Get Started with Documents

Download PDF of this document

Brand new to Google Documents? This guide will help you create your first document.

Access your documents

To create a new document and to view a list of documents that you own or can edit:

• Directly visit the page

Enter https://docs.google.com/a/<<YOURDOMAIN>> into your browser.

• Or, visit from another Google Apps product

When you're using a Google Apps product (e.g. Mail, Calendar), you'll see other Apps products listed at the top left of the page. Simply click Documents to access your sites list.

In your Docs list, you'll see all of the documents, presentations, and spreadsheets that you have access to.

Create a document

Once you've accessed your Docs List, click the New drop-down menu and select Document create a new document.

An untitled document will appear in your browser -- now you're ready to edit!

Rename your document

Click on the title to rename the document.

Edit and format your document

There are many ways to edit your document with the edit toolbar.

You could stick to entering plain text, but why? Take advantage of the full range of features in Google Apps Documents to make your documents stand out from the rest.

To get you started, here are a few ideas:

Insert images

Choose an image from your computer or from the web (via URL). Once your image is added, you'll be able to modify or remove it at any time.

Add a table

Tables are a great way to organize information within your document. Start by choosing the number of rows and columns and then begin to format your table.

Share and collaborate

Once you've created your document, share it with others! Collaborators will be able to edit the same document at the same time -- you'll always have the most up-to-date version at your fingertips.

To get started, click the blue Share button at the top right of the page.

You'll see the following options:

Invite people

Share your document with specific individuals and determine their level of access.

• • To edit: Collaborators can add and edit content in your document.

  • To view: Individuals can access a read-only version of your document. They won't be able to edit any content in your document.

You'll have the option to send an invitation (in email message format) to view or edit your document. If you want to share your document without notifying others, click Add without sending invitation.

Get the link to share

Sharing the link to your document is another way to allow others to view or collaborate on your content.

See who has access

To see who has access to your document, including their permission levels, select See who has access from the Share drop-down menu. Keep in mind that you can also alter permission levels in this section.

Email as attachment

Send your document to individuals inside or outside of your domain by emailing it as an attachment. You can decide the format of the attachment (e.g. Microsoft Word Document, Rich Text Format, etc.) and customize the email message they will receive.

Publish as web page

Publish your document as a web page and others can access and view it online. Your document will be assigned a unique address (URL) that you can send to your friends and colleagues.

View as web page (Preview)

Before you publish your document, preview it using this option. You'll be taken to a preview version of your document as a web page -- use your browser's back button or click Edit this page at the bottom of the document to return to editing.

Print

To print your document, select File > Print

A PDF version of your document will appear along with the print dialog box.