Student Gmail FAQ

Thursday – June 20, 2013

TecHELP

Student Gmail FAQ

MATC Student Email

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What will my email address be?
What is my Gmail password?
Where do I go to login to my MATC Gmail account?

When will Gmail go into effect?
I already have a NetMail account. Will MATC still support the old e-mail if I don't want to convert?
Will emails sent to my old NetMail email address appear in my new Gmail inbox?
How do I transfer emails from my old MATC NetMail account to my new MATC Gmail account?
How do I import contacts from NetMail or another email account into Gmail?
I already have a Gmail account for personal email. Can I maintain my current Gmail account and have the MATC Gmail account?
How long after I graduate will my MATC Gmail account remain active?
If I change my Gmail password, will my new password be the same for both Gmail and Blackboard?
Is my Gmail password case sensitive?
What web browsers support Gmail?
Can I login to my MATC Gmail account with my alias email address?
I changed my Gmail password. Now I can't log into Blackboard. What's wrong?
What do I do if I forgot my Gmail password?
How do I change my Gmail password?
My Student ID has zeros at the beginning. Can I log in without typing those zeros?

How do I setup my Gmail Account?
How do I send an email?
How do I organize my mailbox?
How do I forward my mail to another email account automatically?
How do I add a contact to Gmail?
How do I set up filters?
How do I send a message to multiple contacts?
What's the maximum file attachment size that I can send and receive in Gmail without error?
How much storage space do I have for my Gmail account?
How do I remove Spam?
Can I block emails from certain senders?
How do I send a ZIP or EXE file as an attachment in Gmail?

What will my email address be?
Your MATC Gmail address is your character-based user name followed by @gmatc.matc.edu.

What is my Gmail password?
Your Gmail account is created with a default password. All new and returning students will first log into their Gmail account with their default password. You may change your password after the first time you login to your MATC Gmail account.

Example Default password = xy051200

x = the first character of the student's first name
y = the first character of the student's last name
05 = the 2 digit month in which the student was born (If the student did not provide a birth date during registration, then 99 is used).
12 = the 2 digit day on which the student was born (If the student did not provide a birth date during registration, then 99 is used).
00 = two zeros

Note: Your MATC Gmail password is case sensitive.

New criteria has been established for passwords.Tthe next time you are required to change your password, you will need to include the following:
All network passwords must be eight (8) characters in length and include:

At least one (1) English uppercase character (A-Z)
At least one (1) English lowercase character (a-z)
At least one (1) Base 10 digit (0-9)
At least one (1) non-alphanumeric character (examples - !, $, %, #)

Where do I go to log in to my MATC Gmail account?
Log in at MyMATC, the student/faculty/staff portal that provides instant access to Gmail, INFOnline, Blackboard and more!

When did Gmail go into effect?
August 12, 2009, was the first day all MATC students had access to Gmail.

I already have a NetMail account. Will MATC still support the old e-mail if I don't want to convert?

The Novell NetMail email system will be suspended at the end of the fall 2009 semester. Returning students will receive a Gmail account in addition to their NetMail account. These students will have the entire semester to transfer old email from NetMail account to their Gmail account. All NetMail accounts will be suspended at the conclusion of the fall 2009 semester (12/31/09.)

How do I find what my alias email address is?
To find your alias email address, first login to Blackboard (http://blackboard.matc.edu).

Log into Blackboard with your 7-digit student ID and Blackboard password.
After logging into Blackboard, select "Find Gmail Alias" from the menu within the left column.
You should now see your name, email address and Blackboard username. Your Gmail email alias is located within section 3, next to "Email Alias". Your MATC Gmail account will receive email sent to your student ID email address and alias email address.

Will emails sent to my old NetMail email address appear in my new Gmail inbox?
All MATC email correspondence will be sent to the newly created Gmail accounts when Gmail goes live on August 12th. It will be the responsibility of the student to forward email items that they wish to keep from their NetMail account to their newly created Gmail account. Additionally, it will be the responsibility of the student to notify anyone sending email to their NetMail email address of their new Gmail email address. Note: All MATC NetMail email accounts will be suspended at the end of the fall 2009 semester.

How do I transfer emails from my old MATC NetMail account to my new MATC Gmail account?
If you have emails in your NetMail mailbox that you would like to transfer to your new MATC Gmail account, forward each message individually to your Gmail email address.
To forward an email message:

Select the message that you want to forward by opening it.
On the far right, select the down arrow and select Forward.
Enter your MATC Gmail address in the 'To' field.
When finished, select Send.

How do I import contacts from NetMail or another email account into Gmail?
You can import your contacts list (from Outlook, Hotmail, Yahoo!, NetMail, and other email services) into your MATC Gmail account. Importing your contacts is easy. To get started, follow these steps:

First, format your contacts as a CSV file. If your contacts list is already exported as a CSV file, then move on to step 2. Otherwise, you can create your own CSV file using Microsoft Excel. Follow the steps here.
Once you have a CSV file with your contacts list, it's time to import the file and transfer your contacts to Gmail. Select the Contacts link within the left menu column of Gmail.
Within the Contacts menu, select Import.
Select Browse and locate the CSV file containing your contacts from step1.
When finished, select Import. Once the import process is complete, you will see your contacts listed within the All Contacts listing.

