Going Google…

Recently I have been pondering what it would be like to operate my business on a complete Google environment using Google Apps programs to carry out my day-to-day business activities and share information with my clients. Could I sustain my operations in the same way I did before? Would this help me to operate my business more efficiently? Would this improve communications with my clients? I decided to put my ideas to the test last week by operating my business on a complete google environment replacing Microsoft Excel, Exchange and Word with Google Apps. 

I have found that by making this switch to a complete cloud computing environment has proved to be successful for the most part.  Google Apps are very user-friendly and very easy to set up. I found that being able to cloud compute not only made it easier to share files (by emailing a link to the documents instead of large attachments) with my clients but it also saved a ton of space on my hard drive. The files were saved on a Google server instead of being stored locally on my computer. From a communications standpoint I think it improves business drastically. One of nicest features in Google Apps is the GChat function (Google’s version of AOL instant messenger). GChat is embedded in your Google email (GMail) where you can chat with coworkers to ask quick questions without having to pick up a phone. This is a great feature for those people who are communicating in different offices or long distance or getting a hold of someone for a quick question if they are on a conference call for example. Its helped me to cut down on my phone bills to get quick answers from clients on projects. I have also found it to be very efficient in improving production time for my business. As Google Docs is compatible with Microsoft Excel, Word and Adobe, allowing you to upload Excel and Word files to Google Docs and download the documents into an XLS, DOC and PDF format. For me, I have found Google Docs useful to share basic GIS attribute data and PDF versions of GIS maps with clients safely and securely.

Though Google Apps cane make it easier to share information, communicate more efficiently and is compatible with MS programs, there are functionalities that are missing with Google Apps that Microsoft has an advantage over in their applications. Google Docs tables can be described as more “watered down” version of Microsoft Excel and Word meaning that its functions are limited for formatting and calculations. If you are a person that uses complex calculations and formulas in an excel spreadsheet or elaborate templates in Word, Google Docs may not be the best fit for you. It will be more difficult to compose a data table with complex calculations in Google Docs. 

In the end I think going Google Apps is a great idea for small businesses or independent contractors for sharing Word files as well as basic data Excel files that don’t rely on many functions or heavy complex calculations as well as for communications (such as GIS attribute data). If you are working in accounting I would not recommend it. Google Apps is free for a basic version which I have been using, and is available for an affordable price for the deluxe version. The cost savings advantage here is another incentive to go Google. Finally, a really great aspect about Google Apps is that all information is accessible anywhere you go. If you have a mobile office like me and work on multiple computers this is great because all you have to do is type in the web address, log in and everything is right there (email, messaging, and documents), no fussy complex connections. Thus, I have decided to go forth and continue my operations using Google Apps to handle communications, and data sharing with clients.

More to come…

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