Beneath the surface, word processors like Google Docs contain a wealth of hidden features that make it easier to write large documents and collaborate with multiple people.
- Write in Markdown in Google Docs
Google Docs supports part of the Markdown syntax. This provides a simple way to format documents using simple text symbols, making them easy to read and write, while allowing them to be converted into richer formats. If you're skilled with Markdown, it can help you draft documents faster, quickly formatting your text with italics, bold, deletion and links. To enable it, go to Tools > Preferences > Automatically detect Markdown.
- Improve navigation with line numbers
With the help of the "humble line number", you and your colleagues can easily cite and locate exact locations in complex and lengthy documents. They can also help you take accurate notes as you can link them to line numbers. However, note that line numbers only work in Pages format and not in Pageless view.
Activate them by going to Tools > Line numbers. On the sidebar of the line numbers, select Show line numbers.
- Use alternative text to make documents more accessible
Images help your document, but cannot be "seen" by screen readers. Adding alternative text to your images helps people using screen readers understand what the image depicts.
To add alternative text, right-click on an image and select Alt Text. In the Image options sidebar, describe the image briefly. Do not include the phrases "image of" or "picture of," just focus on the information the image shows.
4.Use the Translate Document feature to practice reading and writing in another language
Google Docs isn't going to replace a language learning course anytime soon, but it uses the same magic of Google Translate to translate a document into any language. You can share translated documents with colleagues and use them to practice written expression in a foreign language.
Open your document. Go to Tools > Translate document. In the window that appears, select your language and Google Docs will create a copy in the foreign language.
Remember, you can also use Google Sheets for language translation.
- Forced the recipient to create a copy of Google Doc
You may encounter situations where you want to share a document but want the partner to make corrections to their own copy of the original. Docs doesn't have a formal method to force a copy, but there is a very good trick that works.
Click on "Share" in the top right corner of the document. Change the settings of the link so that it is available to anyone who has the link and select "Editor" from the drop-down menu next to it. Then copy the link and paste it into the email or message you are using to share the document. Before hitting the send button, edit the end of the link by replacing the word "edit" and everything that follows with template/preview.
When the recipient opens the document to edit it, they will have their own copy. The URL suffix "template/preview" allows him to see the contents of the document before he starts editing it (by selecting the Use Template button in the preview).
- Embed a document in an email
No need to send a large document to a partner as an attachment. Send it directly from Google Docs to the recipient's inbox as an embedded document. This makes document distribution easier and reduces the number of Attachments that everyone needs to check.
Go to File > Email > Email this file. Write a message in the field provided. Then select the checkbox for Don't attach. Include content in the email.
- Collaborate in one email
Gmail offers collaborative inboxes on Google Workspace accounts, but there's another way to collaborate on an email for free that uses Google Docs. In a Google Doc, insert an email draft from Insert > Building blocks > Email draft. Alternatively, type "@email" in the document and hit Enter. You can also go to File > Email draft.
Write the email and fill in the fields. Then click on Preview in Gmail at the top left of the Prev. When you're done, tap Send.
Source of information: lifehacker.com
