Docs, Sheets & Slides explained
A plain-English introduction to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides — Google's equivalents to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint — and how to use them in Google Workspace.
Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are Google's built-in tools for creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. They're included with every Google Workspace plan and work directly in your browser — no software to install.
Quick summary
Google Docs = Word. Google Sheets = Excel. Google Slides = PowerPoint. All three save automatically, allow multiple people to edit at the same time, and live in your Google Drive. You can also open and edit Microsoft Office files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) in them.
Google Docs — word processing
Google Docs is for writing and editing text documents: letters, reports, proposals, meeting notes, contracts, and more.
Key features:
- Auto-save. Every change saves automatically as you type. There is no Save button.
- Revision history. See every previous version of a document and who changed what. Go to File → Version history → See version history.
- Real-time collaboration. Multiple people can edit the same document at the same time. You see each other's cursors and changes live.
- Comments and suggestions. Leave comments without editing the text, or use Suggesting mode to propose changes the author can accept or reject.
To create a new Doc: in Google Drive, click + New → Google Docs.
Google Sheets — spreadsheets
Google Sheets is for spreadsheets: budgets, trackers, data analysis, and anything that belongs in rows and columns.
Key features:
- Works like Excel. If you know Excel formulas, most work the same in Sheets.
- Import and export. Open Excel (.xlsx) files in Sheets, or download your Sheet as an Excel file.
- Sharing. Share a spreadsheet with your accountant, contractor, or client — they can view or edit without needing to send files back and forth.
To create a new Sheet: in Google Drive, click + New → Google Sheets.
Google Slides — presentations
Google Slides is for presentations. It works like PowerPoint, with slides, themes, text boxes, and images.
Key features:
- Themes. Choose a theme to give your presentation a consistent, professional look.
- Present directly. Open your presentation, click the Present button, and share your screen in a meeting — no need to download anything.
- Import PowerPoint files. Upload a .pptx file to Drive and open it in Slides.
To create a new Slides presentation: in Google Drive, click + New → Google Slides.
Working with Microsoft Office files
Your colleagues or clients may send you Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files. You can open them in Drive and edit them in Docs, Sheets, or Slides.
Upload the file to Drive by dragging it to drive.google.com.
Double-click the file. Drive will open it in the appropriate Google app.
Edit and save. Changes save to the Google format. If you need to send the file back as a Word/Excel/PowerPoint file, go to File → Download → and choose the Microsoft format.
Some formatting may change
Complex formatting — like certain table styles, macros, or advanced charts — may look slightly different when you open a Microsoft Office file in Google's apps. For simple documents, this usually isn't a problem.
Collaboration tips
All three apps support real-time collaboration. Here's how to use it well:
- Use comments (Insert → Comment or Ctrl+Alt+M) to leave notes without editing the text. Tag a colleague with @their.name to notify them.
- Use Suggesting mode in Docs (click the pencil icon in the top right and choose Suggesting) to propose edits. The document owner can accept or reject each suggestion.
- Use named versions in version history to mark important milestones: "Draft sent to client" or "Final approved version."
Accessing offline
You can enable offline access so you can work even without internet. See Google Drive basics for how to turn this on.
Common questions
Related guides
- Google Drive basics
- Sharing files & folders in Drive
- Shared drives explained
- Google Workspace on your phone
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