If you spend a lot of time creating, editing and collaborating in various documents, such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, you should know that Google has its own version for each of these programs. There is even a way to start a document in one of Google’s applications, and then save and convert it to Microsoft Word, Powerpoint or Excel. Here are a few quick tips and tricks to using Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets:
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- If you want to convert a file to a Microsoft document format, you’ll go to “File” then “Download as” and select Word or the format you want the document to be saved as. You’ll first need a few extra components set up in Chrome to ensure this is functional. You’ll need to confirm Office Compatibility Mode is enabled in Google Docs by installing a new Chrome extension called Office Editing for Docs, Sheets & Slides.
- If you find you need to do some work in a document but don’t have internet access, you can still write and edit in a Google Doc, but you’ll lose the ability to auto-save your work until you reconnect to the internet. You would need to know ahead of time you’ll be working off-line, since you’ll need to enable offline editing. To enable this: go to the Google Docs home screen and click the menu button (blue square with 3.5 horizontal lines). Click “Settings,” and then toggle on “Create, open and edit your recent Google Docs files on this device while offline.”
- A great feature in Google Docs is not worrying about losing your work in the event that your computer shuts down before you can save your work. Google has an auto-save feature that uploads any work and changes you make to your documents automatically. In addition to this, let’s say you make a major mistake and want to undo this change. You can go back into the version history of the document and restore from a specific date and time, as it existed at that time. This means that any new changes you made to a document would be lost if you restore from an old version. If your document is collaborative, you can also see who made the edits and changes, and when.
- Google Docs has many pre-made templates for a variety of tasks, such as resumes, project proposals, newsletters, onboarding documents and sales quotes. Another feature in a Google Doc is at the top of a new document, you’ll find an “add-in” menu which allows you to add in useful tools such as a bibliography creator, translator, thesaurus, word count tracker and many more.
- Google Docs also has an app for both iPhone/iPad or Android which allows you to edit documents on your mobile device. While this is not the most ideal way to create a document, it is great to have a in a pinch where you may need to make a quick edit, or quickly document an idea you have at that moment but might later forget.
Working in documents and spreadsheets is prevalent in most workplaces. There are now an overwhelming number of tools and tricks to make the process a little less painful and allow you to work a little more easily.
