View All Files Published to Web in Google Drive with GAT+

The “Publish to web” feature #

“Publish to web” in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides is a feature that allows you to make your documents viewable to a wider audience on the internet.

Key Features and Functionality: #

• Public Viewing:
  • It generates a public URL that anyone with the link can use to view your document. This means they don’t necessarily need a Google account to access it
• Read-Only Access:
  • Viewers can only see the document; they cannot edit it. This is useful for sharing information without granting editing permissions.
• Real-Time Updates:
  • If you make changes to your original Google Doc, Sheet, or Slide, those changes are reflected in the published web version (though there might be a slight delay).
• Embedding:
  • In addition to generating a link, “publish to web” also provides HTML embed code, allowing you to insert your document directly into websites or blogs.
• Different File Types:
  • • The functionality varies slightly depending on the Google file type:
      • Docs: Creates a simplified, read-only web page.
      • Sheets: Allows you to publish entire spreadsheets or specific sheets, and you can control how the data is displayed. 
      • Slides: Creates a web-based presentation viewer, with options for auto-advancing slides.
• Sharing control:
  • Google also provides controls that allow users to stop publishing the files, and to also control if editors of the documents can also share the documents.

Important note:

• Sharing: For controlled access among Google account holders.
• Publish to Web: For making a document publicly viewable online.

In essence, “publish to web” is a convenient way to share your Google documents with a broad audience in a view-only format

How to set up a file with a publish to web event #

Navigate to Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides > click on File > Share > Publish to web

Find all published files in GAT+ #

Navigate to GAT+ > Drive  > Files > apply filter > Sharing flag contains Published 

Result #

As a result, the Admin can view all files that are “published to web”.

Each of the files will have a “published” sharing flag. The file types can be Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides as well as Google Sites

Publish visibility #

IMPORTANT: Files can be private and at the same time published on the web

Publish visibility can be “Public”, “Anyone in domain” or “Private”.

Navigate to GAT+ > Files > Apply filter > Published visibility (Public, Private, Anyone in domain)

Additional publish filters #

Additional publishing filters can be applied.

• Last published – enter a date before or after the published change was applied
• Last published (relative) – search for in the last x hours/days the “published event” has happened
• Last unpublished – enter a date before or after the published change was applied (removed)
• Last unpublished (relative) – search for in the last x hours/days the “published event” has happened

View “Publish Change” Events #

The event of “Publish change” can be audited in GAT+ > Drive > Events > Event type search > Publish change 

Search for visibility change before and after as well as type of publish visibility before and after

Result #

This will show you a list of “Publish changes” of the Google Drive files.