every task.
Google Workspace Shortcuts:
Full Article: Use Google Workspace keyboard shortcuts - Google Workspace Learning Center
Gmail
Full Article: Keyboard shortcuts for Gmail - Computer - Gmail Help
To see a complete list, open Gmail and press 
Shift + 
?
Compose new email: 
C
Send email: 
Ctrl + 
Enter
Reply to email: 
R
Forward email: 
F
Archive email: 
E
Mark as read/unread: 
Shift + 
I
Drive
Full Article: Keyboard shortcuts for Google Drive on the web - Computer - Google Drive Help
To see a complete list, open Drive and press 
Shift + 
?
Create new document: 
Shift + 
T
Create new spreadsheet: 
Shift + 
S
Create new presentation: 
Shift + 
P
Open selected file: 
Enter
Rename selected file: 
N
Calendar
Full Article: Use keyboard shortcuts in Google Calendar - Google Calendar Help
To see a complete list, open Calendar and press 
Shift + 
?
Create new event: 
C
Edit event: 
E
Move to next/previous period: 
J / 
K
Jump to today: 
T
Go to date: 
G
Google Meet
Full Article: Use Google Workspace keyboard shortcuts - Google Workspace Learning Center
To see a complete list, in a meeting press 
Shift + 
?
Mute/unmute microphone: 
Ctrl + 
D
Enable/disable camera: 
Ctrl + 
E
Raise/lower hand: 
Ctrl + 
Alt + 
H
Show/hide people: 
Ctrl + 
P
Increase/decrease maximum tiles: 
Ctrl + 
Alt + 
K / 
J
Chrome Browser
Full Article: Chrome keyboard shortcuts - Computer - Google Chrome Help
Navigation:
Open a new tab: 
Ctrl + 
T
Close the current tab: 
Ctrl + 
W
Reopen the last closed tab: 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
T
Switch to the next/previous tab: 
Ctrl + 
Tab / 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
Tab
Jump to a specific tab: 
Ctrl + 
[1-8]
Go back / forward a page: 
Alt + 
Arrow keys ← →
Bookmarks and History:
Bookmark the current page: 
Ctrl + 
D
Open bookmarks manager: 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
O
Open the browsing history: 
Ctrl + 
H
Clear browsing data: 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
Delete
Other Useful Shortcuts:
Open the Chrome menu: 
Alt + 
F or 
Alt + 
E
Toggle full-screen mode: 
F11
Zoom in/out: 
Ctrl + 
+ / 
Ctrl + 
-
Reload the current page: 
Ctrl + 
R or 
F5
Password Autofill: 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
L
Docs
Full Article: Keyboard shortcuts for Google Docs - Computer - Google Docs Editors Help
To see a complete list, open a Google Doc and press 
Ctrl + 
/
Basic Text Editing:
Bold: 
Ctrl + 
B
Italicize: 
Ctrl + 
I
Underline: 
Ctrl + 
U
Undo: 
Ctrl + 
Z
Redo: 
Ctrl + 
Y
Select all: 
Ctrl + 
A
Copy: 
Ctrl + 
C
Cut: 
Ctrl + 
X
Paste: 
Ctrl + 
V
Paste without formatting: 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
V
Formatting:
Increase/decrease font size: 
Ctrl + 
. / 
Ctrl + 
,
Align left/center/right: 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
L / 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
E / 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
R
Bulleted list: 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
8
Numbered list: 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
7
Insert hyperlink: 
Ctrl + 
K
Navigation and Selection:
Move to beginning/end of line: 
Home / 
End
Move to beginning/end of document: 
Ctrl + 
Home / 
Ctrl + 
End
Move to previous/next word: 
Ctrl + 
Arrow keys ← →
Select text: 
Shift + 
Arrow keys
Sheets
Full Article: Keyboard shortcuts for Google Sheets - Computer - Google Docs Editors Help
To see a complete list, open a Google Sheet and press 
Ctrl + 
/
Navigation and Selection:
Move to beginning/end of row/column: 
Ctrl + 
Arrow keys
Select entire row/column: 
Shift + 
Space / 
Ctrl + 
Space
Extend selection: 
Shift + 
Arrow keys
Show all formulas: 
Ctrl + `
Editing and Formatting:
Insert row/column: 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
+
Delete row/column: 
Ctrl + 
-
Fill down: 
Ctrl + 
D
Fill right: 
Ctrl + 
R
Format as currency: 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
4
Format as percentage: 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
5
Clear formatting: 
Ctrl + 
\
Slides
Full Article: Keyboard shortcuts for Google Slides - Computer - Google Docs Editors Help
To see a complete list, open a Google Slide and press 
Ctrl + 
/
Basic Slide Navigation:
Move to previous/next slide: 
Arrow keys ← →
Jump to slide: 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
S
Start presentation: 
F5
Editing and Formatting:
Duplicate slide: 
Ctrl + 
D
Insert new slide: 
Ctrl + 
M
Delete slide: 
Ctrl + 
D
Change text alignment: 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
L / 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
E / 
Ctrl + 
Shift + 
R
Other Shortcuts
There are many other shortcuts out there, if you use a program often you may check and see if there are shortcuts in it to make your life a bit easier.
PopOS - Pop!_OS Keyboard Shortcuts - System76 Support
Canva - https://www.canva.com/help/keyboard-shortcuts/
Originally posted by Stephen Hale on the West Fork Technology Hub (2024-04-09).

