Google Apps : Tools And Tricks

[Karthik R 246]

Gmail keyboard shortcuts are a great way to increase your computing performance. These small combinations of keystrokes within Gmail can be a real productivity booster and help you avoid having to move your hand from keyboard to mouse as frequently.

Gmail shortcuts are somewhat different than browser keyboard shortcuts for two main reasons:

• Limits on Keystroke Choices: when using Gmail keyboard shortcuts you are working within a web browser so Gmail cannot duplicate any of the standard shortcut key combinations used by Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari or Opera web browsers;
  
• Functions Vary by Location: Gmail shortcut functionality is based on your location within Gmail. Some shortcuts function only when reading a message or conversation, some work only when viewing conversation lists such as Inbox or All Mail, or viewing Contacts or Tasks.
  

Activating Gmail’s Keyboard Shortcuts

Before these shortcuts can be used you have to make sure that the Keyboard Shortcuts Setting for Gmail is set to “on” in Gmail Settings as shown here:

To help clarify how Gmail keyboard shortcuts are used they have been grouped below by functionality, such as Navigation, Selection, Management or General.

Gmail Top Level View Navigation Shortcuts

These combinations of keystrokes speed up navigating among top level views such as Inbox, Sent Mail, All Mail, Spam, Trash, Drafts, Contacts and Tasks. All letters in the keystroke combinations are shown in lower case but are not case sensitive. An example: “g then i” means press the “g” key then the “i” key, one right after the other.

g then i – Open the Inbox.

g then s – Open Starred.

g then t – Open Sent Mail.

g then d – Open Drafts.

g then a – Open All Mail.

g then c – Open Contacts.

g then k – Open Tasks.

Gmail Selection and Management Shortcuts

These combinations of keystrokes are used within a specific view such as Inbox or All Mail to assist with quickly managing messages and conversations.

* then a – Select all conversations.

* then n – Deselect all conversations.

* then r – Select only read conversations.

* then u – Select only unread conversations.

* then s – Select only starred conversations.

* then t– Select only unstarred conversations.

x — Select a specific conversation; puts a check in checkbox; works as a toggle.

s – Stars a specific conversation; works as a toggle.

.– Open the More Actions dropdown list; works as a toggle.

e — Archive a conversation from current View into the All Mail View.

l – Open the Labels dropdown list to allow you to apply a label to a conversation.

# — Move the selected conversation to the Trash.

<Shift> + i — Mark selected conversations as read.

<Shift> + u – Mark selected conversations as unread.

Gmail Message Navigation Shortcuts

These Gmail keyboard shortcuts are used for navigating within conversations lists or views. The small black arrow at the left of the conversation list indicates the current conversation focus.

u – Return to conversation list (View) from current conversation.

k – Move to newer conversation; location indicated by black arrow on left.

j – Move to older conversation; location indicated by black arrow on left.

<Enter> or o – Open selected conversation; black arrow indicates selection.

<Shift> + <Enter> or <Shift> + o — Open a conversation in a new window; black arrow indicates selection.

p — Read previous message within a conversation.

n — Read next message within a conversation.

r – Reply to sender when a conversation is open.

<Shift> + r — Open the reply in a new window.

a — Reply to all when a conversation is open.

<Shift> + a — Open the reply to all in a new window.

f — Forward current conversation when a conversation is open.

<Shift> + f — Open the forward current conversation in a new window.

<Ctrl> + s — Save a new or edited conversation as a draft. Cursor must be in a text field.

[ – Archive the current conversation and move to the previous one.

] – Archive the current conversation and move to the next one.

Gmail General Top Level Shortcuts

c – Open a new message.

<Shift> + c – Open a new message in a new window.

/— Move cursor to the entry box for Search Mail.

z – Undo previous action. Mainly used when typing and works as an “undelete”.

Esc – Remove the cursor from a search box or any input field.

Standard Windows shortcuts such as <Ctrl> + c, <Ctrl> + x and <Ctrl> + v are also useable within Gmail when editing text. Most browser shortcuts such as <spacebar> and Shift + <spacebar> for scrolling up or down a page are also usable.

Some other locations for more information on Gmail keyboard shortcuts include the Gmail Help Center and the Official Gmail blog

Hope these keyboard shortcuts help you when using Google Gmail. I have provided some context for using the different shortcuts instead of just a standard “laundry list.” If you have a favorite Gmail email shortcut that is not listed here leave a Comment and share it with the other readers.

Courtesy : HTS Tech Tips

Edited May 8, 2011 by Honest
<< Topic Title Updated On Request >>

[Honest 836]

Good One....dear Karthik. +1

[Karthik R 246]

Google Apps : Calendar Tools and Tricks

Many of us would be lost without our calendars--they're where we schedule meetings, pencil in appointments and set project deadlines. And without the proper tools, managing a calendar can become a headache.

While Google's Calendar app has a number of known features that ease the pain of planning--integration with other calendars, mobile accessibility and schedule sharing, for example--there are a handful of other useful tools and tricks you may not know about. Read on to find out how these features can help you cut down on planning time and increase your productivity.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts can be a great time-saver if you know the right moves. Much like Gmail's keyboard shortcuts posted above, Google Calendar has its own set designed to help you fly through scheduling appointments, viewing your meetings and managing your events.

To view the full list of keyboard shortcuts, open your Google Calendar and hit Ctrl + ?. Below are six shortcuts you're likely to use the most.

Create an event: Hit "c"

Move to view today's schedule: Hit "t"

Display your calendar in the "Day" view: Hit "1" or "d"

Display your calendar in the "Week" view: Hit "2" or "w"

Display your calendar in the "Month" view: Hit "3" or "m"

View calendar settings: Hit "s"

Auto-Decline Appointments

If you will be away on vacation or know you have a prior commitment, a handy tool in Google Calendar labs is "Automatically declining events." To turn on this feature, click the gear icon at the top right of your screen and select "Labs." Click "Enable" next to it, then "Save" at the bottom of the page.

This feature lets you block times in your calendar when you know you'll be unavailable. When someone sends you an invite for an event during this time period, Google Calendar will automatically decline it.

Easily Reschedule Events

Scheduling a meeting or event at a time that works for everyone can be a nuisance. One handy feature in Google Calendar labs that aims to make this process easier is the "Smart Rescheduler," a tool that helps you reschedule an event by analyzing everyone's schedule, evaluating conflicts, obtaining conference rooms and proposing the best meeting times.

To use this feature, click the gear icon at the top right of your screen and select "Labs." Click "Enable" next to it, then "Save" at the bottom of the page. Once "Smart Rescheduler" is activated, select an event that you want to reschedule, then click "Find a new time..." You'll then see a ranked list of possible times for your meeting and a replacement conference room nearby.

You can refine the results by marking people as optional attendees, changing the meeting duration, ignoring certain conflicts or specifying the earliest and latest times you want. The results will update to reflect your new requirements.

Add Attachments to Events

Need to share a document with meeting attendees? Visit the Labs section of your Google calendar by choosing "Labs" from the gear icon at the top right of the page. Scroll to "Event attachments" and click "Enable," then "Save."

The "Event attachments" lab is an experimental feature that lets you attach a Google doc, spreadsheet or presentation to your event, or upload a file from your computer. Do note that if you're sharing a Google doc, you must grant them access to view it beforehand.

Once you enable the "Event attachments" lab, an "Add attachment" link will appear under the description of the event. Click this to browse your Google Docs or upload a file from your computer.

Add Events to Google Calendar Via SMS

If you're at the airport and forgot to schedule a meeting in your Google Calendar or you don't have good Internet service, don't worry: You can easily add events via your mobile phone in a few quick steps.

First, from your computer, sign in to your Google Calendar account, click the gear icon at the top right of your screen and choose "Calendar Settings." Then click the "Mobile Setup" tab and enter your country, phone number and carrier. Gmail will send a verification code to your mobile phone; enter the code and click "Finish setup."

Once the setup is complete, you can send events to your calendar via your mobile phone by texting the details of your event (such as, "Dentist appointment 1:00pm April 20) to GVENT (48368). You'll receive a confirmation text message shortly after, and the event will appear in your calendar.

Courtesy : CIO, PCWorld

[Karthik R 246]

Request Mods/Admin to change the thread title to "Google Apps : Tools and Tricks"

[Karthik R 246]

Share a Common Inbox With Shared Inbox for Gmail

If your company or department uses a single Gmail address monitored by multiple people, here's an easy way to share it between an unlimited number of people while adding the ability to assign tasks to specific people so no work slips through the cracks. Shared Inbox for Gmail is a Google Apps Marketplace add-on from a company called RunMyProcess that installs on your domain in minutes and simplifies the job of tracking one inbox between multiple users.

To use it, you first need a separate Google Apps e-mail address to share between your existing users. For instance, service@yourdomain.com or sales@yourdomain.com. Once you have that address set up, cruise over to the Shared Inbox for Gmail page in the Google Apps Marketplace and sign up. It's free for up to three users, and $10 per user per year for additional users. Because the service charges by the user, rather than by the shared inbox, you can create as many shared inboxes as you need.

Once installed, Shared Inbox lives in the left sidebar of Gmail, where any inboxes you've shared with a given user will appear with an unread count beside the inbox's name. A dropdown menu lets users navigate directly to unread messages, assigned messages, and archives.

Within a given message, you can assign the message as a task for any other user on the inbox, so each message acts like a support ticket that you can quickly track from the inbox itself.

I like the principle behind RunMyProcess Shared Inbox for Gmail, because it eliminates the need for a separate system to track sales or support tickets while still helping you ensure that no enquiry goes unanswered. And if your team is very small (as in three people), it's hard to argue the price. It also compares favorably to other cloud support ticket services, like Zoho Support, which costs $12 per agent per month. Of course, it lacks the robust process tracking and customization of these more dedicated services, too. But if your primary concern is making sure everyone in your group can access a single Google Apps and respond reliably to each message, Shared Inbox has you covered.

Courtesy : PC World

[Honest 836]

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