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5 Hidden Features in Google Apps That Everybody Should Be Using

2 minute read

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Every application in the Google Apps suite has its own deep feature set. Even when you think you have them all mastered, they surprise you with a few more hidden away tricks.

Whether you are trying to ignore a group email thread that keeps popping up in your inbox or want real-time analysis of your Google Form results, there are tools that can help you out. Check out some of my favorite “hidden gem” features that are tucked away in Gmail, Forms, Calendar, Sheets, and Docs.

1. Mute annoying group threads (Gmail)

We’ve all been there. A group email thread quickly deteriorates into lunch discussions and inside jokes, popping up in your inbox each time another irrelevant reply is sent. Did you know Gmail offers the option to mute these threads so they don’t distract you from your real work?

2. Get real-time analytics on Form results (Forms)

Quit wasting your time with countless formulas to try and gain insight from your Form results. This little known feature does all the work for you. Form Result summaries display graphs and charts that break down the results as they come in.

3. Find the perfect time to meet (Calendar)

After creating an event and adding your contacts and/or resources, you can use the ‘Find a time’ feature to bring up everyone’s schedules side-by-side. This makes it really easy to find available time that works for everyone!

4. Keep your cell formats consistent (Sheets)

The paintbrush tool in Google Sheets provides a pain free way to copy the formatting from one cell to another. When you are copy and pasting information into a spreadsheet this tool will help you keep the fonts, colors, and conditionals consistent throughout.

5. Add structure to your Doc with a table of contents (Docs)

You don’t need to use “command + f” to find content in those lengthy Docs anymore. Creating a table of contents in a Google Doc is quick and easy. Make your longer documents quicker to navigate by generating links that take readers directly to specific sections or passages.

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