If you use the Google spreadsheet software that’s a part of the bundled set of office productivity programs called “Google Apps,” since December (2013) a small box has appeared at the bottom right of your screen inviting you to try “the new” Google Sheets (the brand of Google’s spreadsheet product). It’s time to stop ignoring it.
When it comes to spreadsheets, most of us still live in an Excel world — at least when it comes to business. That’s even more likely if your business involves sharing spreadsheets with a client or vendor or anyone who works in the Microsoft Office dominated corporate world.
Even if you’ve tried the old Google spreadsheet app, you’ve likely found it clunky and very, very slow. And if you needed another reason to dismiss it as not-ready-for-prime-time, the trump card was your inability to use the software offline.
For whatever reasons (and there were many) you’ve dismissed Google Sheets, it’s time to give it a second look.
You’ll discover a program that has been recreated from scratch to address the issues that prevented it from being in the same league as Excel. There are two things you’ll discover immediately:
The speed.
All you need to do to see how radically different the program is today is to scroll down a large sheet. That the sheet actually scrolls, rather than chugs and coughs, will convince you there’s something very different going on.
It works when you’re offline.
When you’re not connected to the internet, you can keep working. (Note: You’ll need to be using Google’s web browser Chrome on either your computer or mobile device to work offline. More information can be found here.)’
Where it has always shined: Collaboration
Like the original version, the new Google sheets is far better than Excel for collaborative projects. In another post, we’ll explore how to incorporate a spreadsheet project into a G+ Hangout, demonstrating an even higher level of collaboration.
Beware: It’s still what used to be called a “beta” version.
There are some missing features that power users may need. And one, we all need: spellcheck. However, the version is packed with new features the original program lacked.
For more information:
Google’s announcement of the new version from December, 2013:
Information from Google: