Welcome to Module 1: Introduction to Google Docs. Many of us have worked with word processing tools. In this module, we will discuss how Google Docs documents are created, and how the program works across other file formats, allowing you to edit and save revisions seamlessly and collaboratively. Google Docs is a smart, easy-to-use, but powerful word processor, that's part of Google Workspace. You can create, view, and edit your Google Docs documents all with just a web browser. It's also easy to share with anyone, and edit in real-time with collaborators anywhere in the world. Google Docs can open, edit, and convert Microsoft Word files, and documents can be exported into other formats so you always have access to your documents. There are a few ways to create a new Google Docs document. Go to docs.google.com to view just your documents, exclusive of other types of files in Google Drive. Click the plus icon and choose Create New Document, or if the template gallery is visible, click on the blank thumbnail to create a new document. You can also create a new document while working in an existing document. Just select File, hover over New, and select Document. Perhaps the simplest way to create a new document is to type docs.new into your browser's address bar. If you haven't done so already, go to Google Docs now, open a new browser tab, and visit docs.google.com. Google Docs documents are stored in Google Drive. Google Drive is Cloud storage for any file. To create new document from Google Drive, type drive.google.com in the address bar of your browser to open Google Drive, then select New, and choose Google Docs. A new blank document will open in the new browser tab. From Google Drive, if you hover over the arrow next to Google Docs in the menu, you can also choose to create a new document from a template. A template is a document that's already been formatted for a purpose, like a letter, a report, or meeting notes. There are general templates that all Google Docs users have access to, and organizational templates that have been created by people within your specific organization. You could also choose a template for your new document if you're working directly in Google Docs, at docs.google.com. If you have created documents in Microsoft Word, you can upload them to Google Drive and edit them with Google Docs. You can choose to keep the documents in Microsoft Word format or convert them to Google Docs documents. Converting them to Docs enables the full capabilities of Google Docs. Regardless of how you create your document, as you edit it, your changes are automatically saved with the history of all the changes made by you and any collaborators, so you'll never lose a keystroke.
