It seems too good to be true: a web-based word processing program that is completely free? Google's suite of productivity apps continues to impress and their Docs program is no different.
There are no catches, no subscriptions, no downloads, no fees, and there's no credit card required to use Google docs. All you need is an internet connection and a Google account (which you would already have if you happen to use Gmail or G Suite) to access just about everything Google has to offer - including Docs.
With Google Docs you can write reports, create joint project proposals, keep track of meeting notes, and much more. |
Google Docs is a user-friendly and simple platform to navigate, especially if you have ever used other word processing tools such as Microsoft Word. While free, Docs does not skimp on features and there are no locked features that require a premium paid membership to access. Docs (and other programs in Google's G Suite) can be accessed through any web browser or the free apps can be downloaded onto a mobile phone or tablet.
You can create a new documents through Google Docs, which are automatically saved in the Docs app, or you can also create and organize these documents in Google Drive alongside other file types. To create a new document in either app, there is a plus symbol (+) in the Google colors (red, blue, green, and yellow) towards the top left of the screen.
From Google Drive, you will have various options including Sheets and Slides while on the Google Docs app, you will only have the option of creating a new Doc but you can select from a few templates.
One of the best advantages of Google Docs is the ability to collaborate with other users in real time.
From Docs or Drive, documents can be easily shared with other people regardless of whether they have a Google account or not. From the document, you can click “File” and the very top option is “Share”. You can choose to get a shareable link or enter email addresses to send the document to select individuals. Alternatively, there is a big blue share button at the top right that has the same function.
Permissions are highly customizable - it’s possible to choose who can view the document, who can edit it, and who can leave comments.
If other users make changes to the document, their changes are tracked automatically and tied to their user ID so that you know who made the changes.
In “Sharing Settings” clicking the “Advanced” button in the bottom right corner also leads you to additional options that can prevent other users from sharing the document further and a separate option to prevent users from being able to download, print, or copy the text.
One of the best features of Docs and other productivity apps from Google like Sheets and Slides is the ability to collaborate and work together, and sharing your documents and files with others with proper permissions is easy to do with Google Docs.
Related: Google Docs vs Microsoft Word - What Are the Differences?
If you happen to know that you need certain margins, a different page orientation, or a certain size of document (letter, legal, leger, etc.), then you can adjust these parameters by clicking “File” then finding “Page setup” towards the bottom of the list.
From here, you can set the margins of your document, select from portrait or landscape page orientation, choose paper size, and even the background colour of your document.
Margins can also be adjusted manually by clicking on the little blue arrows on the ruler and dragging them to where you would like to set your margins. The ruler should be just under the toolbar, but if you happen to not see it then click on the “View” menu option and select “Show ruler”.
After creating your new document, you can format it many different ways.
The main tool you’ll likely use for formatting is the toolbar across the top of the document.
You’ll see (from left to right) the undo and redo buttons, a print button, spelling and grammar check, a paint roller button that will apply the current format settings to any text that you highlight, zoom, paragraph styles, font type, font size, bold, italic, underline, font colour, text highlighting, hyperlinking, adding a comment box, inserting an image, text alignment (right, center, left, justify), line spacing, numbering, bullet points, indentation, and finally a button to clear formatting.
At the very far right along the toolbar, you’ll notice a pencil with “Editing” written beside it. If you click the little arrow to the right of that, you can switch the mode you are in from editing, to suggesting, to viewing.
Suggesting is a helpful mode if you want to suggest changes to a document without implementing the edits just yet - it allows the opportunity for other users to review your suggested changes.
Viewing mode prevents any changes from being made and might be more helpful if you are printing or reading a document and want to avoid accidentally making a change.
Many formatting tools can also be found under the “Insert”, “Format”, or “Tools” menus just above the toolbar. These include some of the formatting options found on the toolbar as well as more specialized functions.
There are a number of handy keyboard shortcuts for completing various functions and formatting in a Google Doc (and often in other programs as well).
Thankfully, Google has included many of these shortcuts alongside the menu items. For example, if you look under the “Tools” menu, to the right of each menu item you may see a combination of keys in grey - that is the shortcut for the associated tool.
Of course, there are some other keyboard shortcuts that aren’t included in these menus.
These shortcuts can also vary depending on the type of operating system you are using. The most comprehensive list of shortcuts (separated by operating system types) can be found here.
As if Google didn’t already offer so much in its Docs program, it also has available Add-Ons or extensions you can use to enhance this cloud-based productivity app.
You’ll see the “Add-ons” option above the toolbar with the other menu options. Select “Get add-ons” to see what programs are compatible with Google Docs. For example, the DocuSign add-on can help you turn your document into one that can be electronically signed in a secure manner (great for Real Estate Agencies). The options are endless, and you can browse them in the G Suite Marketplace.
If you need something custom for your business, Suitebriar's team of Google Cloud professionals would be happy to assist you in developing a custom solution to make Docs work better for your business.
Google Docs documents are automatically saved to the cloud in real time, so you never risk losing your work.
Docs also tracks your changes and saves versions periodically, so it’s easy to go back in time and restore a previous version of your work. As a web-based program, Docs also has a couple of other huge advantages:
Multiple users can work on the same document at the same time and you can also access the document from any device at any time.
There are even options to make documents available offline so that you can continue to access the document even if you don’t have internet access. While working offline impedes real time collaboration or syncing, it is still a useful tool to be able to access documents anywhere and anytime (especially if you'll be traveling).
It’s worth noting that changes made in offline mode will not be saved or synced until you are reconnected to the internet, unless you save a local copy of the document to your computer (more on that below).
To turn this feature on, click the menu in the top left corner of Google Docs or Drive and select “Settings”, then toggle the “Offline” setting to on (it should turn blue to indicate that it is turned on). Note that this will make documents available offline only on the devices for which this setting is changed, so it is not advisable to do this on shared or public computers where you may be worried about privacy. It's a great choice for your Chromebook, phone, or tablet.
If you created a document in Docs, you can download that file in a number of different formats including Microsoft Word (.docx), PDF (.pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), Plain Text (.txt), OpenDocument (.odt), Web Page (.html), and even EPUB Publication (.epub).
This can be particularly useful for sharing the document in different formats or for saving a local copy of the file to your computer in order to work on it and save as you go while you’re offline.
Likewise, via Google Drive and Gmail, you can upload and open documents in Google Docs for further viewing or editing.
In Google Drive, this can be done by clicking that Google-colored plus symbol, choosing “File Upload” to upload your file to the Drive and then from there right click on the file, select “Open With”, and select Google Docs or the program of your choosing.
More and more people are flocking to the Google Suite of programs, including Google Docs, because Google's productivity apps are accessible, functional, and user friendly.
And as a free program available to everyone for personal use, Docs is becoming the default word processing software of the next generation of workers (which is why so many small businesses and startups are choosing G Suite over Office 365.
G Suite for Business pricing plans are incredibly affordable for a group of products that are highly compatible and functional, designed to work in today's collaborative, connected, cloud-based world.
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