If you work in an office environment where co-workers frequently share documents and spreadsheets with each other, you should consider allowing multiple people to collaborate on the same files simultaneously. If everyone is e-mail copies of the same file back and forth, at some point you may lose track of the most recent version and lose information. By collaborating online, you can allow everyone to edit one version of the same document.
Collaborating on office documents is a breeze with Google’s online office suite. Google Documents and Spreadsheets is a web-based service that is similar to Microsoft Office, but is available online from any computer, at any time (password required, of course). When multiple colleagues all agree to sign up and use Google Documents and Spreadsheets, they can take advantage of the ability to work on shared files.
Start A New Document
First things first, you must create a new document in Google Docs. If you already have a document or spreadsheet that was created in another program, press the “Upload” button to import it into Google Docs.
Share the Document
With the document open in Google Docs, click on the “Share” tab. The “Share” tab is located on the top right portion of the screen. This will bring up a form that allows you to enter the e-mail address of your collaborators. Enter their addresses, then enter a custom message to be included with the invitation (optional). Google Docs will send an invitation to their e-mail address.
When your colleague receives the invitation, all that is required is that they click on the link inside the e-mail message. The document will open up in their browser. If you are online at that time, you will receive a notice that the other person has opened up the file. Continue editing the document as usual - you will see each other’s edits in real time.
Chat While Collaborating
While you and your colleagues are collaborating on your document, you can chat with each other in the same window. Click on the “Discuss” tab, which is located on the top right portion of the screen, right next to the “Share” tab. If someone else enters something into the chat window, your “Discuss” tab will turn orange.
Microsoft Office-compatible
Google Docs is not only a Microsoft Office competitor - it is also compatible with the Microsoft Office file format. Office documents can be imported into Google Docs, and Google Documents can be saved in Microsoft Office format. If you have others who do not wish to use Google Docs, sharing Google Documents with them is not a problem.
If your colleagues have not yet registered for Google Docs, they will be prompted to do so after clicking the link in their invitation. Registration is easy and free.
