Google Workspace

In Alcoholics Anonymous, our primary purpose is to carry the message to the alcoholic who still suffers. In today's world, that often involves using digital tools to help facilitate our service work. From coordinating meetings and sharing documents to connecting virtually across the world, technology can play an increasingly important role. To support these efforts, the General Service Office (GSO) offers access to Google Workspace to all service officers.

So, what exactly is Google Workspace, and how might it be a helpful resource in our AA service?

What is Google Workspace?

Google Workspace is a collection of online tools designed to help us communicate, collaborate, and manage our work from almost anywhere, simply by using a web browser. You might think of it as a comprehensive set of digital office tools. Instead of needing to install software on your computer, you can access these tools online. Whether you're at home, at an Intergroup or Region meeting, or even travelling, you can access your AA emails, documents, calendars, and online meetings, as long as you have an internet connection.

The Benefits of Using Google Workspace for Service

There are several key ways these tools can support our service work:

• A Significant Upgrade for Our Digital Infrastructure: The General Service Office moved its email service to Google in 2022. This step not only enhanced our email capabilities but also offered all service officers access to the full suite of Google Workspace tools, significantly expanding our digital toolkit.

• Enhanced Collaboration: Google Workspace tools are designed to facilitate teamwork. It can allow multiple members to work on the same document simultaneously, see each other's changes in real-time, and leave comments, which can often make committee work more efficient.

• Continuity of Service: When an officer's term ends, the information and documents they've worked on can be easily transferred to their successor. This approach can help ensure that service knowledge and progress are less likely to be lost, thus aiding continuity.

• A Consistent and Secure Framework: Using a unified platform can help us to work together more easily. Google Workspace also offers robust security features and a framework that can help us to manage information responsibly.

• Significant Cost Savings: Google Workspace is provided free of charge to all AA service officers. This can help reduce the need for Intergroups, Regions, or committees to purchase separate software licenses, such as for online meetings (such as Zoom), email, word processing, spreadsheets, or presentation tools. This approach can help save valuable AA funds which can then be directed towards our primary purpose.

Accessing Your AA Google Workspace Account

Your gateway to these services is your official AA email address, usually ending in @aamail.org. This address serves as your unique identifier within the AA Google Workspace environment.

To get started, the Google Chrome web browser can be a good choice, as the tools are designed to work particularly well with it. If you haven't already, setting up a dedicated Chrome profile for your AA service work (separate from your personal accounts) is often a sensible first step. This approach can help keep your AA service activities distinct and contributes to maintaining data security.

Once you’re logged into your AA Google Workspace account in Chrome, you'll typically find access to all the services through the Google Apps launcher – sometimes called the "grid icon". This is a square grid of nine small dots, usually located in the top-right corner of your browser window when you are on a Google page (like Gmail or Google Search). Clicking it reveals a dropdown menu of the available applications, including Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Docs, Meet, and more.

What's Next?

Over the coming issues, we'll aim to dive deeper into each of these powerful tools. We'll explore:

• Your AA Inbox: Mastering Gmail for effective and safe communication.

• Your Digital Filing Cabinet: Google Drive for organising files and aiming for efficient handover.

• Collaborative Documents and Spreadsheets: Google Docs & Google Sheets for teamwork.

• Connecting Virtually: Google Meet for online service meetings.

• Effective Presentations & Seamless Scheduling: Google Slides & Google Calendar.

• Gathering Information: Google Forms.

• Building a Simple Web Presence with Google Sites – including important considerations unique to AA service.

By exploring and utilising these tools, we can enhance our collaboration and sustain the vital service work that helps keep AA thriving. Stay tuned for our next article!

In our previous article, we introduced Google Workspace and how your @amail.org email address opens the door to a suite of digital tools for AA service. This time, we're diving into the heart of digital communication for many of us: Gmail. Your AA Gmail inbox is more than just a place to send and receive messages; it's a hub for coordinating service work, sharing information, and keeping the lines of communication open within the fellowship.

The Basics: Sending and Receiving Emails

If you've used email before, much of Gmail will feel familiar.

• Accessing Gmail: Simply navigate to mail.google.com in your Chrome browser (while logged into your AA Workspace account), or click the Gmail icon from the Google Apps launcher (the grid icon).

• Sending an Email: Click the "+ Compose" button in the top-left corner. A new message window will appear.

  • To: Enter the primary recipient's email address.

  • Subject: Enter your subject line. This helps recipients quickly understand the email's purpose.

  • Body: Write your message here.

  • Attachments: Use the paperclip icon to attach documents, photos, or other files from your computer or directly from Google Drive.

  • Send: Click the "Send" button when you're ready.

• Reading and Replying: Your inbox displays incoming messages. Click on an email to open it. You'll find "Reply," "Reply all," and "Forward" options at the bottom of the message.

