Getting Started with Google Docs

To create a new document and view a list of documents that you own or can edit, you can directly visit the page by entering http://docs.usaid.gov into the browser or visit from another Google Apps product. In the Docs list, all of the documents, presentations, and spreadsheets that you have access to are displayed. Creating a document in Google Docs is a simple process. To create a new document, click the Create new drop-down menu and select Document. An untitled document appears in the browser, and you are now ready to edit. You can rename your document by clicking in the Untitled document field, typing the name of the document in the Enter a new document name field, and clicking OK. Google Docs offers a range of features for editing and formatting documents. You can insert images by selecting Image from the Insert drop-down menu, choosing an image from your computer or from the web via URL, and modifying or removing it at any time. You can also add a table by selecting Insert Table from the Table drop-down menu, choosing the number of rows and columns, and formatting your table. Sharing and collaborating on documents is a key feature of Google Docs. Once you have created your document, you can share it with others by selecting Share settings from the Share drop-down menu. The Share settings dialog box allows you to share your document with specific individuals and determine their level of access. You can add people to share the document with by typing their names into the Add people field, determining the type of access they should have, and clicking Share. When sharing a document, you can choose to allow collaborators to edit the document or view it as a read-only version. You can also enter a note that will be sent to the people added, and choose to send an email notification to them. The Share settings confirmation dialog box appears, showing the people with whom the document is to be shared, and you can change their access or delete them as needed. In addition to sharing documents with specific individuals, you can also share the link to your document with others. To do this, click Change under Permissions, and users can change the visibility of the document by clicking the radial button next to the desired group. You can then click Save if changes were made or Cancel if no changes were made. An email notification is sent to those selected persons.