What you need to know
- Google Docs has gained new dropdown and table tools for collaborative project management.
- The new dropdown chips allow you to add menus to your document with a list of customizable options.
- You can also insert table templates into Docs to indicate common project workflows.
Ever since Google introduced the Smart Canvas update last year, Google Docs has evolved from a simple online word processor to a handy collaboration tool. The productivity service now aspires to be a replacement for your favorite project management software like Notion or Asana.
Google has announced in a blog post two new additions to the growing feature set of Docs, including dropdown chips and table templates. The first allows you to insert dropdown menus into your document with predefined options that you can customize to suit your requirements. For example, you can change the color and rename each option to help the team keep track of a document's status or a project's milestones.
By default, there are two dropdown menus that you can add to your document, namely "project status" and "review status." Each menu contains options to indicate the status of a task or document, but you can remove or add another option if need be.
Meanwhile, the new table templates can help turn a plain table into something with interesting formatting. These templates can be used for tasks like tracking project assets or product roadmaps.
The latest wave of features builds on the "@" sign function, which brings up a variety of block tools that transform your dull document into an interactive whiteboard.
Alternatively, you can access the new features by navigating to the Insert menu at the top.
"We hope these features help you to create highly customized and organized documents in Google Docs, making it easier to collaborate and drive your project forward," the search giant said.
Dropdown chips and table templates represent Google's ongoing efforts to make Docs your go-to service for all things collaborative. Over the past few months, the service has gained new capabilities, including support for Markdown formatting, document summary, an email draft template, and the ability to insert various types of rich content without switching between apps.
Over the next two weeks, the latest features will be available across all Google Workspace plans, legacy G Suite Basic and Business tiers, and personal Google accounts.