Organising Your Inbox

As an AA service officer, your inbox may become quite busy. Gmail offers several features to help you stay organised and on top of things:

• Labels: Think of Labels like folders, but with a useful difference: an email can have multiple Labels. This means you can file a single email under "Region Meetings" and "Event Planning," making it easier to find later. You'll find Labels on the left sidebar. You can create new ones and drag emails into them, or right-click an email to apply a Label.

• Starring Important Emails: Click the star icon next to an email in your inbox to mark it as important. You can then quickly view all your starred emails by clicking "Starred" in the left sidebar. This is handy for tasks or emails that require follow-up.

• Search Bar: Gmail's search bar at the top of the screen allows you to quickly find any email. You can search by sender, subject, keywords, date, or even attachments. This is useful for locating past discussions or documents.

Protecting Privacy: The Crucial Role of BCC

For AA service, maintaining privacy is especially important, both for ourselves and for others. When sending emails to multiple recipients, especially if they are AA members, it is essential to use the Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) field.

• To use BCC: When composing a new email, you'll see "Cc" and "Bcc" options, usually next to the "To" field. Click "Bcc" to reveal the field.

• Why use BCC? When you put email addresses in the Bcc field, those addresses are hidden from all other recipients. If you use "To" or "Cc" for a list of members, everyone on that list can see each other's email addresses, which could inadvertently breach someone's privacy. By using Bcc, you ensure that only you, the sender, know who received the email, protecting the privacy of all recipients.

• Best Practice: Whenever sending an email to a group of AA members where their email addresses should not be visible to each other, place all their addresses in the BCC field. You can put your own address in the "To" field, or leave it blank if your email system allows.

Creating Contact Groups for Efficiency

For recurring committees or regular communication lists (e.g., all Intergroup Officers, or a local mailing list), creating a "Contact Group" can save time and help ensure consistency with Bcc usage.

• How to Create a Contact Group:

  • Go to Google Contacts: contacts.google.com (you can also access this from the Google Apps launcher).

  • On the left sidebar, click "Create label" (this creates a group). Give your group a meaningful name (e.g., "Region Officers").

  • Then, add contacts to this group. You can either:

    • Click "Create contact" to add new individuals.

    • Select existing contacts and drag them into your new group label.

    • Or, in Gmail, if you receive an email from someone you want to add, hover over their name in the email header, and then click "Add to contacts." Once in contacts, you can assign them to a group.

• Using a Contact Group in Gmail: When composing a new email, simply start typing the name of your Contact Group in the BCC field. All members of that group will be automatically added to the BCC list, ready to receive your message anonymously.

Mastering these basic Gmail features can help to streamline your AA service communication. In our next article, we'll explore Google Drive, a secure digital filing cabinet for all your service documents.

In our journey through Google Workspace for AA service, we've explored the importance of your Gmail inbox for communication. Now, we’ll turn our attention to Google Drive, which serves as your secure, cloud-based digital filing cabinet. For AA service officers, Google Drive is an effective tool for storing, organising, and sharing all the documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and other files crucial to your service role. Its design ensures that information is readily accessible and, perhaps most importantly, smoothly transferable when it's time for handover.

What is Google Drive? Your Central Hub for AA Documents

Google Drive is essentially online storage. Instead of saving files only on your computer's hard drive, they are stored securely in Google's cloud. This means:

• Access from Anywhere: You can access your files from any computer, tablet, or smartphone with an internet connection, simply by logging into your AA Google Workspace account.

• Automatic Backup: Your files are automatically backed up, reducing the risk of losing important documents if your personal device fails.

• Centralised Storage: It provides a single, consistent place for all service-related documents, making it easy for current and future officers to find what they need.

Accessing and Organising Your Drive

• Access: Log into your AA Google Workspace account, then go to drive.google.com or click the Drive icon (a coloured triangle) from the Google Apps launcher.

• My Drive: This is your personal section within Google Drive, where files and folders you create or upload are stored by default.

• Shared Drives: For committees or service bodies, you may be able to access "Shared Drives." These are useful for collaborative work as all content belongs to the group, not an individual. If a member leaves, the files remain accessible to the rest of the team. We'll focus on My Drive for individual organisation here, but be aware of Shared Drives if your Intergroup or Region uses them.

• Creating Folders: Just like on your computer, create a logical folder structure to organise your files. For example:

  • Regional Committee

    • Meeting Minutes

    • Reports

    • Events

    • Correspondence

  • To create a new folder: Click "+ New" on the left sidebar, then select "Folder."

• Uploading Files: You can upload existing files from your computer into Google Drive by dragging and dropping them into a folder, or by clicking "+ New" > "File upload" or "Folder upload."

• Creating New Google Files: Directly from Drive, you can click "+ New" to create new Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, or Sites, which are automatically saved to your Drive.

