"Did you get the spreadsheet?"
"When did you send it?"
"A couple of weeks ago, by email."
"Okay, I got it.  It says March Forecast on it."
"That's the old one.  I sent a new one in June."
"Hang on, let me search my hard drive."

Sound familiar? If you use email to distribute documents, you have had this conversation. In a previous blog entry, I talk about the importance of collaboration. Let me talk specifically about one solution. It's called Google Apps. The price? $50 per year, per user.

You have probably used or are aware of Gmail and Google's search offerings - Maps, Images, News. Maybe you haven't noticed Google Apps or considered using it for document management and sharing within your organization. 

Simply put, Google Apps is an online office suite. It offers a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software and even a forms builder. Granted, the functions are basic. For instance, you can't do mail merges and the spreadsheet doesn't support multiple tabs with three-dimensional formulas. However, for basic word processing and numbers crunching, any of Google Apps shortcomings are offset by the benefits of working in an online space.

The Google Apps Dashboard

Why am I blogging about it? Because I like it. I use it every day in my business. I can access my data from anywhere in the world without dragging a laptop around. I don't have to worry about backups or upgrades and new features are added all the time. Useful features.

A few specifics about Google Apps.

Backup

With Google Apps, your documents are saved on Google's servers making backup a non-issue. If that makes you nervous, consider that Google has a market capitalization of $146 billion dollars. Their servers are the lifeblood of their business. As a result, they take reliability and uptime very, very seriously. If you are still worried that Google might set fire to your data or deny you access to your account, Google offers a easy one-click download to your hard drive. You just have to remember to run this script regularly and you have complete redundancy on Google's servers and your own hard drive.

Version Control

In addition to the redundancy and backup offered by Google's server farm, you get the additional benefit of version control. That is, Google Apps automatically saves and retains previous versions of your document and allows to view a revision history. Going back to a previous version of any document is easy.

No Upgrades

No doubt you have downloaded and installed dozens of patches and updates to your Microsoft Office programs.  Google Apps upgrades happen only on Google's servers. You don't download or install a thing. Often, you won't even know about the upgrade until you happen to notice a new menu option. That's why it pays to click on the "New!" link once in while.

Platform Independence

Run Google Apps on any operating system or browser. Microsoft Office runs only on Windows or Mac and the Mac version seems to be running a bit behind the Windows one. For instance, it still can't read .docx files which is the default document standard for the Windows release of Word.

Sharing and Collaboration

Google Apps allows you to share your files with your colleagues and customers. By simply clicking on the "Share" button, you can invite people in your contact list to view or edit your document. If someone edits and saves your document, the edit is non-destructive. That is, your previous versions is saved as well as the new, edited document.

Google even offers live collaboration. This is a way for up to 10 people to simultaneously contribute to a document from any web browser. Perfect for the next hockey pool draft.

Availability

Google Apps are available anywhere you have web access. You don't have to synch up your files then take your laptop home. Just use your home computer to access your company's Google Apps space.

Free or Cheap

Fifty bucks a year? That's practically free. Compare that to one service call from an IT technician. But if you're not ready to pony up that kind of cash, try the free version - Google Docs.  Most of the features in Google Apps is in Google Docs. The only difference is a bit more control over document sharing in Google Apps.

The Catch

There always has to be a catch.The first catch with Google Apps is that it requires reliable, high speed Internet access. Remote, mountain-top monasteries need not apply. Secondly, Google Apps lacks a lot of the advanced functions of Microsoft Office. But really, when is the last time you wrote an Excel Macro?

What about Live Office?

Finally a word about Microsoft Live Office. Microsoft released its own version of an online office suite in 2008, no doubt in response to the competitive threat posed by Google. But the catch here is that you still need a copy of Microsoft Office on your local computer. In Live Office, you don't actually create the documents online. You create them in Office and then upload them to Live for sharing and storage. Microsoft says it's free but you have to own an Office license to use it. As far as I know, they aren't free yet.

Consider Live Office to be an online extension of your current office suite and not an online alternative to it.

Now, how about an online demo? Here is a click from Google's Youtube Channel explaining Google Apps (the free version of Google Docs) in Plain English: