FAQs for using Google Apps
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By using Gmail, we will be utilizing more functionality within Google Apps for Education and therefore improving our communication and collaborative capabilities. Gmail is also free to use for schools who are using GAFE, eliminating the costs of email hosting hardware and software licensing. Gmail also offers more storage for email than Zimbra. Instead of only having 500 MB of email storage with Zimbra, requiring you to delete items, you have 30 GB of storage space for Gmail.

How do I sign in to Google Apps?

  1. Go to admin.google.com in any web browser.
  2. Enter your Google Apps email address (including username and domain) and password.

What do I do if I forgot my password?

The protocol for changing your password has not changed. You should contact the Technology Support person in your building or, using another email account, email the help desk with your issue.

What will I need to do to prepare for this switch?

1. You will need to move all of your items that are stored in your Zimbra briefcase into your Google Drive.  Items in the briefcase will not migrate over. If you do not download these items to your device, or move them to your Google Drive, they will be lost.
2. If your mail folders in Zimbra contain any symbols that are not letters or numbers, you will want to change them. Otherwise, they will not migrate over to Gmail as labels.
3. Remove emails that contain large attachments; download the attachments first and move them to Google Drive, then delete the email message.

How long until I'm up to speed with Google Apps?

You should be able to begin sending and receiving mail, scheduling calendar events, and managing contacts right away, without any trouble. Becoming accustomed to Gmail's unique mail management features such a conversations and labels can take a bit longer. Within a week, however, many people find that they not only become comfortable with Google Apps but also appreciate the benefits so much that they no longer miss their old application.

Can I open my email or calendar in new tab (not a new window)?

If you use the Chrome browser, links will open in new tabs by default. If you're using another browser, you can change the browser settings to open new tabs instead of new windows.

Can I access my mail offline?

Yes, you can set up Gmail for offline access to your most recent email messages. To enable this feature:

  1. Open Gmail.
  2. From any Gmail page, click the  gear icon  in the upper-right corner of the mail window.
  3. Click Settings, open the Offline tab, and click Install Gmail Offline.

Note, however, that if your Google Apps administrator has disabled offline access for your domain, the Offline tab won't be available, and you won't be able to use this feature.

Do I need to use my company's VPN to access Google Apps when I'm offsite?

Not typically. In most cases, you can just go to admin.google.com in any browser to access your email and calendar, from any location. However, some companies might require VPN access to Google Apps. In that case, if you're outside your network, you must first connect to the VPN before you can access Google Apps.

Can I access my Google Apps account from another program?

Google Apps works great in any standard web browser. But you can access your account from other programs, too. Here are your choices:

  • Microsoft Outlook : Access your Google Apps mail, contacts, and calendars from Microsoft Outlook using Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook (available if your organization has purchased a Google Apps for Business or Education account). Learn more about Google Apps Sync.

  • IMAP clients : You can also access Gmail from any of several other mail programs by setting them up as IMAP clients. These include Outlook, Outlook Express,  Thunderbird, Windows Mail, Apple Mail, and more. Get instructions on IMAP clients.

  • POP clients : If your mail program can't be set up for IMAP, you can set it up as a POP client instead. Get instructions on POP clients.

Requirements and Languages

Which web browsers can I use with Google Apps?

Google Apps supports the following browsers:

  • Google Chrome
  • Internet Explorer 7+
  • Mozilla Firefox 2.0+
  • Apple Safari 3.0

Are there any other system requirements?

No. Because Google Apps runs in a web browser, you just need to use a supported browser.

What languages does Google Apps support?

The interfaces for Gmail and Google Calendar are available in over 50 languages. For a list of the available languages and instructions on how to set a different language, see the Gmail Help Center.