Google Apps, also known as G Suite or Google Apps for Work, is a cloud-based set of collaborative, content-sharing business tools. It includes Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides and Google Forms – in fact, the complete Google offering. First launched in 2006 and now with many millions of users worldwide, Google Apps has come to rival the offering from the omnipotent Microsoft – Office 365. Businesses of all sizes have been taking advantage of Google Apps and the possibilities it offers in terms of cloud storage, mobile access and security. And now you can also take advantage of Google Apps through your MyHub intranet. Your intranet users will benefit from centrally located files, easy collaboration and greater security. Let’s find out exactly how.
1. Ease Of Use
Because Google Apps can be embedded directly into the intranet page, there’s no need to send a link or a document around to staff members in an email. It’s, therefore, much more intuitive and easy to use. For example, HR can set up a Google Sheet directly on the onboarding page of the intranet which outlines all the key steps and forms a new member of staff needs to complete. Managers and employees can be assigned site permissions to read or edit the spreadsheet as appropriate. 
The new employee simply logs on to the intranet and directly updates the form in real time whenever there is a change, whilst the manager is simultaneously working on it too. There’s no need to email different versions of the Google Sheet backwards and forwards and both staff and managers know that when the source doc is updated it will automatically be updated on the intranet page which means that the intranet will always have the most up-to-date version available.
In addition, there’s more context provided. Instead of a flat folder structure apparent using traditional document management systems, the embedded Google Apps provide images and context to help guide the user. This makes it a much more intuitive and engaging way to organize documents.
What’s more, you can customize Google Apps to fit your business concerns and can tailor the interface to blend in with the look and feel of your brand.
2. Improved Search Functionality
Conventional searching takes you to a folder and a file, whereas with an embedded Google App it’s a much more visual presentation. Searching within Google Apps on the intranet will really bring to life your search results, making it quicker and easier to locate the information you want. Instead of highlighting a single document or folder, the improved search functionality that comes with the intranet embedded app will add that vital aspect of context. The search will, therefore, be more relevant and immediately accessible for the user.
3. Increased Opportunities For Collaboration
The real beauty of using Google Apps on the intranet is that there is no need to physically open the document – you simply go to the relevant intranet page and start working on it. This makes collaboration between staff members a much easier process. Because it is cloud-based, different team members can work simultaneously within a document, without sending each other multiple versions and corrections. This is obviously a real advantage for all types of teams, but especially for those teams that are working remotely or in different offices and geographical locations. And so for example, a freight company that needs to allow staff members that are out and about on the road an input into manifests can use embedded user sheets for quick and easy updates from the cab of the truck. And you can also provide contextual information for staff members on how to update the Google Sheet correctly.
4. Security Matters
There are plenty of people out there who think that cloud solutions are inherently less secure that more traditional IT solutions. A lot of that is down to perception and the uneasiness people feel about their data being held on servers and systems that they don’t own and have no direct control over. It’s an understandable reaction, but the truth is that cloud-based solutions are generally more secure than traditional ones. Ensuring the security of your information is more about having the right measures in place and controlling access rather than being concerned with where the information is actually located.
Both the MyHub intranet and Google Apps were made in the cloud and, therefore, have a unique understanding of cloud security issues. Utilizing the very latest industry-recognized security features, including encryption and controlled access, MyHub and Google Apps together provide the most agile and innovative security features. And so, you can be confident that your data is as safe and secure as it possibly can be.
Being based in the cloud with your intranet also means that you won’t have to worry about your company server going down – uptime for the MyHub intranet is typically 99.999%. This largely consigns the problem of the ‘system going down’ to a thing of the past.
5. Single Sign On Synchronization
Most of us have some form of Google account already – whether it’s for Gmail or Google Drive, and the great simplicity of the Google Apps offering is that as well as being a familiar interface that staff members will feel comfortable working in, it also has the single sign on feature. This feature means that all Google Apps will sync across your Google Drive with your docs in, your calendar, Google Maps, in fact the whole Google offering. As a result you can get rid of all the other systems you may have been using and instead focus all your business efforts within one streamlined platform that is readily accessible through your MyHub intranet.
Free Intranet Trial Offer
We’re so confident that you will be convinced of the benefits of using Google Apps through your MyHub intranet that we offer a free 14-day trial or shared online screen demonstration. There’s no substitute for getting your hands dirty so why not take advantage and test out the software in your business. Contact the team at MyHub today.