Sharing Files and Folders: Collaborative Service

Google Drive is especially useful for collaborative service work. It allows multiple officers to access and work on the same documents without emailing multiple versions back and forth.

• How to Share:

  • Select: Right-click on the file or folder you wish to share.

  • Click "Share" (the icon often looks like a person with a plus sign).

  • Add People/Groups: In the pop-up window, type the email addresses of the AA service officers you want to share with.

  • Set Permissions (Crucial Step): This is vital for security, privacy and anonymity. Choose the appropriate role for each person:

    • Viewer: They can only read the file. Ideal for reference documents or information that shouldn't be altered.

    • Commenter: They can read the file and add comments, but cannot change the content directly. Useful for feedback.

    • Editor: They have full access to read, edit, delete, and add content. Only grant this level to those who genuinely need to modify the document.

  • Send: Click "Send" to share. Recipients will receive an email notification.

• Prefer @aamail.org Addresses: Whenever possible, share documents and folders exclusively with other AA Google Workspace email addresses (e.g., secretary.londonwest@amail.org). This keeps sensitive service information within the secure AA domain.

• Sharing Links (Use with Caution): You can also generate a shareable link. Caution is important when doing so

  • "Restricted": Only people you've specifically added can open the link.

  • "Anyone with the link" (Public): This makes the file accessible to anyone who has the link, even if they don't have a Google account. Avoid this option for any confidential or sensitive AA service documents. Only use it for publicly available, non-sensitive materials (such as meeting lists without contact details), and even then, consider if it's truly necessary.

The Benefit for Officer Handover and Service Continuity

One of Google Drive's advantages for AA is its support for continuity of service. When a service officer's term ends, the transition of files is smoother and more secure.

• Centralised Information: All the documents created or collected during a term of service—minutes, reports, correspondence, event plans—are centrally located in Google Drive (and within Shared Drives, if your service body uses them).

• Seamless Transfer: Instead of relying on individual officers to manually transfer files, the next officer in that role gains immediate access to the necessary history and resources simply by being registered as the new officer. This reduces the risk of lost information and ensures that new officers can quickly get up to speed.

• Historical Record: Drive helps maintain a valuable historical record of a committee's or service body's work, providing context and insight for future decisions.

By effectively using Google Drive, you're not just storing files; you're building a reliable, accessible, and secure foundation for the ongoing vital service work of Alcoholics Anonymous. In our next article, we'll delve into Google Docs and Sheets, exploring how to create and collaborate on written documents.

In our previous article, we explored Google Drive as your central hub for storing and organising all your AA service files. Now, we'll delve into two of the most frequently used applications within Google Workspace: Google Docs for written documents and Google Sheets for managing data and lists. These tools are the digital equivalent of a word processor and a spreadsheet program, but with a crucial difference – they are built for online collaboration.

Google Docs: Crafting and Collaborating on Written Documents

Google Docs is your tool for creating and editing text-based documents, useful for drafting minutes, creating reports, preparing service material, or outlining project plans.

• Creating a New Doc:

  • From Google Drive, click "+ New" on the left sidebar, then select "Google Docs." A new, blank document will open in a new tab. Or go to docs.google.com.

  • Give your document a title by clicking on "Untitled document" at the top.

• Automatic Saving & Version History: A reassuring feature of Google Docs (and Sheets, and Slides) is that your work is automatically saved as you type. You'll never lose progress due to a power cut or a forgotten save. Google Docs also keeps a complete version history. Meaning you can easily look back at previous versions of the document, see who made changes, and even revert to an earlier version if needed. This is useful for tracking the evolution of a document.

• Real-time Collaboration: Multiple people can open and edit the same document at the same time. You'll see their cursors moving and their changes appearing live on your screen. This eliminates the need to email different versions back and forth, reducing confusion and speeding up drafting processes.

  • Sharing for Collaboration: As mentioned in the Google Drive article, use the "Share" button (top right) to invite collaborators. Grant "Editor" access to those who need to make changes, "Commenter" for feedback, and "Viewer" for those who only need to read. Always prefer sharing with @aamail.org email addresses.

• Commenting: To provide feedback without directly altering the text, highlight a section of the document and click the "Add comment" icon that appears. Collaborators can then reply to comments, or mark them as resolved.

Google Sheets: Organising Data and Lists for Service

Google Sheets is an online spreadsheet program, ideal for managing lists, tracking data, keeping financial records, or compiling information.

• Creating a New Sheet:

  • From Google Drive, click "+ New" on the left sidebar, then select "Google Sheets." A new, blank spreadsheet will open. Or go to sheets.google.com.

  • Give your spreadsheet a title.

• Basic Data Entry and Simple Calculations: You can type text, numbers, and dates into cells. Sheets can also perform basic calculations. For example, if you have a list of numbers in a column, you can use a simple formula like =SUM(A1:A10) to add them up. Learning a few basic formulas (SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT) can be very helpful for simple data analysis.

