Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Auto-Expire Usage Rights For Google Documents

Sharing Google Documents has truly revolutionized collaboration and "turning in" of assignments in the classroom.  Unfortunately, at the end of each year, teachers have an enormous amount of "shared with me" documents in their Google Drive.  Last year, I shared a "cleaning your Google drive" blog post that was helpful for teachers.  It works, but teachers still need to take time to "clean" their drives.

With Auto Expire (original directions), students could add this scrip to their document so that their document would leave the teacher's "shared" storage area after a certain amount of time.  It make take one or two attempts, but once the process is mastered, this could truly help teachers with workflow efficiency.  On the flip side, teachers can run this auto expire with ANY document that they share with students.  This can help with students leaving a class and not having access to a document after a certain time period.

Steps:
  • Create a Google Document, Presentation, or Sheets (this can also be used for ANYTHING in stored in a person's Google Drive - essentially, anything with a link)
  • Share the item with whomever you would like
  • Copy the shared link
  • Click Here to obtain a copy of the "Auto Expire" Script Worth Using
  • File > Make A Copy > Save With Title You Want
  • Add the URL of your Google drive document OR file in Line #3 and the expiration date in Line #7 (Use YYYY-MM-DD:MM format)( must be military time)(HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW)
  • Ctrl +A --highlights everything on Auto Expire Script Worth Using
  • Ctrl + C --copies everything
  • Travel Back to Google Document (Slides, Sheets)
  • Click Tools
  • Run Script Editor
  • Click Blank Project
  • Delete small amount of text that is in the script editor
  • Ctrl + V (paste)
  • Click Black Triangle
  • Save Script
  • Click Black Triangle Again
  • Click Accept
  • Click Run Start
I realize it may be slightly confusing, however, ask for help if you need assistance.  Once completed people will notice that the Google Document that you shared with them WILL DISAPPEAR from their "shared with me" folder automatically after a certain time!
View Video Tutorial
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