{"id":41102,"date":"2020-02-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/google-docs-hacks\/"},"modified":"2025-03-13T06:30:37","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T13:30:37","slug":"google-docs-hacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/google-docs-hacks\/","title":{"rendered":"27 time-saving Google Docs hacks to get more done in a day"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are so many moving pieces involved in running a business that finding ways to save on time and efficiency can feel like hitting all the numbers in a lottery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have a lot of files and are always creating documents, then you\u2019re probably used to using either Microsoft Word or Google Docs. But if you\u2019re looking for something you can jump into right away, which offers a lot of value at a low cost, then <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.ca\/docs\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Docs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is your best bet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But whether your business is just getting started with Google Docs, or you already have a team of users, you should know that it comes packed with convenient features to simplify your life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Docs\u2019 benefits are uncontested, but what\u2019s still up for debate is whether or not you already know enough of these 27 nifty tricks to call yourself a Google Docs Wizard. Think you do? Keep reading to find out. To make it easier for you, we\u2019ve categorized these Google Docs hacks into:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#Collaboration communication\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Collaboration\/communication<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#Organization\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Organization<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#Productivity\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Productivity<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#Personalization\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personalization<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#Bonus extras\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bonus extras<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"p1\">\ud83e\udd1d See how Google integrates with RingCentral to give you a full-fledged communication hub with this one-pager.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"download-form-widget standart-download-form\" data-url=\"https:\/\/netstorage.ringcentral.com\/datasheets\/google_datasheet.pdf\" data-id=\"6a0ac3129d845\" id=\"6a0ac3129d845\">\n\t\t<button tabindex=\"on\"  on=\"tap:6a0ac3129d845.toggleClass(class='open')\" class=\"open-modal-download-action download-form-button\" type=\"submit\">\ud83c\udf1f Learn more<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"download-form-modal\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-body\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-content\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-title\">\ud83d\udc40 See how you can supercharge Google by integrating it with a communication platform. <\/div>\n<form class=\"download-form SMB\" method=\"post\">\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"download-form-input\" aria-label=\"Full Name\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" type=\"text\" name=\"fullname\" placeholder=\"Full Name\" data-dl-events-hover=\"true\" data-dl-element=\"text\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"download-form-input\" aria-label=\"Email (please enter a work email address)\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" type=\"email\" autocomplete=\"on\" name=\"email\" placeholder=\"Email (please enter a work email address)\" data-dl-events-hover=\"true\" data-dl-element=\"email\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"popup_form\" value=\"1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"Lead_Entry_Source__c\" value=\"RC Blog\" class=\"download-form-input\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"download-form-submit\" type=\"submit\" data-dl-element=\"button\" data-no-auto-dl=\"true\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\" data-dl-name=\"Download it now\">Download it now<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<button on=\"tap:6a0ac3129d845.toggleClass(class='open')\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"  class=\"download-form-modal-close\"><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-thank\">Enjoy! <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a name=\"Collaboration communication\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 30px;\"><b>Collaboration\/communication<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s face it\u2014fewer and fewer employees are attached to the idea of working out of a physical office these days. They want flexibility to work where they want and when they want. This is why offering them a tool to work in real time and with sleek collaborative capabilities is essential to ensuring their happiness. Here are some ways that Google Docs can help you with that.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>1. Adjust access for different collaborators\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: File &gt; Share<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Access levels are great if you need to give collaborators different sets of permissions to engage with your document. Sometimes you might have multiple people working on a document, while only a handful of reviewers should have the power to approve it. Whatever your case may be, these access tiers give you and your team full control over the security of your document.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2771 size-large\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image23-2-1024x758.png\" alt=\"Google docs access levels\" width=\"840\" height=\"622\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are three access levels for you to choose from:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Edit<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014Anyone can see, make comments, edit the document, and add others, but can\u2019t delete permanently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Comment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014Anyone can see and make comments on the document, but can\u2019t edit, delete, add others, or otherwise modify the document.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>View<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014Anyone can only see the document, but can\u2019t edit, delete, add others, or otherwise modify the document.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>2. Work on the same document together<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most significant benefits of Google Docs compared to other word processing tools is the ability to collaborate on documents with others. You have the ability to track each other\u2019s edits and even see changes being made live in real time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The possibilities here are endless. If you have a proposal requiring input from different subject matter experts, you can enable each of them to have <\/span><b>Edit<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> access, and they can work simultaneously while seeing each others\u2019 progress. It\u2019s a good way to not have to worry about version control (which by the way, is still available if you ever need to go back on your work).