• Real-time Collaboration: Just like Google Docs, Google Sheets supports real-time collaboration. Multiple officers can update a shared list or record simultaneously, ensuring everyone is working with the most current information.

• Creating Basic Charts: Visualising data can make it much easier to understand. Google Sheets allows you to create simple charts:

  • Select the data you want to represent in a chart.

  • Go to "Insert" > "Chart."

  • Sheets will often suggest a suitable chart type (e.g., bar chart, pie chart). You can then customise its appearance.

  • These charts can be very useful for presenting data in reports or during meetings, offering a clear visual summary of information.

The Power of Collaboration for AA Service

Both Google Docs and Google Sheets allow real-time collaboration. They allow committees to:

• Draft minutes collectively

• Maintain accurate up-to-date lists

• Streamline report writing

• Facilitate Officer Handover: All these documents reside in Google Drive, making them easily accessible to incoming officers.

In our next article, we'll look at Google Meet, exploring how to connect virtually for your AA service meetings.

In our previous articles, we've explored how Google Workspace helps us manage our communications with Gmail and organise our documents in Google Drive, Docs, and Sheets. This time, we're focusing on Google Meet. Google Meet is a video conferencing platform within Google Workspace, enabling you to connect face-to-face (virtually!) with fellow service officers, run online workshops, and conduct committee meetings from wherever you are.

Seamless Connections: Joining and Hosting Meetings

One of the advantages of Google Meet is its simplicity and integration with your existing AA Google Workspace tools.

• Joining a Meeting:

  • From a Calendar Invite: The easiest way to join a scheduled meeting is directly from your Google Calendar. Simply open the event, and click the "Join with Google Meet" link.

  • From a Meeting Link: If someone sends you a Google Meet link (e.g., in an email or a shared document), just click on it. 

  • Via meet.google.com: You can also go to meet.google.com, and if prompted, enter the meeting code or nickname provided by the host. Before you fully join, you'll see a preview screen allowing you to check your camera and microphone. Click "Join now" when you're ready.

• Hosting a New Meeting:

  • For Scheduled Meetings (Recommended): The most common and effective way to host a planned meeting is to create an event in Google Calendar (as we'll discuss more in the next article). When creating the event, simply click "Add Google Meet video conferencing." A unique Meet link will be automatically generated and included in the invitation you send to your guests.

  • For Instant Meetings: If you need to quickly start a call, go to meet.google.com and click "New meeting." You'll be given options, including "Create a meeting for later" (which provides you with a shareable link to send out) or "Start an instant meeting" (which immediately launches a call you can invite people to).

No Downloads, Just Connect!

A significant benefit of Google Meet, unlike some other video conferencing platforms, is that it generally doesn't require you to download or install any special software to use it. You can access and participate in meetings directly through your web browser (Google Chrome is optimised for Google Meet) on your computer, making it very accessible for everyone.

Key In-Meeting Controls

Once you're in a Meet call, a simple toolbar at the bottom of your screen provides essential controls:

• Microphone icon: Click to mute or unmute yourself. Muting when not speaking helps reduce background noise.

• Camera icon: Click to turn your video on or off.

• Hand icon: Click to "raise your hand" if you wish to speak or ask a question without interrupting.

• Present now: This allows you to share your screen with others. You can choose to share your "Entire screen," "A window" (a specific application you have open), or "A tab" (a specific Chrome browser tab, ideal for sharing videos or Google Slides presentations as it optimises for media).

• Three vertical dots (More options): This menu gives you access to settings, turning on captions (which can aid accessibility), and other features.

• Red phone icon: Click this when you are ready to leave the meeting.

Workspace Advantages

Your AA Google Workspace account offers Google Meet with enhanced capabilities compared to basic free personal Google accounts. These are particularly valuable for AA service:

• No Time Limits: Unlike the 60-minute limit often imposed on free personal accounts for meetings with three or more participants, Google Meet through your AA Workspace account typically has no time limits for your calls. This ensures that your committee meetings, workshops, or discussions can run for as long as needed without interruption.

• Higher Attendee Limits: You can host larger meetings with more participants, accommodating larger gatherings, or extended workshops.

• Cost Savings for AA: As mentioned in our first article, the inclusion of Google Meet as part of your free Google Workspace account means service bodies do not need to pay for other video conferencing platforms, directing AA funds back towards our primary purpose.

Persistent Meeting Links: Convenience for Recurring Meetings

One practical feature for recurring AA meetings is that meeting links created through your Google Workspace account for Google Meet remain active indefinitely as long as the associated calendar event or the meeting series is not deleted.

This means you can use the same Meet link repeatedly for regular, recurring meetings such as:

• Your Intergroup, Region or committee meetings.

• Ongoing workshop series.

