Organise team messages, shared files and collaborative tasks in one place.
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Google Spaces are shared collaboration areas inside Google Chat. A Space can bring together ongoing conversations, people, shared files and tasks so that work on a project, team or subject does not have to be spread across separate direct messages.
PDF · 1 pageA well-managed Space has a clear purpose, appropriate membership and settings that match the work being carried out. Separate Spaces for distinct teams or projects can make information easier to find and reduce the chance that important decisions disappear inside unrelated conversations.
PDF · 1 pageMessages are the main way people communicate inside a Google Chat Space. Keeping replies connected to the correct conversation, using mentions deliberately and editing mistakes promptly makes a busy workplace Space much easier to follow and search later.
PDF · 1 pageGoogle Spaces can keep files and conversations together so members can discuss the same working documents without repeatedly sending separate copies. Files shared from Google Drive keep their own Drive permissions, so membership of a Space does not automatically guarantee access to every linked document.
PDF · 1 pageTasks can turn a conversation into a clear piece of work with an owner and, where available, a due date. Using shared tasks helps a team distinguish between information that has merely been discussed and work that somebody is actually responsible for completing.
PDF · 1 pageNotification settings determine how often Google Chat draws your attention to activity in a Space. The aim is to receive important alerts without being interrupted by every routine message, so notification levels should reflect your responsibility for each Space.
PDF · 1 pageSearch is essential when a Space contains months of messages, files and decisions. Using specific words, names and available search filters can locate earlier information much faster than scrolling through the complete conversation history.
PDF · 1 pageGoogle Spaces can be used alongside Google Meet and Google Calendar so a team can move from written discussion into a meeting and keep the meeting details connected with the people doing the work. Meeting and Calendar options can vary according to Google Workspace settings and the version of Google Chat being used.
PDF · 1 pageGoogle Chat can work with supported apps and integrations that bring information or automated actions into a Space. Integrations are most useful when they reduce repeated manual work or keep a team informed about relevant events without flooding the Space with unnecessary automated messages.
PDF · 1 pageSpace managers help maintain membership, settings and appropriate use of a Google Chat Space. Management controls vary according to the Space type, Google Workspace edition and administrator policies, so managers should use only the controls available to them and follow the organisation's information and conduct procedures.
PDF · 1 pageA Google Space can contain workplace conversations, links, files, tasks and meeting information, so membership and sharing decisions should be treated as access to a working collaboration area rather than as an informal chat. Always follow the organisation's Google Workspace, information-security and data-handling requirements.
PDF · 1 pageMost Google Spaces problems come from account selection, notification settings, membership, Google Drive permissions or the way a conversation has been organised. Check the specific area causing the problem before changing unrelated Space settings.
PDF · 1 pageThese exercises combine the main Google Spaces skills covered in the guide. Use a practice Space or an approved workplace test area where possible, and check membership and file permissions before adding other people or sharing real documents
PDF · 1 pageThis final page brings together the core Google Spaces skills covered throughout the guide. A skill should be considered complete when the task can be carried out correctly and the member understands how Space membership, Google Drive permissions, notifications and shared actions work together.
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