Making your office software documents more informative and collaborative should be about to get a whole lot simpler thanks to a new Google Docs update.
The word processor tool has unveiled a new upgrade that it says gives easier access to its "smart chips" technology in existing documents.
Going forward, users moving to a blank line within their existing Google Doc will now see an “@” button, which will provide options such as being able to select, search and insert smart chips, such as people, dates, timers, file chips, building blocks, calendar events, groups and more.
Google Docs smart chips
In a Google Workspace update blog post announcing the launch, the company says the move should help boost productivity and save users time when developing a new document, whilst bringing its "smart canvas" features to the forefront of a user's work.
It builds on an initial launch from October 2023 which introduced a row of buttons when opening a new Google Doc which offered shortcuts when inserting pre-formatted content, such as meeting notes or email drafts, without having to worry about setting up how the page looks.
It also added in a "more" menu that allows users to select smart chips inputs that includes people, tasks, dates, custom blocks of text, tables, and more.
The new feature is rolling out now to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google Accounts, with rapid release domains getting the upgrade first. The new feature will be on by default, and requires no extra admin permissions - with Google noting that it cannot be disabled by the end user in any way.
The upgrade follows several recent additions to Google Docs in recent months to help boost collaboration using the platform. Most recently, the company announced the rollout of its eSignature tool in Google Docs and Drive for Google Workspace Individual users.
With the tool, customers will be able to set up signature fields directly in Google Docs to complete and request digital signatures for important documents such as contracts.
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