Design & Development

11 Google Business-Class Apps and Services

Google releases a steady stream of tools and apps for businesses. And although free versions exist, they are limited in their scope and function. Many of those same tools are offered at a business-class level for a price.

Here is a list of many of the business-class apps available from Google with options for small, medium and large sized businesses. Google offers all of these apps with increased functionality for business for $50 a year per user. All apps listed below are included with a single user account, come with full Google tech support 24 hours a day and Google’s 99.9 percent uptime guarantee.

Core Hosted Business-Class Apps

Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office. Share, backup and simultaneously edit Word, PowerPoint and Excel documents with coworkers in the cloud in real time. Google Docs retains all revision history for the files, offline editing with synchronization of offline changes when the next user logs in and no Microsoft Office upgrade or SharePoint accounts required.

Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office.

Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office.

Groups. Another useful collaboration tool that can be used for internal mailing lists, sharing calendars, documents, websites, videos and more without having to set up internal groups with your IT department because it’s all hosted on the cloud. Everything is archived so users can search and view past and present discussions and control who has access to content within the group.

Gmail. This is a much more robust version of the free Gmail account – each user gets 25 GB of email and instant message storage (50 times the size of the average free email account), secure hosted email that can manage multiple inboxes, sophisticated filtering and filing, syncing with Android, iPhone and BlackBerry devices and many more custom options.

Gmail with Postini. Bundle your business Gmail account with the Postini service and you can archive up to 10 years worth of emails and give administrators a centralized and searchable email archive of every account company-wide.

Calendar. Get full security and control of your company calendar and retain that accessibility from anywhere with this hosted app option. Create a custom company logo and use company colors in the app, create and overlay multiple calendars to see when all employees are available, send invitations and manage RSVPs to meetings and events, share project calendars with everyone or select individuals and get full access via mobile device and SMS reminders for upcoming events.

Docs. Web-based document, spreadsheets, drawings and presentation generators with all the functionality and accessibility of the free version but with heightened security and control – manage file-sharing permissions, revoke file access or share on the fly. All documents are backed up online and accessible from any computer or mobile device with an Internet connection.

Sites. Create a secure web page for internal use – no coding or HTML required. Use the site as a hub for documents, team projects, hosting videos, slideshows, training materials and anything else to keep the company organized. Access your secure site anytime from any computer or mobile device.

Google Sites

Google Sites

Video. Google video is a secure hub to host and stream any company videos so you don’t have to share videos over email or other file sharing services.

Chrome. Google Chrome for business is the same powerful browser that is available for free. But the business version comes with a standalone Microsoft Windows installer app (MSI) — which installs the browser at the system level (rather than the user’s home directory) — so your system administrator can have more control over the browser, such as which users have access to what apps, which apps can be installed across the system, default home page creation, password access and sync across the network.

Apps Marketplace and Free Apps

Apps Marketplace. The core suite of business apps can be augmented with the thousands of web-based apps that are available from the marketplace. Within the Google business app environment, administrators can have greater control over company downloads from the marketplace, manage all user accounts and block or share access of any app and much more.

Google Apps Marketplace

Google Apps Marketplace

Free Apps. Dozens of the familiar Google apps that were once just for personal use can be used with your business account and coupled with your business apps – including Analytics, AdWords, AdSense, Maps, Voice, Reader, Checkout, Finance and many more.

PEC Staff
PEC Staff
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