GOOGLE DOCS - Insert Templates

 The new feature to INSERT TEMPLATES in Google Docs is so easy to use and it has all new templates, too!

Insert Templates in Google Docs is a new feature and is different from using the Template Gallery on the Google Docs homepage. Using Insert Templates can be done right inside a Google Doc and the templates are modern, often with pageless design elements and placeholder chips designed for real-time collaboration. When you open a Google Doc, now you'll see the prompt word "Template" at the top of your Google Doc. If you click on it, the Insert Template page will open for you to choose a template. If you don't click on the word "Template" and just start typing, the word will disappear. The other way to access Insert Templates is to click on the File tab, hover over New, and click on From a Template. This will also open the Insert Template page and you'll be able to choose from some amazing new templates to insert into your Google Doc. Once a template has been inserted, you can customize it to look how you want by editing, removing, adding, or replacing items in the template.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - MARCH 2026

It's your LUCKY day! Google Docs has a new feature to INSERT TEMPLATES and wait until you see all the awesome new choices! ☘️

GOOGLE DOCS - Voting Chips

Voting is easy and fun in Google Docs when you add customized VOTING CHIPS! 

If you want an easy and fun way to vote in Google Docs, just add customized Voting Chips! You can add them by clicking on Insert, hovering over Smart Chips, and clicking on Vote. You can also add them by typing @Vote. You can choose between 3 icons - thumbs up, heart, and plus sign - or you can click on Custom Voting Chip. When you click on Custom Voting Chip, the Emoji window opens and now the fun starts! You can pick an emoji for your Voting Chip. If you want all of your Voting Chips to look the same, just select the Voting Chip that you've created and copy and paste it until you have all of your Voting Chips in place. If you want to do something else interesting, you can select a different emoji for each of your Voting Chips. Finally, anyone who can view your Google Doc can vote. All they have to do is click on a Voting Chip and their vote is recorded. Each Voting Chip will show the number of votes next to their emoji.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - NOVEMBER 2025

 You'll be GRATEFUL for VOTING CHIPS, if you want people to be able to vote in Google Docs!

GOOGLE DOCS - Collapsible Headings

 You have COLLAPSIBLE HEADINGS in Google Docs now, as long as you do 2 things!

Collapsible headings are a great feature in Google Docs. There are 2 things that you need to do if you want to have collapsible headings - 1) You need to format your headings with a Heading Style. You can select a Heading Style on the toolbar right next to where you select a font. You have 3 Heading Styles to choose from so be sure to select one of them. Also, notice that I inserted small pictures of red stars in my heading names. This did not affect the headings as long as I selected a Heading Style for the actual text that I typed for the headings. 2) You need to be in Pageless Mode. This can be done by clicking on File and then Page Setup. Select Pageless at the top of the Page Setup window and click OK. Once you're in Pageless mode, when you hover to the left of each heading, you'll see a down arrow. Click on the down arrow and the text below the heading will collapse. Now there will be an arrow to the left of each heading. If you click on it, the heading will expand and you'll see the text below the heading.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JULY 2025

 There are COLLAPSIBLE HEADINGS in Google Docs now! Let's CELEBRATE!💥

GOOGLE DOCS - Cover Image

 You can add a COVER IMAGE in Google Docs now but make sure that you're in Pageless format!

Google continues to add new features to Google Docs all the time and Cover Image is a great one! It's only available when you're in Pageless format so be sure to switch to that if you want to try out Cover Image. You can switch to Pageless format by clicking on Format and Switch to Pageless Format or by clicking on File, Page Setup, and selecting Pageless. When you're in Pageless format, Google Docs look more like a web page and when you add a Cover Image, it looks even more like a web page. The Cover Image is wide and goes across the whole width of the Pageless format. If you want to adjust the Cover Image, just click on it and a small toolbar appears at the bottom left of the Cover Image. The toolbar lets you replace the image, reposition the image, add alt text to the image, or delete the image. When you click off the Cover Image, the toolbar disappears. Click back on the Cover Image and the toolbar will reappear.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - MARCH 2025

 We're in LUCK! Google Docs has a new COVER IMAGE feature and it's awesome!☘

GOOGLE DOCS - Document Tabs

 We finally have the new DOCUMENT TABS in GOOGLE DOCS and they're awesome!

Document Tabs in Google Docs are finally here! We've had tabs available in Google Sheets but we've never had them in Google Docs before. Now you can have multiple tabs (pages), each with a name, all in one document. If you use Headings in your Google Doc, they will appear in the tab list below the name of the tab that they're on. You can name a tab anything you want but the Headings will appear in the list with the same text as they have in the Google Doc.  When Document Tabs open, you'll see Tab 1 ready for you. You can add a subtab, duplicate a tab, rename a tab, choose an emoji for a tab, and copy the link for a tab using the 3 dot menu. You'll notice that there's no Delete option for Tab 1 in the 3 dot menu because it can't be deleted. When you have multiple tabs, you can delete any of them except one. When you have only one tab, you can't delete it. If you don't want to use tabs, you can just ignore Tab 1, but I think you're going to like using Document Tabs!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - NOVEMBER 2024

 I'm so THANKFUL that we finally have the new DOCUMENT TABS in GOOGLE DOCS!

GOOGLE DOCS - Auto Summary

Let Google do the work for you with AUTO SUMMARY in GOOGLE DOCS!

Click on the Outline symbol to find Summary. (If the Outline symbol isn't there, click on View and Show Outline.) After you click on the Outline symbol, a panel will open on the left side of your Google Doc and you'll see Summary at the top above the Outline. Click on the + sign next to Summary, and an Auto Summary will be created for you. If you don't want to use the Auto Summary, you can ignore it or you can type over it. If you want to use the Auto Summary, click on the Tab button to accept it. After you have accepted it, you can still edit the Auto Summary. You can also go back and edit the Auto Summary anytime later by clicking on the pencil in the upper right corner of the Auto Summary. Whether you want Google to do the work for you or to just get you started, you should check out Auto Summary!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - MARCH 2024

Try your LUCK with AUTO SUMMARY in GOOGLE DOCS! It's amazing! 

GOOGLE DOCS - Custom Building Block

 You can create a CUSTOM BUILDING BLOCK in GOOGLE DOCS now! This is a great new feature!

Building Blocks are a really useful feature in Google Docs and now you can save your own content as a Custom Building Block. This is a great new feature in Google Docs! You can save custom blocks of text, tables, and chips and then reuse them over and over again. You save the content as a Custom Building Block with a name so that you can insert it again using the name. After you save the Custom Building Block, you can insert it using Insert > Building Blocks > Custom Building Block > click on the Saved Name. You can also insert it using the @ symbol. When you type @, a list of Building Blocks appears and below it is a list of your Custom Building Blocks. Just scroll down until you see the name of your saved Custom Building Block and click on it. There's also an edit feature (pencil icon) and a manage feature to edit and manage your saved Custom Building Blocks.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - OCTOBER 2023

 Being able to create a CUSTOM BUILDING BLOCK in GOOGLE DOCS is a great TRICK and a real TREAT!

GOOGLE DOCS - Insert A Timer

 This is amazing! Let's celebrate! You can INSERT A TIMER in GOOGLE DOCS now!

One of the newest Smart Chips options is being able to insert a timer in a Google Doc. This can be done by typing the @ symbol and selecting Timer in the list under Smart Chips or by clicking on Insert > Smart Chips > Timer. Inserting a timer is an awesome feature and can be used so many ways. It's really easy to start, stop, and reset the timer so it can be used over and over. I really like being able to format the timer with a different font, font size, and font color. You can even use a highlight color. All of these things can make your timer really stand out. If you want to use any formatting, you just have to set your formatting first before you type the @ symbol or click on Insert > Smart Chips > Timer. Then, when you insert your timer, it will have the formatting that you chose.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JULY 2023

 You can INSERT A TIMER in GOOGLE DOCS now and it will make you want to CELEBRATE!🧨

GOOGLE DOCS - Insert A Stopwatch

You can INSERT A STOPWATCH in GOOGLE DOCS now and even use formatting to make it stand out!

You have so many options when you type the @ symbol in a Google Doc. One of the newest options is being able to insert a stopwatch in a Google Doc. This is an awesome feature and can be used so many ways. It's really easy to start, stop, and reset the stopwatch so it can be used over and over. I really like being able to format the stopwatch with a different font, font size, and font color. You can even use a highlight color. All of these things can make your stopwatch really stand out. If you want to use any formatting, you just have to set your formatting first before you type the @ symbol. Then, when you insert your stopwatch, it will have the formatting that you chose.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - APRIL 2023

This is no JOKE! You can now INSERT A STOPWATCH in GOOGLE DOCS! Check out this awesome new feature! 

GOOGLE DOCS - Pageless Docs

A great new way to view GOOGLE DOCS is as PAGELESS DOCS!

Pageless Docs in Google Docs is a great new feature! Many Google Docs are only viewed online so making them Pageless makes them easier to view. Also, with Pageless Docs, you're not limited to what fits on a regular Google Docs page. You will have more width with Pageless Docs and there will be no page breaks. As an added feature, you can change the background color with Pageless Docs. If you like viewing all of your Google Docs as Pageless Docs, you can even make Pageless Docs the default setting.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - OCTOBER 2022

 The new PAGELESS DOCS feature in GOOGLE DOCS is a real TREAT (not a TRICK)!