Use Google Workspace Studio with a screen reader

Introduction

Google Workspace Studio is an online platform that lets you automate your everyday, routine tasks across Google Workspace services with the help of Gemini—no programming required. In Workspace Studio, these automated tasks are called flows.

Note: A supported Workspace edition is required. Learn more about access to Workspace Studio.

Before you start

Workspace Studio can be used as a web application with keyboard-only focus navigation. It also provides web structure to optimize screen reader navigation and context. The topics below provide the keyboard-only steps, but also provide tips for more efficient web navigation. Follow these screen reader specific instructions to toggle on “focus navigation mode” (the reverse is "web navigation mode"):

ChromeVox

Ensure sticky mode is turned off. To turn off, press the Search key twice until you hear “Sticky mode disabled.”

JAWS

For editing content, ensure that JAWS Virtual PC cursor is off. To turn off, press JAWS + z until you hear "Use virtual PC cursor off."

Depending on your Forms mode configuration, this can be required more than once.

NVDA

Focus mode generally provides a better experience for editing content than browse mode. To switch between focus and browse modes: Press NVDA + space.

VoiceOver

Ensure Quick Nav is turned off: Press the Left arrow and Right arrow keys at the same time until you hear “Quick Nav off.”
If VoiceOver doesn't automatically focus on the correct part of the page, like if a dialog window appears: Press Escape to return your focus to the editing area.
To return to the editing area: Press VoiceOver + Shift + Down arrow.

Navigate the UI

This describes the UI at studio.workspace.google.com. If the following description doesn’t match, you likely don’t have access to Workspace Studio.

To explore the UI, you can use either your screen reader web navigation commands or rely on the feedback from keyboard focus navigation. Both are described below.

Note: the title of the main page is: “Discover - Google Workspace Studio”.

Use screen reader navigation

Starting from the top using the screen reader “web navigation mode” you should find:

Heading, Banner landmark,
- Link: “Workspace studio”
- Button “Send Feedback
- Button “Help
- Button collapsed “Google apps
- Button collapsed “Google Account: <name>”
Button “New flow”
“Flows Left navigation” Navigation landmark vertical menu bar
- Menu item “Discover”
- Menu item “My flows”
Heading “Automate your work with Gemini”
Heading “Streamline and manage tasks across Workspace”
Edit “prompt input field” edit read only multi line “Describe a task for Gemini”
Button Create
1 example like:
- Static text “Streamline my follow-up”
- Static text “Send me summaries & action items after meetings”
- Static text “Start after your meetings Have Gemini summarize the meeting and action items Get the summaries in Chat"
- Graphic “Calendar”
- Graphic “Gemini”
- Graphic “Gemini”
- Graphic “Chat”
- Static text “+1”
- Button “Turn on Workflow”
Another example like:
- Static text “Review quickly”
- Button “More details about this workflow”
Another example like:
- Static text “Get prepared”
- Button “More details about this workflow”
Toolbar (to filter remaining examples)
- Toggle button not pressed “Email boosters”
- Toggle button not pressed “Better meetings”
- Toggle button not pressed “Tasks and action items”
Heading “Email boosters”, “Better meetings”, “Tasks and action items” and other examples.

Use keyboard navigation

Using the screen reader “focus navigation mode”, you should find:

From top of page, Tab to:

Link: “Workspace studio”
Button “Send Feedback
Button “Help
Button collapsed “Google apps
Button collapsed “Google Account: <name>”

The Initial focus is on the “New flow” button.

Tab to “Flows Left navigation” Navigation landmark (vertical) menu bar
- Menu item current page “Discover” (Activate goes back to initial focus)
- Down arrow to menu item “My flows”
Tab opens a dialog:
- Initial focus on "prompt input field" edit field
- If anything is typed, focus moves to:
  - Create button (based on input)
  - Example prompts like:
    - Set a reminder button
    - Manage requests button
    - Catch me up on yesterday button
    - Label emails button
- Press Escape to close dialog
Focus returns to the main page on: “Turn on Workflow” button.
Tab to “More details about this workflow” button
Tab to “More details about this workflow” button
Tab to toolbar, “Email boosters” toggle button not pressed
Right arrow to “Better meetings” toggle button not pressed
Right arrow to “Tasks and action items” toggle button not pressed
Tab to (first of examples): Stay on top of email Get a daily summary of unread emails General graphic Gemini graphic Chat button
Tab to more examples…

