Microsoft Suite

Microsoft Teams vs. Workspace from Google

Any business needs a reliable office suite — and no, that doesn’t mean the physical building where you operate. It means the packages or bundles of software you need for being productive and efficient, everything from creating word documents to assembling spreadsheets to sending off emails. You probably use these office suites of programs so often that you take them for granted. But you do have options, and when you’re deciding which suite your business is going to use, you want to take a look at the pros and cons of each one.

The two leaders among office suites in today’s business environment are Microsoft 365 and Workspace from Google, sometimes known by its former name, Google Suite.

So, which one is better?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer for which suite is better. For many years, Microsoft Office was the dominant one in the business world, and it had practically left software like WordPerfect and Lotus SmartSuite in the dust. But then in the ‘00s, Google came along and launched its own suite, which has grown to 2 billion users in the years since.

Some companies prefer Microsoft 365 because of the much higher level of flexibility it has to offer whereas other companies have a strong affinity for Google because of the easy sharing options and its integration into Google.  

As far as what each suite includes, they are pretty comparable. With each, you’ll get some form of platform for…

  • Word processing
  • Spreadsheets
  • Presentation
  • Email
  • Calendar
  • Contacts
  • Videoconferencing
  • Messaging
  • Notetaking

Comparing Specific Programs

Are you writing a word document? Or are you trying to put together a budget on a spreadsheet? Maybe you’re creating a big presentation for an upcoming meeting. Here’s what you can expect when you’re attempting to undertake any of these projects with Microsoft 365 and Workspace from Google…

When you take a look at the software from each platform, they seem similar at first glance. However, their primary difference is that Microsoft 365 tends to have a wider variety of specialty features whereas Workspace from Google tends to be better equipped for real-time collaboration.

Start by taking a look at their word processing options: Microsoft Word versus Google Docs. Both have a similar workspace when you open them up, both have similar fonts and formatting options, and it’s easy enough to upload a Microsoft Word document as a Google Doc or download a Google Doc in the form of a Word doc.

As for spreadsheets, you have Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. For presentations, you have Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Slides. For all of these programs, Microsoft tends to offer a greater variety of templates. Take your spreadsheet options — Excel has more than 60 templates where you can create budgets for any business needs, from a total budget to special purposes like marketing events. You also get more options for the types of charts you want to create, like columns, lines, or pie bars.

And when it comes to PowerPoint, you have a wider variety of layout options, design options, and transition options for a higher-quality, more impressive presentation.

In this regard, Excel and PowerPoint are better. But Google Sheets and Google Slides make it easier for multiple people to collaborate on a file in real-time, and you might appreciate having fewer options to distract you from the focus on your project. Additionally, because Workspace from Google is web-based, you can’t make the mistake of saving it only to your computer where you wouldn’t be able to share it and be confused by what’s going on with it.

The General Differences

When it comes down to it, Microsoft 365 is a great desktop suite for when you know you’re going to be working from the same computer most of the time. You can pull up your project (whether it’s a word document, a spreadsheet, or a presentation) and enjoy all the cutting-edge features. If you need to work on it from a different computer (for example, your laptop at home) or you need to get a colleague’s input on it, simply upload it to the Cloud. From there, the file is easy enough to download and work on from a new location. There are browser versions of these desktop platforms, but some of the advanced capabilities are missing.

As for Workspace from Google, all of its programs are designed to be used from your internet browser. That means you need to have internet access to work on it, and unless you have your username and password saved, you’ll need to log in every time. However, because these are web-based applications, they are more conducive to collaboration. You can choose who is able to view, comment on, or edit a document, and both of you are able to work on the same project together at the same time.

If you want more guidance on whether to choose Microsoft Teams or Workspace from Google, our team at BL Technical is happy to help point you in the right direction. Reach out to us by calling 410-504-1949.

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