General Glean FAQs
In this article:
- Features and usage
- Administrator questions for institutions
- Equipment and technical requirements
- Data management and security
Features and usage
Does Glean work offline?
Yes. Glean synchronises any recordings taken offline when an internet connection is live and Glean is active. Once signed in, a user can go offline for a period of up to 30 days, at which point re-authentication will be required to use the software. This also applies if a user manually signs out.
Can I record online classes?
Yes, Glean is designed to work equally well in both online and in-person classes, using either your device’s microphone or recording directly from your browser or application window. A helpful article that explains the different recording options can be found here: Recording Audio
Can I record Zoom lectures?
Yes, though Mac users need to join the meeting using their Chrome browser rather than the Zoom application. Users can learn more about this here.
Does Glean work on mobile?
Yes, the Glean Mobile app is available on Google Play (Android) and App Store (iOS). However, a user will need to have set up a Glean account prior to using the mobile app.
Does it have transcription capability?
We currently offer Transcription to our Glean for Education customers in North America, and to DSA and Access-to-Work customers in the UK - check out this article to learn more about this functionality.
How do users access the Glean mobile app?
Users can download the app from the App Store or Google Play Store and sign in using their pre-existing Glean account details.
Is Glean accessible?
Accessibility is at the heart of Glean and will always be a key focus of ours. Glean has internal accessibility champions and also works with external experts to continuously improve the accessibility of the Glean software and Glean websites.
A copy of our current Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPAT) for Glean web and Glean mobile, which reports on our conformity with WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (USA) For more information, can be viewed at: https://glean.co/accessibility-statement
Administrator questions for institutions
What usage data is available?
Admin users of Glean can see whether a student has signed into Glean and the last time they used it. This helps you keep on top of students who aren’t accessing their accommodation and reach out to offer support, or reassign the unused licences to other students.
Are student-facing resources for Glean fully accessible?
We're working hard to make sure that all our resources are fully accessible for students, but there may be some that need a little more work. If you have any challenges or ideas, we'd love to work with you to ensure every student receives the support they deserve.
What is the licensing model?
You can purchase any number of licenses you require (above a minimum of 5). Our pricing structure ensures that the more licenses you purchase, or the longer you purchase them for, the cheaper they become on a cost per license basis.
Equipment and technical requirements
What operating systems can I use the Glean web app on?
Glean works on Windows, Mac, Chromebooks and Linux running the Google Chrome or Edge web browsers. The mobile app is also available on iOS and Android: http://glean.co/specification
Do I need a Google account?
No, your Glean account can be set up and activated using any valid email address.
What system availability will be guaranteed with Glean?
We do not currently have a standard SLA with guaranteed uptimes. However, the uptime for the last 6 months has been 99.995%, and we are aiming for 99.999%.
When is customer support available?
Our support team are UK based and will be available from 9am to 5pm GMT.
Data management and security
Where is data stored?
User-generated content is saved locally to the individual's hard disk in a Glean-readable format and is then uploaded to Glean's cloud storage. Other types of customer data, including personal data (i.e. user's email address used to create a Glean account), is also saved to the cloud. Glean uses Google Cloud and AWS cloud storage. Data is encrypted at rest using AES-256 encryption.
Is data safe?
The safety and security of your data is extremely important to us. Please read our Customer Data Security Policy to learn more about how Glean protects customer and end user data.
How long is data retained and what is the deletion process?
Glean will only retain customer and end user data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes it was collected for. This includes for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. In line with our company Data Retention Policy, Glean initiates the process for permanent deletion of a Glean Organization Account and all associated end users’ accounts and the data contained therein, when:
- The relevant customer contract has expired or has been validly terminated and;
- The customer’s Glean Organization Account has completed our Glean Organization Account Offboarding Process and;
- Glean has satisfied any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
More information on account termination can be found in the Glean Service Agreement (see Section 12: Termination).
Please also see the Glean Privacy Policy to learn more about how Glean handles personal data.
You can contact us any time at support@glean.co to learn more.
Who has access to the data?
Access to customer and end user data is restricted to authorised Sonocent employees who have a legitimate business need to access it. Access to user data such as lecture recordings or notes, would only be undertaken with the express permission of the user.