Personally, since 2009, I’ve been using the Google app mostly moving around 6 companies, and now I’m surprised when someone sends me a docx or xlsx file. It’s time to change. Here are six reasons to move away from Microsoft Office.
Google Workspace is mostly free.
Microsoft has sold Office for hundreds of dollars since its existence. Office 365 currently offers a mix of slightly different apps, ranging from $70 per year for personal use to $264 for a Business Premium version. Prices for enterprise products also range from $72 to $264 per year, with larger plans for larger companies offering discounts. But for personal use, the Google app is completely free. It doesn’t cost a penny. All you have to do is create an account and do what you need to do. Each of my children uses the Google app, as do their friends.
It’s easier to collaborate with Google products
Google’s suite of apps was originally designed with collaboration in mind. Google created its Google Docs, Sheets and Slides online product at a time when document sharing and collaboration have become the norm among a new generation of employees. Microsoft is several years behind in this area. It’s a step up from Office 365, but Microsoft’s collaboration experience, which relies solely on SharePoint and OneDrive, remains clunky and confusing. In the Google app, it’s easy to see who’s doing what, and it’s easy to find and undo changes made by that user. You can also work in real time without waiting for other users to save their changes.
Seamless Collaboration Anywhere
Office 365 and Google Workspace allow you to work online and access it from any device. But with Microsoft Office’s emphasis on enterprise-level security, cumbersome hurdles must be overcome to facilitate sharing and access. Google’s system, on the other hand, was designed with easy access and sharing in mind. Whether you’re using a browser or Google’s native apps on a mobile device, getting into Google Drive is always easier than tackling Microsoft OneDrive. All you need to access Google Drive is a Gmail account, and the person you’re sharing with most likely has a Gmail account.
The Google app is easier
Simplicity is a double-edged sword, but for the average user, Google Docs and Sheets are easier to use than Microsoft Office. Since Google Drive is included in the product, you don’t have to worry about the storage location. Just create a new document and start typing. It has all the basic formatting tools and it’s easy to find advanced features that most people don’t need. Google has meticulously curated an easy-to-use interface and removed the clutter that gets in the way of users.
Google is gradually adding powerful integrations
When you buy Office 365 (the basic personal edition with Windows Defender and OneDrive plus six apps), you get a fixed collection of apps. Conversely, the Google Workspace app continues to grow. If you open the Google Apps menu in the top right corner of the Google app, you’ll see a list of over 20 apps, from Docs to Sheets, Keep, Forms, Voice, and YouTube. The Google app ecosystem integrates with all of Google Workspace in a variety of ways, making it easy to share documents and content between apps.
Most of them are already using Google apps.
Except for those who have never created a Gmail account, most of you have the Google Workspace app and probably already use it. Because it’s free. You don’t have to buy anything, you don’t have to do anything else. Just use it.
When to use Microsoft Office
Google apps aren’t perfect. It’s not even the safest option. But there are two areas where Microsoft is far more productive. presentations and spreadsheets.
Advanced Data Specialist
Google Sheets is simple and easy to use and collaborate on, but it doesn’t support all of the advanced features that Excel offers. The average user rarely creates pivot tables or performs complex analyzes that require Excel. But if you do that, Google is no match for Microsoft.
announcement is important
At work, I gave presentations that took full advantage of PowerPoint’s complex features. It has a rich gallery of styles and visual effects, and the way it creates data-driven visual effect layers is far superior to Google Slides. If you’re an experienced PowerPoint user, you’ll have trouble with oversimplified Google Slides.
However, I often do a presentation in PowerPoint and export it to Google Slides to share with my team. Considering all these experiences, it is not easy to say which is the best presentation tool.
conclusion
Not only are Google apps free, but they are tools that most users will find much easier to use and use than Microsoft Office. If you have a Gmail or YouTube account, you can log in and start working without an additional subscription. But in situations where a professional needs to do a visual presentation or data analysis for a specific purpose, Microsoft is much more helpful. If you have employees who need these features, consider purchasing an Office 365 subscription at your company.
editor@itworld.co.kr
