Google Docs

You should probably know about Google Docs by now. If you don’t, then you’re either on a Mac or you’re paying for a Microsoft Office subscription. Either way, stop what you’re doing and start using Google Docs. Also, if you have a Mac, throw it out or something. I can’t think of a smarter play. I like Macs, but there’s something comic precious about them flying out an open window. Defenestration, that’s called. Anyways, back on point, Google Docs is the best document option, especially if you’re collaborating with multiple people on the same project.

Your end goal, beyond actually getting the job done, is avoiding version spam. That’s what happens when you name your documents something like “March_Final” and then there’s “March_Final_2” and then you get “March_Final_2_2_for_real_this_time”. Don’t lie; we’ve all been there. Version control isn’t a very popular trend among porn webmasters. You can’t be faulted for not giving a shit. That’s why Google Docs is integrated with Google Drive. They’re not just compatible; they’re each other’s default.

That means that when you use Google Docs to write up a document, it goes into your drive and remains persistent throughout your editing. Combine that with the fact that your drive’s files can be shared with other people and even edited and you’ve got yourself a version of Microsoft Word that doesn’t suck dick. No shade on Microsoft Word; I just like throwing insults around.

Keeping Track

The main upside to using Google Docs and by far my favorite feature is that the damn thing doesn’t just save the final state of a document at any given point in time. Instead, it stores the differences between file versions and it does so in a very clever way. Let’s say you write up a shopping list on Monday, edit it on Tuesday and add a bunch of crap to it on Wednesday. You can check all three of these versions separately if you just access the file's edit history. That’s built-in functionality. You don’t have to enable it or install a plugin. That’s how Google Docs works by default. It blew my mind the first time I saw it.

But, much like the bedroom, it gets wilder when multiple people join in on the fun. Google Docs keeps track of who edited what and in what way. It’s kind of like Wikipedia’s edit history. You can track all of the document changes over time with stamps from the people who made those edits. So, if something’s missing, you know who scrapped it. If someone looks particularly sexy, you know who to thank and so on. This kind of extreme version control makes document storage an absolute breeze and the debrief process becomes a cakewalk. Not to mention, if something gets royally fucked, you can always roll back in an instant.

Collaboration Made Easy

I just have to remind you that whether it’s Docs or any other type of file on Google Drive, deleting the file puts it in the trash folder for 30 days. As a convention, I do not empty my trash folder, just in case I happen to change my mind about something. If you delete a file accidentally, you can recover it from your trash folder. Just don’t clear the damn thing and you’ll always sleep soundly. On top of that, you can’t get screwed by disgruntled or idiotic employees. If they have edit rights and they delete a file, it goes into your trash folder, if you’re the owner. They can’t empty your trash. So, you can always run a recovery.

Not to mention that all of Google’s services, including Drive and, of course, Docs, are cross-compatible with every other corporate Google solution. All of these tools are heavily used under the new Google Workspace program, which you can and should pay for. The design ideology behind Google Docs is pretty straightforward – seamless work with zero hassle and a general stress-free approach.

I can’t tell you the number of Word documents I’ve lost over the years because of power outages or blue screens and even the odd spilled soda. This simply does not happen with Google Docs. Every change is saved damn near every second. As far as I can tell, documents commit themselves to the servers every single time you stop typing. And, because they only need to push the changes, rather than the whole damn document, this means that you can get away with using a shoestring internet connection.

Write Once, Access Everywhere

Another main facet of appeal is that Google Docs is accessible everywhere and anywhere, from any browser-capable device. Android phones are natively fine-tuned to Google’s products because Google made Android, as you probably already know. So, it’s no surprise the damn thing is probably already on your phone as an app. I personally really appreciate it when there’s a proper Android application for a service I use regularly. I don’t mind browsers; they’re just kind of clunky on phones. For anything other than reading text, browsers should probably be avoided.

Thankfully, Docs is accessible one way or the other on damn near any device. You could check your notes on your smart fridge if you wanted. But, you wouldn’t need to do that. Let’s get to the point – you have your notes on the go. This is ridiculously useful if you’re working with a content team. Don’t have them mail in their content pieces. Fuck that noise. Have them work within a corporate folder that’s under your ownership and give them each a folder they can upload to. That way, they’re always typing under your account, even if you’re not staring at them directly. Also, try not to pry while they’re actually typing. That can be very distracting. Remember, you can collaborate while they work. This is a good feature, but don’t abuse it. Let writers be writers.

The best way to profit from accessibility is to shave down review time, especially during an automated commute like on a train or bus. You can check the latest updates from your team and read their entire articles if you’d like, while you’re on the go. You can also sort your Drive by edit history to see what’s changed in the past few hours or days to stay on top of things. These tools are a godsend.

Some Design Perks

It’s only natural that Google Docs has introduced some features that have been available inside text editors for a while in the past. They’ve always been compatible, but Google has sort of upped the ante in recent years with high-quality templates and intuitive controls for layout editing. So, if you’re doing an editorial piece or some kind of SEO content with imagery and different sized fonts or whatever, it’ll all flow really easily. You get no bugs or whacked out content flowing outside of margins. It’s also an excellent tool for preparing content that you intend to print on paper – Though, in this day and age, I’d be surprised if you ever had to print anything, but hey, you have the option, so that’s nice.

Docs are also cross-compatible with proprietary text editors, like Microsoft Word and you can import and export DocX files to your heart’s content. The integration is perfect. I’ve never had a document look different between the two and I’ve imported and exported many documents. On top of all of these fantastic features, you also get extensibility – Google likes their plugins. You get all kinds of add-ons that let you pull off some sick design tricks in your documents. This is especially handy if you’re ever doing client reports or preparing visual content for your website. You get Lucidchart for diagrams, MathType for … nerd stuff, Equation Editor for extreme nerd outs and DocuSign eSignature so that you can sign your name without having to print and scan. It’s legit; I use it all the time.

Free and Simple

You get some perks with Google Workspace, which can be a paid subscription if you want, but Google Docs on its own is a perfectly free tool. There’s no compromise. Google really wants you to migrate over to this holistic document editor. Personally, I hate monopolization, but a free tool that integrates with a ton of free plug-ins and is cross-compatible with all other text editors is hardly a compromise. It’s not like they’re running a scam. Google Docs is the best document editor, by virtue of its accessibility alone.

Plus, it boasts default collaboration features that you just don’t get with other editing software without a bit of elbow grease. You get these features out of the box with Docs. I wholeheartedly recommend that you and your whole team use this software for everything from shopping lists to generating your end of month client reports, if you have them.