Google Workspace: Overview of a flexible & helpful business solution

What is Google Workspace? In a nutshell, Google Workspace is a suite of integrated cloud-based applications which can be used to create a virtual work environment. Google Workspace drives collaboration by allowing teams to access data, documents, and project plans and coordinate tasks using an internet browser regardless of where they are and what device they’re using.

The built-in sharing and collaboration tools make it possible for teams to work on a single document with the ability to see edits as others type and communicate through built-in chat and question/answer features.

The complete package with cloud-based file storage, word processing applications and communication tools is very similar to Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365 and is millions of businesses worldwide . 

Google Workspace is available under a subscription model and includes the following services:

• Gmail (business grade email on a custom domain name)
• Google Calendar (events & resource management)
• Google Drive (cloud storage)
• Google Calendar (online planner)
• Google Meet (video/voice conferencing and messaging service)
• Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms (tools for word processing, presentation, form and spreadsheets)
• Google Spaces – Team collaboration
• Google Vault and Admin (data archiving and management)
• Google Sites (tool for creating public and internal websites)
• App Maker (development platform)

While consumer services like Gmail and Google Calendar are available to people free of charge albeit with limited features, Google Workspace makes it possible for businesses to set up Gmail on their custom business domain name (john@yourcompany) with integrated productivity and collaboration tools essential for running a modern workplace.

Google Workspace is a solution that Google itself uses to run its enterprise. It suitable for both self-employed people and small & medium-sized companies as well as large corporations employing thousands of people. 

Google Workspace helps businesses get rid of unnecessary complexity and costs of managing their own IT infrastructure by helping you work in the cloud which is its greatest benefit. All you have to do is sign up for a monthly or annual package which gives you access to world-class apps and cloud infrastructure allowing you to focus on your business without having to worry about IT systems, security, updates and upgrades.

An easy to use centralized admin console dashboard allows project managers, supervisors and administrators to define access controls for specific files, manage data and devices, and get helpful insights. Google Workspace users also get round the clock tech support.

The Enterprise edition of Google Workspace give companies pretty much unlimited cloud storage space. Compatibility with third party apps has also been improved so that, for example, external archiving functions and accounting tools can be integrated. If you need more data security, you have additional security options. For instance, application of multi-level authentication makes unauthorized access more difficult while the Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) functionality allows you to protect the confidentiality of email messages by encrypting their content with the public key contained in the recipient’s S/MIME certificate.

Google Workspace is so flexible that it can adapt to how and where your teams work making them both location and device independent. Whether at home, in the office or on a business trip, all employees can connect and work in the digital workspace without any limitations. To use Google Workspace, all you need are a web browser and a decent internet connection. And when online connectivity isn’t available, it is possible to save and edit data on your device offline, and then sync it with the cloud when the Internet becomes available.

More on Google Workspace: Table of Contents 

1. What apps come with Google Workspace
2. Is Google Workspace suitable for your business?
3. Google Workspace plans and costs

1. What apps come Google Workspace?

Below is an overview of some of the main apps that are included with Google Workspace:

Gmail

The world’s most popular email app, Gmail, is available with business-grade features as part of Google Workspace. Unlike the free version of Gmail, it is possible to create professional email addresses on the company’s official domain name building customer trust with professional email addresses for your team like sia@yourcompany and team group lists like sales@yourcompany. Employees can access their e-mails regardless of time, device and location. Additionally, administrators can manage all user accounts in a central dashboard. 

What’s more, the business-grade version has better spam and security controls and is completely ad-free. The other features are just as practical. For example, the integrated chat, meetings, docs and calendar function allow you to make calls, organize and start meetings, and share documents with colleagues and others right from inside Gmail.

Google calendar

With a cloud based calendar, employees can keep track of upcoming meetings and deadlines and get reminders of important meetings and events. Colleagues and groups can use a shared calendar stay on top of meetings and deadlines. Instead of cumbersomely coordinating appointments with each individual manually, Google Calendar automatically checks whether a team member is available for a meeting at a given time. Google Calendar can also help you track, manage and book resources like availability of a certain room and equipment at a particular time for a meeting. Google Calendar is also compatible with most other online planners, saving you time and effort that’ll otherwise be lost in making dual entries.

You can also keep the entire department or partner companies up-to-date on project progress and other important events by simply integrating the calendar into an intranet page created with Google Sites.