Classroom

How to Archive Your Google Classroom Courses
These steps will help you archive Google Classroom Courses that are no longer needed. Please note that archived courses can still be viewed and even restored if a mistake is made.
Go to classroom.google.com
Find the course(s) that you need to archive
On the course of your choice, click the three dots in the upper right corner.
Click on the Archive link.
Confirm that you do want to archive by clicking archive on the popup box.
That’s it, you’re done!
If you need to access an archived class, you can get to it from the hamburger menu in the top left corner of the window and then clicking archived classes. You can also use the 3 dots from there to restore your class.
Originally posted by Cory Robbins on the West Fork Technology Hub (2023-07-07).

Docs & Drive

Google Docs - Add Ons
If you grew up using Microsoft Office you are accustomed to a more robust toolset than Google Docs offers.  If you have ever wished that Google Docs allowed for label printing, mail merge, math equations, bibliography, or a hundred other things, this tech tip should be of help.
Google has an expansive toolset called add-ons.  Many of these are free while others are a paid service.  To get started, open a blank Google Doc (NOTE: there are add-ons for sheets and slides as well.  Some add-ons work across all three programs while others are specific to one.)
With an open Google Doc, navigate to Extension->Add-Ons->Get add-ons:
The most popular add-ons will be listed.  You can see how many times they have been downloaded and how many stars they have earned.  Feel free to browse the popular items or use the search capability.
If you want free add-ons only select the Price drop-down and choose Free of Charge.
When you find one to try click on it and then click Install.  There may be one or more permission prompts to click after that.
Once it installs, go back to the Extensions Menu.  The add-on should now be listed.  Each one is worded a bit differently but typically there is an option to open or launch.
Sometimes add-ons don’t work out or are not what you expected.  If you need to uninstall an add-on go back to the Extensions Menu ->Add-Ons →  Manage Add-Ons.  Then select uninstall.
Each add-on works a bit differently, but for the most part, is fairly intuitive.  Many have a separate workspace that allows for editing and then addition to a google doc.
Social media and Google searches will have many suggestions for add-ons for teachers.
Originally posted by Carl Clements on the West Fork Technology Hub (2023-03-07).

Google Docs - Voice Typing
Before jumping in, make sure to use a computer with a microphone and that the environment is reasonably quiet.  You will need to allow access to your microphone in Chrome.  This is the same process as joining a Google Meet.  Keep in mind there are nuances to using any speech-to-text software.  It will take a time investment before it becomes efficient.
Open a new Google Doc.
Click on the Tools Menu and select Voice Typing.  (Alternatively, press Ctrl+Shitft+S)
A microphone icon will appear to the left of your document.  Click the microphone icon and begin speaking.
There are a ton of built-in commands that are intuitive. Here are a few common commands to help you get started.
Punctuation can be added by saying period, comma, etc.
Say “new line” or “new paragraph” to start a new paragraph.
Say undo or delete to undo the last action or delete the last word that was transcribed.
Say “select line” or “select paragraph” to highlight text.  Once it is highlighted say any of the formatting options like bold or italicize.
Say “stop listening” to pause the dictation process.
I found it often does not capitalize the first word of a sentence.  ie she went to the store.  To remedy this, say “capitalize she”
For a complete list of commands check out this support article from Google:
support.google.com
You can type and edit by speaking in Google Docs or in Google Slides speaker notes. This feature works with the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari browsers.
Step 1: Turn on y
Originally posted by Carl Clements on the West Fork Technology Hub (2023-10-24).