Create a flow

Flow building blocks

In Workspace Studio, you automate your everyday, routine tasks across Google Workspace services by creating flows. Flows start based on an event or schedule and then do a set of actions automatically. A flow has 3 main parts:

Starter: This is the event or schedule that starts your flow. For example, when you get an email message from specific people, or every Monday at 9 am.
Steps: These are the actions that the flow does after it starts. Most flows have several steps. For example, ask Gemini to extract action items, draft a reply, or add content to a document.
Variables: Each step has variables, which are dynamic placeholders for information that you can use in later steps. For example, Gemini’s response to your prompt, the sender of the message that started the flow, a form response, and more. Learn more about variables in the Workspace Studio Help Center.

Create a flow with AI

You can use AI to generate a flow in Workspace Studio. Just enter what you want the flow to do and when. Gemini puts together the right starter and steps, and drafts any content. Then you can edit before turning it on.

On your computer, go to https://studio.workspace.google.com.
Tab multiple times to the “prompt input field” textbox, enter a detailed description of what you want the flow to do.
- Good example: "Notify me in Google Chat whenever I get an email from [email protected]"
- Bad example: "Handle emails from [email protected]."
Optional: Tab past the Create button to the buttons to start with an example prompt.
Tab to the Create button and press Enter.
- Gemini generates the steps for your flow.
  - Review each step to make sure it's correct.
  - You can edit, reorder, delete, or add new steps.
If a step needs info from a previous step, such as an email's subject line, add a variable. Learn how to use variables to pass data in your flow.
Optional: Before you turn on your flow, to make sure it works properly, activate the “Test run” button, then Start.
- This runs the flow immediately so you can verify the output.
- You get a “Run Completed” message when it is finished.
After you complete your edits, activate the “Turn on” button in the middle of the page.

Start with a template

A template is a flow already built for a common task. Most require some input from you to get the details right. You can add or remove steps to meet your needs. For a full list of all available starters and steps, go to Guide to Starters and Steps in Workspace Studio.

On your computer, go to https://studio.workspace.google.com.
Since the templates are near the bottom of the page, press Shift + Tab many times until focus moves to the template you want.
- Tip: Use your screen reader “next heading” navigation until you get to a template category of interest.
- Use your screen reader “next button” navigation to a template of interest.
- Use your screen reader “next item” navigation to available templates.
Press Enter on the template you want to use.
- The flow editor opens with all the steps already built for you.
- Keyboard focus is moved to the first criteria in Step 1.
- Tab to other options on when to start the flow.
Press Shift-Tab multiple times until you get to Step 2 and press Enter to edit those options.
- Often, you need to choose a specific folder or document, or add information from the starter through a variable. Learn how to use variables to pass data in your flow.
- If you find a step that includes the message “Check this step for issues”, it means some required information is missing. To fill in the missing details, open the step.
If the template has additional steps, press Shift + Tab until you get to the next step and press Enter.
- Tip: Use your screen reader “previous heading” command to navigate more quickly to the “Starter” (Step 1) or “Actions” heading.
To customize the flow even further, you can add, delete, or reorder the steps.
- To add a step, activate the "Add step" button that is before the “Open the test run panel” and “Turn on” buttons.
- To delete a step:
  - Activate the “Manage step” button after the step you want to delete.
  - In the menu that opens, activate the “Delete step” option.
- To reorder a step:
  - Activate the “Manage step” button after the step you want to delete.
  - In the menu that opens, activate the “Move step up” or “Move step down” option.
Optional: Before you turn on your flow, to make sure it works properly:
- Activate the “Open the test run panel” button.
- Tab to the Start button, then press Enter.
- When finished, Tab to the Close button and press Enter.
- This runs the flow immediately so you can verify the output.
- If everything works fine, you get a "Run Completed" message.
After you complete your edits, activate the “Turn on” button in the middle of the page.

Create a custom flow manually

To build a flow from scratch, you can select your own starter and steps.