Google Drive

Google Drive is at the foundation of Google Workspace in that it is the central place where you save all files and data important for work and collaboration and which you and your work colleagues can access from anywhere. Google Drive therefore is fundamental for sharing and collaborating in real-time.

If you don’t want the hassle of building, managing and maintaining your own data center, Google Drive is the way to go as it allows you to move all your business data, files and emails to the cloud. The storage space is ample in that it gives each user 30GB of space on Business Starter plan, 2TB on Business Standard plan, 5TB on Business Plus plan, and virtually unlimited storage on Enterprise plans. 

If you would rather store important data locally and make it available offline on desktop computers, it is totally possible with automatic synchronization with the cloud. Various controls also allow you to set sharing options and access controls for individual employees, groups and departments. In addition, AI machine learning independently evaluates which data is currently relevant and makes it visible for quick access. The storage space can also be subdivided for a better overview. Anyone who has previously used Microsoft 365 or MS Office can migrate the data and documents over to Google Drive via a plug-in without laborious data entry. Google Workspace support team at Rocket Domains can also help with data migration.

Google Docs, Sheets, Forms, Slides, Notes and more

Google Workspace offers a complete package of everyday office apps allowing you to create, share and collaborate on all kinds of documents, spreadsheets, survey forms, presentation slides and more and easily use them for a customer meeting or share them online. All of this can be done without having to install any software for all of the Google Workspace apps can be used on a web browser. What’s more, all authorized team members can work on a document at the same time. The changes are immediately visible to everyone and can also be undone. Chat functions save you from having to send larger data packets back and forth and to communicate change requests via comment functions. All tools can be used in offline mode, but only via the Chrome browser.

Import your documents to make them instantly editable, including Microsoft® Word and PDF files, and collaborate on documents while having a conversation. Google Workspace user interface is very similar to Microsoft Office so employees will easily adapt to Google Workspace so long as they have used Microsoft Word, Excel, etc.,. However, you may have to make small compromises in terms of features. For example, if graphically advanced presentations and a wide range of formatting options are important to you, Google Workspace may not be right fit with regards to the competing Microsoft 365. So weigh up whether you can do without those features, and whether the other Google Workspace apps and features can make up for that small disadvantage. Additionally, Microsoft Office and Google Workspace Apps are compatible in terms of document editing and viewing so you can use both software packages together.

Google Docs : This word processing app is very similar to Microsoft Word in that it has all the tools for text formatting and page layouts. You can easily create and edit text documents directly in your browser without the need for a dedicated software. Several people can work on a document at the same time, and every change is saved automatically. Google Docs however lags behind Microsoft 365 in terms of its limited design features. To make up for them, you can add more fonts and elements via add-ons.

Google Sheets (Spreadsheets) : Sheets is Google’s answer to Microsoft Excel to create, manage and share spreadsheets. Sheets is designed with the needs of agile organizations in mind with AI features allowing you to tap into the right insights in order to make meaningful business decisions. Its cloud-based architecture enables you to collaborate with anyone anywhere. Sheets are compatible with Microsoft Office and other third party systems thereby removing the friction of working with multiple data sources. Only the commands for entering formulas differ slightly. While Google Sheets has all the common Microsoft Excel cell formulas, Microsoft Excel remains the best choice for more complicated spreadsheets.

Google Forms : With this tool you can quickly create a survey or questionnaires, share them with others, and embed them on websites for users to fill them in. Plenty of ready-made elements are available for different types of questions making it easier to create forms. The responses from the target audience can then be received and archived. You can also add images and embed the company logo for a visually appealing form. The table tool evaluates answers in real time and displays the results graphically.

Google Slides: Slides app is Google’s presentation builder allowing you to create, collaborate on and share presentations online. Slides are also great for displaying projections and results in diagrams and illustrate ideas with graphs and animations. The built-in templates can be useful for employees who are less experienced in graphics. However, this app cannot hold a candle to PowerPoint when it comes to more advanced templates and design features.

Google Notes : Google Notes allows employees to jot down a flash of inspiration and share a mind map for a project without the risk of losing the note. You can also create to-do lists, set up reminders for tasks & appointments, color-code the notes, add images, drawings, and voice files. The search function allows you to filter annotations by colour, labels and other categories.
 

Google Meet

With this tool you can keep your workforce connected with enterprise-grade video conferencing built on the same secure-by-design infrastructure, built-in protection and global network that Google uses to secure your information and safeguard your privacy.

