Ensuring Document Security and Monitoring Access in Google Docs

In the ever-evolving world of technology, even those of us who may feel like digital newcomers can find ourselves navigating unfamiliar territories. Recently, I found myself in a situation where I needed to understand how to keep tabs on who was accessing my Google Drive. This concern arose because I had shared access to my Drive as part of a grant application, and uncertainty was creeping in.

I must admit, I'm not entirely optimistic about my chances of securing this international grant. It's a competitive field, and when I compare my experience to the youthful vigor of previous grant recipients, I can't help but feel like the proverbial "humpty-dumpty granny" among them, asking for their attention. Nevertheless, I've committed to this endeavor and need to ensure the security of my shared documents.

The first step in this digital journey was to determine whether anyone had accessed my Google Drive. For someone like me, who still feels like a digital dinosaur in this age of technology, this was a new and somewhat intimidating task. It even crossed my mind whether taking a break from technology for a month or two might help me reconnect with a more tangible reality.

But for now, let's focus on the matter at hand: understanding how to monitor and secure our shared documents in Google Docs. I'll walk you through the steps to help you gain confidence in safeguarding your valuable digital assets.

Before diving into the details, I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. I hope you're staying safe, comfortable, and maintaining your sanity in these trying times. Let's embark on this digital journey together, ensuring that your documents remain secure and accessible only to those you intend to share them with.

1) Go to drive.google.com to open the google drive file or folder you want to check on. In my case, I had to click on a series of folders to unstack them and get into the proper lower nested directory.

2) OMG. My files are all PDFs. This only works with Sheets, Docs, and Slides. Well. Bugger. Also this only works if the people viewing are viewing with a gmail account. Hmm... Something I should have looked at... Yesterday! Well. For now I'll leave this blog as material for future reference. Thanks. I'll use this information for the next grant that needs a folder.