Google Workspace Account Management:

1. Personal Info:  Manage your core identity details, including your profile picture, name, contact information, and addresses.
   1. Password Updates: Selecting the Google Password field will direct you to AccessUH to manage your single sign-on (SSO) credentials.
   2. Use the Get Help button at the bottom of the page for additional detailed documentation.
      
      
2. Security and sign-in:  Monitor account activity and manage authentication methods
   1. Activity Monitoring - Review recent security events, signed-on devices (laptops, mobile, etc.), and access the Google Password Manager
   2. 2Step Verification - Allows configuration of 2 Step Verification using a phone number or authenticator app under the "How you sign in to Google" section
   3. Authentication - The password is your cougarnet.uh.edu credential, and if selected, you will be redirected to AccessUH.
   4. Recovery - external recovery emails are not turned on due to AccessUH SSO integration... Contact IT Support if you need recovery/password assistance.  
   5. Use the Get Help button at the bottom of the page for additional detailed documentation.
      
      
3. Google Password:  Access to Google Workspace is provisioned through the UH Information Security Department via SSO. For password problems, please call 713-743-1411.  
   
   
4. Third-party connections:  Review and manage which external applications have permission to access your account data.
   1. For information about sharing data with third-party applications, contact  IT Support.  
   2. Use the Get Help button at the bottom of the page for additional detailed documentation.
      
      
5. Data and privacy:  Personalize your privacy settings and manage your digital history.
   1. Preferences - adjust history settings, ad preferences, location tracking, and service-specific data
   2. Data Backup - Download a backup of your account data
   3. Direct questions to IT Support or use the Get Help button at the bottom of the Data and privacy page.
      
      
6. People and sharing:  Manage how you interact with others across Google Services.
   
   1. Features - organize your contacts, manage location sharing, and your profiles.
   2. Use the Get Help button at the bottom of the page for additional detailed documentation.
      
      
7. Payment and subscriptions:  Manage personal subscription services through Google. For more information, select the Get Help button at the bottom of the Payments & subscriptions page.
    

• Data Security: Google Workspace accounts are secure within the University Google Workspace license and are not reviewed by anyone other than those to whom you grant access. Please note:
  
  • You can share files, folders, your profile, and other information with others by sending them a link. Like Google services for consumers, your information is available to those with whom you share it.
  • Google uses Context-Aware Access Control, meaning that Google knows the identity, device status, and IP address, and can enforce access rules.
  • Data (including video data) is encrypted in Google Drive and applications as well as in transit.
  • For more information on Google Workspace Security Configuration, contact  IT Support.
     
• Google Account Help (Create a Google Account - Computer - Google Account Help)

• Description: Google Drive is a central cloud-based storage and collaboration platform. It is a secure digital hub where users can create, store, and access files from any internet-enabled device. It integrates easily with Google's suite of Workspace tools, ensuring data and documents are available wherever and whenever needed.
  
  
• Key Features: 
  
  • Real-time collaboration with colleagues or classmates using integrated apps like Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
  • Granular sharing permissions (view, comment, edit) for individuals or groups
  • Search via file type, name, owner, keyword, date
  • Track versions over time for restoration, avoiding data loss or accidental overwrites
  • Files are encrypted both in transit and at rest on the servers
    
    
• Data Security:  Google Drive contents are housed on Google servers and are private to the University of Houston. In addition, Google Drive allows you to set permissions for members, including:
  
  • All members of a shared drive can view all files and folders in the shared drive. If you have Manager access to a folder, you can restrict access to a folder to specific members.
  • Some members may have more permissions, such as view only, comment, or edit access, depending on what access level they have.
  • Members with Manager access (also called “shared drive managers”) and Google Workspace admins can add other people as members and set their access level. Requests for membership to a shared drive are sent to all Managers.
     
• Get Started Link  (How to use Google Drive - Computer - Google Drive Help)

• Description: Google Classroom is your comprehensive web-based learning system for classroom connectivity and collaboration. It streamlines the educational process, allowing faculty to create classes, distribute assignments, and communicate with students in a single platform. By integrating with Google Workspace tools, it simplifies the transitions between in-person, virtual, and hybrid environments.
  