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>3. Leave comments for others<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: Insert &gt; Comment<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have a thought or action item you want to share with other collaborators? Leaving a comment is the perfect way to do this. You can associate comments to select text or phrases by highlighting them before inserting the comment. You can also tag collaborators in them by using the <\/span><b>@<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> symbol, followed by their name. Comments are also conversational threads that can be responded to, resolved, or deleted.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2773 size-full\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image11-8.png\" alt=\"Tagging collaborators and leaving comments on Google Docs\" width=\"1680\" height=\"795\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider leaving comments behind to call attention to certain parts of the page, particularly where there may be questions, comments, or feedback. It\u2019s a very useful feature when you have both reviewers and approvers in a team document.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>4. Assign tasks to others<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you leave a comment and tag a collaborator in it, you also have the option to assign a task to them. When you do this, they\u2019ll receive an email notifying them that they\u2019ve been tagged. You can assign tasks the same way you tag someone in a comment, by using the<\/span><b> @<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> symbol followed by their name.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2774 size-full\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image27-2.png\" alt=\"Google Docs tagging and assigning tasks\" width=\"416\" height=\"360\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>5. Send as a fax<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hold on<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you\u2019re thinking. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fax? Who uses fax anymore?<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Even though we\u2019ve advanced since the advent of this technology, it doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s obsolete. There are many countries in the world (like Japan) and industries like healthcare and legal that use fax every day as a part of doing business.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your company uses fax, you\u2019ll be happy to know there are Google Docs add-ons for fax, like the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/netstorage.ringcentral.com\/guides\/fax_google_guide.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RingCentral Fax add-on<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. When installed, you can send a fax directly from your Google Doc without having to download or print your document first.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2775 size-full\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image18-3.png\" alt=\"Sending fax using the RingCentral Fax add-on\" width=\"1404\" height=\"690\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>6. Click to dial or send as SMS<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did you know that you can hover over phone numbers in a Google Doc and either click to dial or click to send an SMS\u2014without needing to get out your phone? There are add-ons for that! For example, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/netstorage.ringcentral.com\/datasheets\/google_datasheet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RingCentral\u2019s add-on for Google<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> lets you communicate with just a click.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>7. Hide confidential info\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a number of different collaborators working on the same document, security can be a tricky thing to navigate. As we covered above, Google comes with the <\/span><b>View<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Comment,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Edit <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">permissioning, though there are going to be times where you need multiple users with full <\/span><b>Edit <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">access while wanting to hide confidential parts of the documents from some of them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/gsuite.google.com\/marketplace\/app\/docsecrets\/933719089841\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DocSecret <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">add-on, this makes it very easy to do. Within the document, you can hide certain information that you don\u2019t want all collaborators to see, though they can access the information that\u2019s restricted if they have the password you choose.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2776 size-full\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image25-1.png\" alt=\"Hiding confidential info with the DocSecret add-on\" width=\"1280\" height=\"800\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"Organization\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 30px;\"><b>Organization<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keeping an organized set of records and documents is table stakes for low blood pressure when you\u2019re running a business. While version control can be a big headache when multiple team members are working on the same document, here are some ways Google Docs can alleviate some of that pain:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>8. Use the outline to organize content<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: View &gt; Show document outline<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Particularly helpful when working with large documents or bodies of text (think business contracts, policies, terms of use), the <\/span><b>Outline<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> feature acts as a table of contents to help you organize your work into sections: <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2777 size-full\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image15-4.png\" alt=\"Google Doc Document Outline Feature\" width=\"554\" height=\"906\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To add items to the Outline<\/span><b>, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you first have to select the <\/span><b>Styles<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> drop-down menu from the top bar to create heading sections. There are different styles to choose from in order to give hierarchy to your content. For instance, Heading 1 can be used to call out main headings, while Heading 2 and Heading 3 can be used to call out subheadings within those sections:\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2778 size-large\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image12-10-1024x594.png\" alt=\"Adding items to the Outline by selecting from the Styles drop-down menu to create heading sections\" width=\"840\" height=\"487\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tired of scrolling through a 120-page doc? Once the sections in your <\/span><b>Outline <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are created using these headings, you\u2019ll have not only a convenient snapshot view of your content, but also a shortcut: just click on each section title to jump directly to that point in the document. Instant scroll relief.