Tips to collaborate in chats & spaces

Google Workspace productivity guide

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Collaborate when messaging

Work together better in spaces

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Collaborate when messaging

Create a Calendar event in Chat

You can schedule and share a Google Calendar meeting from one-on-one chats; group chats, and spaces. When you schedule a meeting, an event card appears in the chat with the meeting title, date, and time. If you remove someone from an event invitation, but they’re still in the chat, they can view the event card.

Learn how

Schedule and share a calendar event

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
    • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
  2. In Chat, open a message.
  3. In the reply area, click Google Workspace tools and then Calendar invite.
  4. On the right, in the side panel, enter your meeting details.
  5. Click Save & share and then Send.

Learn more at the Google Chat Help Center

Start a video meeting from Chat

When you’re collaborating with your team, sometimes it’s better to meet face-to-face. Start an impromptu video meeting in Chat or Gmail with your team members.

How to start a Google Meet video from Chat

Learn how

Start a video meeting from Chat or Gmail

  1. On your computer, open Google Chator Gmail.
    • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
  2. Open a conversation.
  3. In the reply area, click Add video meeting and then Send .
  4. To join a video meeting, click Join video meeting and then Join now.

Call someone directly from Chat or Gmail

Important: You can call someone directly from Chat or Gmail in Chrome. If you make a call to a non-Chrome user, they can receive and join the call but they won't hear a ring.

You can start a voice or video meeting from Chat or Gmail. When the other person receives the call, they’ll hear a ring.

  1. In Chat, open a direct message.
  2. At the top, click Start video call . The call opens in a small window.
  3. To end the call, click End call Call end icon.

Tip: If you want to adjust the call window:

  • To move the call to a new tab, click Move to a tab New window.
  • To move, click and hold the window.

Learn more at the Google Chat Help Center

Share files & rich content in a chat message

You can do much more than just exchange text messages in Google Chat. You can share files, links to videos, animated GIFs, and more.

Learn how
  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
  2. Open a conversation.
  3. If you're in Gmail, on the side, click Chat.
  4. Enter your message and choose an option:
    Add an emoji

    Click Emoji .

    Send a GIF

    Click GIF .

    • If you use Google Chat on a work or school account, you may not have the option to send a GIF.
    Attach files from your computer

    Click Upload file and drag files into the compose bar.

    Tip: You can attach up to 20 images or videos at a time or one attachment of other file types.

    Add a link to a video meeting

    Click Add video meeting .

    Attach a Drive file

    Click Add and thenDrive.

    • When you send the file, you’re notified if someone needs access.
    • If you have edit access, you have an option to grant access.
    • If you grant access to a conversation or space, people who join the space later also have access.
    • If people leave the space, they lose access to the file unless they’re given access individually or through a group.
    Create a Google Calendar invite

    Click Add and thenCalendar invite .

  5. Click Send .

Learn more at the Google Chat Help Center

Add people to a group conversation

If you're chatting with a group conversation or space in Google Chat and need input from someone new, it's easy to loop them into the discussion. Just add them to the member list of your group conversation or space. You can also add them to a group conversation or space with an @mention.

Learn how

Add people to a group conversation

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
    • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
  2. Open a DM.
  3. At the top, click the conversation name and then Start a new chat.
  4. Enter a name or email address.
  5. Click Create.

Tips:

  • To quickly add a new person to a DM with 2 or more people, in the reply area, enter @ followed by the person’s name.
  • Or, next to conversation name, click the dropdown and then Add people.

Add people to a space

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
    • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
  2. On the left, select the space.
  3. In the chat header, click the dropdown and then Manage members.
    • A list of current members displays.
  4. At the top right, click + Add.
  5. Enter the name or email address of the person or group.
  6. Click Add.

Tips:

  • To quickly add a new person to a space, in the reply area, enter @ followed by the person’s name.
  • To view people that you’ve invited to the space, click Manage members and then Invited.

