Google sheets/docs questions

Software
1

Is there an advantage to using google sheets or docs? I wanted to make a template for my job, I made one for myself but it ok I think it can be so much better but I’m doing it in Microsoft word. Other units in my office used google sheets, docs to make good templates and it seems to be easier for them. I’m just trying to see if I should use google instead of Microsoft. I just want an easy way to make good templates and it seems to be a problem with Microsoft.

2

The best solution is usually the one your organization prefers. Google has gained market share because its free and works in your browser (you will run into frustrations on iPadOS though the iPad apps are garbage and web-view is not well optimized on iPad Safari).
I work in education and Googles collaborative tools are the best by far. Our school is extremely integrated into the cloud system so Docs is where its at.

Microsoft is the most feature rich and every other app system at least nominally supports them.

I use Pages, Numbers and Keynote whenever I can. I really don’t like that Google doesn’t provide proper apps. I have enough issues staying focused as it much less trying to do work in my browser. iWork is one area I wish Apple would invest in a cross platform way so that businesses could integrate them.

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3

I don’t install the Google Calendar, Docs, and Sheets apps on my iPad, but I do use a few Google widgets.

I keep Gmail and Google Calendar open in Chrome, and also use it when working on docs and sheets. That way I can use Safari for everything else.

This site, which I’ve recommended before, is a good source of tips on using Google Workspace on an iPad.

Get the most out of your iPad with Google Apps

4

The Google suite is the best at collaboration, but Excel is still the best spreadsheet for doing anything beyond simple calculations. I often use Google sheets just for simple tables, keeping track of things, stuff like that. But if I’m going to do any real calculations I use Excel.

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5

I know you’re talking about a template, but it’s worth checking if there are any rules around what tools/services you can use to process company data before switching. It may be that other units are breaking company policies, sometimes without knowing it.

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6

I know this used to be true - is it still?

I’m amazed at the collaboration we can do on Office 365 in Word, Excel, and (especially) PowerPoint.

7

I’ll be the first to admit Excel is, and may always be, the most powerful spreadsheet program And, IMO, it’s likely only a fraction of the people who use Excel actually need it. Our headcount varied over the years but we probably averaged 150 Mac/PC users. Of those, as I recall, only five people in our accounting department actually needed MS Excel. And they could only use the Windows version.

The rest used OpenOffice/LibreOffice. And when we were playing around with ChromeOS in 2017 I didn’t find any of the OO/LO spreadsheets that didn’t work in Sheets.

I would love to see an in depth comparison of the two programs, but I’ve never found one.

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It’s just a template about who is working and at what location. Basically a roll call.

I’m looking to make something like that for myself. Think I will trying google out to see what happens. I was using word but for some reason when I save it , it’s always a pain with my job computer.

9

I appreciate the issue with the lack of iPad apps for Google Workspace, which may be problem for you, but in general I’ve found the Workspace suite to be more than adequate for most needs. On my (rather old) iMac I use Kiwi (https://www.kiwiforgmail.com/), which is very successful at turning the web interface into standalone apps.

10

It depends. If by “collaboration” you mean people working concurrently on the same doc, I think Google wins easily.

But, if by “collaboration” you mean “the work about the work”, namely, coordination and communication between people, knowledge management and so on, I think MS has the edge here because all their tools seem to be have a never ending array of options to connect between themselves.

Some examples that come to mind:

  • you can have tab in a Teams channel that points to an Excel file, or point to a Sharepoint drive, or a gazillion other extensions and plugins.
  • while on a Teams call you can present a PPT slide deck that you have open in the Powerpoint desktop app.
  • Microsoft To-Do is arguably less neglected than Google Tasks.
11

So from a GDPR perspective it contains personal data. (If that applies to the work being done )