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>9. Compare two different documents<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: Tools &gt; Compare documents<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This feature is incredibly useful in scenarios where you have two documents that are very similar but you need to quickly find out what the specific differences are between the two. Think about when you have a contract you\u2019re drawing up and need to compare against similar past contracts to find out what\u2019s been changed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To do this, open up the first of the two documents you want to compare. Select <\/span><b>Compare documents <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">under <\/span><b>Tools<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This will prompt you to select your second document from your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/google-drive-hacks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google Drive<\/a>. After a file is selected, a new (third) document will be generated showing all the changes between the two, which is highlighted in magenta.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2772 size-large\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image26-2-1024x453.png\" alt=\"Comparing two different documents using Google Docs\" width=\"840\" height=\"372\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>10. Recover past work<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: File &gt; Version history &gt; See version history<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ve all been there. Deleting huge bodies of text accidentally, making large edits only to change our minds later, or simply realizing we had it right three versions ago\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Worry not, Google Docs has a built-in feature that tracks all previous versions of your document so that you can either look up what you\u2019ve done before, revert back to it altogether, or just make a copy of it separately. So go ahead, make changes without fear of losing your work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2780 \" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image21-2-455x1024.png\" alt=\"Recovering past work in Google Docs\" width=\"296\" height=\"665\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"tip-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pro-tip: <\/span><\/div>\n<p>See that text in the toolbar that says <b>All changes saved in Drive<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">? It\u2019s a one-click shortcut that leads you to see your version history.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2781 size-full\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image14-8.png\" alt=\"Shortcut to revisions: &quot;All changes saved in Drive&quot;\" width=\"1870\" height=\"240\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>11. Star key documents<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: Clicking the star icon beside your document name so it becomes yellow<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2782 size-full\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image1-43.png\" alt=\"Star key documents\" width=\"404\" height=\"149\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are there documents that you wish you could find more quickly and easily? Say, the ones you work on regularly, or documents that need recurring updates?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Within Google Drive, there\u2019s a folder created automatically for you called Starred. Any documents you star will also show up here, in addition to the original folder it lives in.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2783 size-medium\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image8-15.png\" alt=\"'Starred' Folder\" width=\"288\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"Productivity\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 30px;\"><b>Productivity<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Working harder isn\u2019t necessarily the same as working better. And when it comes to using online tools and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/productivity-systems\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">productivity systems<\/a>, that certainly isn\u2019t the case. The best way to work better is to work smarter. The way to work smarter? We\u2019ll show you in this section.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>12. Shortcut to starting a new document<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ready to start a new document? If you\u2019re already signed into your Gmail account, head over to your Google Chrome browser, type <\/span><b>doc.new<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> into the URL bar and hit <\/span><b>Enter<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It\u2019s as easy as that to get started.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2784 size-full\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image10-9.png\" alt=\"Type 'doc.new' to start a new document\" width=\"377\" height=\"101\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re not yet logged in, it\u2019ll either prompt you for your account credentials or give you an option to register. Again, creating a Gmail account is free and gives you instant access to business essential tools within the Google Workspace such as Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms and more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>13. Do a Google Search&#8230; from within your doc<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: Tools &gt; Explore<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a great shortcut to save you time without having to open a separate tab to do a search in Google. By going through the <\/span><b>Explore<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> option, you can do searches both in your Google Drive and on the web.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The real timesaver here is the ability to also search for images (essentially the same as using Google Image search). When you hover over the image, you\u2019ll see a plus icon which allows you to add that image directly into your document with just a click. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2785 \" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image4-30.png\" alt=\"Google Search from within your Google document\" width=\"477\" height=\"788\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>14. Learn useful keyboard shortcuts<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: CTRL + \/<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If browsing through each toolbar option until you find what you need feels like a chore, or you simply want to get better at finding ways to reduce excess work, then consider learning keyboard shortcuts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though there are nearly a hundred different shortcuts built into Google Docs, chances are the type of work you\u2019re doing probably doesn\u2019t require you to know them all. Focus on just the key ones to remember (particularly recurring ones like copy, paste, and undo text) and let muscle memory lead the way. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2786 size-large\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image6-18-1024x793.png\" alt=\"List of Keyboard Shortcuts\" width=\"840\" height=\"651\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For a full list of shortcuts for PC and Mac, check <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/docs\/answer\/179738?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&amp;hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> out.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>15. Push the limits with add-ons<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: Add-ons &gt; Get add ons<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to do even more with Google Docs beyond what\u2019s already built-in, head over to the add-ons library (called the Google Workspace Marketplace) where you can find a number of useful tools. These can help you create diagrams, bibliographies, sign documents, add language accents, and more. Installing add-ons is easy and takes just seconds:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2787 size-full\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image22-2.png\" alt=\"Choosing add-ons at Google Workspace Marketplace\" width=\"1447\" height=\"1064\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you find the add-on you want, hit install, sign in to your Gmail account, accept the terms and you\u2019re on your way. If you change your mind, go to <\/span><b>Add-on &gt; Manage add-ons<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to uninstall or report any issues.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2788 size-medium\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image24-2.png\" alt=\"Google Docs &gt; Manage add-ons\" width=\"531\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>16. Change multiple words\/phrases at once<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: Edit &gt; Find and replace<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A quick way to replace a word or phrase with another throughout a whole document is to use the <\/span><b>Find and Replace<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> feature.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2789 size-medium\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image3-29.png\" alt=\"How to change multiple words or phrases all at once on Google Docs\" width=\"588\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a lot of cases where this tool could come in handy. If you want to correct the way a word is spelled, make changes to recurring phrases (such as in mission statements, core values, or slogans), or adjust formatting (for instance, adding an extra space after each dash line)\u2014you can perform all of these instantly with <\/span><b>Find and Replace<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>17. Type with your voice<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: Tools &gt; Voice Typing<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With accessibility-friendly features like voice-typing, you can dictate to type rather than use your keyboard. You might have to speak a bit slower than a normal conversational pace to make sure it\u2019s capturing each word correctly and fill in punctuations verbally (\u201ccomma\u201d, \u201cperiod\u201d, etc.)\u2014but it\u2019s a neat way to work if you ever need to go hands-free. Just remember to say \u201cstop listening\u201d when you\u2019re finished dictating\u2014unless you want it to pick up the lyrics to your next five hours of background music.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>18. Start with templates<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: File &gt; New &gt; From template<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Docs offers excellent starting points to get your document up and running by providing free templates for a variety of purposes (invoices, proposals, employment letters, contracts, agreements, schedules, and more).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No need to reinvent the wheel when working with document types that are more or less standardized. Make time to focus on content and let the templates take care of setting up the general skeleton and layout. From there, you can tweak and adjust as needed to incorporate your company\u2019s unique branding.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2790 size-large\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image13-9-1024x687.png\" alt=\"Google Docs Template Gallery\" width=\"840\" height=\"564\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"Personalization\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 30px;\"><b>Personalization<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several ways you can tweak Google Docs so that it\u2019s tailored to the needs of your business. The good news with these tweaks is that you can set it once and it\u2019ll save your preferences until you decide to change them at a later date.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>19. Customize your personal dictionary<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: Tools &gt; Spelling and grammar &gt; Personal dictionary<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your business or the industry that you\u2019re in uses specific language that\u2019s not in the dictionary, you can add them to your <\/span><b>Personal dictionary<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Google docs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2791 size-medium\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image2-37.png\" alt=\"Customizing personal dictionary in Google Docs\" width=\"446\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This will help with reducing the number of red lines under common words so that when you do a spell check, you only need to pay attention to what needs fixing.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>20. Add your company font<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: Fonts drop down menu &gt; More fonts<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re looking for more fonts to use beyond the 35 that\u2019s available in the main drop-down menu, look no further, there\u2019s a section right in Google Docs to browse for more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2792 size-large\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image17.png\" alt=\"Browse Fonts in Google Docs\" width=\"840\" height=\"623\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One you\u2019re in the menu, click any of the fonts on the left-hand side to add them to your main drop-down menu. For ease of access, this is particularly useful if you have a company font that\u2019s on this list, but it is not yet added to the main menu.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>21. Choose what notifications to receive<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: Clicking the comment box icon in the top upper right\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you suffer from a cluttered inbox, here\u2019s an easy way to help reduce the noise. Google Docs allows you to choose which type of comment-related notifications you\u2019d like to receive, with the three settings being:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>All<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014Get notifications for every comment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Only Yours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014Only get notified for comments that involve you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Non<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e\u2014No notifications.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2793 \" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image5-24.png\" alt=\"Google Docs: Choosing what notifications to receive\" width=\"510\" height=\"568\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re an individual contributor working with others, you\u2019ll probably want to only get notifications for comments related to you, whereas a project\/document owner may want to get all notifications to keep on top of the whole document.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>22. Add your signature<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: Insert &gt; Drawing &gt; New (use Scribble option)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For documents that require a signature, you can use the built-in Draw tool to create a similar effect. