Multi License - Managers, Part I, Google drive Options Explained

Multi License - Managers, Part I, Google drive Options Explained

MULTI LICENSE ACCOUNTS

GOOGLE DRIVE PREFERENCES MUST BE SELECTED PRIOR TO CONNECTION

The account Manager will have to make one central decision when it comes to setting up your Google Drive:

In all cases, the company will maintain a company Google Drive where all documents/folders will be stored. The choice you will need to consider is level of privacy.

• Does the decision maker want all counselors to log in in with the company's Google Drive credentials and to be able to access all student folders and materials?
• Does the decision maker want all counselors to log in in with their own Google Drive credentials and to be able to access all student folders and materials?
• Or does the decision maker want all counselors to log in in with their own Google Drive credentials, with each counselor only having access to the student folders that are "shared" with the assigned counselor.

In all cases the Admin account is the "owner" of all student folders because they own the Primary company Google Drive. The choice impacts convenience and long term file retrieval. Beyond this choice, there are processes internal to your company workflow, that you might consider changing in light of the Google Drive choice. Our specialists are here to discuss these options with you. Please read the below article to understand the basics.

Continue reading below. After reviewing your choices, if you'd like to meet with a Tech Mentor to discuss your options, please click here

The Google Drive account will have a benign company email address. Such as "info@yourcompany.com" or "hello@yourcompany.com", one that is recognizable by all clients but not assigned to any one staff member.

In the Multi Counselor plan the "Admin" may choose between types of Google Drive configurations.

This option allows the owner of the company to maintain complete ownership over the files and that all files are indexed in the chosen order of the Admin. 

• Impact on the counselor: The counselor logs into their CM account and logs in again from within their CM Settings menu, into the company's Google Drive, using the across-company shared login credentials. Every team member logs in to the company Google Drive using the same credentials. The credentials are hidden within the CM account but are accessible to the counselor. 
  • The Admin must issue email addresses to all employees under the single domain: "______@yourcompany.com" 
  • Any Counselor can add a student and generate a corresponding Google Drive student folder that will be stored among all other company student folders in sequence.
  • Admin will determine which students are "assigned" to each counselor.
    • The Admin will choose if the counselor can see all other counselors and students within their CM account (SuperUser status) or if the counselor can only see the students in their CM account who are assigned to them (counselor status.) Either level counselor is able to reach their student's Google Drive folder from the Files tab of each student record (they are permitted to see.)
    • The counselor could breach the Google Drive and enter into other student folders (not currently assigned to them) if they made the effort to navigate directly to the company Google Drive and navigate through the storage folders. This ability cannot be prevented.
      • If the Admin is concerned about counselors viewing Google Drive documents that are not associated with their assigned-student records or unnecessarily viewing materials, Admin should consider choosing a Google Drive that only contains student folders and necessary material folders and does not contain other company operational materials. This is advisable under any circumstances. Executive files should be stored separately.
• This option allows the Admin to maintain total ownership of files and that all files are indexed in the chosen order of the Admin. 
  • When a counselor leaves the company the files/folders created on the company's shared Google Drive, will remain in place - unaffected. The files "owner" does not change. 

• Impact on the counselor: The counselor logs into their CM account with their company issued credentials and logs in again from within their CM Settings menu, into the company's Google Drive but using their own company issued email/password credentials, unlike the other option described above. 
  • Example: sallycounselor@collegecompany.com signs into her CM account, enters her Settings Menu and signs in again to the info@collegecompany.com Google Drive but not with the company's credentials, instead they use sallycounselor@collegecompany.com to log into info@collegecompany.com shared Drive.
  • The Admin must issue email addresses to all employees under the single domain:  "______@yourcompany.com"
  • Because the company has "shared" the primary student records storage folder with the counselor's company issued credentials, the counselor will find their student folders in "shared with me."
• In this option the counselor may add a student record but cannot generate the Google Drive folder. 
• When a counselor adds a student record the Admin receives an email message that a student has been added and sees a notification in their Admin portal. The Admin generates the Google folder. This can be done one-by-one or in bulk.

• Connecting to a shared Google Drive, where each counselor logs into the primary company's Google Drive but with their company-issued email address. The counselor will find their student folders in "shared with me."

2a) The Admin may choose to turn on/off counselor share permissions based on the students who are assigned to the counselor. If/when the student is reassigned to a counselor, other counselors will loose all access to that student's Google Drive folder. When the previous counselor enters their "shared with me" they will no longer see the now unassigned student's folder. 

When the student record is first created, the student belongs to the Admin. The student record is initially owned by the Admin, the student Google Drive folder is initiated by Admin at that time. If you look at Google share at that time all counselors are shared with that student Google Drive folder. The Admin must assign the student to a another counselor first - then share privileges will change.

• With this option the counselor will only see student folders in their "shared with me" of the students currently assigned to them.
• The Admin will also share the company Materials/Templates/Master folder and that will continue to be accessible within the counselor's  "shared with me." Permissions will not impact that shared folder.
• Counselors may add student records to their CM account but they cannot generate student Google Drive folders. Those must still be generated by the "Owner" of the company Google Drive. The Admin is notified of the new student record and generates the student's Google Drive folder. When the student is assigned to counselor, the counselor will automatically have access to the student's folder via "shared with me."
  • Because folder generation by Admin ensures the "owner" of the folders, this options limits the potential of counselors generating multiple student folders or attempting to link to external drives, not associated with the company.
• The drawbacks to this option: This option limits the convenience for external team members to enter student Google Drive folders. For example, if an external essay reviewer needed access to a student's Google Drive folder, their access would be granted via the company Google Drive by the Admin.
  • CM would not turn on/off any permissions beyond the licensed counselor seats within the CM account. 
  • This option is not included in the basic Multi Counselor platform. Adding permission levels is an additional one-time project cost.

2b) The Admin may choose to share the Student Records folder and Material Templates Master Folder with all counselor company issued credentials.

• Share permissions will not turn on/off.
• Admin will assign students to counselors, counselors will access student folders from "shared with me." In "Shared with me" the counselor will see all folders. 

The difference between this option 2b and Option one described above is that:

Common Errors in Google Drive Option III:

When selecting Google Drive Option III, customers are informed of possible issues that may arise. These issues arise due to API limitations put forth by Google to prevent misuse of their resources. CounselMore will notify you if such errors occur and these can easily be rectified via the Google Drive interface. If assistance is required, please report the issue to CounselMore promptly. Due to the advanced technology involved, which includes specific coding and integration permissions restricted by compliance regulations, resolution times may vary. 

Customers opting for advanced technology tools understand that certain usability challenges may occur; however, these do not affect system security.

For customers using Google Workspace, there is an added usability advantage when both login ID and storage folders are on the same domain because the Administrator for the Workspace can manipulate folder ownership when needed.

Below are the known errors reported by customers using Google Drive Option III: