Is anyone using Google workspace with Tessitura rather than Microsoft Office? I was recently told that we are transitioning Google this week and it's the first I've heard about it. Politics aside, I need to know what I'm in for and how I can set it up so that Tessitura works with Google. Tessitura wasn't considered at all in the decision to move to Google, so nothing was tested or set up to accommodate it. Any insight or advice is welcome. We're part of a consortium, but will be moving to RAMP soon.
I'm in a consortium with some orgs that use MS365 and some that use Google and I haven't heard of any Tessitura-related issues. I personally bounce between 365 and Google on Windows and Mac interchangeably. It just seems a matter of getting used to menu differences and fewer functionality differences.
Thanks, John! Do you know what the transition was like for those using Google? How long it took those orgs to get Google set up for Tessitura? Is Tessitura able to save reports directly to the Google Drive?
I can't speak to the transition, which occurred before my time. With the latest Google Drive for Desktop you can save documents into a cloud-syncing folder structure transparently. I think you'll probably have more trouble getting used to RAMP than to Google.
We use Google workspace and Tessitura. I wasn't around for the Google implementation, but I've used both Microsoft Office and Google workspace with Tessitura and they are interchangeable in terms of functionality. Reports can just as easily be sent to a gmail account and open with google sheets or google docs, they can be saved to google drive no problem. Honestly I've had no issues.
Do you still have access to the MS programs? You function fully in Google workspace, but can you still open something in Excel if you need to? Also, have you noticed any issues interacting with outside vendors or companies using sheets, docs, and google calendar? We outsource our finance department and I know that firm uses and prefers MS.
Allison Fuhrman,
For most end-users, MS Office and Google Workspace are functionally similar, opening file formats across platforms/suits.
If you are on RAMP there is limited access to MS Excel on the RAMP platform. That comes with your Tessitura RAMP license.
However, if you are using more advanced features there are definitely differences.
For example, mail merges work differently between the two platforms. And Tessitura makes some assumptions about the existence of the Office Suite. (Again RAMP users have the basics covered.) However, you will likely have to re-invest in skills and practices for printing custom documents like Envelopes, acknowledgments, and the like.
There are direct data access features in MS Excel and more advanced analytic and macro features that some organizations use that are not native to Google Workspace.
My guess is that you could move 80% or more users from one platform to another. However, there will likely be corner cases for which you may need a few copies of the MS Office Suite of tools.
Thank you, Tom. This is incredibly helpful.