Instead of sending a file back and forth between collaborators, you can make edits and suggestions all at once, as if you were all huddled over the same computer in real time. One of the best features of Google Sheets is the ability to generate a shareable link that lets anyone with it to either view, comment on, or edit your document. RELATED: How to Import an Excel Document into Google Sheets How to Collaborate on Documents with Others

Click File > Download As then click on the desired format, and it will download directly to where files save from your browser. When you finish with the document, you can download it as XLSX, or ODS, PDF, HTML, CSV, or TSV format. Sheets supports several different file types, including XLS, XLSX, XLSM, TXT, ODS, and CSV, making it easy to view and convert Microsoft Office files directly from Google Drive. Google does the rest and handles the brunt of the heavy lifting while it runs the software in the cloud.

Google Sheets is available on all devices and platforms all you need is an internet connection and a web browser (or, in the case of mobile, the applicable apps).

RELATED: The Beginner's Guide to Google Docs The other main services included in the cloud-based suite are Docs (Word) and Slides (Powerpoint). Google Sheets is a free, web-based spreadsheet program offered by Google as part of its complete office suite-Google Drive-to compete with Microsoft Office. We’ll go over the basics and get you brushed up with what Google Sheets is and how you can get started right away. If you’ve never heard of it, here’s a crash course on what you need to know. If you’ve heard of Google Sheets before, feel free to skip ahead.

Download the beginner's guide