Some of the ways I've been using Google docs
First let me say that whilst Google docs has some advantages, at this stage it wouldn't be my main word processor or spreadsheet program.
I would still use Microsoft Office and thus Word and Excel.
Having said that I've found a couple of very useful ways to use Google docs over time.
- Having a document accessible no matter what computer I'm using.
I find that sometimes I have a project where I collect information. Sometimes I'll be using a Desktop computer,
a notebook or a netbook. By having the document as a Google doc I can access and update the document from anywhere.
When I've finished collecting the information I'll then transfer the content to where I want to use the information.
This may be in a Word document, in a database, in a spreadsheet, or even a page on the internet.
- Having access to a spreadsheet containing information.
I keep some useful information in a spreadsheet in Google docs.
I can access the information from any computer including an iPhone.
Unfortunately the iPhone's approach to editing the Google spreadsheet isn't that good,
but being able to access the information is quite handy.
- Creating a form for a questionnaire can be done very easily in Google docs.
I wanted to get some feedback from some users so I set up a form and sent a link out to people.
This was very easy to do and the results were stored in a spreadsheet.
For a system I wouldn't use this approach, but for a quick and dirty solution this was very good.
- For one of the projects I was working on I wanted to share a document two of us could update.
Whilst we didn't go ahead and use the document, it was easy to set up.
I find for simple things Google docs can be very good.
At this stage I wouldn't be giving up my copy of Microsoft Office.
There are times however Google docs gives me the ability to do things that I couldn't easily do in Microsoft,
or at least not without extra work. Sometimes it is not a matter of which product to use,
but when to use either of the products.