You have COLLAPSIBLE HEADINGS in GOOGLE DOCS now, as long as you do 2 things!
TECH TREATS TIP: 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.
You can add a COVER IMAGE in GOOGLE DOCS now, but make sure that you're in Pageless format!
TECH TREATS TIP: 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.
We finally have the new DOCUMENT TABS in GOOGLE DOCS and they're awesome!
TECH TREATS TIP: 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!
Let Google do the work for you with AUTO SUMMARY in GOOGLE DOCS!
TECH TREATS TIP: 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!
Being able to create a CUSTOM BUILDING BLOCK is a great new feature in GOOGLE DOCS!
TECH TREATS TIP: 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.
You can INSERT A TIMER in GOOGLE DOCS now and it's amazing!
TECH TREATS TIP: 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.
Being able to INSERT A STOPWATCH in GOOGLE DOCS is an awesome new feature!
TECH TREATS TIP: 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.
A great new way to view GOOGLE DOCS is as PAGELESS DOCS!
TECH TREATS TIP: 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.
DROPDOWN MENUS are a great new feature that can be used so many ways!
TECH TREATS TIP: Whether you create a dropdown menu template or use a preset dropdown, there are so many ways that you can use dropdown menus in Google Docs. You can create a table with dropdown menus inserted, have them inserted in a body of text, or use them to select an answer to a question. Dropdown menus are perfect for voting, rating, choice boards, or rubrics. The possibilities are endless since dropdown menus can be used for anything that has a list of choices. Check out how easy it is to use this new feature in Google Docs!
You can now INSERT A WATERMARK in GOOGLE DOCS with lots of great formatting options!
TECH TREATS TIP: It's great to have so many options with formatting a watermark in Google Docs. When you select a picture, you can scale it, fade it, resize it, rotate it, reposition it, recolor it, and adjust the transparency, brightness, or contrast. You can really make that watermark picture look exactly like you want! There are also some great options when you insert text. You can choose your font (my favorite thing to do), font size, font color, make it bold or italicized, select the transparency, and make it diagonal or horizontal. It's so easy to make any edits to your watermark, too. All you have to do is click on Insert and Watermark, just like you did to get started.
The new SMART CHIPS in GOOGLE DOCS can be used for so many things!
TECH TREATS TIP: Smart Chips are such a great new feature in Google Docs because they provide information about people, files, and calendar events and a connection to them right in your Google Doc. They can be used in so many ways and work great in Hyperdocs. Typing the @ symbol, not only makes it easy to insert a Smart Chip, it also gives you easy access to insert lists, media, headings, page components, and more. Just type the @ symbol and see what pops up!
Check out how easy it is to CREATE A CHECKLIST in GOOGLE DOCS!
TECH TREATS TIP: You can change the font, font size, and font color in a checklist and really customize it. If you change the font size, it will change the size of the checkbox. A larger font means a larger checkbox and a smaller font means a smaller checkbox. Also, if you change your font color, it will change the color of the checkbox, too. These changes can be made before you start the checklist or after the checklist is created (by selecting the checklist and making the changes).
It's so simple to translate GOOGLE DOCS to another language when you use TRANSLATE DOCUMENT!
TECH TREATS TIP: There are over 100 languages to choose from when you use Translate Document in Google Docs. That gives you so many choices for translation! You can translate a Google Doc to as many languages as you like because it always creates a copy and the original is not altered. Of course, as with any translating tool, the translation may not be perfect but it will definitely be close enough to get your message across and it couldn't be any easier to use.
VOICE TYPING will type in a GOOGLE DOC for you, letting you be hands-free with one click!
TECH TREATS TIP: Voice Typing is so easy and it can really save you time or help with accessibility for those with disabilities. It truly lets you be hands-free and there are so many uses for it. I heard about someone who played a video recording and turned on Voice Typing while it was playing to have all of the dialogue typed in a Google Doc. I thought that was such a great idea! Just remember, if you want punctuation in your text, you need to say "period", "comma", "question mark", "exclamation point", or whatever punctuation you want. You can even say "new paragraph" or "new line". Have fun with Voice Typing by saying your name and see how it's typed. It was hilarious with my name!
It's so easy to customize your Font List with MORE FONTS in GOOGLE DOCS!
TECH TREATS TIP: Since I love fonts so much, for me, More Fonts has always been about adding fonts (and I've added a lot!). Over time, I have come to appreciate being able to remove fonts, too. As I've experimented with so many fonts, it's wonderful to be able to remove some of the many fonts that I've added. When I realize that I don't like a font as much as I thought I would, I don't have to continually scroll past it in my long list. I can easily remove it from the font list.
You can use VERSION HISTORY to restore anything you deleted in GOOGLE DOCS.
TECH TREATS TIP: When you click on File and hover over Version History, you can select Name Current Version. Naming the version makes it easier to find and select it when you are scrolling through the Version History. If you select See Version History and click on an entry from Version History, when you click on the 3 dots, you can also Name the Version and leave it in the Version History. Finally, another great option when you click on the 3 dots is the ability to Make a Copy. This is really helpful because when you Restore a Version, you lose the current version. With Make a Copy you can keep the current version and still have a copy of a previous version.
PAINT FORMAT makes it easy to copy formatting. No need to remember your settings!
TECH TREATS TIP: After you select the formatting you want to copy, one click on the Paint Format tool allows you to select one piece of text or click and drag to select text that is all together. A double click on the Paint Format tool allows you to select multiple selections of text that are not together. After a double click , the Paint Format tool will stay on until you turn it off. To turn it off, press the ESC button or click one time on the Paint Format tool.
It's so FUN and easy to TYPE with EMOJIS in GOOGLE DOCS!
TECH TREATS TIP: Check out each of the emoji categories to see the many emojis that are available. There are even circled and squared letters available under the "Enclosed" category. In addition to being able to change the size of the emojis, you can also change the color of the emoji letters. Even if you don't type with emojis, they are still a great source for graphics.
Changing your campus or your career? Don't forget to CHANGE OWNERSHIP of GOOGLE DOCS you've shared.
TECH TREATS TIP: Whether you're changing campuses or changing careers, you'll still want people to have access to the documents that you've shared with them when you leave. Instead of making them copy everything you've ever shared with them, you can Change Ownership of your shared Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Drawings, and Sites. If you have a lot of documents, save time by putting everything in a folder and Change Ownership of the folder. Everything in the folder will be changed over to the new owner.
Use CAPITALIZATION in GOOGLE DOCS to Change the Case of text. It's one of my FAVORITES!
UPDATE: Click on Format > Text > Capitalization
Use LABEL MERGE to create mailing labels, folder labels, or name tags.