Not content material with internet hosting video conferences for up to a million people, Zoom has now rolled out its own version of Google Docs. So, if you happen to had been on the lookout for one other option to write your phrases down on digital paper inside an online browser, Zoom has you coated (Proton recently launched one thing related, too).
Zoom touts the advantages of retaining every thing you do inside a single workspace: In line with its own research, it can save you your self a few hours per week by “limiting workflow distractions,” which we assume means switching between Zoom video calls and Google Docs in your browser.
Whereas there’s in all probability not sufficient right here (but?) to get seasoned Google Drive customers to leap ship, you would possibly discover Zoom Docs a extra handy various if you happen to already spend plenty of time within the Zoom ecosystem. When you’re interested by what the app presents, learn on for extra.
Fundamental Zoom Docs options
If in case you have a free Zoom account, you should use the entire fundamental options inside Zoom Docs, however you’re restricted to sharing as much as 10 paperwork at anybody time—and for particular person customers, that’s in all probability positive. When you’re on a paid plan, something from $14.99 per 30 days upwards, that sharing restrict goes away, and also you additionally get entry to the AI companion that’s obtainable that can assist you along with your writing.
Load up the Zoom Docs interface in your browser, and also you’ll be proper at house if you happen to’ve used instruments like Notion earlier than. Every doc is a clean canvas for textual content and pictures; you can begin typing instantly. Numerous context menus and toolbars will comply with you as you go. Spotlight textual content, and also you’ll see a formatting toolbar soar into view.
Markdown is supported, as are tables, lists, code, footage, and different embeds. Normally, it’s all fairly slick: Paste in a YouTube video URL, for instance, and it’s playable proper contained in the doc (in order for you it to be). On this and different methods, it’s extra like a weblog put up creator—whereas Google Docs is extra of a conventional Phrase various.
As plain and minimalistic because the interface is, there are some helpful options right here if you happen to dig down deeper: You will get instantaneous translations of textual content proper inside paperwork; for instance, you’ll be able to roll again to earlier variations of a doc with just a few clicks, and there are fundamental spelling and grammar checks included too.
As for options that Google Docs has and Zoom Docs doesn’t have, in the meanwhile, Zoom doesn’t have a phrase depend characteristic, which is likely to be an issue for sure writers. You additionally miss out on instruments reminiscent of doc comparisons, offline modifying, and voice typing. Extra typical options are additionally lacking, reminiscent of help for a desk of contents and headers and footers.
Every part is immediately saved as you’re employed via your edits, and the principle checklist of paperwork is easy and easy to make use of. Zoom Docs lets you arrange your personal templates or choose from a variety of prebuilt ones that can assist you get began extra shortly, and there’s additionally the choice to import and convert Phrase recordsdata (although you’ll be able to’t convert them within the different route).
Superior Zoom Docs options
We’ve already talked about the AI companion, and its options are pretty much as good as you’d anticipate. It’ll summarize textual content, rewrite it in a special tone for you, and even churn out some generic, synthetic textual content blocks based mostly on a immediate. That is all acquainted if you happen to’ve used instruments like OpenAI ChatGPT or Google Gemini.
As you’d anticipate, there are some tight Zoom integrations right here. You can begin or schedule conferences from a doc, and within the different route, your video conferences will be summarized in textual content kind via AI-powered transcription. It’ll additionally get you began with frameworks for stories, agendas, and so forth.
You may embed Zoom whiteboards straight into your paperwork, create paperwork from proper inside Zoom conferences, and have pretty subtle tagging and notification options constructed proper in right here, too.
Collaboration is a key characteristic right here—this can be a Zoom product, in spite of everything—and sharing paperwork, making revisions, leaving feedback, and all of the associated duties are nicely dealt with by the software program. As much as 100 individuals can work on a single doc, and you may handle viewing and modifying permissions as wanted. On the similar time, it by no means feels cluttered or too busy.
As famous above, Zoom Docs is extra of a wiki editor than a doc editor in some ways, and the modular layouts you’ll be able to put collectively provide you with a number of room for flexibility—try the included templates for some inspiration. Paperwork and pages will be linked collectively simply, and the interactive parts you get with tables make the software program appropriate for mission planning and lightweight spreadsheet work, too.
Google Docs has been round for many years and presents extra options—particularly these associated to extra conventional phrase processor packages. However if you happen to use Zoom for lots of day-to-day work, then Zoom Docs is a slick and useful add-on that you just’ll in all probability discover helpful, particularly if you happen to can benefit from its AI options.
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