Google Drive and Docs Tips

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Don't forget the advanced editor sharing settings

When giving editing rights to collaborators, consider what further permissions you want them to have.

Collaborating is easy in Google Apps, it's easy to invite colleagues into a document, spreadsheet or presentation and give them editing rights. But allowing colleagues to edit your document means they also have the ability to share the document with more people, and to change the permissions you set for others. Let's face it, if it's your document do you want fellow editors to have this power? Maybe not, here's a simple tip to stop it happening.

• In the sharing box, take a look at the very bottom of the box, click on Change next to the Editors will be allowed to add people and change permissions message.
• This will bring up the advanced editor sharing settings box where you can change the default setting - which is that Editors are allowed to add people and change permissions (no, we're not sure why this is default either!)
• Change the setting to Only the owner can change permissions.

With this setting in place you, as the owner, are in control of your document - nobody else can change permissions or add more collaborators. Certainly worth considering, and something we feel is easy to miss when sharing in Google Apps.

For screenshots, click on the image above. Let us know what you think of this tip in the Comments below.

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