I use Google Docs to manage tasks: You should too

Although widely used as a word processor, Google Docs offers some useful features for task management, including real-time collaboration, task tracking, and calendar integration. Here’s how you can use Google Docs to manage your tasks.

1. Set up your project in Google Docs

When you use Google Docs a lot, especially if you collaborate with others, it can be difficult to keep track of all your documents. That’s why it’s essential to start with a strong organizational foundation to make Google Docs an effective task management tool. Your Google Docs files are hosted on Google Drive, and there are several ways to organize Google Drive like a pro.

Create a new folder for each project

Creating separate folders for each project in Google Drive makes it easy to find and manage all documents related to a particular project.

1. Go to your Google Drive account.
2. Click on New button in the upper left corner and select New folder from the drop-down menu.
3. Name the folder according to your project, e.g. Marketing campaign for X,

Create subfolders for each phase of the project

Sometimes it may be necessary to further divide folders into subfolders, especially when working with larger and more complex projects.

1. Go to the project folder in Google Drive.
2. Click on New button and select New folder.
3. Name your subfolder according to the phase of the project, e.g. Facebook ad for X.
4. Repeat the process for other phases of the project as needed.

2. Track and manage tasks with smart chips

Once you’ve set up your project structure, you need a way to manage your tasks and track their progress. The Product plan and Checklists are some of Google Docs’ most useful smart chips for task management.

Insert a product schedule to track tasks

The Product plan outlines the status of various tasks, making it easy to track who is responsible for what and the overall progress of the project. Here’s how to add a Product plan in Google Docs:

1. Open the appropriate project folder or subfolder you created in Google Drive.
2. Click on New in the upper left corner of the screen and select Google Docs > Blank Document.
3. Place the cursor where you want to plan and enter @ symbol.
4. A drop-down menu will appear. Type Product plan and select it to paste.

The pre-formatted plan template includes a field for Project, Position, Related filesand Comment. You can use the roadmap as is or modify it to meet your specific project needs. Click on any of the default fields to edit the text. To add additional rows or columns, right-click on the table and select one of the relevant options, e.g. Paste the line above or Insert column to the left.

Use checklists to manage tasks

You don’t always need a special task management app for your personal or professional needs; you can create the best to-do list using apps you already use, like Google Docs. Checklists in Google Docs provide an intuitive way to manage tasks. Here’s how to use it Checklists to manage tasks in Google Docs:

1. Please enter @ symbol, type Checklistand hit Enter. You can also click on Checklist icon on the toolbar to insert a checklist.
2. For complex projects, it may be necessary to add sub-tasks below the main task. To do this, highlight an item in the checklist and press Tab. Press to reverse or offset the process Shift + Tab.
3. To mark a task as complete, click the check box next to it.

3. Collaborate and communicate with your team

One of the main reasons to use Google Docs for task management is the collaboration and communication features. You can easily share a document with your team, assign tasks to specific people, and track progress in real time. Here’s a closer look:

Share documents and manage access

Instead of emailing documents back and forth, Google Doc Sharing ensures that everyone is working on the same file. To share a Google Docs file, click Share button in the upper right corner. Next, enter the email addresses of those you want to work with (they must have a Google account). Finally, select their access level –Browser, Commentatoror Editor.

Document changes tracking

After granting access to your team members, you may want to track changes made to a document. Google Docs automatically saves a version history of each change. You can see these changes at File > Version History > View Version History. Here you will find a timeline of all edits, showing who made each change and when.

For even more control over changes, use Drafting mode. In this mode, edits are displayed as drafts, making it easier to track and approve specific edits. Click on Pencil icon (which is usually displayed Editing or Browsing) under Share in the upper right corner of the screen and select Drafting.

You can assign tasks directly in Google Docs using Comment function. Simply highlight the relevant text or task and click on + (Add comment) in the sidebar and enter @ symbol followed by their name or email. This prompts an Assign to [contact] checkbox – check it and click on Assign button.

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Create email drafts in Docs

For quick communication, design an email right in the document. Insert @ symbol and type email concept to generate an email template. Add recipient, subject and email content and click on Preview in Gmail button to the left of the template. This will automatically populate your email draft in Gmail.

If you use Google Keep, Calendar, or Tasks to organize your life, you’ll be happy to have access to these apps within Google Docs. You can use these sidebar tools to view upcoming events, notes, and tasks next to your document.

All you have to do is click on Let, Calendaror Tasks icon in the sidebar. For example, I use Keep to quickly capture ideas I might forget while working on a document, and Calendar to check if I have any upcoming meetings. Having these tools on the sidebar helps me avoid juggling between multiple apps.

Expand your options with add-ons and templates

Google Docs offers a wide variety of third-party add-ons to increase your productivity. These add-ons offer various features that enhance the existing features of Google Docs. Add-ons are available from Extension after installation and sidebar. There are several useful options to choose from. One of my favorite accessories is GPTwhich uses artificial intelligence to perform various tasks, including summarizing texts and generating images.

You can also use Google Docs templates to make your life easier. Templates save time and effort and give you professional-looking documents in no time. Some examples of useful Google Docs templates include resumes, meeting agendas, presentations, and budget trackers.

Sometimes it’s surprising how useful Google Docs can be for task management, especially considering that it’s primarily a text editor. Use these task management tips and tricks to increase your productivity when using Google Docs.