Downloading Google Docs as PDF or DOCX
There are occasions when it is necessary to download a Google Doc in another format such as PDF or DOCX.  This process is super simple.  The same process works with Sheets (PDF or Excel) and Slides (PDF or PowerPoint).  This is useful when sending an email attachment as a specific file type or when uploading a document to a web portal.  For example, EES artifacts are easier to upload as a PDF.
With the Google Doc open:
Click On File
Click Download
Select the type of file to be downloaded.  Typically either DOCX or PDF
Navigate to the download location of your choosing
Rename the document is you desire.  Be sure to leave the file extension. (DOCX, PDF, etc.)
Click Save
Originally posted by Carl Clements on the West Fork Technology Hub (2024-02-20).

Restricting Google Drive Search to a Specific Folder
Google’s search within Drive is VERY deep, meaning that it will pick up on words within photos, documents, and titles, so it can sometimes be frustrating when you are looking for something specific.  You might also be in a situation (like looking through all of the student photo objection pages) where there are more files than you can realistically sift through.  In these occasions, it is helpful to limit Google’s scope on your search.  Let’s use the photo objection pages as an example of how to search just within a single folder anywhere within your Drive.
Go to your Google Drive.  You do not HAVE to be in the folder you want to search, but I am for purposes of this example.  It does make step 5 slightly easier as well.
Click on the advanced search tool within the search box.
There are tons of options on this screen to help you narrow your view, but for our example, we will be primarily focusing on the “Location” box.
Click on the “Location” dropdown menu.  This will present us with a few different option, but since I don’t see the option I need, I’ll chose “More locations…”
The screen that you are now presented with should open to a “Suggested” page.  Since I’m in the folder, it is one of the options, so I’m going to click on it then click the “Select” button.  If it isn’t in the suggested, you may use the “All locations” option to browse through your files to find the correct folder.
On the resulting screen, I now have the “Location” field populated with the name of the folder I chose, and I’ll put in the student first and last name in the “Item Name” box so that I’m only searching the title of the files.  Once I’m all set, I’ll click on the “Search” button.
From this point, I should have a greatly reduced set of files.  We encourage you to take a little time to look through the other search options available.
Originally posted by Cory Robbins on the West Fork Technology Hub (2023-08-28).

Gmail

Gmail - Confidential Mode
Sometimes you need to provide secure information to someone else, and email is the easiest way to do that.  While the ease of sending an email is certainly a plus, there is a requirement to be aware of the security risks that come with sending students’ personally identifiable information (PII).
In the event you need to send sensitive information, the Confidential Mode in Gmail is there to help you.
Confidential emails will be passcode protected, and will automatically expire after your determined length of time.  In addition, the recipient may not forward, copy, print, or download the email.
To start, visit your Gmail.
Click on “Compose.”
I recommend setting up your confidential settings before you type the email so that you don’t forget to do it.  Click on the small lock icon on the bottom toolbar.
This will bring up the confidential mode settings screen:
Set an expiration.  After this date, the email will automatically be removed from the recipient’s inbox.
Choose to require a passcode.  This passcode will be sent as a text message to the recipient if they use Gmail, if not, they will receive a separate passcode via email.
Click the “Save” button.
This will turn the message top bar blue, and it will show the confidential mode option below the email body.
Go ahead and proceed with your email as normal, then click send.
If the user doesn’t have a phone number in their profile, you will be asked to manually type one.
At this point, the recipient(s) should have received a verification email.
When the recipient(s) click on the send passcode button, they will be prompted to enter the code that was just sent to the number you provided.
At this point, the email will be displayed until the expiration date is met.
Originally posted by Cory Robbins on the West Fork Technology Hub (2023-09-13).