Add people with an @mention

You can also add someone to a group conversation or space with an @mention. Simply type @username in the message. When you send the message, add the person to the space so they can see your @mention.

Work together better in spaces

Turn a group chat into an ongoing space

If your same group in Google Chat keeps getting back in touch with each other about different topics, consider turning the group conversation into a space. From a space, you can name the space, share files, and assign tasks to people in the space.

Learn how
  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
  2. From the Chat panel, find and click the group chat you want to change to a space.
  3. At the top, next to the group chat name, click the Down arrow Drop down arrow and then Turn this chat into a space .
  4. Add a space name. To add an optional space icon, click Add .
  5. Click Done. A notification confirms your chat is now a space, and notifies members in the group of the change.
After you make the change, you can find chat, files, and tasks tabs in your space.

Assign & manage tasks in a space

As a member of a space in Google Chat, you can create and manage group tasks and assign tasks to other space members. You can view tasks in the space where they're created. If a task is assigned to you, it appears in your personal task list in Google Tasks. When someone creates or updates a task, a notification appears in the space.

Tip: If you don't have the "Tasks" tab in a space, contact your Google Workspace administrator to turn on this feature.

Learn how

Create and assign a task

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
    • In Gmail, on the left, click Chat.
  2. Select the space where you want to create a task.
  3. At the top right, click Tasks .
  4. At the bottom of the panel, click Add.
  5. Enter details about the task, such as:
    • Title
    • Details
    • Date and time
    • Assignee
  6. Click Add.

Tips:

  • If you add a date and time to your task, you get notifications in Chat for the scheduled dates and times.
  • If the assignee leaves the space, the task remains in the space and in their personal task list in Google Tasks.
  • Users may have restrictions when they assign tasks to a subset of members. Learn more about group restrictions.

Mark a task as complete

  1. In Chat, select the space.
  2. At the top right, click Tasks .
  3. Next to the task, point to Incomplete and click Complete .

Share team files in a space

You can share team files in a space and easily keep track of them from the Files tab.

On the Files tab in a space, you can:

  • Add Drive files, PDFs, videos, and files from your computer
  • Open a file in a side window
  • Move where the file is stored in Google Drive
  • Jump to the thread where the file is attached
Learn how

Find and open files in a space

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
    • In Gmail, on the left, click Chat.
  2. Select a conversation or space.
  3. At the top, click Shared .
    • Tip: In Gmail, you might have to expand the space to view the Shared tab.
  4. To open the file, click the name of the file.
    • Google files: File opens in the chat window, next to the conversation, or opens in a new browser tab.
    • Other types of files: File opens as a preview in full screen. Files not in Drive will download, except PDF and video files, which open in a new browser tab.
  5. Optional: To add the file to your Google Drive, next to the file, click More actions and then Add shortcut to Drive.

Remove a file from a space

Important: To remove a file from a conversation or space, you must use a Google Workspace account.

  1. In the bottom navigation menu, tap Spaces .
  2. Tap a space or tap Direct messages and then tap a conversation.
  3. At the top, click the Shared tab. Next to the file, click View in chat .
  4. Hover over the message with the file.
  5. Click More actions and then Delete and then Delete.

Tips:

  • If you delete a file in Drive, the file link remains in the conversation or space until you delete it from the chat message.
    • If you don't delete it from the chat, the file link will show a "File in Trash" message when you select it.
    • If you don't delete it from the chat and Drive trash is emptied, you won't be able to open the file from the file link.
  • When you delete the file from the chat message, the file link is removed from chat and the "Shared" tab of the conversation or space.

Learn more at the Google Chat Help Center

Collaborate on Google Docs & Sheets in a space

Important:

  • To work with comments or use other features from Docs or Sheets, open the file in a new tab.
  • If your chat window is not in full screen, click Open chat in full screen .