This consistency greatly simplifies access for participants – they always know where to "meet" without needing a new link for each session.

Google Meet enables us to connect, share, and collaborate effectively. In our next article, we'll look at Google Slides for engaging presentations and Google Calendar for seamless scheduling.

In our digital service toolkit, effective visual communication and streamlined scheduling are helpful in coordinating efforts and sharing information. This article brings together two Google Workspace applications: Google Slides for compelling presentations and Google Calendar for managing your service time and events.

Google Slides: Creating Presentations for Service

Google Slides is an online presentation tool, much like other presentation software you might have used. It's perfect for preparing materials for reports, workshops, or public information presentations.

• Creating a New Presentation:

  • From Google Drive, click "+ New" on the left sidebar, then select "Google Slides." A new, blank presentation will open. Or go to slides.google.com.

  • Choose a theme from the sidebar to give your slides a smart look, or start with a blank template.

  • Give your presentation a title.

• Basic Features:

  • Adding Slides: Click the plus icon to add new slides.

  • Content: Add text boxes, images (from your computer or Google Drive), shapes, and videos to your slides.

  • Collaboration: Like Docs and Sheets, Slides supports real-time collaboration. Multiple officers can work on the same presentation simultaneously. Use the "Share" button to grant "Editor," "Commenter," or "Viewer" access.

  • Automatic Saving & Version History: All your changes are saved automatically, and you can always revisit previous versions if needed.

• Sharing During a Google Meet Call: As we touched upon in our Google Meet article, Slides can be presented during virtual meetings. Simply click "Present now" in Google Meet and choose to share the browser tab where your Google Slides presentation is open. This offers an optimised viewing experience for your audience.

• Presenting and Sharing Options:

  • Present: Click the "Present" button at the top to view your slides in full-screen mode.

  • Sharing Links: You can share a link to your presentation for others to view. When you click "Share," you can choose to allow others to "View," "Comment," or "Edit." For general distribution, the "Viewer" option is usually sufficient. You can also save a presentation as a PDF or PowerPoint file.

  • Embedding on Websites: You can embed a Google Slides presentation directly onto a webpage (File > Share > Publish to web). This allows visitors to flip through the slides without leaving the site, ideal for online resources.

Google Calendar

Google Calendar is an effective tool for managing your time, scheduling service meetings, and keeping track of important AA events. It is also able to integrate with Google Meet.

• Accessing Calendar: Go to calendar.google.com or click the Calendar icon (a square with a date) from the Google Apps launcher.

• Creating an Event/Meeting:

  • Click on an empty spot on your calendar or click the "+ Create" button.

  • Title: Give your event a name (e.g., "Intergroup Meeting").

  • Date & Time: Set the date and start/end times.

  • Guests: Invite other service officers by typing their email addresses in the "Add guests" field. They will receive an invitation they can accept or decline.

  • Add Google Meet Video Conferencing: Click this button, and a Meet link will be automatically generated and included in the invitation, making it easy for guests to join virtually.

  • Location: Add a physical location if the meeting is in-person.

  • Description: Include an agenda, relevant documents (link to a Google Doc for agendas!), or any other pertinent information such as a flyer.

  • Reminders: Set email or notification reminders for yourself and guests.

  • Save: Click "Save" to send out the invitations.

• Creating Multiple Calendars: You can create separate calendars within your Google Calendar for different service roles (e.g., "Intergroup Secretary," "Intergroup PI Committee"). This helps you keep your meetings organised. To do this, look for "Other calendars" on the left sidebar and click the plus icon to "Create new calendar."

• Using Public Calendars for Widespread Event Visibility: For events that are open to the wider fellowship or the public (like AA Conventions, Public Information events, or certain workshops), you can create a "public" Google Calendar.

  • How to Make Public: In your Calendar settings, find the specific calendar, and under "Access permissions for events," select "Make available to public."

  • Embedding Public Calendars: These public calendars can then be embedded onto websites using an embed code (found in the Calendar settings under "Integrate calendar"). This allows anyone visiting your website to see the event schedule without needing a Google account, providing widespread visibility for important AA happenings.

Supporting Clear Communication and Coordination in Service

Together, Google Slides and Google Calendar are useful aids for service officers:

• Clearer Communication: Slides allow for engaging presentation of information, whether for a report or a Public Information meeting.

• Better Coordination: Calendar ensures that meetings are scheduled efficiently, invitations are sent, and everyone has a clear understanding of when and where to connect.

• Integrated Workflow: The integration between Calendar and Meet, and the ability to embed Slides into other platforms, creates a streamlined digital workflow for our service.

In our next article, we'll continue exploring Google Workspace's capabilities by focusing on Google Forms, a versatile tool for gathering information.

