Google-drive – How to a doc made outside of Google Drive be edited within Google Drive in the browser

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For example a plain text file or a .docx file

I'm aware of inSync app but text files that this syncs to Google Drive can't be edited in drive in the web browser.

I'm also aware of NotepadApp but feel uncomfortable about an external server handling the file (privacy).

What would be ideal would be for a text or doc created outside of Drive and synced to it, that this is converted on the fly to be editable in drive in the browser. For a file created in Drive, then this can be synced a local machine folder where it can also be edited. Is there an app to do this? Or a different approach I should consider – I like what Drive does but want to piece of mind of being able to access the files outside of it conveniently and not have to download them as a zip.

Best Answer

To do this natively with Google Drive, you'd need to convert the document to Google Docs format¹, make your edits, then save the file again in the original format².

¹While viewing the file with the Google Drive Document viewer, use File | Open with | Google Docs.

²File | Download as and choose the appropriate format.

Related Solutions

Google Drive – Can a Company Own a Google Doc in Google Workspace?

Unfortunately you can't use an alias (like everyone@company.com) to be the owner of a Google Doc.

You can however allow everyone in the alias to be able to edit the doc. To do this open the doc and go to:

Share > Add People > enter the alias > Done

Remember to send out the email invitation, since they will need the link to actually find and open the doc for the first time.

There's an easier way to do this if you are the Domain Administrator. There should be a setting in the Apps Settings Dashboard that will allow anyone from your domain to view and edit the doc. Again, this is not ownership, but it is a setting that can be made default so that any doc is viewable/editable by anyone in your domain (unless you specify otherwise). Check out this article for how to allow domain-level edit access to docs.

Here's a help article that describes how ownership and editor are different. I think for your case an alias that can edit the doc is sufficient.

Find Folders/Documents Shared Outside the Organization in Google Drive

Google Apps does not natively support reporting on who has access to what in Google Drive. The report you are looking for is possible through a Google Apps script.

As you probably know, from the Reports section of your Google Apps admin panel, you will be able to tell how many files are externally visible.

If you are on the Google Apps Unlimited or Google Apps for Education license, you will have access to a Drive audit log, from which you may be able to generate a report based on sharing events. This could be cumbersome.

If you have a $30 to $40 USD budget, you can either procure the Drive Audit Google Sheet Add-on or the Drive Privacy script from tech blogger Amit Agarwal and produce the report.

Drive Privacy script screenshot

A free option based on Stefan Lasiewski's suggestion below is to try whohasaccess.com. The app requires View and manage the files in your Google Drive permissions, among other simpler permissions.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Google Drive – Can a Company Own a Google Doc in Google Workspace?

Find Folders/Documents Shared Outside the Organization in Google Drive

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