Why Google Workspace may be right for your business
Most of us simply don’t need all the bells and whistles that Microsoft stuffs into its applications. Consider Google’s software: Great collaboration features are just the beginning.
For many, the decision to equip their business with Google’s software applications boiled down a single need: collaboration.
More and more companies have settled on Google because it was at the forefront of cloud-based tools, and syncing information is key as it allows people to do everything remotely. It’s a streamlined process, and everything is easy to manage.
Google Workspace, as Google’s Apps for Work was rebranded, was built for the web. This approach has informed its applications, which work in the cloud. It means that your company won’t ever lose data or documents because all the changes in Google documents get saved and backed up to a Google cloud. All your people needs is a web browser on a computer or mobile device with internet access.
When migrating from Microsoft, it may take a while to switch your workflow from MS Office to Google Apps. It may also take some time and some encouragement to convince some users to accept the folder structure in Gmail versus what they’ve been used to using with Outlook.
Is Google Workspace for everyone?
Although Google has narrowed the features gap from what it was years ago, Google Workspace’s docs and slideshow features remain more narrow than Microsoft’s Word and PowerPoint. So if you feel the need for every possible feature, Office is the better choice.
With everything being in the cloud in G Workspace, you will get cut off temporarily if their internet connection goes or there’s an outage at Google.
Why it may be right for you
Price
The price is appealing. Google Workspace is offered at different levels and versions. A monthly subscription for professional office and business versions ranges between $5 and $10 per user. By contrast, the monthly cost for the business versions of Microsoft Office 365 is between $8.25 to $15 per user for the premium edition.
Familiarity
Many of your employees are already familiar with Gmail as well as with the other Google Workspace products. Google Docs, Sheets and Calendar all have manageable learning curves. You won’t need to be concerned about training employees.
Simplicity
A single login guarantees access to all of the app’s suites, and users in the same workgroups are able to share information. It is convenient for collaboration on digital files in real-time by employees or your customers if you so desire.
There’s a significant advantage when it comes to email organization: Instead of filling up your computer’s hard drive with gigabytes of emails, you can archive messages in the cloud and never need to worry about syncing them to another device.
Compatibility
Google Workspace makes document sharing and group editing simple. Rather than passing around a Word document and trying to keep track of revisions, several users can work on the same Google Doc file at the same time. Google Workspace also allows users to edit Office files without requiring them to have Office software. After making changes to a file, users can select File > Download as from the menu to save any edit documents back to the Office format. As well Google offers an extension that lets users edit Office files without needing to convert them to the Google format.
Security
If your business embraces Android which is the world’s most popular phone platform or Google Chromebooks, Google Workspace offers a nice tie-in with those hardware systems. And, if you supply employees with company-owned Android phones, Google Workspace provides security and administration tools that remotely reset the device and block it from being used by someone else in case of theft or loss.
Yes, it’s true there are more features in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft products. However other than the rare occasion, how many times will you really miss not having access to those features? Most people use only a tiny fraction of the bells and whistles that Microsoft stuffs into its apps anyway.