Meet video meetings are encrypted in transit and a wife range of pre-activated anti-abuse measures keep your meetings safe. Meet makes it super easy to join a video call at work. Just hit the “set up a meeting” button and share its link, without having to worry about whether colleagues, clients, or customers have the right accounts or plug-ins. With a fast, lightweight interface and smart participant management, multi-person video calls are a breeze. You can also reach a larger audience by live streaming Google Meetings on YouTube

Meet includes video conferencing, voice-only messaging, and text-based chat . The integrated Google Calendar will remind you of upcoming meetings or easily send invitations via Gmail. No internet? No problem! Colleagues who are cut off from the Internet can connect using an individual dial-in number.

Google Sites

Collaboratively create engaging sites for your team, project or event and display your team’s work without learning design or programming with the help of pre-made templates. The sites adapt to all screens, from desktop to smartphone and make it simple to display your team’s work. What’s more you can easily add content from Google Workspace – whether it’s a Drive folder, Doc, Sheet, Slide, Form or even a shared Calendar.

Useful Tip

If you want to create a public website and use Google Workspace, you need a domain name. With Rocket Domains you can easily purchase a cheap domain with an attractive name and integrate it with Google Workspace with 1 click. What's more, you get FREE Rocket Cloud Planetary DNS giving your domain ultimate speed, security and uptime at all times all over the planet.

Google Spaces

Spaces in Google Workspace offers an integrated, effective solution for anytime collaboration, where team members can share ideas and knowledge, manage tasks, discuss and follow topics, collaborate on documents, arrange meetings, and manage tasks within a single collaboration space.

Google Vault

Google Vault is a management tool that makes it easier to archive files, e-mails and other content and store it in a legally secure manner. You can divide data from Google Workspace into different packages, and then arrange and export it. You can also view historical logs and collect data for audits. Additionally, Google Vault is used to manage user accounts. To comply with data protection guidelines, you can also define retention periods. Google Vault is available as add-on with Google Workspace Business Starter, Business Standard and Business Plus packages. Google Workspace Enterprise package, however, includes App Sheet by default.

App Sheet

AppSheet helps you build no-code mobile & web apps using an array of data sources like Google Sheets, Excel, Cloud SQL, and more. If you’d like, you can also start from a prebuilt app template to easily and quickly launch your app without having to write time-consuming code.

Apps created with AppSheet allow you to facilitate a specific distribution of tasks within departments and other work processes.

App Sheet is available as an extra add-on with Google Workspace Business Starter, Business Standard and Business Plus packages. Google Workspace Enterprise package, however, includes App Sheet by default.

2. Is Google Workspace suitable for my business?

To see whether Google Workspace is the right fit for your business, it’s important to ask yourself the following questions:

Do I need a cloud-based platform?

The main feature of Google Workspace is the complete transfer of data storage and processing to the cloud. This is one of its major advantages over Microsoft 365 – making the Google Workspace a great tool for location-independent teamwork. If your company has employees who are often on the move for meetings, off site work or sales tasks, Google Workspace can give them access to the work tools and data they need helping them do their best work without having to be physically present in the office.

And if you’re a business that has adopted the work-from-home or the hybrid-work model enabling employees to work from anywhere, Google Workspace can deliver increased productivity and collaboration while keeping every single member of your team in the loop.

The same benefits are available to companies that are scattered in different geographic locations and those with the need to coordinate with subcontractors, external partners, service providers and customers. The Google Workspace communication platform built into the cloud ensures that every authorised user has seamless access to data and tools he needs irrespective of their device (laptop, desktop, tablet or smartphone) and location.

In particular, start-ups, micro and small businesses can save massively on effort and resources from Google Workspace Cloud based model which does away with the need to have their own hardware infrastructure, data centers, software as well as security and system administrators, as all data storage and computing processes take place in the cloud. For this very reason, Google Workspace is a great fit for self-employed people who communicate directly with customers and work on projects from different locations. When it comes to cloud-based collaboration, Google Workspace is a clear winner.

Compared to Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 – despite its more powerful tools and features – seems to be lacking in terms of cloud capabilities. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are both great tools for managing the productivity side of your business, with Microsoft 365 arguably winning on product features, and Google Workspace winning when it comes to making collaboration easy.

For those who want a hybrid solution with storage on a hard drive or in a data center where they have exclusive control over data, Microsoft Office is the way to go.

