Partners Ready For Google Docs Update

Google added another update this week to its cloud productivity suite, Google Docs apps for Android, adding new editing and collaborative features to tablets and smartphones, moves partners say will be welcomed by enterprise customers increasingly using mobile devices.

The update allows users to edit, update and share documents with the Google Docs app. They now can more easily view documents, PDFs and presentations; upload and convert files to the Google Docs format; share docs with contacts, share edits with collaborators; and make changes in spreadsheets.

'We've brought the collaborative experience from Google Docs on the desktop to your Android device. You'll see updates in real time as others type on their computers, tablets and phones, and you can just tap the document to join in," Vadim Gerasimov, a Google software engineer, wrote in a blog. "We also updated the interface to make it easier to work with your documents on the go."

Google partners said their enterprise customers are using Android-based tablets and smartphones at an accelerating pace, and new editing features only add to the attraction.

"We’re already playing with [the update]. There’s full recognition that ultra-small form factor devices are going to be a part of the enterprise experience. The update is now available in the Google App Store and we’ll certainly pitch it to our customers," said Allen Falcon, CEO of Cumulus Global, a Westborough, Mass.-based cloud provider that sells Google Apps. "One of its value propositions is using Google Docs for file sharing, storage and complete access. I can go home at night, put the kids in bed, and then get a message and I can look up a contract, make an edit and send it out. This really continues the direction that Google is going by ensuring the user experience is seamless across the devices."

"The update couldn’t come at a better time," said David Hoff, founder and technology vice president for Atlanta-based Cloud Sherpas, one of Google's largest partners. "A surprising number of executives I see are walking around with tablets these days. The editing was a bit limited before. With the new editing features it’s become very useful."

Google is continually upgrading Google Apps, earlier this month adding offline access to documents and high-resolution versions of the documents in tablets.