Google Spreadsheets has been available for a couple weeks now. The company's spreadsheet offering is an online version of Excel-lite. It offers many of the same features as Microsoft's product with the exception of charting, macro capabilities and a few other advanced functions.
However, Google's offering differs from Excel in two enormous, important ways - 1. Google Spreadsheets is available online from any internet-connected computer in the world, and 2. Your spreadsheets can be easily and instantly shared with colleagues, and simultaneously worked on over-the-web! That's right, no more bridging the gaps between multiple computers or emailing files to different work and home addresses. Now, all your spreadsheets are in one place (far from from spy-ware and other personal computer peccadilloes), available online and instantly shareable with anyone you choose. Oh, and by the way, Google Spreadsheets is free.
Wow. That's HUGE. Especially for small businesses.
Sales forecasts and reports, cash flow statements, work schedules, office birthdays - the list goes on and on. Small businesses that are slaves to Excel have been freed. Granted, you can't do everything with Google Spreadsheets that you can do with Excel, but how many people honestly use 100% of Excel's long list of features? I surely haven't, and I've been using Excel for years.
Your current Microsoft Excel spreadsheets can be easily imported into Google Spreadsheets. Your new Google Spreadsheets can also be saved and downloaded to your computer as Excel files. This is a key feature that will make it easy for businesses to try Google's service without having to enter large amounts of duplicate data.
Spreadsheets were the original "killer app" or killer application for the personal computer. Google has done what Google does often and well - leveled the playing field and given a big (free) leg-up to small businesses. I heartily recommend trying Google Spreadsheets to see if it works for you and your business. You won't necessarily be creating more advanced spreadsheets, but your spreadsheets will be much easier to access and work on - by you or whomever you may choose.
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