Dear Workspacer, you already know GWS like the back of your hand, but have you discovered this gem yet? If not, read on... You'll be amazed! (If so, nothing new here you, feel free to read something else over here.)
Workspaces (confusing as it is) are, along with Starred, Recents and Shortcuts, a perfect way to easily maintain an overview of your documents - in addition to the existing Google Drive folder structure.
The tree branch of your Google Drive is probably established company-wide, and you might not always agree with that imposed structure in your daily work. Thanks to workspaces, located at the top left of the Google Drive toolbar, you can now create your own system to organize documents you frequently use without having to touch the original location of the document.
This provides quick access to project files, calendars or notes, saving you time searching and puzzling.
An example
For example, you might have a folder for each client file, but you also have an overall master overview for each client that you check daily for updates. You have two choices: open each folder daily and click on that overview, or combine all these overviews into a single workspace!
(We know, many of you have already found a workaround by creating a Google Doc/Sheet with links to all those individual documents, but this feature actually makes that kind of burden redundant!)
Can't I just create a folder?
It's important to understand that a Workspace is not a folder. Here's a quick explanation of the difference between both:
- Shortcuts: A workspace contains shortcuts to files located in multiple locations (My Drive, Shared Drives, or Shared with You). This way, a workspace can contain files from multiple folders in one place, which is very useful if you want to view several documents from different locations.
- Private: Workspaces are strictly personal, just like what you find under your own "Starred" and "Recent" sections. You cannot share a workspace with others, even if it contains files to which they also have permissions.
- Limited: A workspace only allows a maximum number of files, while a folder can contain an unlimited number of documents.
There are limitations...
- You cannot add a folder to your workspace, only individual files.
- You can group up to 25 files from different locations under a single theme. By default, only the five most recent documents are displayed per workspace. You can, of course, show the other documents via view more.
- Only a maximum of 8 workspaces are visible at a time. If you want to create more lists, you must first hide another workspace. This is to ensure that the workspaces remain usable and organized, and to prevent a proliferation of shortcuts – which, in turn, makes it difficult to find something quickly!
But there are mostly wins!
- Group without moving:A file can reside in multiple workspaces simultaneously without being moved from its original folder.
- Recommendations: Google will use AI to suggest files for a workspace based on your recent activity.
- No accidents: When you add a file to a workspace, the original file remains in its place. Removing a file from your list doesn't actually delete it from Google Drive.
How do I get started?
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Go to drive.google.com on your computer.
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Click on "Workspaces" at the top of the column on the left and create a workspace. Add files that are relevant to that specific purpose.
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Or start from a specific file and click right <Organize < create a new workspace .
- Ready to go!
Workspaces are ideal for efficient project management because they act as a personal collection of shortcuts to your most important documents. Get in line to get things in line!