So far in our series, we've explored how Google Workspace helps us communicate, store documents, collaborate on written pieces, manage schedules, and connect virtually. Now, let's look at Google Forms, a useful tool for gathering information from members, collecting feedback, managing event registrations, or even conducting simple polls. It’s the digital equivalent of a paper questionnaire, but with greater efficiency and data handling capabilities.

Creating Your First Form: Easy Data Collection

Google Forms is designed to be intuitive, allowing you to create forms without any coding.

• Getting Started:

  • From Google Drive, click "+ New" on the left sidebar, then select "More" > "Google Forms." A new, blank form will open in a new tab. Or go to forms.google.com.

  • Click on "Untitled form" at the top to give your form a title (e.g., "Service Workshop Registration).

• Adding Questions:

  • Click the "+" icon to add a new question to your form.

  • Choose a Question Type: Google Forms offers a variety of question types to suit different information needs:

    • Short answer: For brief text responses (e.g., "Your Name" - but remember anonymity for AA!).

    • Paragraph: For longer, open-ended responses.

    • Multiple choice: For selecting one option from a predefined list.

    • Checkboxes: For selecting multiple options from a predefined list.

    • Dropdown: Similar to multiple choice, but presents options in a dropdown menu, saving space.

    • Linear scale: For rating something on a numerical scale (e.g., "On a scale of 1-5, how useful was the workshop?").

    • Date/Time: For collecting specific dates or times.

  • Type your question, and add options for multiple-choice or checkbox questions.

  • Use the "Required" toggle if a question must be answered before submission.

Customising Your Form's Appearance

Google Forms offers simple customisation options:

• Click the "Customise theme" icon (a paint palette) at the top right of the form editor.

• From the sidebar, you can:

  • Choose a header image: Add an image at the top of your form for visual appeal.

  • Select theme and background colours: Pick colours that complement your header or suit the tone of your form.

  • Change font style: Adjust the font for your text.

Collecting and Analysing Responses: Integrating with Google Sheets

Once your form is live and people start submitting responses, Google Forms provides a summary, but Forms can also integrate with Google Sheets.

• Viewing Responses: Click the "Responses" tab at the top of your form editor. You'll see a summary of responses in charts and graphs provided by Forms itself.

• Linking to a Google Sheet (Useful for Analysis): This is an important step for effective data management.

  1. In the "Responses" tab, click the "Link to Sheets" icon (a green spreadsheet icon).

  2. You can choose to "Create a new spreadsheet" or "Select existing spreadsheet."

  3. A new Google Sheet will be created (or linked), and every new form submission will automatically add a new row to this spreadsheet. This live connection means your data is always up-to-date in your Sheet.

• Turning Results into Live Charts (as per the Sheets article): Once your form responses are flowing into a Google Sheet, you can use the charting capabilities of Google Sheets to visualise your data.

  1. In your linked Google Sheet, select the columns of data you want to chart.

  2. Go to "Insert" > "Chart."

  3. Choose your desired chart type. Charts in Google Sheets remain "live." If you embed them into a Google Doc, Google Slide, or a website, they can be set to update automatically whenever new form responses come in, providing real-time insights for your reports or presentations.

Sending Your Form and Using It on Websites

Once your form is ready, you need to share it:

• Sending via Link or Email: Click the "Send" button in the top-right corner. You can generate a shareable link to distribute via email, messaging apps, or include on other documents. You can also directly email the form to a list of recipients.

• Embedding on Websites: You can embed your Google Form directly onto a webpage.

  • Click the "Send" button.

  • Select the "Embed HTML" icon (which looks like < >).

  • Copy the provided HTML code and paste it into the HTML editor of your website where you want the form to appear.

  • Important Anonymity & Data Protection Reminder: When embedding forms on public websites, it is important to remember the principles of anonymity and data protection. Only collect information truly necessary for the service purpose. If collecting any personal data, ensure it aligns with GDPR principles and be transparent about its use. Most forms for general fellowship feedback should avoid asking for identifying information.

Advanced Features for Detailed Information Gathering

• Branching Logic ("Go to section based on answer"): For more complex forms, you can set up logic where a respondent's answer to one question determines which section of the form they see next. This creates a customised path through your survey.

• Response Validation: You can set rules for what kind of data can be entered (e.g., ensuring an email address is in a valid format, or that a number is within a specific range).

Google Forms, coupled with Google Sheets, provides a powerful and accessible way for AA service bodies to gather information efficiently, analyse it meaningfully, and use it to better serve the fellowship. In our next article, we'll turn our attention to Google Sites, a tool for building simple websites, along with vital considerations for its use in AA.

So far in our series, we've explored Google Workspace tools that primarily support internal collaboration and communication for AA service. This time, we're looking at Google Sites, a tool that allows you to create simple websites. While it offers exciting possibilities for sharing information, its use in AA service requires careful consideration and adherence to our core principles, especially regarding the importance of the national meeting list.

