It’s no secret that our digital world is constantly shifting, changing, and improving. We’re demanding more from our devices than ever, and we’re connecting with one another in ways that we never really thought possible. When it comes to our businesses, it’s imperative that we pay close attention to these innovations so that we can implement them accordingly into our internal structures so that we don’t miss a beat or lose sight of any lead opportunities.
One of the absolute best details that cloud-based storage software has given us is the ability to save time and energy. At one point in time, saving all of your ongoing or past documents on your computer’s hard drive or shared hard drive meant that there would often be many people waiting for one version of a document before having the ability to collaborate. This slows down any kind of process, and with timing being of the essence, there is more often than not incredible stalls and delays for the final version.
Plus, storing all of your important documents on your own internal drive often creates issues down the road. If you go on vacation and someone needs access to your materials, finding the proper documentation can often lead to an unsure path. Storing excessive documents on your drive can slow down the performance of your computer or even cause it to crash due to too much data and storage usage. If you decide to leave the company, there might be many holes left due to lack of proper documentation or pathing.
Introducing Google Docs
In any business, Microsoft Word allows the function of writing, note-taking, and any other capability that requires long-form writing. It’s been a staple of one of the options within the Microsoft Office Suite and Zoho CRM for years now, and while its functions continue to enhance and excel to cater to today’s standards and expectations, there are certain capabilities that simply fizzle with the success of the Google Docs introduction.
In essence, the idea is the same here – Google Docs is modeled after Microsoft Word as a word processor. It lives within the Google Drive functionality, similar to Google Sheets (Excel) and Google Slides (PowerPoint). What sets this apart from Microsoft Word is that it lives in the cloud, meaning that it’s accessible to whomever has access. As the owner of the document, you’ll have the power to grant editing rights to specific individuals so that for projects that require collaboration, you can have as many stakeholders working on the document at once as you need.
Some advantages to working with Google Docs over Microsoft Word
Cost efficiency
One of the ways in which Microsoft Office dominates the productivity realm and more so if integrated to Zoho CRM and it is because it charges users to own the program – which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access. The cost of this package varies per user and depends what versions of the platforms you’re seeking. Google Docs, however, is free with any Google account. Depending on how you plan on using the tool, this may or may not have a significant impact on you decision-making process, but it’s important to include for those looking to weigh their options. Whether you’re looking to compare your options for personal or professional use, it’s imperative that you compare the rates for both so you can truly visualize the benefits.
User-friendliness
In today’s world of digital technology, we’re learning that simpler is better. We’re understanding that we need a straightforward approach to connecting with one another, and we’re all about intuitiveness. No matter how seasoned you may be with Microsoft Word, it’s likely that you probably don’t know of or understand every single function that it can perform. With Google Docs, they’ve simplified the layout so that you can get right to your basic and immediate functions without having to search high and low.
Automatic saving
We’ve all been there: you’re working on an important document in Word, and suddenly, something crashes or malfunctions, and you immediately lose everything. While we’re all likely in the habit of continuously saving our work, it’s still almost inevitable that you’ll lose some work in progress at some point. With Google Docs, Google automatically saves anything you do as a standalone program or in conjunction with Zoho in real-time so you won’t have to worry about losing any work or missing any adjustments that someone else makes in editing mode.
Format capability
Since so much of our personal and professional world is operated via document exchange, we often need our Word documents to exist in other formats. Another advantage to Google Docs is that it offers more extension options than Microsoft Word, making the adjustment one step easier so you can save time and energy in the overall process and production.
Collaboration capability
This is likely the strongest argument for Google Docs, as you can allow other individuals to work on a shared document together in real-time, avoiding the hassle of managing versions, waiting for the other stakeholders to contribute, or even ensuring that everyone is aligning in the same vision. From view-only mode to editing capabilities, you can save valuable time and incredible energy with this feature, something that simply cannot be performed by Microsoft Word.
Mobile functionality
It’s a question we all are in the habit of asking now: will it work on mobile? As with anything cloud-based nowadays, Google Docs can be accessed while on-the-go. You can watch edits being made in real-time right on your mobile device so you won’t miss a beat, even if you’re not on your main computer. Microsoft Word, even the online version, is simply stronger via desktop.
For heavy Microsoft Word users, it’s understandable to be drawn to the original Microsoft version of a word processor due to its advanced and robust list of capabilities. It’s ability to work without an online connection ensures that work can still be completed, but in the world of digital connection, Google Docs takes productivity and efficiency to the next level, no matter where you are or where you go.
