cloud access for Word

One of the few shortcomings in my current computer set up is that I am far too used to using Microsoft Word… This is an incredibly powerful writing tool, but I still can’t get it (natively) into EverNote, and (until now) I have had some problems with finding a worthwhile means to deal with cloud document apps through the Word program…

Several years ago I was quite happy integrating my Zoho suite into MS Word (it is currently a bit ‘buggy’…), but in the last couple of weeks I have tried out a few other tools to integrate Word with Google Docs, and even with Windows Live.

OffiSync is a (basically) free tool to integrate your native MS Office suite (Word, Excel, etc.) with Google Docs. It is simple, just download the executable and run it…it creates an extra tab on your MS Office ‘ribbon’ where you will need to log onto your Google account (for the first time…).
This tool allows you to upload any of your documents into the cloud (e.g. Google Docs), to save it in a Word format or in Google’s doc format, you can very easily integrate both of these tools, and the bonus is that this is the ultimate means towards using Google Docs offline.

The Zoho plugin for MS Office is just a small part of the ever increasing array of tools on the Zoho site. I have been using this Word plugin (on and off) or about four years with only a few hiccoughs (mostly related to Microsoft…). Originally this was the most full featured word processor on the internet, but in the last year or two Google has caught up… Nonetheless, this is a tool you should check out (there is still a lot more to the Zoho suite of tools than Google has come up with…).

With the Microsoft Windows Live initiative they now have a truncated office suite online (e.g. Windows Live Skydrive), and with the Office add-in you are in a close equivalent to the Google Docs connection with OffiSync. My reasons for using OffiSync are based upon the fact that I have been using Google Docs for a while and there is much more to integrate…

All three of these add-ins to MS Word are worth trying out (even if you have never used the Windows or Zoho online suites, there is much worth considering here). For the greater majority of Google Doc users, I see OffiSync as a done deal.

OffiSync: Microsoft Office + Google Docs = the Perfect Office App
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/offisync_microsoft_office_plus_google_docs_is_the_perfect_app.php

Office Live Files, Microsoft Office Add-In
http://www.ghacks.net/2011/01/21/office-live-files-microsoft-office-add-in