Google Docs now turns Microsoft Word tracked changes into Suggested Edits automatically

Microsoft Word is still the world’s go-to application for writing reports, essays and other documents, but Google is trying to make it easier to switch to Drive and Docs.

Announced at Google I/O and introduced at the end of June, ‘Suggested Edits’ allows contributors to recommend changes in the sidebar. The author can then reply, dismiss or confirm the changes as they continue editing. Starting today, tracked changes from .docx files will be imported as Suggested Edits; likewise, Suggested Edits will be exported as tracked changes in Microsoft Word.

It’s a small tweak, but one that makes Google Docs more viable as a Microsoft Word replacement. Many will argue that Microsoft Office is still the best productivity platform around; while that may be true, Google’s free alternative could be just a little more attractive to those sitting on the fence.

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