I already have a Gmail account for personal email. Can I maintain my current Gmail account and have the MATC Gmail account?
Yes. You May keep your personal Gmail account. The MATC Gmail account will be your official source for important documents like grades, school information and contact with your instructors. It is recommended that you login to your MATC Gmail account frequently and check your inbox for important messages. If you prefer, you may forward your MATC Gmail account to your personal account.

How long after I graduate will my MATC Gmail account remain active?
Your MATC Gmail account does not have an expiration date. Your MATC Gmail account will be yours for life.

If I change my Gmail password, will my new password be the same for both Gmail and Blackboard?
One password gives you access to Gmail, INFOnline and Blackboard. Visit the Password Manager web page for more information.

Is my Gmail password case sensitive?
Yes. Gmail recognizes passwords based on upper and lower case settings.
Example: If your password was set to 'xy0512' and you entered it as 'XY0512', Gmail would not accept it. You would need to type the password as 'xy0512' in order to log in.

What web browsers support Gmail?
To get the best use out of your MATC Gmail account, it is recommended that you use one of the following fully supported web browsers:
Google Chrome (download: Windows)
Firefox 2.0+ (download: Windows Mac Linux)
Internet Explorer 6.0+ (Google recommends Internet Explorer 7.0)
Safari 3.0 (download: Mac)

I changed my Gmail password. Now I can't log into Blackboard. What's wrong?
Once you change your Gmail password, it will not be the same as your Blackboard password since the passwords do not synchronize together. It is recommended that you contact the Helpdesk (414-297-6541) to change your Blackboard password after changing your Gmail password.

What do I do if I forgot my Gmail password?
Contact the Helpdesk at 414-297-6541.

How do I change my Gmail password?
Watch the video tutorial here.

Note: You must login to your MATC Gmail account to change your password. This requires you to know your current password. If you have forgotten your password, contact the Helpdesk at 414-297-6541.

Login to your MATC Gmail account.
Select the Settings button at the top right of the screen.
Next, in the settings menu, select Accounts.
Select the Change Password link at the bottom of the Accounts settings screen.
Enter your current password in the current password field.
Enter your new password in the Choose a new password field.
Re-enter your new password in the Re-enter new password field.
When finished, select the Change Password button. Your password has been changed. Enter your new Gmail password the next time you login to your MATC Gmail account.

My Student ID has zeros at the beginning. Can I log in without typing those zeros?
No. Your student ID is unique. Your entire seven (7) digit student ID is required to log in to Gmail.
Example: Student ID 0123456

How do I setup my Gmail Account?
Watch this video tutorial here.

Follow these steps for MATC Gmail account first-time login:

From the MATC.EDU homepage, select the link Check My Email or navigate to http://mail.gmatc.matc.edu.
In the Username field, enter your seven (7) digit student ID.
In the Password field, enter your default password. Note: Your password is case sensitive.

Example Default password = xy0512

After you have entered your Username and Password, select the Sign in button.
The first time you sign in to Gmail, you will be asked to set up your account. Select your default language from the language drop down menu.
For security reasons, Gmail requires you to enter a set of characters that you see on the screen to proceed. Enter the word that you see on the screen. If you are having trouble reading the characters on the screen, select the handicap icon to the right of the field.
Read Google's Terms of Service.
When finished, select 'I Accept. Create my account'.
Your MATC Gmail inbox will now appear. You have successfully completed the setup for your MATC Gmail account.

How do I send an email?
Watch this video tutorial here.

Follow these steps to send an email using your MATC Gmail account:

Select the Compose Mail link on the top left of your mailbox.
In the To field, enter the email address(es) that you wish to send your email to.
In the Subject field, enter a subject for your message. If you are sending an email to your instructor, enter the course number in the subject field.
In the Message field, type your message to the recipient. Use the formatting options from the menu above the message field to change fonts; letter size and spell check your message.
When finished press Send.

Note: If Save Now is selected during the compose mail process, the message will be saved in your Drafts folder on the left column of your screen. To send the message, open it from your Drafts folder and select Send.

Who do I contact for help with my Gmail account?
Watch the video tutorial here.

For help logging into Gmail, contact the MATC Helpdesk (414-297-6541).

For assistance with Gmail's features, select the Help link at the top right of any screen while in your Gmail account. The link will bring you to Google's help page where you can receive tutorials and step-by-step instructions on how to use your Gmail account. If you have a question that cannot be answered you can contact Google's support team by following the troubleshooting steps.

How do I organize my mailbox?
Watch the video tutorial here.

To help you organize your mail more effectively, you can use labels within Gmail. Labels organize your mailbox based on text labels that you create which are very similar to folders. Once you've created a label, you can view all the messages with that label by searching or by clicking the label name along the left side of any mail page. All created labels can be modified and removed easily.

Follow these steps to create a label:

Select the message(s) you'd like to label by checking the box(es) next to the sender's name.
Select New Label from the More Actions drop-down menu.
Enter the name of the new label in the text box, and click OK.

