Tutorial Guide 05
Using Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides
Collaboration
Scout Society’s Workspace account can provide access to Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and other collaboration tools. These tools are most useful when the group works from one shared file instead of creating multiple copies that quickly become outdated.
What each tool is good for
| Tool | Common Scout Society uses |
|---|---|
| Google Drive | Store and organize files, find shared material, and open shared folders or shared drives |
| Google Docs | Meeting notes, plans, letters, agendas, instructions, and collaborative writing |
| Google Sheets | Rosters, equipment lists, budgets, sign-up tracking, and structured information |
| Google Slides | Presentations, training material, and visual briefings |
Finding organization files
- My Drive contains files that belong to your account or that you organize there.
- Shared with me shows files and folders other people have shared with you.
- Shared drives, if enabled for your account, are organization-owned spaces. Files remain in the shared drive even when an individual member leaves.
- If a shared file is important, add a Drive shortcut rather than making a separate copy unless you truly need an independent version.
Work together instead of making copies
- Use comments for questions and feedback that should not directly change the document.
- Use suggesting mode in Docs when someone should review proposed edits before accepting them.
- Check version history when you need to see earlier changes or restore prior content.
- Name files clearly so another Scout can understand what they are without opening every file.
Working offline
Docs, Sheets, and Slides can be made available offline on supported browsers and mobile devices. Before a trip with poor service, enable offline access while you still have a reliable connection and confirm that the specific files you need will open.
Before an outing or meeting, open the documents you expect to need and verify access with your Scout Society account. Do not wait until you arrive to discover that a file is restricted or unavailable offline.
Sharing files safely via Drive
Drive makes sharing easy, but every shared link should have only the access needed for the task. A file meant for a patrol is different from a file intended for the entire organization or the general public.
Choose the right permission
| Permission | Use it when |
|---|---|
| Viewer | Someone only needs to read or download the information |
| Commenter | Someone should give feedback without changing the original content |
| Editor | Someone is expected to change the file or collaborate directly |
Choose the right audience
- Restricted means only specifically authorized people can open the file.
- Organization or group sharing, when available, allows a defined Scout Society audience to open the file.
- Anyone with the link can make a file broadly accessible. Use this only when the information is intentionally public and a leader or owner has confirmed that public sharing is appropriate.
- The webmaster may block some types of external or public sharing. If an option is unavailable, do not try to work around the restriction.
Before you share
- Check the active account and confirm that you are working with the intended file.
- Review the file for personal information, membership records, contact information, or other material that should not be public.
- Share with the smallest audience and lowest permission level that will accomplish the task.
- After the project ends, remove access that is no longer needed or move the file to the organization location where it belongs.
Folder permissions normally apply to files and subfolders inside the folder. Before moving a file into a shared folder, understand who already has access to that folder.
