Microsoft Office has been around for a long time, and understandably, people love the familiarity with its applications. But it is expensive.
As more businesses and educational institutes switch to Google programs such as Docs and Sheets, it can’t hurt to check them out. And you can save money by switching.
Office history
Microsoft Office was launched in 1990 as a suite of apps, including Word and Excel. MS Office has grown to include versions for the web, smartphones and Windows PCs. A subscription model exists under the name Office 365.
While there’s a free, lightweight version known as Office on the web, if you want the full capability of the apps, you’ll have to buy the programs outright or subscribe to them. Either method is an expensive proposition.
Google programs such as Docs and Sheets are free to use with a Google account. If you’re considering a switch, you will save money. There are other factors to consider, however. Will the adjustment from Microsoft to Google be difficult? Read on to find out.
From Word to Docs
You shouldn’t have much trouble picking up Docs if you’re a Word veteran. The two apps share many of the same functions.
Start with the toolbar across the top of the screen. You’ll see similar icons for formatting text: bold, italic, underline, alignment, font and text size and color.
The File and Insert menus contain many of the same options, and both apps have easy access to undo and redo buttons in the form of curved arrows.
Let’s review how some actions work in MS Word vs. Google Docs.
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