CaRT eCapacity Initiative Ghana Productivity Apps 1. Email 2. Calendar 3. Drive 4. Docs 5. Forms 6. Sheets 7. Slides 8. Sites 9. Drawings 10. Hangouts 11. Analytics An online "app," an abbreviation for application, is a piece of software that can run on the internet, on a computer, or on other electronic devices. Apps can exist entirely on the web as websites that run scripted software within a browser window, such as Google web search. In this context, even Google the search engine is an app.

1. Google Mail 2. Google Calendar The use of Google tools and apps begins by setting up a Google Email account. Gmail is a free webmail service that performs all typical functions in an email environment, including keeping emails from the same conversation together in one thread. Group mailing lists can be set up. 2. Google Calendar Google Calendar supports scheduling online and offline meetings and events by checking co-workers’ availability or layering their calendars in a single view, or integrated online calendars designed for teams. Calendar synchronizes with Gmail, Drive, Contacts, Sites and Hangouts. View and edit schedules from any digital device.

3. Google Drive 4. Google Docs Google Drive is a central web-based cloud storage environment -- an alternative to storing data on a device's internal storage system -- for personal digital content, whether created in other Google tools or uploaded -- Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, spreadsheets, videos, and images. Create directories for organizing files, embedded in folders, embedded in larger folders, and so on, as in word processing environments. Content created with Google apps -- documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and so on -- or uploaded may be created directly from and stored in Google Drive. Your Drive may be accessed with a Google login from any computer and mobile device. 4. Google Docs Google Docs is a full-featured word processing environment. Create and edit text documents in the browser; or upload and edit word processing documents and convert them to Google Doc documents for further editing (upload PDF files as well). Documents are automatically saved as they are created. Invite specific individuals to share and/or edit. Multiple people can work at the same time on a document, see edits as others type, communicate through built-in chat, ask questions, and enter comments. Users can track changes made to documents, as well as see previous versions and a full revision history Users can see changes may be others, highlighted in different colors based on who made them, similar to "track change" features in word processors. Export documents various formats: .docx, .pdf, .odt, .rtf, .txt or .html.

5. Google Forms 6. Google Sheets Google Forms is a Web-based application that allows users to create custom forms for surveys and questionnaires. Multiple question types are available, such as questions, short answers, paragraphs, multiple choice, checkboxes, dropdowns, linear scales, and multiple choice grids. Videos and images may be added. Surveys and questionnaires may be shared with others, and multiple people can work on them at the same time. Every change is saved automatically. Individual responses can be seen as they come in. Summaries of responses can be created automatically in table form and downloaded as CSV files. Or data may be collected and analyzed in Google Sheets (a spreadsheet app). 6. Google Sheets Google Sheets is a Web-based application that allows users to create, update, modify, and import spreadsheets and share data live online. Spreadsheets can be created and edited collaboratively with team members online, in real time, using chat through a built-in instant messaging program, and stored in Google Drive. Sheets offers typical spreadsheet features, such as the ability to add, delete, and sort rows and columns. It supports cell formulas typically found in most desktop spreadsheet packages. These formulas can be used to create functions that manipulate data and calculate strings and numbers. Export Sheets in many file forms.

7. Google Slides 8. Google Sites Google Slides is an online presentation tool with features typical of these types of tools. Templates can be created or selected from pre-designed templates. In addition to text, videos, images, and drawings can be inserted. Multiple team members can work on a presentation at the same time. Versions are saved automatically online and kept indefinitely to track and undo revisions. 8. Google Sites Google Sites is a tool for creating a project site, like an intranet website, a portal, for team members. Documents, written through an intuitive editor, and calendars, maps, videos, spreadsheets, presentations can be embedded.

9. Drawings Google Drawings is an app for creating, sharing, and editing drawings online, such as diagrams, images and painted images, charts and flowcharts. Drawings can be added to documents, presentations, or spreadsheets. Formatting tools are similar to presentation tools: templates, text boxes, lines, shapes, colors, arrows, scribbles, polylines, backgrounds, aligning and rotating items. Features include laying out drawings precisely with alignment guides, snap to grid, and auto distribution. Drawings allows users to collaborate. 10. Hangouts Google Hangouts is a communications platform where members participate in text, voice or video chats, one-on-one or in a group, instant messaging, SMS and VOIP features. The screen automatically focuses on whomever is speaking. Individuals can show digital material with screen sharing. Hangouts may be automatically added while creating a meeting in Calendar, and meetings can host hangouts for up to 25 people from their desktops and other digital devices. The service can be accessed online through the Gmail or Google+ websites, or through mobile apps for Android and iOS. Chat histories are saved online, allowing them to be synced between devices.

11. Google Analytics Google analytics is a website statistics service with a set of integrated data analytics products. It tracks, reports and generates detailed statistics about a website's traffic, efficiency, traffic sources new and repeat sources), how visitors found a site, what pages they visited, how long they stayed on the site, and other facts and figures. Traffic is defined as visits to a website in which users type your URL into their browser's address bar or when a visitor uses a bookmark to get to a website. Goals are a measure of what you want to track; they must relate to a quantifiable action that your website's visitors take, such as reading, viewing, sign-ups, downloads, and so on.