Set Your Status on Hangouts in Gmail

Google Hangouts is AWESOME. Not only can you send quick chat style messages, you can video chat with others. This, in my opinion, is better than FaceTime (sorry Apple) in that you can have up to 10 people in the same hangout at the same time. It is easy to use and fast to set up. There are many uses for this tool: video conferencing, quick messages to others, and showing your status to others. This tip will be to show how set up and see status in Gmail Hangouts.

Set Your Status on Hangouts in Gmail

Status messages for Hangouts in Gmail are available! Status messages make it easy to tell your Gmail contacts what you’re doing - whether you're in meetings, at home sick, or just unavailable. You can see others’ statuses by selecting the “Contacts” tab on the bottom left corner of Hangouts. 

If you're not already using Hangouts in Gmail you will need to turn it on:

1. Click on your photo above the chat list.
2. Select “Try the new Hangouts”.

To set your status follow these steps:

1. Click the dropdown next to your picture.
2. Type in your status!

If you want the Document with these directions: Click Here

Add Fonts to a Google Document

Fonts! What would the world be without them? This coming from a self proclaimed "Fontophile". I LOVE fonts. The more the better. When I left MS Office as my main tool, I was disappointed in Google Documents and the lack of fonts to choose from. All that has changed. There are now over 450 fonts to choose from. Life is good again. Below are easy to follow directions on how to add fonts to your Google Documents.

Add Fonts to a Google Document

I will admit that I am addicted to Google. I use Drive for everything (sorry MS Office...you are not in my tool box any more). I did have one complaint moving to Drive: the lack of Fonts! I am a self proclaimed “Fontophile”. I am addicted to fonts. In MS Office I had over 527 fonts on my computer (I know...it was a sickness). Moving to Drive was a little disappointing a few years ago. Now, that is not an issue. There are over 450 fonts to choose from! As I am saying this, I know some of you are saying that you can not see them. All you need to do is pick the ones you want and install them. Installing is very easy and all done through an open document. Here are the easy steps.

1. Open a Google Document.
2. Click on the fonts button.

3. Look at the list of fonts you have and click on the bottom “More Fonts”.

4. Scroll on the left side. Click any font you want. When you are ready click “OK” at the bottom and they will appear in the column to the right. This is your new font list.

5. That is all. One tip of advice (from a recovering Fontophile). Don't go overboard. Just choose the ones you actually will use. Otherwise you will spend more time playing with font selection than actually producing a document (all this from an “in therapy” Fontophile)!

If you would like these directions in a Document Click Here!

How to Add a Signature to Your Gmail

Gmail is an awesome tool. There are lots of ways to make your Gmail stand out. Some are a little more overwhelming (changing background patterns or colors, text size, and others. The best way to pass on important information is to have a good email signature. There are lots of things that could go in there. I include my 2 building phone numbers, my Google Voice number, and all my important links (Twitter, Blog, Google+, Flickr, YouTube Channel, and Calendly links). The best part of a complete signature is that all your important contact information is available to anyone you email. Below is how to easily setup your Gmail signature.

How to Add a Signature to Your Gmail

Adding a signature makes your school mail complete. It can include any important information you wish to always have available to parents and others. I include my 2 building phone numbers, my Google Voice number, and all my important sites (Twitter, Blog, Google+, Flickr, YouTube, and Calendly links). Keep in mind, you don’t want your signature to be too overwhelming, and it is redundant to have your email address in it as that is already send through the email you created. Here are the steps to creating your signature.

1. Open up Gmail.

2. Click the gear in the top right corner and click on “Settings”.

3. Scroll down to “Signature”.

4. Click in the box and create your signature. I actually write this in a Google Document so I can edit it easily later. Also, images are easier to work with in a document as you can resize them easier. Just a tip. In mine I made the images links by highlighting the image and clicking the link icon and adding a web link. This takes up less room and adds some color to your signature.

5. Click the button under “No Signature” to include signature. I also check the “Insert this signature before quoted text in replies and remove the "--" line that precedes it.”

6. Scroll to the very bottom and click “Save Changes”.

7. I always send an email to myself to make sure the signature look like I want it to before I call it all done.

If you want these directions in a Google Document Click Here!

Create a Calendar and Import Events

We are undergoing a change in our district right now. We have been a GAFE district for a number of years, but we are changing our domain. This sounds simple enough, the email address just changes at the end...right? Well...there is a lot more that goes into it. What about all those files in your Drive? You do realize that you can not just share and transfer ownership outside your GAFE domain. Sharing, yes. Transfer ownership...not so much. Also, all those calendars that you can not make others owners of. The list goes on. We have been migrating our @gl.k12.mi.us account to @gulllakecs.org for a few weeks now. Things are slowly showing up, sharing, and reorganizing. Slow and steady wins the race. I will be sharing some Tips and Tricks on this migration for the next couple weeks. This tip will be to show how to export events from your old (gl.k12.mi.us) account, create a new calendar, and import these events.

Create a Calendar and Import Events

Here are the steps to export calendar events from one Google Account and import them to another. You will need access to both accounts to do this.

How to export a calendar:

1. Open the Calendar in the account you want to export from in your browser.
2. Click on the gear and then “Settings”.

3. Click on “Calendars”.

4. Scroll down and click on “Export Calendar”.

5. Your exported file will now be on your computer. Remember its location.

---

How to create a new calendar:

1. Open the Calendar in the account you want to create a new calendar in with your browser.
2. Click on the gear and then “Settings”.

