Google for Google Docs
Google Docs is a freeware web-based office suite offered by Google within its Google Drive service. Google Docs is a free, cloud-based suite of tools for creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations and more.
Google Docs allows you to:
Google Docs allows you to:
- Create and edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations online, from anywhere you have Internet access.
- Share documents with others, even collaborating on the same document at once, in real time.
- Know that your documents are safe. Since your content is stored on Google's secure servers, even if something happens to your hard drive, your documents are protected.
Google Docs is Google's bundled version of a word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation tool. Watch the video Google Docs in Plain English, below. This brief video describes how Google Docs works, and why the program is a good choice for collaborative projects.
Creating New Docs
There are five types of docs that you can create:
There are five types of docs that you can create:
- Documents (like documents in Microsoft Word)
- Spreadsheets (like worksheets in Microsoft Excel)
- Presentations (like presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint)
- Forms
- Drawings
To Create a New Doc:
- Navigate to your Google Drive.
- Locate and click the Create button.
- Select the type of doc you would like to create from the drop-down menu.
4. Your new doc will open automatically in a new tab on your browser.
5. At the top of the page, locate and select Untitled document. The Rename Document dialog box will appear.
6. Type a name for your doc, then click OK.
6. Type a name for your doc, then click OK.
7. Your doc will be renamed
8. If you accidentally close your doc or need to make revisions, you can access it again from your Google Drive, where it will be saved automatically.
You may notice that there is no save button. This is because Google Docs uses auto-save, which automatically and immediately saves your files as you edit them.
Creating Docs with Templates
A template is a pre-designed doc that you can use to create docs quickly without having to think about formatting. With a template, many of the big design decisions like margin size, font style and size, and spacing are predetermined.
Most templates are designed to help users create specific kinds of docs. For instance, you might use a template to create a resume, newsletter, or some other type of doc that you wish to look a certain way.
Most templates are designed to help users create specific kinds of docs. For instance, you might use a template to create a resume, newsletter, or some other type of doc that you wish to look a certain way.
While there is a wide selection of templates you can use in Google Docs, few of them are well made, and they aren't very well organized within the template selector. For this reason, we recommend that you start by using templates made by Google, which tend to be of higher quality than user-submitted templates.
To Create a New Doc from an Official Google Template:
To Create a New Doc from an Official Google Template:
1. Navigate to Templates Submitted by Google.
2. Using one or more of the following methods, find a template you wish to use:
- Enter a search term in the Search Templates bar.
- Sort the templates.
- Narrow the templates down by type or category.
3. When you've found a template you wish to use, click Use this template. You can also click Preview to view it first.
4. A new doc will be created using the selected template.
5. Customize the doc with your own information.
To browse all templates, click the Create drop-down button on the Google Docs home page, then select From template....
Challenge!
- Create a new Google Doc.
- Rename the untitled Google Doc.
- Try going back to your Google Drive to see that your new doc has been added to the view pane.
- Explore Google Templates and select a useful template.
Graphics by GCF Learnfree.org