GMail Filters and Labels - Organize and Simplify Your Inbox
Gmail Filters and Labels
Let’s face it…  Email is annoying.  We all send messages to locations, and we expect for them to be read by the recipients, but we also receive messages through the same platform, and honestly, responding can be a pain!  You have all of the junk email, spam, phishing attempts, random reply-alls that should only have ever been a reply, and list serves full of people that ask the same question in six different threads at the same time.  What a mess!!!
While I can’t promise you that filters and labels will fix all of this, I can promise that setting the up allows for your important things, or similar messages, to be categorized and easy to distinguish from the rest of the cluster.
Let’s break down the process…
Finding a Pattern
Show contents
To begin, we have to find a way to distinguish our target emails from other messages.  Think of this like a search term in Google.  We want a way to get the emails we need to act on and ONLY those emails.
Sometimes this is super easy, let’s use a mailing list as an example…  Let’s say that all of your “How To Be a Master Educator” messages come from list@awesome-educator.com.  It is probably a pretty safe bet that you can use that email address sender as your pattern.  It isn’t going to accidentally return messages you don’t want to include.
So, that’s cool, but sometimes it is a little more complicated.  In this example, we will look at emails coming from DocFlow, the system we use for registration and various other campus forms.  If you are someone who receives messages from DocFlow, you may get several, and these emails will usually indicate different tasks and different overall workflow purposes.  All of these emails come from the sender docflow@wftigers.org, so if we create a filter using just that email, all of our workflows will be combined into a single label.  That means that, depending on who you are, job applications, purchase order notices, facility requests, and other various things would all go to the same filter.  That’s probably not what you want.  In these sorts of situations, we need to look at the subject or the body of the message to find common patterns.  In this example, we will look at the Kindergarten Roundup form.  A message from this form will include the following:
Sender: docflow@wftigers.org
Subject: New Round-Up Submission - Student Name
Sometimes we might have to look at the body of the message, but, for our use case, the subject and sender will be enough.  We can look for any email coming from that email address with a subject containing “New Round-Up Submission.”  I’ll ignore the hyphen to avoid any weirdness with special characters that MIGHT happen.  This should be totally sufficient to catch what we want, and nothing more.
Creating a Filter
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Now that we have a grasp on finding patterns, let’s create a filter using that pattern.  I’ll keep using the DocFlow example of Round-Up.
In Gmail, click on the little advanced search button.
This will open the advanced search pane, and we will be able to use any combination of these items to create our filter.  I’ll use the pattern options we defined above to fill out the form.  I’ll ignore the date options for now.
At this point, I’ll click on “Create filter.”
This will open the filter pane, and it provides us with several options that we will go over in the next section…
Choosing Actions
Show contents
We understand finding patterns, and we know how to turn those patterns into a filter.  Now, let’s look at the actions available to us in the filter pane to get the most out of our understanding.
This is going to be used very often.  What it means, when used by itself, is that you will not see your email within your inbox, ever, it will automatically act as if you hit the archive button within the message.  Most of the time, though, you will use this will labels, meaning that the message will ONLY go to the label and will entirely “skip the inbox.”
This will automatically mark the message the same as if you had opened it.  I don’t ever use this one, but I’m sure someone has a good use of it!
The star option is like a favorites function for your email.  It is a sort of quick label, and all of the matching messages will go into this same area.  Again, I don’t use this, but it might be good as a sort of “I’m currently working on” type of organization method.
This is the magic one, or at least, this is the one we will primarily focus on.  A label can be thought of as a folder of sorts.  They can be nested (one inside of another), and they can be named whatever you want.  If you already have a label you want to use, you will be able to choose it by clicking on “Choose label.”  If you need to create one, clicking on “Choose label” will allow you to create a new one as well.
This is something that I do use, but might not be helpful to everyone.  This is good for when pesky vendors won’t send invoices to the accounting email instead of to me.
This is a full delete, not an archive.  You should really only use this on rare occasions unless it is part of a bigger workflow that would be beyond the scope of this tip.
Do you ever get emails from somewhere you know is legit, but it keeps going to your spam?  This is the option you would use for that circumstance!
Templates are cool, but they are also beyond the scope of this tip.
Selecting this action will make your email stand out by activating the little chevron dude next to the email. 
This does the opposite of the one above.
This is like the automated version of labels, and I never use them.  This will let you put an email into either “Social,” “Updates,” “Forums,” or “Promotions,” the default list of categories within Gmail.
This is why we ignored the date options in the prior step.  Checking this box will apply the filter to all of the past conversations (message threads) in the past, as long as they meet the filter.  It gives you a handy count of the conversations that will have the filter applied also!
Labels and Organization
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Now that we understand our action options, let’s go ahead with building the Round-Up filter.
Select “Skip the inbox (Archive it).”
Select “Apply the label”
We don’t already have a Round-Up label, so we need to make one. click on “Choose label…”
Click on “New label…”
I’ll enter “Round-Up Forms” (or whatever) in the label name.  If you want to nest the label under another one, you can check the box and choose some already existing labels.
Click on the “Create” button.
We are all set, so now click on “Create filter”
At this point, we should now see the label listed on the left.
That label shows as not having any unread messages.  When you get a new message, the label will be brighter, and it will also have a number to the right.
We can also go further by color coding our labels.  To do that, hover to click on the three dots, choose “Label color,” then choose the color you want.
Wrapping Up
That’s it!  Hopefully you can see how handy this feature is.  And we really only scratched the surface.  Do some experimenting, and maybe even look into the featured called “Multiple inbox sections.”  you can use this to accomplish something like this screenshot, where each of the areas on the right (you pick the name and amount you want) automatically show the messages with the label of your choosing.
Originally posted by Cory Robbins on the West Fork Technology Hub (2024-04-02).