What is Google Sites? An Easy Web Builder

Google Sites is a tool within Google Workspace that lets you build web pages without needing any coding knowledge. It’s useful for quickly putting together a simple website for a committee, a specific project, or for internal service resources.

Building Your Site: The Basics

• Getting Started: From Google Drive, click "+ New" > "More" > "Google Sites." A new, blank site will open. Or go to sites.google.com. Give your site a clear title.

• Adding Pages and Navigation: A website is typically made up of multiple pages. On the right-hand sidebar, click the "Pages" tab to add new pages (e.g., "Resources," "Contacts"). These will automatically form your site's navigation menu.

• Adding Content: The "Insert" tab on the right sidebar is your content hub. Here you can add:

  • Text boxes: For all your written content.

  • Images: Upload photos or choose from Google's gallery.

  • Embed Code: Insert content from other websites or your own code.

  • Content Blocks: Pre-designed layouts combining text and images to speed up design.

  • Direct Google Workspace Integration: You can embed live content directly from your Drive, including:

    • Google Docs: For displaying reports, agendas, or other documents.

    • Google Sheets: For sharing lists, financial reports, or charts that update automatically.

    • Google Slides: For displaying presentations.

    • Google Forms: For event registrations or feedback forms.

    • Google Calendars: For displaying meeting schedules (with important caveats, see below) or upcoming service events.

• Customising Appearance: The "Themes" tab lets you pick a visual style, choose colours, and select fonts to give your site a consistent look.

Publishing and Controlling Visibility: Public vs. Private Service Sites

When your site is ready, you'll click the "Publish" button in the top-right corner. This is where an important decision needs to be made for AA service:

• Setting Your Site's Visibility: When publishing, you can choose who can view your site:

  • Restricted to AA Google Workspace Members: This option is valuable for AA service. You can make your site viewable only to people within the @aamail.org Google Workspace domain, or to specific individuals you invite. This is ideal for creating internal websites for committees or resources that are strictly for active service officers. This allows for secure information sharing within the service structure without making it publicly available.

  • Public: This makes your site viewable by anyone on the internet. Use this option with special caution for AA content. If your site is public, all the principles of anonymity (Traditions Eleven and Twelve) and GDPR-compliant data protection must be applied. Never share personal information or details that could compromise a member's anonymity or privacy on a public site.

Important Considerations for AA Service When Using Google Sites

While Google Sites offers convenience and integration, its application within AA's service structure, particularly concerning meeting information, requires careful thought.

1. The Importance of the National Meeting List (www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk):

   • The national website's "Where to Find" section is intended to be the primary source for all AA meeting information in Great Britain. This centralised list is meticulously maintained to ensure newcomers can find help quickly.

   • Risk of Discrepancy: If Intergroups, Regions, or other committees create their own Google Sites that duplicate local meeting lists, there is a risk that these separate lists will become outdated or inconsistent with the national site. This can cause confusion and frustration for those seeking a meeting.

   • Impact on 12-Stepper Phone Responders: Most phone responders rely on the national website for accurate meeting information when a suffering alcoholic calls. If meeting details are not accurately represented on the national site, it hinders their ability to swiftly connect newcomers with local meetings, potentially delaying help.

2. Limitations on Custom Domains:

   • Please note that Google Sites created within your AA Google Workspace account do not allow you to use your own custom web domain (e.g., myintergroup.org.uk). Your site's address will always be something like sites.google.com/a/alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/your-site-name.

3. Recommendations for Using Google Sites in AA Service:

   • Prioritise the National Website: Ensure all meeting information for your group, Intergroup, or Region is updated on the national website first. The national site is the primary source of information for meeting details.

   • Supplementary Information for Internal Use: Leverage Google Sites' ability to restrict visibility to AA Workspace members. This makes it a useful tool for internal committee information or project-specific resources that don't need to be public.

   • Public Supplementary Information (with caution): If used publicly, Google Sites ought to be for information that does not unnecessarily duplicate or override the national meeting list. Examples include general information about an Intergroup's activities (e.g., service opportunities), specific event details (like a convention), or Public Information resources,.

   • Linking Strategy: If you choose to link to an external Google Site from the national website (via the WordPress option), understand the potential for decentralisation of meeting information. If your Google Site includes meeting details, it should rigorously and consistently mirror the national list. 

By understanding both the opportunities and the specific cautions of Google Sites, we can use this tool to support our service work without inadvertently creating obstacles to carrying the message. In our final article, we'll draw together all these threads by discussing the vital topic of Security and Best Practices in Google Workspace, reinforcing how our digital actions uphold our Traditions.

As we conclude our series on Google Workspace, we’ll bring together all the threads of digital tools with the principles that guide Alcoholics Anonymous. Using technology for service is a powerful asset, but it comes with a responsibility to safeguard information, protect anonymity, and act in a manner that upholds the reputation of our fellowship. This article outlines key security measures and best practices when using Google Workspace, deeply rooted in our AA Traditions and general data protection principles.