You can collaborate on shared Google Docs and Sheets with people directly in a conversation or space. Next to the conversation, the document or spreadsheet opens in the chat window, where you can chat while you collaborate on the file together. You can edit, format, share, and rename the document or spreadsheet without leaving Gmail or Google Chat.

Learn how
  1. On your computer, open Google Chat.
  2. In Chat, select a conversation or space.
    • To open an already shared document, point to it in the chat, then click Open in chat . The document opens to the right where you can make edits directly without changing tabs.
    • To create a shared document within a space, in the reply area of the "Chat" tab, click Action menu and then Google Docs .
  3. At the top right, click Close .
  4. Optional: To open the document in a new browser tab, at the top right of the conversation preview, click Open in a new tab .

Learn more at the Google Chat Help Center

Create discoverable spaces

Help form communities or volunteer projects in your organization by creating discoverable spaces. Use discoverable spaces for topics of common interest that don’t need to be limited to specific individuals or teams. Instead, people can browse and join these spaces based on their own interests. With discoverable spaces, information is more transparent, making it easier for topic-based discussions and collaboration.

Examples of discoverable spaces

  • Company culture group
  • Volunteer project planning space
  • Company sports team
  • Company news
  • "Watercooler" space for informal chats
  • New hires space
  • IT help
  • Company feedback

Learn how at the Google Chat Help Center

Add a Google Group to a space

With Google Groups, a set of users such as project teams, departments, and classmates, can communicate and collaborate on common interests. When a group is added to a space, its members are automatically synced from groups to spaces in Chat.

Learn how

Add a group to a space

If you have permissions to manage members, you can add a group to a space. When you add a group, it may take some time to sync all group members with the space. You can still post messages in the space while the group and its members sync with the space. Group members who join the space after the messages are posted will have these messages marked as unread.

  1. On your computer, go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
  2. On the left, click Spaces and then select a space.
  3. At the top left, click the dropdown next to chat team and then Manage members.
  4. At the top right, click + Add.
  5. Enter the name of the group you want to add.
  6. Click Add.

Tips:

  • If you can’t add a group to a space, contact the group owners and managers. Your administrator may have restricted this action to the group owners and managers.
  • Group members can be promoted to space owners or managers. Learn about your role as a space owner or manager.

Remove a group from a space

Important: If you remove a group from a space, its members also lose access to the files previously shared with the space. However, if these files were directly shared with the Groups or its members, the members retain access.

If you have permissions to manage members, you can remove a group from a space. After you remove a group, it may take some time to remove the group members from the space. After group members are removed from the space, they can't:

  • Perform any actions in that space
  • View that space’s message history
  1. On your computer, go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
  2. On the left, click Spaces and then select a space.
  3. At the top right, click Members and then Manage members.
  4. Next to the group name, click More options and then Remove from space.

Tip: To remove an individual group member from a space, remove the member from Google Groups. Only group owners, or group members with the right permissions, can remove members from a group.

View groups in a space

  1. On your computer, go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
  2. On the left, click Spaces and then select a space.
  3. At the top right, click Members and then Manage members.

Group memberships may not be viewable if:

  • Your group’s member visibility isn't set to owners, managers, or members.
  • You’re on a mobile device.

Some members may appear grayed out

  • Group sync may take some time.
  • External members in a group are always grayed out because they’re automatically excluded in spaces with guest access turned off.

Learn about changes in how to sync groups & memberships

From October 17, 2023 onwards, you can add groups directly to spaces.

Important: Groups invited to the space before October 17, 2023 appear under the "Invited" section of the member list. These group members weren't automatically added and joined the space on their own.

How to download your data in Google Takeout

You can download messages sent by direct members of a space as part of the Google Chat data in Google Takeout. You can download messages sent by group members of a space as part of the Google Groups data in Google Takeout. Learn how to download your data.

Learn more at the Google Chat Help Center


Google, Google Workspace, and related marks and logos are trademarks of Google LLC. All other company and product names are trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.

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