Google Docs and Word

Comments, mentions, suggested edits and shares on your Google Docs or Word files. It reads, and posts a comment reply only when you OK it.

1. What it reads
2. What it can do
3. What it asks for
4. Connect it
5. Work or personal
6. Remove it

What it reads

Docs uses the Google or Microsoft sign-in you already have for that address. It brings in:

• Docs someone shares with you.
• Comments and replies on docs you own, and comments that mention you.
• Suggested edits on Google Docs you own, and tracked changes in Word files you own.

The first sync looks back 30 days. Each one becomes an event, linked to the people and projects in your Graph. When a comment needs you, it becomes a to-do.

What it can do

When a to-do needs a doc's text, your Machine reads that one doc, and only while it works on that to-do.

It can draft a reply to a comment. On Google Docs, the reply waits on the to-do: press Review and post, check it, then Post now. Nothing is posted until you do. Word files have no way to post a reply from outside Word, so those replies stay drafts for you to copy into Word.

It never edits a doc, accepts a suggestion, resolves a comment or shares a file.

What it asks for

Reading docs needs its own OK, apart from your mail sign-in. Your Gmail and calendar access stay as they are.

• Google: read-only access to your Drive files and comments. Posting replies needs one more OK, which you can skip.
• Microsoft: read access to your files, including the ones shared with you in OneDrive and SharePoint.

If that OK is taken back later, the Docs card says Waiting for your OK to read docs.

Connect it

Connect Outlook for the address first. Then:

• Hosted Machine: on your setup page, open Docs under More sources and press Connect documents next to that address. Microsoft asks you to allow reading your files.
• Your own computer, paired with your account: open Connections, + Add, pick Docs and press Sign in with Microsoft.

It checks that the sign-in may read docs. Without that OK it isn't added. Google Docs aren't available through The Machine's sign-in yet.

Work or personal

Docs follows the work or personal label of its connection, like mail. Work docs can reach your team's Graph under your sharing rules. Personal ones never do.

Remove it

In the dashboard: Connections, open Docs, Details, then Disconnect. It stops reading. What it already brought in stays.