Disadvantages of the cloud

a. Need for a good Internet connection

One of the main disadvantages of the cloud is that it requires a decent internet connection. However, if the connection is lost, there is an option for many functions to switch to offline mode and subsequently synchronize files.

b. Privacy, security and business continuity risks

Having your data and files in cloud, which is what Google Workspace requires, can pose a few security and privacy hazards. While Google employs very sophisticated security tools and professionals to prevent data theft and loss, no system is safe from technical breaches, breakdowns, temporary server failures, data theft and malicious attacks 100% of the time. 

Additionally, with all your data on Google’s servers, you will be taking a big leap of faith in that Google always will have the power to block your access for a range of reasons. However, that is unlikely to happen given that it is more of a worst-case scenario.

With all your sensitive data in cloud, you’ll hope it’ll be protected against unauthorized access. While Google complies with international IT security standards, the incidents such as the NSA leaks showed that secret services can gain access to data at the server locations.

As far as privacy issues are concerned, it’s best to review Google’s privacy policy to see if it’s compatible with the needs and legal obligations of your business. Data Privacy advocates have highlighted privacy related issues in relation to data processing which Google has dismissed as untrue.

To ensure more security, Google provides multi-level authentication tools and other security functions which can be used to change or remove access to data at any time via the admin console. Mobile device management allows you to back up data from mobile devices and erase it in case of theft or loss. For Enterprise grade Workspace users, Google provides even more security tools. For instance, you can use your own certificates for S/MIME encryption of email correspondence in Gmail.

To ensure data protection you can set suitable access controls for each user so not everyone can view, edit and download the files that they’re not supposed to have access to.

Google has also confirmed Workspace complies with EU data protection requirements.

Depending on the size and needs of your company, it may also be possible for you to negotiate tailor-made legal clauses with Google with regards to data processing.

3. Google Workspace Plans & Costs

Google Workspace is available on a subscription model. You can choose from five Google Workspace editions or plans. The basic Workspace edition (Starter) can meet the needs of the self-employed and most small businesses. To see which Google Workspace edition is a good match for your business it’s best to compare the editions/plans and their respective features side by side.

The pricing below from Google Cloud Partner Rocket Domains includes set up, support, and a Mission Control dashboard to manage your Workspace user seats, licenses and domain name integration.

• Google Workspace Business Starter: The basic edition of Google Workspace is priced at $9 per user per month. It gives you apps like Gmail for business email, video conferencing for 100 participants, and word processing, spreadsheets, forms, presentations apps and more. You also get to have your own admin console to manage Google Workspace users, apps, and security controls. The cloud storage space on Google Workspace Starter plan is set at 30 GB per user.
   
• Google Workspace Business Standard : The standard edition of Google Workspace gives you everything from the Starter edition plus 2 TB of cloud storage space for just $13 per user per month. Additional features include: Smart Cloud Search and meetings with 150 participants.
  
• Google Workspace Business Plus: This plus edition of Google Workspace costs $19 per month giving you 5 TB of cloud storage space for each user. Additional features include: Smart Cloud Search, Vault data archiving, eDiscovery, and meetings with 500 participants with attendance tracking and more.
   
• Google Workspace Enterprise Standard: This edition of Google Workspace is suitable for companies that need enterprise level premium data security & management controls as well as low code App development in addition to virtually unlimited cloud storage. Google Workspace Enterprise Standard costs $26 per month. It also includes Google Vault, Cloud Identity Premium, data loss protections, and Enhanced Support.
  
• Google Workspace Enterprise Plus: This edition of Google Workspace includes everything in Google Workspace Enterprise Standard edition with AppSheet Pro, integration with third-party archiving tools, live streaming of Google Meet with up to 100,000 participants, Work Insights to measure the impact of digital transformation in your organisation, security centre, compliance certifications, S/MME Encryption etc. Google Workspace Enterprise Plus is available for $34 per month.

It’s advisable to opt annual plans to ensure continuity. Non-profit organizations can get free access to the platform. For educational institutions, the costs are significantly reduced. “Google Workspace for Nonprofits ” and “Google Workspace for Education” offer a customized Workspace functionality for non profit organisations and educational bodies.

Conclusion

Google Workspace is a great tool to switch to a cloud based work environment and transform how you work, cut costs, improve efficiency and be more productive. You can rest assured Google Workspace offers the security, reliability and cloud infrastructure necessary to keep data, identities, applications and devices safe.

• Encryption at-rest and in-transit
• Automatic protection against sophisticated phishing and malware threats
• Empowering admins to streamline authentication, asset protection, and operational control—all from one console