Google Docs 101: A Guide to Getting Started
Access this expert-led webinar instantly, available anytime on-demand.
Included in All-Access Membership Live Webinar
On-Demand Webinar Available
Customer Satisfaction Guarantee Learn with confidence. If you're not happy, we'll make it right. That's our guarantee.
Did you know that Google offers it's own version of the Microsoft Office365 suite of programs and that it is free? Google Docs includes programs for spreadsheets, word documents, presentations and a variety of other applications as well. Google has made some great strides recently to improve the functionality available within these programs. All of the programs are similar to their Microsoft counterparts, make files that are compatible with the Microsoft programs and are relatively easy to learn and use. This webinar will show you how to immediately start being productive in Google Docs. The webinar will focus on the desktop version, but will show you how to get access to the mobile versions as well.
Your Benefits of Attending:
- Learn the one thing you need to get access to Google Docs
- Understand how to access Google Docs
- Steps for writing documents and letters with Google Docs
- Learn how to get a spreadsheet started with Google Sheets
- Learn how to get a presentation started with Google Slides
- Learn how to get used to the screens in the Google Docs Suite
- Understand how to save your work to Google Drive
- Learn how to access the mobile apps for these programs, which connect to your Google Drive
- Understand the file Compatibility with Office365
Join Google Docs expert Tom Fragale as he gets you up in running in Google Docs without all of the frustration. Understand all of the features and functionality that come with this free set of tools.
-
Tom Fragale
Tom Fragale is a computer professional with over 30 years of experience. He is a Microsoft Certified Trainer, a Microsoft Certified Office Master, and a Microsoft Certified Expert in Word and Excel. He has trained over 30,000 business people in on-line webinars, public seminars, and on-site training [...]
ATAAA Credit
Aurora Training Advantage is offering continuing education points designed to recognize dedication to training and excellence in administrative.ATAOP Credit
Aurora Training Advantage is offering continuing education points designed to recognize dedication to training and excellence in operations.
Invest in your future with confidence! Our Customer Satisfaction Guarantee eliminates all risk, letting you focus purely on mastering new skills and advancing your career. If you're not completely satisfied, we'll ensure you are. Your satisfaction is not just a promise; it's our guarantee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Google Docs is Google's free, cloud-based productivity suite that serves as a direct alternative to Microsoft Office 365. It includes Google Docs (word processing, comparable to Microsoft Word), Google Sheets (spreadsheets, comparable to Excel), Google Slides (presentations, comparable to PowerPoint), Google Forms (surveys and data collection), and Google Drive (cloud storage and file management). All applications are accessible through any web browser with a free Google account—requiring no software installation. Files are stored automatically in Google Drive and accessible from any device, including smartphones and tablets via dedicated mobile apps. One of the suite's most significant advantages is real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to edit the same document simultaneously and see each other's changes live. The suite is compatible with Microsoft Office formats, enabling users to open, edit, and export Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files without conversion issues—making adoption easy for teams transitioning from or working alongside Microsoft Office environments.
Getting started with Google Docs requires only one thing: a Google account, which can be created for free at google.com. Once you have a Google account, you can access the entire suite by navigating to docs.google.com, sheets.google.com, or slides.google.com directly in any web browser—no downloads or installations required. You can also reach all apps through drive.google.com, which serves as your central file management hub. New documents are created with a single click and are saved automatically and continuously—eliminating the risk of losing work due to a crash or forgotten save. For mobile access, the Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps are available free on both iOS and Android, syncing automatically with your Google Drive so files are always accessible from any device. For organizations, Google Workspace provides business accounts with administrative controls, custom email domains, enhanced security, and expanded storage options managed centrally by IT administrators.
Google Docs and Microsoft Word are both capable word processing applications, and for most everyday business writing—drafting letters, creating reports, writing proposals—Google Docs performs comparably to Word at no cost. Google Docs includes standard formatting tools (fonts, headings, lists, tables, images), commenting and suggestion modes, and version history. Its primary advantage over Word is real-time collaboration: multiple users can edit the same document simultaneously, seeing each other's cursors and changes live. Word's advantages include a more comprehensive formatting toolkit for complex documents, better handling of advanced page layout features, and broader compatibility with legacy formatting. Google Docs saves files in its own format by default but exports to .docx, .pdf, .odt, and other formats for compatibility. For organizations that rely heavily on complex Word templates, mail merge, or advanced macro functionality, the transition may require some workflow adjustments—but for most standard document types, the switch is seamless.
Google Drive is the cloud storage system that houses all your Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and other files. Files created in Google applications save automatically and continuously—there is no manual save required, and version history is maintained so you can restore any previous version. Organizing files is done through folders, which you can create, name, color-code, and nest just like folders on a traditional computer. Files can be moved between folders by right-clicking and selecting 'Move to.' The 'Starred' feature enables quick access to frequently used files, while the 'Recent' view shows the most recently opened documents. Google Drive also has a powerful search function that can find files by name, content, file type, or owner. Files stored in Google Drive are accessible from any device where you are signed into your Google account, and they can be shared with others by granting view, comment, or edit permissions. Google provides 15 GB of free storage per account, with additional storage available through Google One subscriptions.
Yes—Google Docs is designed with strong Microsoft Office compatibility, enabling teams to work across both platforms without significant friction. Google Docs can open, edit, and save Microsoft Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), and PowerPoint (.pptx) files directly, so colleagues who send Office files can have them opened and edited in Google without conversion. When sharing with people who use Microsoft Office, you can download Google files in the appropriate Office format or export directly to PDF. Google Workspace also supports an 'Office compatibility mode,' allowing users to edit .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files in Google apps without converting them to Google's native format—preserving Office formatting throughout. Collaborating between platforms works smoothly for standard documents, though complex formatting, macros, or advanced Office-specific features may occasionally require attention during format conversion. For teams with mixed environments, this compatibility makes adoption gradual and practical rather than requiring an all-at-once platform switch.