Google Apps For Dummies

Your key to making this revolutionary new approach work for you and your organization

Google Apps are Web-based, low-cost (or free!) office productivity tools that do everything those expensive applications do — and you can access them from any computer with an Internet connection. Google Apps For Dummies boosts your "app-titude" by giving you the low-down on choosing, setting up, and using these nifty and powerful gadgets for work or play.

Whether you're an individual who wants to take advantage of iGoogle or an organization looking for an enterprise-wide training solution for users at all levels, this comprehensive, practical guide brings you up to speed with all of the basic information and advanced tips and tricks you need to make good use of every Google Apps's tool and capability. Discover how to:

• Get productive fast with free or inexpensive Web-based apps
• Design your perfect Start Page layout
• Choose among the different editions
• Use Gmail and Google Talk
• Work with Google Docs and spreadsheet documents
• Create and collaborate on documents
• Import events into your calendar
• Build dazzling presentations
• Use Dashboard to create and manage user accounts
• Create a Web page with a unique domain setting

Google Apps are poised to shatter the primacy of the current way of working with PCs, saving businesses, schools, government agencies, and individuals big bucks on software, network infrastructure, and administration.

Introduction 1

Part I: Up and Going with Google Apps 7
Chapter 1: Introducing Google Apps 9
Chapter 2: Signing Up for Google Apps 17
Chapter 3: The Start Page 37

Part II: Keeping in Touch and on Time: Gmail, Talk, and Calendar 49
Chapter 4: Connecting with Gmail 51
Chapter 5: Discovering Advanced Gmail Tools 69
Chapter 6: Keeping in Touch with the Contacts List 89
Chapter 7: Chatting with Gmail Chat and Google Talk 103
Chapter 8: Filling Your Calendar115
Chapter 9: Sharing Your Calendar with Others 133

Part III: Getting to Work: Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations 155
Chapter 10: Finding Your Way around the Google Docs Home 157
Chapter 11: Word Processing with Google Docs 173
Chapter 12: Crunching Numbers with Google Spreadsheets 199
Chapter 13: Creating Amazing Google Presentations 227

Part IV: Popping the Hood: Google Apps Administration 255
Chapter 14; The Dashboard 257
Chapter 15: Start Page Configuration and Administration277
Chapter 16: Creating a Web Site for Your Organization291
Chapter 17: Tweaking Your Apps 313

Part V: The Part of Tens 331
Chapter 18: Ten Solutions to Common Problems 333
Chapter 19: Ten More Google Apps for Your Business, Group, or Organization 341

Index 349

Ryan Teeter is an accomplished writer and technology trainer. He has worked closely with business teachers throughout the country and consulted with the National Business Education Association, businesses, and school districts on Google Apps implementation. Ryan spent time working at Google in Mountain View, California, as an External Training Specialist, developing curriculum used for training Fortune 500 companies. When he’s not conducting training workshops or writing, Ryan’s pursuing his passion for teaching as a doctoral student at Rutgers University, where he’s completing a PhD in accounting information systems. (www.ryanteeter.com,www.technonerd.info)

Karl Barksdale was a former Development Manager for the Training and Certification team at WordPerfect Corporation and a Marketing Manager in the Consumer Products division. He was also the External Training Manager for Google’s Online Sales and Operations division. He’s best known for authoring and co-authoring 59 business and computer education textbooks. Albeit, the job he enjoys most is teaching at the Utah County Academy of Sciences, an early college high school on the Utah Valley University campus. (www.karlbarksdale.com)

Get down to business with these online office tools

Create documents and spreadsheets, keep your calendar, use Gmail, and more

There's more than one way to do office stuff. Google Apps are Web-based, low-cost (or free!) office productivity tools that do everything those big guys do, and you can access them from any computer with an Internet connection. This book boosts your "app-titude" with the lowdown on choosing, setting up, and using them for work and play.

Discover how to:

• Choose among the different editions

• Register a new domain

• Use Gmail and Google Talk

• Create and collaborate on documents

• Import events into your calendar

• Build cool presentations