How To Use Google Documents

Google offers a Web-based service that offers basic word processing and spreadsheets. You can also use the presentation and form services via Google Documents, or Google Docs. The great thing about Google Docs is that you can share it with other members. Another advantage of using Google Docs is that you can use the Microsoft Office formats without the need to purchase licensed software. By working online, you can create, edit, send and download documents. Google Docs also saves your work in real time, which means that you need not worry about saving your work – all you need to do is to maintain a stable Internet access.

* Uses of Google Documents. Apart from above-mentioned advantages, Google Docs allows you to safe-keep your documents, without the need to backup on a separate hard disk. Some people rely too much on their hard drive that they feel half dead when their computers crash. Avoid these incidents by having a free online storage for up to one gigabyte worth of files. Google Docs also work for collaborative projects. If you are part of a team working on the same project, Google Docs is a great tool for you to work together remotely.
* Ease of use. Google Docs is so easy to use. All you need to have is a computer and a Google account. Sign up for a free account via google. If you already have a Google e-mail account, you can use your same access information to start creating documents.
* Start your first document. As soon as you are able to login using your Google account, you can start creating your first document. Simply click on the tab that says ‘New Document’; you will be asked to select if you want to work on a word file, a spreadsheet or a presentation. If you are adept in using office applications, then you will find it easy to use the Google Docs, as the user-interface is almost the same. The basic formatting buttons are also visible on the tab.
* Saving. While Google automatically saves your documents, you may wish to save a copy on your computer to work on it without Internet access. Pretty much like saving on Microsoft Word or Excel, the save button is found on the ‘File’ tab. You can download a copy by choosing ‘Download As’ among the choices on the ‘File’ tab. You can also choose to print your documents if you want to. If you intend to exhaust Google Docs, which means that you want to save a lot of documents, it’s best to create a system to save put relevant documents into a folder. To do this, you will need to go the main page of your Google Docs, select the ‘Create New’ tab and a menu will drop down; choose the ‘Folder’ to create a new folder. Once you have a folder, rename the folder and start transferring your documents to that folder.
* Sharing. If you want to share your documents so that other members can either see or work on them, all you need to do is to click on the ‘Share’ button found on the upper right corner of your screen. You can choose to invite other members to view your document or you can e-mail the document as an attachment. Know the difference between a ‘Collaborator’ and a ‘Viewer’. The first sharing class is allowed to make changes on the file while the second one is limited to just viewing the document.


Maximize the advantages of Google’s free services and start using them!