New Google Drive Feature Allows Editing Of Microsoft Office Files

Microsoft Office receives a new Google Drive plugin that allows users of both Google Drive and Microsoft Office to view and edit their Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents from Google Drive. Aside from having full access and the ability to edit, the plugin will also allow users to save file directly to Google Drive, according to Tech Times.

The move is similar to what Microsoft did when it signed similar deals with Dropbox and Box back in 2014. Their deal with Box allowed users to create and edit their Office files online while the Dropbox deal allows direct collaboration in Microsoft Office for Windows and Mac devices.

According to Venture Beat, the technical program manager of the Google Drive plugin, Darrell Kuhn, said that Google Drive allows users to keep important files in one place, then access them in apps and devices which the user is comfortable with. He added that the plugin will give users the security and convenience of Google Drive, while allowing the user to use apps they are comfortable with.

A spokeswoman for Google said in an email to PC World that the company believes users deserve to choose which tools they could use to modify documents. She added that the new feature makes it easier for the user to utilize both Office and Google apps.

Upon downloading the plugin, users will see Google Drive in the list of storage folders and on their desktop. If the user has an Office file that is saved in Google Drive, it can be easily opened in Microsoft Office. The Google Drive plugin will be displayed like a new folder on the desktop. Files in the Google Drive folder will be accessible both in Microsoft office and online. Now, when saving a document from Microsoft, users will be given an option to save it to My Drive. Within just a few clicks, they will be able to see their documents saved easily.

The new plugin is available for users of Microsoft Office for Windows. Mac users on the other hand will have to wait for a while. No specific date has been set for the release of the plugin on Mac.

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