  
• Key Features: 
  Once you create a class with the Class Title and Description, four tabs appear across the top for the class: Stream, Classwork, People, and Grades
  • Stream - allows posting updates and announcements; the generation of Google Meet live classroom or tutoring sessions; facilitates class-wide discussions.
  • Classwork: Use Topics to categorize assignments, quizzes, and materials; Create interactive AI learning experiences through NotebookLM study guides or Gems as described below:
    • NotebookLM: Allows you to turn your course material into an interactive study guide, create summaries and audio overviews, and develop informational podcasts. 
    • Gemini Gems: are custom versions of Gemini to personalize the learning for a particular topic or learning goal, allowing you to create a Gem to chat with your students like a study partner, a brainstorm partner, a quiz partner, or a real-world connector.
    • In each assignment, you can connect to Google Drive documents, YouTube media, upload documents, link content, and create new docs, slides, sheets, drawings, forms, and videos.
  • People:  Simplify Google Class enrollment by just emailing the class code to registered students and use the people tab to send individual or group emails.
  • Grades: Centralized gradebook to track student submissions and customize grading across total points, weighted categories, or proficiency-based scales.
    
    
• Data Security:  Google Classroom is housed on Google servers and private to the University of Houston. Content is not reviewable by anyone other than those university faculty/staff/students to whom you grant access and/or share a link. Anyone with a unique link you shared may access the classroom.
  
  
• Google Help (Classroom Help)

• Description:  Google Docs is a professional web-based word processing software enabling real-time creation, formatting, and editing of documents with multiple users. Designed for productivity, Google Docs is used for group projects, enabling all group members have the latest version accessed through any internet-enabled device.
  
  
• Key Features: 
  • Real-time Editing - up to 100 users can work on a document at once
  • Collaboration through suggestions and comments - proposing edits/making comments that can be reviewed, approved, rejected, or commented on before the document is changed.
  • AI-powered autocomplete, voice typing, and built-in translations
  • Comprehensive version history
  • Granular sharing permissions (view, comment, edit) for individuals or groups
  • Generate citations through the tools menu
    
    
• Data Security:  Google Docs are housed on Google servers and private to the University of Houston. Content is not reviewable by anyone other than those university faculty/staff/students to whom you grant access and/or share a link. Anyone with a unique link you shared may access the Docs.
  
  
• Get Started Link (Create your first document in Google Docs - Google Workspace Learning Center)

• Description:  Google Sheets is cloud-based spreadsheet application allowing real-time collaboration with automatic saving for data integrity. Authorized users can access and edit spreadsheets from any internet-enabled device, and the platform integrates with other Google Workspace software.
  
  
• Key Features:  Quick column, cell, range, array, or combination calculations; click of a button column stats; instant chart creation, data validation, filtered views, and version history to backtrack to before that calculation went awry!
  
  
• Data Security:  Google Sheets are housed on Google servers and private to the University of Houston. Content is not reviewable by anyone other than those university faculty/staff/students to whom you grant access and/or share a link. Anyone with a unique link you shared with them may access the Sheet.
  
  
• Get Help (Google Sheets training and help - Google Workspace Learning Center)

• Description:  Google Slides is a web-based presentation platform with functionality similar to Microsoft PowerPoint. Google Slides allows users to build, edit, and refine presentations individually or collaboratively in real-time. The platform is versatile and supports a wide range of formats, including PPTX, PNG, JPG, POT, TXT, SVG, PDF, and more.
  
  
• Key Features:
  • Cloud storage allowing synchronous editing with complete revision history
  • Seamlessly embed images, audio, and video files to create dynamic content
  • Use integrations with Google Vids and Gemini for custom imagery, multimedia elements, and videos
  • Create speaker notes and manage delivery with a presenter dashboard
    
    
• Data Security:  Google Slides are housed on Google servers and are private to the University of Houston. Content is not reviewable by anyone other than those university faculty/staff/students to whom you grant access and/or share a link. Anyone with a unique link you shared with them may access the Slides.
  
  
• Get Help (Google Slides training and help - Google Workspace Learning Center)

• Description: Google Calendar is an easy-to-use web-based calendar for time management, appointments, and scheduling. As a cloud-native platform, it automatically syncs across all your devices, ensuring you have access wherever and whenever you need it. It integrates directly with Google Workspace, including Gmail and Google Meet, to streamline communications and meetings with faculty and students.
  
  
• Key Features:
• Easy import of Outlook or Apple Calendars and ability to share calendars
• Integrated video conferencing with Google Meet links with a single click
• Allows for multiple calendar overlays, viewing separate calendars for personal items, academic deadlines, and professional schedules
• Customizable reminders and notifications
• Adding dates and times to tasks automatically adds them to your calendar
• Data Security: Google Calendars are housed on Google servers and private to the University of Houston. Content is not reviewable by anyone other than those university faculty/staff/students to whom you grant access and/or share a link. Anyone with a unique link you shared with them may access the Calendar.
  
  
• Get Help (Google Calendar Help)

• Description: Google Chat is a real-time collaboration tool designed for messaging and organized workflows. Accessible via the web, Google Chat allows users on desktop applications or mobile devices to manage projects, share information, and communicate securely.
  
  
• Key Features:
• Direct messaging for quick updates
• Dedicated group environments via Spaces
• File sharing from Google Drive
• Start a video Google Meet conversation directly from the chat interface
• Integration with Gemini allows AI assistance to catch up on the conversation, share action items, translate in real-time, and brainstorm ideas
  
  
• Data Security: Google Chats are housed on Google servers and private to the University of Houston. Content is not reviewable by anyone other than those university faculty/staff/students to whom you grant access and/or share a link. Anyone with a unique link you shared may access the Chat.
  
  
• Get Help (Google Chat Help)

• Description: Google Meet is a real-time video and audio communication tool for secure virtual meetings, remote instruction, and professional collaboration. As a central component of Google Workspace, it integrates easily with Google Calendar, Classroom, and Docs to streamline planning and meetings. Google Meet supports high-definition video calls for up to 1000 participants.
  
  
• Key Features:
  • Join calls from anywhere, on any device, without plug-ins for downloads - even from Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides to collaborate on files
  • Create meeting links directly in Google Calendar or Google Classrooms for easy student access
  • Provides for breakout rooms, built-in polls, digital whiteboarding, and a dedicated Q&A module
  • Live transcriptions/translation, automatic attendance tracking, and host moderation of participant interactions
  • Allows for multiple co-hosts with connection anytime, anywhere, on any device.
    
    
• Data Security: Google Meets are housed on Google servers and private to the University of Houston. Meets are not accessible/reviewable by anyone other than those university faculty/staff/students to whom you grant access and/or share a link. Anyone with a unique link you shared with them may access the conference.
  In addition, Google Meet lets you:
  • Prevent unwanted guests from entering the meeting with safety locks and automatic blocking of anonymous attendees
  • Eject people from the meeting and manage requests to join in bulk
  • End meetings for everyone and prevent them from joining the call without the host present
  • Control who can use the chat or present features
  • Mute individual participants or everyone at once

• Get Help (Google Meet training and help - Google Workspace Learning Center)

• Description: Google Vids is an AI-powered video creation tool to assist with script writing, storyboarding, and editing to make video creation faster and easier. The platform transforms text prompts and existing Workspace files into cohesive video storyboards, making it an ideal tool for student projects and instructional content.
  
  
• Key Features:
• Allows real-time collaboration
• Contains a large library of royalty-free media, AI avatars, and Text to Video with Google's latest video model Veo
• Easy integration of Google Docs or Slides via the “@" symbol to automatically build contextually accurate script and visual layouts
• Provides a variety of natural sounding voiceovers to narrate your content
• Real-time co-editing

Note: Videos limited to 10 minutes in length

• Data Security: Google Vids are housed on Google servers and private to the University of Houston. Content is not reviewable by anyone other than those university faculty/staff/students to whom you grant access and/or share a link. Anyone with a unique link you shared with them may access the Vids.
  
  
• Get Help (Google Vids training and help - Google Workspace Learning Center)

• Description: Google Forms is an easy way to simplify data collection through custom surveys, quizzes, and intake forms. It is designed for gathering feedback, conducting research, and managing administrative tasks like registrations.
  
  
• Key Features:
• Create surveys and forms accessible from any device, anywhere, anytime.
• Dynamic creation through drag and drop question creation, conditional logic, and multimedia integration
• Automatic grading, data analysis, summary analytics, and integration with Google Sheets.
  
  
• Data Security: Google Forms are housed on Google servers and private to the University of Houston. Content is not reviewable by anyone other than those university faculty/staff/students to whom you grant access and/or share a link. Anyone with a unique link you shared with them may access the Form.
  
  
• Get Help (How to use Google Forms - Computer - Google Docs Editors Help)

• Description: Google sites is a versatile web-based platform for the creation of websites for classes, teams, projects or specific events. It allows users to build and publish internal or public facing websites individually or through real-time collaboration without coding or development expertise.
  
  
• Key Features:
• No code drag and drop design interface
• Automatic grid layouts and simple scaling make movement and resizing of elements effortless
• Premade templates to kick start the project
• Integrated content from Google Docs, Sheets, and Calendar
• Real-time teamwork
• Track changes over time with version control and sharing permissions for site integrity
  
  
• Data Security: Google Sites are housed on Google servers and private to the University of Houston unless you make them public. If not public, content is not reviewable by anyone other than those university faculty/staff/students to whom you grant access and/or share a link.
  
  
• Get Help (Google Sites training and help - Google Workspace Learning Center)