About This Course
This course is independent of both Microsoft and Google. Neither company has sponsored or reviewed it, and it does not say which one is better. Both suites are mature and widely used. The course does one job: it shows you how to do in Google the work you already know how to do in Microsoft 365.
Each lesson follows the same pattern:
- A table that maps each Microsoft task to the Google way of doing it.
- A note wherever the match breaks.
- Steps you can try straight away.
Plans, features and limits change on both sides. Facts in this lesson were checked against the vendors' help pages on 2 November 2026. Check them again before you rely on them.
The Core Shift: Desktop-First to Browser-First
In Microsoft 365, most people start from the desktop app. You open Word, Excel or Outlook on your PC, and the file is a document that sits on your disk or in a synced OneDrive folder. The web versions exist, but many habits still assume the desktop.
In Google, the default is the browser. Docs, Sheets, Slides and Gmail run in a browser tab. A Google Doc is not a file on your disk. It is a living document stored in Drive, and you reach it through a link.
Think of it like this:
- Desktop-first: the file is the master copy, and the cloud keeps a copy of it.
- Browser-first: the cloud holds the master copy, and your computer is a window onto it.
Most of the habit changes in this course follow from that single difference.
Task 1: Map Your Daily Habits
Read the table below. Then copy it and fill in the last column with what you actually do today.
| Habit | Microsoft 365 (desktop-first) | Google (browser-first) | Your current habit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Double-click a file in File Explorer, or use File > Open in Word | Open drive.google.com or a shared link, then double-click the file. It opens in a browser tab | |
| Save | Press Ctrl+S, or rely on AutoSave, which runs when the file is stored in OneDrive or SharePoint | Nothing to press. Docs, Sheets and Slides save every change automatically. Earlier versions are under File > Version history > See version history | |
| Attach | Attach a copy of the file to an Outlook email | Share a Drive link with the right access. Gmail turns attachments over 25 MB into a Drive link automatically | |
| Sync | The OneDrive client syncs folders to your PC | Google Drive for desktop offers two modes: Stream (files stay in the cloud and download when you open them) or Mirror (My Drive is stored in the cloud and on your computer) | |
| Versions | Save As "Report_v3_final.docx" | One document, with named versions in version history |
Do this now:
- Write down the last five files you opened at work.
- Next to each one, note whether you opened it from a desktop folder, an email attachment or a link.
- Count how many began as attachments. In Google, each of those would normally be a shared link.
Task 2: Practise One Browser-First Routine
Try this short exercise to feel the difference:
- Create a new Google Doc from drive.google.com.
- Type a few lines. Do not press Ctrl+S, because the change is already saved.
- Open File > Version history > See version history and look at the saved versions.
- Click Share and give one colleague Commenter access instead of emailing them a copy.
- Close the tab. Reopen the Doc from Drive to confirm that nothing was lost.
If you keep Office files, Google can still help. Office editing lets you edit .docx, .xlsx and .pptx files directly in Docs, Sheets and Slides, and saves the changes back in Office format. It does not work with older .doc, .xls or .ppt files. Converting files comes in a later lesson.
Task 3: Know Where Browser-First Breaks
The browser-first model has limits. Check each of these before you rely on it.
1. Offline work
- To edit Docs, Sheets and Slides offline, you must use Chrome or Microsoft Edge with the Google Docs Offline extension. Do not use private browsing.
- Set up offline access while you are still online, and check that your device has enough free space.
- Do: before your next trip, turn on offline access in Drive settings and mark the files you need as available offline.
2. Local files
- In Drive for desktop's Stream mode, a file is only on your disk after you open it. Files you have not opened may be out of reach without a connection.
- Mirror mode keeps files offline but uses local disk space.
- Do: pick one mode on purpose. Before you switch modes, make sure every change has finished syncing.
3. Desktop-only features
- Excel VBA macros do not run in Sheets, which uses Apps Script instead. Some Office features are not shown, are lost, or cannot be edited when you use Office editing.
- Password-protected Office files open in a viewer only.
- Do: list the files that depend on macros, add-ins or passwords. Keep those in the desktop Office apps until a later lesson covers your options.
Key Takeaways
- This course is independent of Microsoft and Google and does not say which is better.
- Microsoft 365 habits are desktop-first: the file is the master copy. Google habits are browser-first: the cloud holds the master copy and you reach it through a link.
- Saving is automatic in Google, so use version history instead of renaming copies.
- Share links instead of attaching copies. Gmail turns attachments over 25 MB into Drive links anyway.
- Drive for desktop gives you Stream or Mirror mode. Choose one on purpose.
- Plan ahead for offline work, local files and desktop-only features such as VBA macros.