The selected messages will automatically be categorized under the new label.

Follow these steps to edit a label:

Click Edit labels at the bottom of the Labels box.
Click rename next to the label you want to edit.
Enter the new label name, and click OK.

All the messages categorized under your old label name will now be categorized under your new label.

Follow these steps to delete a label:

Click Edit labels at the bottom of the Labels box.
Click remove label next to the label you want to delete.
Confirm that you'd like to remove the label by clicking OK.

Note: Removing a label doesn't delete the messages previously categorized with that label. After labeling a message or conversation, you can remove it from your inbox by archiving it. Then, you can view archived messages by clicking All Mail, or by clicking the label name along the left side of any mail page.

How do I mark messages as 'read' or 'unread'?

Check the box next to the message you'd like to mark as 'read' or 'unread.'
Select the 'More Actions' drop-down menu and select 'Mark as read' or 'Mark as unread' from the list of choices.

How do I forward my mail to another email account automatically?
Watch the video tutorial here.

If you prefer, you can automatically forward mail received in your MATC Gmail inbox to another email address of your choice.
Follow these steps to automatically forward your MATC Gmail messages to another email account:

Select Settings at the top of any mail page.
Select Forwarding and POP along the top of the Mail Settings box.
Enter the email address that you'd like your MATC Gmail email messages forwarded to.
Select the action you'd like your messages to take from the drop-down menu. It is recommended that you choose to keep your copy of the message in your inbox. This way a copy of all emails forwarded will remain in your MATC Gmail inbox for reference.
Select Save Changes when finished.

How do I add a contact to Gmail?
Every time you send an email to a recipient, the recipient's email address is automatically copied into your Contacts listing. Once the email address is in the Contacts listing, you can edit the information of the contact to include the contact's name, address, telephone number and more. Doing so can help you to keep an ongoing database of contacts. You can export your contacts list at any time and import them into a different email account, Smartphone or web database.

Select the Contacts link within the left menu column of Gmail.
Select All Contacts.
Select an email address and then select Edit or select the Add Contact icon (+ person icon) and enter the information for your contact.
When finished, press Save.

How do I set up filters?
Filters allow you to manage incoming messages and organize your inbox. Using filters, you can automatically label, archive, delete, star, or forward your mail, based on any combination of keywords, sender, recipients, and more.

Follow these steps to create a filter:

Select Create a filter at the top of any mail page.
Enter your filter criteria in the appropriate field(s).
Select Test Search to see which messages currently in your account match your filter terms. You can update your criteria and run another test search, or click Next Step.
Select one or more actions from the list. These actions will be applied to messages matching your filter criteria in the order in which the actions are listed -- for example, you could choose to categorize matching messages to a specific label.
If you'd like to apply this filter to messages already in your account, select the Also apply filter to x conversations below checkbox.
When finished, select Create Filter.

Follow these steps to edit or delete existing filters:

Select Settings at the top-right of any mail page.
Select Filters.
Find the filter you'd like to change and click its edit link, or click delete to remove the filter.
If you're editing the filter, enter the updated criteria for the filter in the appropriate fields, and click Next Step.
Update any actions and click Update Filter.

How do I send a message to multiple contacts?
Watch the video tutorial here.

In the 'To' field, enter the email address for one of the recipients you would like to send your email.
Press Enter. Then enter a second email address. Repeat step 1 until you have all of the email addresses listed in the 'To' field
Add your subject and message. When finished press send.

What's the maximum file attachment size that I can send and receive in Gmail without error?
With your mail account you can send and receive messages up to 25 megabytes (MB) in size.

How much storage space do I have for my Gmail account?
You have a total of 7 gigabytes (GB) of storage in your MATC Gmail account.

How do I remove Spam?
To remove spam from your inbox, check the box next to the unwanted message, and select Report Spam. If you discover a message is spam once you have opened it, just click Report Spam along the top of the message to send it to Google. If you are ever to receive an email from that address again, the email will be automatically categorized under the Spam label.?
If you should happen to make a mistake and mark a safe message as spam, click Not Spam at the top of the message. You can also click Undo immediately after marking a message as spam, to remove the Spam label.

Can I block emails from certain senders?
While you can't block messages from specific addresses or domains, you can set up a filter to send those unwanted messages directly to your Trash bin.

Follow these steps to set up a filter:

Select Create a filter under the search box at the top of any mail page.
Fill in the appropriate fields with the filter's criteria, and click Next Step.
Choose the action you'd like for these messages by checking the appropriate box.
Select Create Filter.

To edit or disable a filter, select Settings.

How do I send a ZIP or EXE file as an attachment in Gmail?
Gmail's Anti-Virus application blocks all executable file types (.exe .zip etc) from being sent. There is a workaround for this. To send an executable file, rename the file to include additional text following the file extension. Example: .zip file "myproject.zip" would be renamed - "myproject.zip.test". When the recipient receives the file, they would save the file and rename it to remove the ".test" portion of the filename. This tells the Gmail Anti-Virus program that the file is not an executable file when sending.