Google shared drives (formerly Team Drives) are a feature in Google Workspace for Education. They offer shared space in Google Drive where teams can create, store, search, collaborate on, and access all their team-owned files. The difference between a shared drive and My Drive is that all data (files and folders) are owned by a group or team rather than an individual.
Shared drives allow you to:
- Add new team members: Manage team members individually or with MCommunity groups. (Note: Managers must be added/removed using the ITS Shared Drive Manager tool and not within Google Drive.)
- Keep track of your files if a team member leaves: Shared drives are jointly owned by the team, meaning anything added to a shared drive stays there no matter who comes or goes.
- Understand and manage sharing permissions: Team members at the shared drive level see the same files and folders regardless of who adds or reorganizes them. You can manage permissions for editing, commenting on, reorganizing, or deleting files/folders at the shared drive, subfolder, and file level.
Using the ITS Shared Drive Manager Tool
Shared drives are created, managed, and renewed annually through the ITS Shared Drive Manager tool.
Only active faculty, regular staff, and students are eligible to create and manage shared drives. Sponsored affiliates, temporary staff, alumni, retirees, Google Shared Accounts, and MCommunity groups cannot create or manage shared drives.
Shared drives have a 15GB storage limit in U-M Google and require two eligible Managers (i.e., faculty, regular staff, and students) to be assigned. You cannot request or purchase additional storage.
Refer to Shared Drives in U-M Google for more detailed information on creating, sharing, managing, and renewing Google shared drives.