3. Click on “Calendars”.

4. Scroll down and click on “Create New Calendar”.

5. Name your calendar and click “Create Calendar”.

---

How to import the exported events into your new calendar:

1. Open the Calendar in your account you want the events added in your browser.
2. Click on the gear and then “Settings”.

3. Click on “Calendars”.

4. Scroll down and click on “Import Calendar”.

5. Choose the exported file from your computer and choose the calendar to import these events into.

6. Click “Import”.

If you want all these steps in a Document Click Here.

Mail Tracker for Gmail

We are undergoing a change in our district right now. We have been a GAFE district for a number of years, but we are changing our domain. This sounds simple enough, the email address just changes at the end...right? Well...there is a lot more that goes into it. What about all those files in your Drive? You do realize that you can not just share and transfer ownership outside your GAFE domain. Sharing, yes. Transfer ownership...not so much. Also, all those calendars that you can not make others owners of. The list goes on. We have been migrating our @gl.k12.mi.us account to @gulllakecs.org for 5 days now. Things are slowly showing up, sharing, and reorganizing. Slow and steady wins the race. I will be sharing some Tips and Tricks on this migration for the next couple weeks. This tip will be to show how to add an extension to track if sent email is received and read in Gmail.

Mail Tracker for Gmail

Our district just got left the GroupWise email system. With all its flaws, there was something I did like. I liked that I could see if someone within the district had read my email. It was a great tool. Moving to Gmail I knew I would lose that. “But Wait!” (said in an infomercial voice). There is a way to track read emails. And even better...it tracks ALL read emails as long as they go to another gmail account. This means emails in district (both staff and students), other school districts (as most are on Gmail), many businesses, and of course all those parents out there using Gmail. Can this be true! Why yes it is! Act Now!

Here is all you need to do:

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. On the far left is the Apps icon. Click on it.
3. Click on “Web Store”.

4. Search for “Mail Tracker”

5. Click on this one.

6. Click “Free” in the top right corner.
7. Follow the directions.

If you are lazy (oh...I mean "efficient with your time/effort) and don't like following all those steps (but see how I tricked you into learning how to use the Chrome Store?) just click this link and it will take you there:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mailtrack-for-gmail/ndnaehgpjlnokgebbaldlmgkapkpjkkb?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

You should be all set now. You will have 2 gray arrows by your sent or received mail.

• The left one turns green when the email is received by another account.
• The right arrow turns green when it is read.

If you hover over these arrows you will get up to the second status of the email.

If you want these directions in a Document, Click Here!

Copy Bookmarks From Other Users in Chrome

We are undergoing a change in our district right now. We have been a GAFE district for a number of years, but we are changing our domain. This sounds simple enough, the email address just changes at the end...right? Well...there is a lot more that goes into it. What about all those files in your Drive? You do realize that you can not just share and transfer ownership outside your GAFE domain. Sharing, yes. Transfer ownership...not so much. Also, all those calendars that you can not make others owners of. The list goes on. We have been migrating our @gl.k12.mi.us account to @gulllakecs.org for 5 days now. Things are slowly showing up, sharing, and reorganizing. Slow and steady wins the race. I will be sharing some Tips and Tricks on this migration for the next couple weeks. This tip will be to show how to copy over bookmarks form your gl.k12.mi.us account into your gulllakecs.org account easily.

Copy Bookmarks From Other Users in Chrome

If you set up a new use in Chrome you may not have all your bookmarks from the gl.k12.mi.us account in your new User. There is an easy fix. Try this.

1. Open Chrome.
2. Go to your old User (probably your gl.k12 user you originally had).
3. Click on the 3 bars (hamburger).

4. Hover on “Bookmarks” and click on “Bookmark Manager”.

5. Click on “Other Bookmarks”.

6. On the right click the top bookmark, hold SHIFT button, and click the bottom bookmark.
7. Right click on the selected bookmarks and click “Copy”.
8. Now go to your new User (your gulllakecs.org User) in Chrome.
9. Go to “Settings”, “Bookmarks”, “Bookmarks Manager”, and “Other Bookmarks” as you did before  but in the new User.
10. Right click in the empty space to the right and paste.
11. You can do the same thing to the “Bookmarks Bar” to get your shortcuts there as well.

You should be all set!

If you want to see the document with these steps: Click Here

Creating Another User in Chrome

We are undergoing a change in our district right now. We have been a GAFE district for a number of years, but we are changing our domain. This sounds simple enough, the email address just changes at the end...right? Well...there is a lot more that goes into it. What about all those files in your Drive? You do realize that you can not just share and transfer ownership outside your GAFE domain. Sharing, yes. Transfer ownership...not so much. Also, all those calendars that you can not make others owners of. The list goes on. We have been migrating our @gl.k12.mi.us account to @gulllakecs.org for 5 days now. Things are slowly showing up, sharing, and reorganizing. Slow and steady wins the race. I will be sharing some Tips and Tricks on this migration for the next couple weeks. This tip will be to show how to set up another User in Chrome to avoid having to sign in and out all day juggling between domains and personal accounts.

Creating Another User in Chrome

This is helpful when you have more than 1 Google Account and you want to log into each form the same computer. This allows you to not have to log out each time. You will want a User set-up for each account you are using. You will have an icon in the top right (Mac) or top left (PC) to switch.

1. Open Chrome.
2. Click the 3 horizontal lines (hamburger) in the top right corner.

3. Click “Settings”.

4. Scroll to “People”.
5. Click “Add Person”.

6. Name the Account (GL Apps or something) and choose an Avatar.

7. Sign In with your gulllakecs.org account.

8. Click “Link Data”.

9. You are all set!

Here is a link to a document to help: Creating Another User in Chrome