Switch from Google Docs to Zoho Writer
Once you have made your switch to Zoho Workplace from Google Workspace, you'll need to get your Zoho Writer account set up. To access Zoho Writer, navigate to Writer from your Workplace Dashboard.
Sign Up NowGet started with Zoho Writer
Log in to your Zoho Workplace account using your Workplace credentials, then navigate to Zoho Writer from the header. You can also access Zoho Writer from writer.zoho.com using your Workplace account.
Get started using Writer with the following features:
Features
We built Writer to be an intuitive, powerful platform for editing, collaboration, automation, and publishing. Here are some significant features that Zoho Writer offers to its users.
Create and format documents
Start from the beginning by creating a new document. You can also use the available templates or import an existing document from your desktop and start editing it. In addition to the usual text style and formatting options, you can insert images, videos, symbols, equations, charts, tables, embeds, lists, tables, fields, signature, code, quotes, links, shapes, text boxes, barcode, QR code, and much more. Read more on how to create and format documents with Writer.
Document Design
Writer comes with built-in style sets and themes that help you unify your document. No more tedious style tweaks: you can use these styles to quickly apply a set of consistent formatting options to your entire document. Learn more about document design.
Zia, your writing assistant
Check grammar, understand readability, and monitor your writing quality with Writer's AI-powered writing assistant, Zia. Learn more about Zia, your writing assistant.
Collaborate, review, and revise
You can share your work with others and collaborate with them in real-time. Track their changes and start contextual discussions using comments. For more details, read collaborate, review, and revise with Writer.
Publish documents to share your ideas
You can publish documents inside or outside your organization. When you publish, Writer generates a link will for you to share and embed your document in websites or blogs. Learn more about publishing with Writer.
Sign documents online
Manage agreements and contracts from start to finish with built-in e-signing options. Learn more about signing documents with Writer.
Document merge and automation
Document automation in Writer lets you work with a combination of dynamic and fixed content to generate personalized letters, emails, or contracts in bulk. Create fillable forms and automate sign collection using the document automation tool. Explore document merge and automation.
Work offline
Writer works with or without the internet, so you can take your laptop or mobile devices anywhere and keep writing with no interruptions. Learn more about working offline with Writer.
Work across devices
You can use Writer's desktop and mobile apps to create and edit your documents on any device. Learn more about Writer's desktop and mobile apps.
Feature Comparison Google Docs and Zoho Writer
If you've been using Google Docs and are ready to switch to Zoho Writer, here's a quick comparison of their features to guide your exploration.
| Google Docs | Zoho Writer |
|---|---|
| Basic Features | |
You can change how paragraphs and fonts look using formatting tools in Google Docs. | Paragraph editing tools Paragraph editing tools in Writer allow you to set indents, line spacing, insert borders to your document, and much more. To change your Paragraph settings, go to More Options (☰) > Format tab. |
You can insert and edit images in your Google document. | Insert image Insert non-text elements such as images to better illustrate your point or catch your reader's eye. You can insert images from your existing image library, other cloud applications, or upload images from your desktop. To insert images, go to More Options (☰) > Insert tab. |
With Google Docs, you can add and customize bullet-point and numbered lists, with options to change the type, color, indents, prefixes, and suffixes. | Working with lists Writer provides numerous preformatted bullet-point and numbering styles to help you create and customize simple ordered or unordered lists. To create a new list, go to More Options (☰) > Format tab. |
In Google Docs, you can add and edit tables to your document to organize your data. | Working with tables Writer offers a range of smart layouts, tools, and formulas to help you easily create and customize tables. You can create a new table from scratch or paste your spreadsheet from Zoho sheet as a table in your Writer document. To create a new table, go to More Options (☰) > Insert tab. |
Google Docs allows you to insert equations, symbols and special characters. | Equations and symbols Writer provides a wide range of symbol sets to help you insert punctuation, alphanumeric symbols, emojis, math symbols, and more. Use Writer's LaTeX editor to insert and edit complex mathematical expressions. To insert symbols and equations, go to More Options (☰) > Insert tab. |
Hyperlinks and Bookmarks can be inserted in your Google Doc to direct the reader to a detailed explanation. | Hyperlinks and bookmarks Add hyperlinks and bookmarks in your documents to direct the reader to a detailed explanation of a concept. To insert hyperlinks and bookmarks, go to More Options (☰) > Insert tab. |
You can add shapes and textboxes in your Google document without inline editing. | Shapes and textboxes Writer offers a variety of shapes, line styles, arrows, and textboxes you can easily insert and customize. To insert shapes and text boxes, go to More Options (☰) > Insert tab. |
You can add code blocks and quotes using add-ons from the G-suite marketplace. You can use the script editor tool to insert code in your document. | Code blocks and quotes Make distinct excerpts of your content stand out with pull-quote formatting options. You can also copy and paste coding language content in a Writer document and discuss your code in the comments. Writer supports 13 common coding languages. To insert quote blocks and code snippets, go to More Options (☰) > Insert tab. |
