Clanker CloudChoose the right fit
AI workspace or shared drive?
Keep your shared drive as the agreed home for source documents when that is how your team works. Add an AI workspace when you need to turn selected sources into research, reports, or other reviewed outputs. Define which copy is authoritative and how you refresh it before relying on either system.
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Give storage and preparation distinct jobs
Google Drive supports uploading files and folders. Clanker Projects combine working files with instructions and Sessions for preparing outputs. A drive can also have AI features; this comparison concerns source management and the review workflow, not a claim that storage products lack AI.
A practical arrangement is to keep approved originals in the shared drive and use a small Project packet for the task. Decide who may replace an approved file. Creating a draft should not silently make it the new source of truth.
Sources: Google: uploading files and folders to Drive · Clanker Workspace: current capabilities and access
Agree on each file’s role
| Question | Source library | AI working Project |
|---|---|---|
| What belongs here? | Approved originals and team records. | Selected inputs, instructions, drafts, and revisions. |
| Who owns the facts? | The named source owner. | The Agent should cite the supplied evidence. |
| How does it stay current? | Your normal document update process. | An explicit refresh of copied inputs. |
| What gets delivered? | The reviewed version in its agreed location. | A checked output ready for that handoff. |
Record when the source packet was collected
Write a short manifest naming the file, version or date, and owner. A link alone may not tell a future reviewer which revision the Agent used. If a key source changes, refresh it and regenerate the affected sections.
Clanker’s experimental Google connection can work with accessible files and save copies into a Project. A saved copy is not automatic live synchronization. Check current connection availability and the source date rather than designing around assumed background updates.
Review the exact file you intend to share
Inspect totals, dates, names, and source references in Preview. Download and open the result in the intended reader’s software if that is your handoff path. For Workspace sharing, check the selected file and recipient access.
Do not infer access in one service from access in another. Someone who can open the drive folder may still need a separate Workspace share and sign-in. Keep internal working notes out of the final client packet.
Start with a single recurring output
Try a monthly review or a supplier comparison from three supplied files. Keep the originals in their established location. Add a workspace when the retained instructions, saved drafts, and revision process make that task easier to repeat.
Try it with a small example.
Copy into a Workspace Session. Opening Workspace does not send it automatically.
Before you use the result.
- The authoritative source location is recorded.
- Copied inputs have a freshness date.
- The final file and recipient access were checked.
Common questions.
Does Clanker replace Google Drive?
It does not have to. You can keep approved originals in Drive and use a Clanker Project for selected inputs, instructions, and reviewed outputs. Decide the final storage location for each task.
Will a Project copy update when the Google file changes?
Saving a Google file copy to a Project does not create automatic live sync. Request a fresh copy and check the source version when an update matters.
Can a colleague with Drive access open a private Workspace file?
Do not assume so. Workspace file sharing has its own access and sign-in requirements. Test the intended recipient path before treating the handoff as complete.
Sources: Clanker Workspace: current capabilities and access · Google: uploading files and folders to Drive · Clanker: Google file copies and access
Content reviewed against the Workspace Guide & FAQ. Features and access can depend on your account.