Google has added a handful of cool new specialized templates to Google Docs

By Kris Wouk Published March 3, 2016

Google Docs is undeniably useful, but firing up a new document, spreadsheet, or presentation and staring at a blank slate can be intimidating. That’s why back in September, Google introduced templates to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides to help users get started without so much initial setup work.

Now Google has enlisted the help of five experts in their respective fields to add a new handful of templates to the service, and these were announced yesterday. Not every user will need every one of the new templates, as they’re a bit more specialized than most of the templates introduced last year, but it’s nice to know that Google intends to stretch beyond the initial few templates offered.

Recommended Videos

For the small business owner, Google looked to Intuit, makers of the QuickBooks accounting software. This resulted in a template for Sheets for planning an annual business budget, designed to help individuals and businesses stay in control of their finances. Meanwhile, brothers Chip and Dan Heath, authors of the bestselling Made to Stick, provided a “big idea” template for Slides, aimed to help users create compelling presentations.

Google itself even joined the party via GV, formerly Google Ventures, which knows a thing or two about what it takes for a startup to get funded. This expertise is put to good use in the “pitch” template for Slides, which uses proven presentation tactics to help entrepreneurs pitch their ideas.

Not all of the new templates are aimed at businesses and professionals, however. Google also looked to Reading Rainbow and its host, LeVar Burton, to create templates for both teachers and students, with the new “lesson plan” and “book report” templates for Docs. Google jumped in once again, taking inspiration from the Google Science Fair to create a template for Slides meant for, yes, science fairs.

Over the past few years, Google Docs hasn’t exactly stagnated, but it hasn’t seen the steady trickle of updates many other Google products and services get. As of last year, however, that seems to be changing. With these new templates and the new voice typing function introduced last month, it seems Google has bigger things planned for Docs.

The new templates are all available in Docs, Sheets, and Slides now. To get started, just head over to Google Docs.

Former Contributor

Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…

Topics

Computing

Google’s new satellite network can help spot wildfires

penny machine learning income predictor 30619164 space satellite orbiting the earth

The first FireSat satellite has launched and made a connection with Earth. The FireSat system is a collaborative effort between Google Research, Muon Space, Earth Fire Alliance, Moore Foundation, and numerous other agencies, and it has a single, deceptively simple purpose: to detect wildfires before they become too hard to contain and control.

Wildfires have been a constant problem for agencies. Early detection is vital, but fires can often start in subtle ways; by the time anyone notices the growing blaze, it's too late to stop. Just take the wildfires in Los Angeles earlier this year as an example. Apps have been created to crowdsource fire detection, and the traditional method of watching for wildfires is through satellite imagery.

Computing

Google’s new Gemma 3 AI models are fast, frugal, and ready for phones

Google Gemma 3 open-source AI model on a tablet.

Google’s AI efforts are synonymous with Gemini, which has now become an integral element of its most popular products across the Worksuite software and hardware, as well. However, the company has also released multiple open-source AI models under the Gemma label for over a year now.

Today, Google revealed its third generation open-source AI models with some impressive claims in tow. The Gemma 3 models come in four variants — 1 billion, 4 billion, 12 billion, and 27 billion parameters — and are designed to run on devices ranging from smartphones to beefy workstations.
Ready for mobile devices

Computing

Google employees are testing new AI Mode search feature

AI Overviews being shown in Google Search.

Google is working on integrating more AI features into its search engine. The company is now having its U.S. employees test a new feature called “AI Mode.”

The publication 9to5 Google uncovered an internal email detailing that employees had been invited to dogfood (test), the AI Mode, which is intended to be a form of intelligent search embedded within Google Search. The feature adds “easy-to-digest breakdowns with links to explore content across the web.”