You can automatically insert document information like page number and word count in your Google document. | Autofields Use Writer's insertable autofields to automatically display document information, such as the current date, page number, page count, author name, document name, and document version without having to find and write that information manually. To insert autofields, go to More Options (☰) > Fields tab. |
| Editing Options | |
Google Docs allows users to add styles and control formatting elements, such as spacing, indentation, alignment, and more. | Text formatting Writer makes it easy to add text and format, align, drag and drop, arrange text, and much more. Use formatting elements like spacing, indentation, and text alignment to present your content the way you want. To format text, go to More Options (☰) > Format tab. |
Turn on/off the right-to-left (RTL) or the left-to-right (LTR) controls in your document. The controls will be turned on automatically when you open a new document. | Text Direction [LTR and RTL] Writer provides support for both left-to-right languages like English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese,and right-to-left languages like Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, and Urdu. To enable RTL and LTR support, go to More Options (☰) > Format tab. |
| Advanced Options | |
Offline editing is available only in Chrome browser. Download the offline setup from your Chrome browser and start editing documents offline. | Offline editing Writer now works internet-free, so you can take your laptop or mobile device anywhere and keep working without interruptions. To enable offline setup:
|
| Layout Options | |
Google Docs offers basic page layouts [A4/Letter]and view types (page view and web view). | Page layout View your document in different layouts to present your writing at its best. Enable full screen, switch to night mode, and much more. To update the page layout options, go to More Options (☰) > View tab. |
| Document Generation and Assembly | |
Document Merge or mail merge feature is only available for Google Docs via add-ons. | Document merge With Writer's in-built document merge and automation features, printing customized contracts and forms and sending personalized letters is as easy as sending an email. To get started, go to More Options (☰) > Automate tab. |
Label and Envelope Merge is available only via add-ons. | Label and envelope merge Easily create and print standard shipping labels and envelopes at ease. Our built-in templates and document merge features have you covered. To get started with merging labels, go to More Options (☰) > Automate tab. |
You can create, edit and save templates in Google Docs. | Templates Writer makes it easy to create and customize document templates so you can ensure document consistency throughout your organization. Prepare and save master templates to streamline your document automation process. Go to More Options (☰) > Automate tab. |
Digital Signature is only available in Google Docs via add-ons. | Digital signature Create and save your digital signature in Writer so you can insert your signature directly without having to switch between apps or print and sign your documents. To insert signature, go to More Options (☰) > Fields tab. |
| Document Sharing and Collaboration | |
Google Docs supports live collaboration with multiple users. | Co-authoring and collaboration With Writer, you can share files with individual colleagues or a group of collaborators. Users can work together using track changes, insert comments, lock sections, and much more. |
Collaborators can insert contextual comments, as well as view, reply, and resolve comments. | Track changes Add, reply, and resolve comments in Writer, as well as filter comments made by particular users. Go to Review mode in your document and start using comments. |
Google Docs allows collaborators to make changes with its Suggested Edits feature, which the author can then accept or reject. | Collaborator edits Stay in control of collaborator edits using Writer's track changes feature. Clearly see who changed what when, and accept or reject edits one by one. |
Google Docs supports publishing documents to the web. Any changes made in the original document will be updated in the published version. | Publish documents Publish documents inside or outside your organization. You can share your published document or embed it into your website or blog. |
| Document Review and Proofing | |
The Google Docs Spell Check and Grammar feature is enabled as you type. | Spell check and grammar Detect the most common grammar errors, including incorrect verbs, nouns, pronouns, prepositions, articles, punctuation and more using the Writer's AI-powered assistant, Zia. |
Google Docs allows you to find and replace any text, as well as narrow down your search to match case option or match regular expressions. | Find and replace Writer now supports an advanced Find and Replace tool for almost anything, from simple text to numbers, white space, fields, headings, bookmarks, and more. |
Manage the structure of your document using the Google Docs outline tools. | Document navigator Manage your document's headings, bookmarks, and fields and manage each section easily with Writer's Document Navigator. Need to restructure a long document? You can easily move and rearrange sections by simply dragging and dropping the section header in the navigation panel. |
| Document Design and Customization | |
Add a theme or background image to your document from preset templates and designs in Google Docs. | Themes Writer comes with multiple built-in themes that help you unify your document. Use these styles to quickly apply a set of formatting options to your entire document. To apply a preset design to your document, go to More options > Design tab. |
| Platform/Device Support | |
Google Docs is available for iOS and iPadOS. | Download Writer for iOS. |
Google Docs is available for Android. | Download Writer for Android. |
Google Docs is available offline on Google Chrome. There is no separate desktop app. | Download the Writer desktop app to use alongside the browser version. |