Course Catalog / BMU 080 / Lesson 1 of 5

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BMU 080

Warm up

1. Think of a time you could not find a paper you needed. What would have helped?

See the answer

Most people say: one place for it, with a clear name.

Why this matters

Job forms, school work, and letters to a landlord often need a file you can find fast. Google Drive is a free place to keep files online. You can open them from any computer or phone where you sign in.

In this course you make a clean letter in Google Docs and a budget in Google Sheets. Then you share both the right way. This first lesson sets up your folders so every file has a home.

Start with what you already do

You already sort things at home. Bills go in one place, school papers in another.

Common belief: Files on a computer just pile up, and you have to search for them.

What is actually true: You can sort online files the same way you sort paper. Google's help page suggests folders and short, clear names.

Key words

Google Account

A free sign in that opens Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Gmail.

Google Drive

Google's online space to store and sort files.

folder

A box in Drive that holds files.

file name

The name you see at the top of a file and in Drive.

What this course is and is not

Short explanation

Drive is like a file cabinet online. Folders are the drawers. Each file gets a short name that tells you what it is. Google saves your Docs and Sheets on its own as you type, so you do not need a save button.

Step 1: Sign in

You need a Google Account. It is free. Google's help page says you can make one with a new Gmail address or with an email you already have. If you have ever signed in to Gmail or YouTube, you already have one. Go to drive.google.com and sign in.

On a phone

Google has free Drive, Docs, and Sheets apps for phones too. The buttons sit in different places, so this course shows the steps on a computer, such as a library or work computer. If you only have a phone, open the app and look for the same words, like New, Share, and Download.

Step 2: Make a folder

On the left, click New, then New folder. Type a name and click Create. Start simple. For this course, make one folder called BMU 080 Practice.

Step 3: Name files so you can find them

Google's tips say to keep file names short, simple, and meaningful. You can add a date. A good pattern is what it is plus the date, such as Letter to landlord 2026 11. A name like Untitled document tells you nothing.

Step 4: Make a file and rename it

Click New, then Google Docs. A new file opens with the name Untitled document. Click that name at the top, type a new name, and press Enter.

Step 5: Move a file into a folder

In Drive, right click the file. Click Organize, then Move. Pick your folder and click Move. You can also drag the file onto the folder.

How much space you get

Each Google Account comes with up to 15 GB of free storage. It is shared by Gmail, Drive, and Google Photos. Simple letters and budgets use very little of it.

Text version of this figure

• 1. Sign in: drive.google.com
• 2. Make a folder: New, then New folder, then Create.
• 3. Name the file: What it is plus the date.
• 4. Move it: Right click, Organize, Move.
• Made up example: Untitled document becomes Letter to landlord 2026 11, in the Home folder.

Worked example: Set up made up folders

Dana is a made up job seeker. Her files are all in one long list.

Part	Model	Why it works
Folder 1	Job search	Resumes and cover letters.
Folder 2	Home	Lease, letters to the landlord, and the budget.
Rename	Untitled document becomes Cover letter Rite Shop 2026 11.	What it is, plus the date.
Move	Right click, Organize, Move, then Job search.	Every file now has a home.

Practice: Fix the names

A made up learner has three files: Untitled document, Doc 2, and asdf. One is a letter to a landlord, one is a resume, and one is a list of bills. Give each one a clear name.

Check your practice: feedback

One option: Letter to landlord 2026 11, Resume 2026 11, Bills list 2026 11.

Each name says what it is and when. You could find each one with a quick search.

Common mistakes

• Leaving files named Untitled. Rename each file right away.
• Making too many folders. Start with two or three. Add more only when you need them.
• Thinking you must click save. Docs and Sheets save on their own while you are online.

Check your understanding

Take it as many times as you like. Pick an answer, then open the feedback.

1. Which file name is the clearest?

1. Lease letter 2026 11
2. Untitled document
3. New doc

See the answer and feedback

A is correct. Right. It says what it is and when.

B: That name tells you nothing. Review Step 3.

C: That name tells you nothing. Review Step 3.

2. How do you make a new folder in Drive?

1. Click File, then Save as folder.
2. Click New, then New folder.
3. Email the file to yourself.

See the answer and feedback

B is correct. Right. Then type a name and click Create.

A: There is no Save as folder. Click New, then New folder. Review Step 2.

C: That does not make a folder. Review Step 2.

3. You finish work on a library computer. What should you do?

1. Leave it open for the next person.
2. Turn off the screen only.
3. Sign out of your Google Account.

See the answer and feedback

C is correct. Right. Signing out keeps your files private.

A: The next person could open your files. Review Try it.

B: You would still be signed in. Review Try it.

Next up

Next you will turn that file into a clean, one page letter. Lesson 2: Docs: a clean letter. BMU 080 is part of BMU All Access. All Access is $9.99 a month and gives you unlimited access to the course catalog. Sign up free as a Founding Member to continue. Public enrollment opens Nov 9, 2026.

Stuck or have a question? Ask BMU Learner Support.

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