Gmail Signatures
Email signatures have come a long way since their humble beginnings of allowing an email program to automatically type your name at the bottom of an email message.  Today there is a wide variety of information added to email signatures.  Here are some of the more common items:
Bitmoji or headshot
Your name and title
Department or campus where you work
Phone and/or fax number
Address (and link to online directions)
Social media icons (each linked to your social media presence)
School/district mascot
Inspirational quote or quote related to your field of expertise
Digital badges showing your areas of expertise
Perhaps you don’t have a Gmail signature or like me haven’t updated it in years.  This is a quick refresher on where to access signature settings in Gmail.
With Gmail open click on the settings gear in the upper right.
Then click See all settings
Scroll down to the Signature section and make your edits.
You can customize text, add hyperlinks, pictures, and much more!
Don’t forget to scroll down and click Save Changes.
Consider creating a second, smaller signature file and using it for replies and forwards.
Alternatively, there are a number of websites and templates to generate a “fancier” signature file.  Just do a quick Google search and follow the instructions for Gmail.
Originally posted by Carl Clements on the West Fork Technology Hub (2023-02-28).

Gmail - Unsubscribe from Mass Emails
The longer you use an email address the more likely it is you will start receiving mass emails that you either no longer want or for which you never signed up.  Here are two quick ways to unsubscribe from unwanted mass emails.  Note option one is the safest and easiest option.
Google has added an unsubscribe link next to the address of messages it recognizes as mass emails.  If you no longer wish to receive emails from the sender, simply click the Unsubscribe link.
If there is not an unsubscribe link provided by Gmail, there should be a link toward the bottom of the email.  The exact wording will vary depending on the sender but it will typically have the word unsubscribe.  Remember to hover and check the link before clicking on it as we practiced in the Cybersecurity training,
With the second method, there is often another hoop or two to jump through.  Typically a webpage will load prompting you to confirm you want to unsubscribe.
Originally posted by Carl Clements on the West Fork Technology Hub (2023-09-05).

Create Gmail Groups and Add Contacts
If there is a group of people you contact regularly it makes sense to create a contact group in Gmail to save a few minutes.
To begin, log in to your school Gmail account.
Click on the waffle icon to the right of the screen and select Contacts.
Scroll down a bit to the Labels section and click the plus sign.
Create a name for the Group
There are several ways to add contacts to a group.  Here is the method I prefer:
Type in a name in the search bar and select the contact you want to add.
Click the + Label Button
Click the name of the group.
Click Apply
Repeat this process until all members have been added to the group.
Return to Gmail.  Compose a message and begin typing the name of the group.  It will auto-populate and tell you how many recipients will be included.
Complete the message as desired and send normally.
Originally posted by Carl Clements on the West Fork Technology Hub (2024-01-24).

Turning Off Group Email Notifications
Email groups are great, but they can sometimes be… a little much…
Google allows you to set your subscription settings on a per-group basis.  This means that you can stay in a group, meaning that you can email that group, but you don’t have to receive all of the notifications.
First, we need to access the Groups page.
Open up a chrome tab.
Click the waffle icon
Click on Groups (you might have to scroll)
You should see each group you are in.
Within the subscription column, you can choose from 4 options
Each email - This is the default.  You get an email for every message
Digest - You get a single email each day with the full contents of all messages for that group.
Abridged - You get a summary of of all emails sent in a single email each day
No email - You will not get any emails from this group.
There isn’t a save function.  Just select the option you want, and then you are good to go.
If you disable email, it might be good practice to visit this page more often.  Clicking on a group name will let you view all messages.
Originally posted by Cory Robbins on the West Fork Technology Hub (2022-09-19).