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You Can't Take It With You

June 2, 2021


Icons from many Google services fly out of an open box.

We’ve said it before: You should keep your personal and work data separate. In this short article we focus on your Biola Google account. We explore reasons for separating your data, and provide solutions.

The Situation

You may not realize that when you leave your position at the university, you’ll lose access to your Biola work email account – even if you’re a Biola alum. Why? Your work is valuable to Biola, and it’s important that any work related to your position stays with the university to ensure business continuity.

You’ll also find that having only work-related email and data in your work account helps improve quality of life. The last thing you want is to check your email on your day off and get distracted by a request from your coworker.

The Problem

If your work and personal data are combined in your employee Google account, you’ll run into two main difficulties when you leave Biola.

  1. You won’t have access to the personal email and data you’ve kept in your Google account.
  2. You will not be able to receive emails from services that you’ve signed up for using your Biola email address, including password resets or account confirmation links. This could lock you out of services that you need access to.

The Solution

Here’s how to fix these problems.

How do I download data out of my Biola Google Drive?

Google has made it easy to download data from your Google account — But first, you’ll want to move your personal data into a separate folder from your work data.

Then, you can use Google Takeout, a free tool from Google, to download your data. Here are instructions on how to use Google Takeout: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3024190

How do I transfer my Google drive data to another Google account?

Once your personal and work data are separated into different folders, you can use Google Takeout to download your data. Then, you can re-upload it to your personal Google Drive account.

Here are instructions on how to use Google Takeout: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3024190

How do I change other online services’ email verification from Biola’s email address?

Most websites have an “Account” or “Profile” page where you can change your email address. Enter a personal email address in this field. Once you do that, you’ll likely be sent a verification email to both email accounts, to confirm that you requested the change.

I’m a staff member and a student. How should I keep my data separate?

For Google Drive, we recommend that you keep your student and work data in separate folders. Similarly, you can use labels to differentiate your work and student email communication. This will make it easier to download or export any data you need when you leave your position, and help maintain your work/personal life balance.