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2794 size-large\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image9-12-1024x899.png\" alt=\"Adding signature in Google Docs\" width=\"840\" height=\"737\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This one may be a bit more challenging to use if you aren\u2019t using a stylus or have a touchscreen monitor. In which case, a nice alternative is to use the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hellosign.com\/integrations\/google-docs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HelloSign<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> add-on. In addition to creating eSignatures, you have the ability to save and reuse any previously used ones so that all your signatures will have a consistent look across all business documents.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"Bonus extras\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 30px;\"><b>Bonus extras<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few extra hacks to either get you started up in Google Docs, or to get your business documents through the finish line.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>23. Convert Microsoft Word files to Google Docs<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Say you started a document in Microsoft Word but want to continue working on it in Google Docs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you can do so easily without needing to copy and paste your content in or start from scratch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just upload your Microsoft Word file into Google Drive, right-click on the file, then navigate to <\/span><b>Open with &gt; Google docs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Just like that, your document is ready to work from within the Google space.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2796 size-large\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image20-2-1024x560.png\" alt=\"Convert Microsoft Word files to Google Docs\" width=\"840\" height=\"459\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>24. Convert PDFs to text quickly<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have a PDF file you want to edit\u2014but don\u2019t have the original source to do so? This hack is the ultimate way to work with editable PDFs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upload your PDF file into Google Drive, right click on the file, then navigate to <\/span><b>Open with &gt; Google Docs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. From there, Google Docs will convert the original file so that it\u2019s in a format you can edit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2795 size-large\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image7-16-1024x501.png\" alt=\"Convert Microsoft PDF files to Google Docs\" width=\"840\" height=\"411\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>25. Enhanced spelling and grammar check<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though Google Docs already comes ready with a spell check, if you want to get even more granular with suggested corrections, the add-on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/gsuite.google.com\/marketplace\/app\/grammar_and_spell_checker_languagetool\/805250893316?pann=cwsdp&amp;hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LanguageTool<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help with that. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It proofreads your document for spelling, grammar, and punctuation and is smart enough to recognize mistakes that even native speakers commonly make. Plus, it supports 25 different languages if you do business internationally. Concerned about privacy? <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/gsuite.google.com\/marketplace\/app\/grammar_and_spell_checker_languagetool\/805250893316?pann=cwsdp&amp;hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LanguageTool<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> doesn\u2019t store your texts and checks for accuracy only through a securely encrypted connection.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>26. Translate to other languages<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: Tools &gt; Translate<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re involved in international business, or simply doing business in a bilingual space, you\u2019ll need to be able to translate documents for different language speakers. To quickly do this, you can use the built-in tool in Google Docs. Simply choose the language you want to translate to, give your document a new name, and hit <\/span><b>Translate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. A new document will open in a new tab with all the text translated and images kept intact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2797 size-medium\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image19-2.png\" alt=\"Translating document to other languages through Google Docs\" width=\"484\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A word of caution with using this feature though<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">language is a nuanced art; even though modern technology can technically provide 1:1 translations, it\u2019s still recommended to have a human eye on it afterwards to make sure all meaning has stayed intact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: #434343; padding-top: 20px;\"><b>27. Export as different file types<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Access by: File &gt; Download<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on how you want your final document to be used, you have the option to export your document into different file types. Whether you want to finalize a document for send-off (export as .pdf), or save it to be used on the web (export as .html), saving as different file types in Google Docs is fast and easy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2798\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image16-2.png\" alt=\"Google Docs: Export as different file types\" width=\"705\" height=\"687\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 30px;\"><b>Using Google Docs hacks to get ahead<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the business landscape continues to change, we\u2019re seeing a greater shift towards remote workforces and enhanced remote collaboration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this new world, you\u2019ll need the right tools in order to work even smarter than you have before. With these Google Docs hacks under your belt, you\u2019re taking steps in the right direction to get ahead of the growing trend.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So there you have it, 27 powerful hacks everybody needs to know to get the most out of using Google Docs. Onwards and upwards you go, you Google Docs Wizard you.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are so many moving pieces involved in running a business that finding ways to save on time and efficiency can feel like hitting all the numbers in a lottery.\u00a0 If you have a lot of files and are always creating documents, then you\u2019re probably used to using either Microsoft Word or Google Docs. But &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":41129,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17901],"tags":[278,17996,17997,237],"class_list":["post-41102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-leadership","tag-google-docs","tag-google-docs-hacks","tag-google-docs-tricks","tag-productivity"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.3 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>27 time-saving Google Docs hacks to get more done in a day | RingCentral Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn about 27 Google Docs hacks that you can easily start using to be faster at collaborating, organizing, productivity, personalizing, and more.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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