General Digital Security: Your Personal Foundation

While Google Workspace provides a secure environment, our vigilance is the first line of defence.

• Strong and Unique Passwords: Your password is the key to your AA Google Workspace account. Create a strong, unique password that combines uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid reusing your AA account password for any personal or non-AA accounts. A password manager can help you manage unique, complex passwords safely.

• Two-Step Verification (2SV): Your Essential Extra Layer: Enable Two-Step Verification (also known as two-factor authentication) on your AA Google Workspace account. This means that even if someone manages to get your password, they can't access your account without the second step (e.g., a code sent to your phone or a prompt on your device). It's a simple, yet highly effective security measure.

• Recognising Phishing and Scams: Be vigilant about suspicious emails or messages. Phishing attempts try to trick you into revealing your password or other sensitive information. Always check the sender's actual email address, look for misspellings, urgent or threatening language, and hover over links to see where they actually lead before clicking. When in doubt, do not click or open attachments.

• Keep Your Software Updated: Ensure your web browser and operating system are regularly updated. These updates often include critical security patches that protect against vulnerabilities.

AA-Specific Best Practices: Digital Service in Line with Our Traditions

When handling information within Google Workspace, particularly data related to members, our Traditions provide indispensable guidance.

1. The Principle of Data Minimisation:

   • When creating Google Forms, Sheets, Docs, or any other document, only collect or store the information that is absolutely necessary for the specific service purpose.

   • For example, if you're gathering feedback from a workshop, do you truly need full names and personal contact details, or would anonymous feedback suffice? Only gather personal data if there's a clear, essential need and you have a secure plan for its handling, storage, and eventual deletion.

2. Careful Access Control and Sharing Permissions:

   • As discussed in the Google Drive article, it is best to share files and folders with the minimum necessary permissions. If someone only needs to read a document, grant them "Viewer" access, not "Editor."

   • Always prefer sharing with other @aamail.org email addresses. This keeps sensitive service information within the secure AA Google Workspace domain. Sharing outside this domain should only occur for non-sensitive, publicly intended materials or with explicit consent and understanding of the risks.

   • Regularly review who has access to your shared documents and folders.

3. Anonymity in the Digital Space (Traditions Eleven and Twelve):

   • Our Traditions of anonymity are the spiritual bedrock of AA and extend fully into the digital realm.

   • Tradition Eleven: "Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films." This applies to all public-facing digital platforms, including public Google Sites or shared documents.

   • Tradition Twelve: "Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities." This principle guides how we interact digitally, ensuring we protect both our own anonymity and that of others.

   • As highlighted in the AA Structure Handbook: "When using digital media, AA members are responsible for their own anonymity and that of others. When we post, text or blog, we should assume that we are publishing at the public level. When we break our anonymity in these forums, we may inadvertently break the anonymity of others." This means never sharing full names, surnames, identifying details, or photos of members in public documents, shared Drive folders accessible to non-AA members, or within email groups that include non-AA addresses. Exercise care when naming documents, files, or folders if they contain potentially identifying information.

4. Adherence to Data Protection Regulations (GDPR):

   • In the UK, the Data Protection Act 2018 (which incorporates the General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR) sets out strict rules for handling "personal data" (any information relating to an identifiable person). AA service entities have a responsibility to comply with these laws, especially if collecting names, email addresses, or other identifying information through Google Forms or in Sheets.

   • The core GDPR principles include:

     • Lawfulness, fairness, and transparency: Be clear about why you collect data.

     • Purpose limitation: Only use data for the specific reason it was collected.

     • Data minimisation: Don't collect more data than you need.

     • Accuracy: Keep data accurate and up-to-date.

     • Storage limitation: Don't keep data longer than necessary.

     • Integrity and confidentiality: Keep data secure.

   • Using the security features and sharing controls within Google Workspace correctly can significantly help in meeting these obligations.

5. Responsible Data Deletion:

   • When information is no longer needed for its original service purpose, or after a service term has ended, ensure it is appropriately deleted. Files deleted from Google Drive go to the Trash and are permanently deleted after 30 days or if you manually empty the Trash. For very sensitive information, ensure it is permanently deleted when no longer required.

6. Avoiding Controversy (Tradition Four):

   • Tradition Four suggests that "Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole." This extends to our digital footprint. Poor data handling, security breaches, or a lack of attention to anonymity in our online activities could inadvertently create issues that affect other groups or even bring the AA name into public controversy or disrepute. By diligently applying these best practices, we contribute to safeguarding AA's reputation and unity.

By making these security measures and best practices a part of your daily digital service routine, we not only protect ourselves but also uphold the vital principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, ensuring our message of recovery can continue to reach those who still suffer.