On your computer, go to https://studio.workspace.google.com.
Since keyboard focus should be on the “New flow” button, press Enter.
Keyboard focus moves to the first of the many ways a flow can be started.
Tab to the starter method for your new flow, then press Enter.
Focus moves to the section where you add additional start options, like the time, the sender of an email, or other start conditions. Press Tab to each option to edit.
After making your starter selections, press Shift + Tab multiple times to move to the “Choose a step” button and press Enter.
- Tip: Instead of Shift + Tab, Use your screen reader Heading navigation to find the “Actions” heading, then “Choose a step” should be the next item.
Focus moves to the section where you choose the first task the flow will perform. Tab between the options.
Optional: Add additional tasks by pressing Shift + Tab multiple times to the “Add step” button and press Enter.
To edit the name of the flow, navigate to the edit field at the top of the page named “Edit title”.
After you complete your edits, activate the “Turn on” button in the middle of the page.

Learn more at the Studio Help Center

Share a flow

Sharing a flow is a little different than sharing a file in Google Drive. Instead of setting access permissions for users and groups, you create a link and share it with others.

On your computer, go to https://studio.workspace.google.com.
Tab to “Discover”
Press Down arrow to the “My flows” menu option, then press Enter.
Tab to the flow you want to share and press Enter.
Shift + Tab multiple times to the "Get link to let others copy" button, then press Enter.
In the “Share a copy” dialog:
1. Tab to the “Share status” menu.
2. Press Down arrow to expand the menu and select your organization.
3. Press Enter.
Press Tab to the “Copy link” button and press Enter to copy it to clipboard.
Share the clipboard URL in a Google Chat or Gmail message.

When they click the link, a copy of the current version of your flow and all its contents is created for them. They only see Workspace content they can access. Sharing your flow doesn’t give them access permissions.

Tips:

Once sharing is enabled, the link to let others copy a flow is the same as the URL for the flow in Workspace Studio.
To unshare a flow, change the “Share status” menu option to “Private” in the “Share a copy” dialog.

Edit a flow

On your computer, go to https://studio.workspace.google.com.
Tab to the “Discover” menu option.
Press Down arrow to the “My flows” menu option, then press Enter.
Tab to the flow you want to edit and press Enter.
Keyboard focus moves to the top of the options in the Starter (Step 1).
If needed, edit the Starter conditions.
Press Shift-Tab multiple times until you get to other steps and press Enter to edit the options for the step.
To delete a step:
- Tab from the step to the “Manage step” button and press Enter.
- Choose the “Delete” menu option.
To add a step, activate the “Add step” button between the steps and the step options.
To move a step:
- Tab from the step to the “Manage step” button and press Enter.
- Choose the “Move up” or the “Move down” menu option.
- Repeat to move again.
If the flow is on, Tab to the “Save changes” button and press Enter.
- If you close the flow without clicking Save changes, your updates are saved but not applied to the flow.
- If the flow is off, your changes are automatically saved.
To edit the name of the flow, navigate to the edit field at the top of the page named “Edit title”.
- Tip: Navigate using your screen reader web page “edit field” navigation or press Shift + Tab multiple times.

Review what flows have done

On your computer, go to https://studio.workspace.google.com.
Tab to the “Discover” menu option.
Press Down arrow to the “My flows” menu option, then press Enter.
To get activity for all your flows:
- Tab to the “My flows” tab.
- Press Right arrow to the “Activity” tab, then press Enter.
- Each run is shown or hidden by an expanded or collapsed toggle button.
- Tips:
  - Tab to the Filter menu button to choose “Complete”, “In progress”, or “Flows with issues”.
  - Use your screen reader web navigation commands to review the expanded activity.
To get activity for one flow:

Tab to the flow, then tab to the following “Manage flow” menu button.
Press Enter, then Down arrow to the “Activity” menu option.
Or when editing an open flow:
- Press Shift + Tab multiple times (before the steps) to the “Activity” button.
- Tip: Use your screen reader web navigation to the “Starter” heading, then the preceding “Activity” button.

If a flow has issues, learn how to troubleshoot issues with flows.

Manage flows

You can copy a flow, turn it on or off, or delete a flow. When you turn off a flow, it stops immediately, including any in-progress runs. When you delete a flow, it stops immediately and can not be recovered. To manage a flow:

On your computer, go to https://studio.workspace.google.com.
Tab to the “Discover” menu option.
Press Down arrow to the “My flows” menu option, then press Enter.
Tab to the “Manage flow” menu button following the flow you want to manage and press Enter to expand.
Choose the “Make a copy”, “Turn on”, “Turn off”, or “Delete” menu option.