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February 24, 2011

Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office

After three months of beta testing, Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office is available for everyone. The rebranded version of DocVerse, a software developed by the homonymous company acquired by Google last year, integrates with Google Docs and provides a bridge for Microsoft Office users who want to use online collaboration features without upgrading to Office 2010.

"Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office brings collaborative multi-person editing to the familiar Microsoft Office experience. You can share, backup, and simultaneously edit Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents with coworkers," explains Google. The software works with Microsoft Office 2003, Office 2007 and Office 2010.




By default, the plugin automatically saves online and syncs all the files you edit in Microsoft Office, but you can change this setting.


I created a new document in Word 2010, but Google saved it as a read-only Word file in Google Docs. Apparently, the document can only be edited using Microsoft Office and not using Google's online word processor. Since you can't even open existing files from Google Docs, this software seems to be too limited. It's useful if you and all your collaborators only use Microsoft Office and Google's plugin.

13 comments:

  1. Finally ... something that connects speed and functionality of word and cloud concept of docs.. Google should make an own office suite to install on local pc and is fully compatible with online google docs (obviously with more speed and functionality )...

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  2. homonimous... bet you can't say that three times fast!

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  3. @Pensito

    I would agree with you, I would think that they would do something with Open Office and have an almost seamless integration.

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  4. @Chris

    Try 'eponymous'. I think that is the word Ionut meant.

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  5. When its Available for MACOS MS Office 2011. ? ? ? ?

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  6. Ok.. I've installed this app. It seems that is functioning quite good.

    Some ideas for next app versions:
    - make possible to add labels (collections) to files...
    - make possible to edit docs online (i know this is a very hard step to make, due too incompatibility issues between google docs and microsoft office)

    Otherwise good jobs google cloud team!

    I really missed some basic functions from google docs:
    - page view in documents,
    - filters in spreadsheets,
    - vertical merging in spreadsheets,
    - reliable spell checking,
    - more fileview options in google docs home page, which can now be done with classic explorer ...

    bye

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  7. OWWW muito obrigado MESMO!!! Uma grande ferramenta!, parabéns!! Vida loga (é eterna) ao Google!

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  8. Exactly what I was waiting for a long time!

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  9. Nice feature.. but works slow with multiple worksheets in Excel... anybody any solution for this

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  10. I agree...there needs to be an ability to search through the folders/collections to find the document needed. I have multiple files with the same general title, so a search feature is not practical.

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  11. Hi there,

    my suggestions:

    - add link to any ms document when uploaded to google docs, right now, document must be uploaded by cloud connect to open correnctly later, what is not possible when migrating thousands of documents to google
    - add collections to "open from google docs" dialog, I do not understand at all why there is just searchable list. At least add some metadata of file like add date, edit date, owner, collections.

    Those two little things makes a lot of difference.

    Thanks.

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