Google Drive launches add-ons to Google Docs and Sheets

(Graphic: Deviant Art / Rahul964)Google Drive.

ZDNet reports Google Drive is launching several add-ons to Google Docs and Sheets. The company launches innovative marketplaces that are exclusive for add-ons, and plans to include new functionality for editing and formatting when working on documents and spreadsheets.

The program is still bein worked on, and will later include over 50 add-ons at launch, all built using Google Apps Script. Some examples of add-on are tools for mail merge, customized emails, importing names, a bibliography genie, and addresses for label printing.

Google Apps team technical writer Dan Lazin explained in a Tuesday blog post that the add-on APIs and tools are for everyone, the Apps team only steps in for before final publication to the store. Developers can present working prototypes of add-ons  for inclusion to Google Apps. Google currently has 25 add-on partners.

PandaDoc is an example add-on which lets you create legally binding papers with notations, digital signatures, and more. Google is tapping the plug-ins from third parties for Google Docs and Sheets to have additional features which it cannot provide itself.

The Mountain View, CA, based company is busy targeting users of corporate Google Apps this week. On Monday, the search giant presented a new referral program to reward a $15 USD bonus for every new subscription. It suggests new ways of taking on Microsoft Office 365; such as introducting plugins that compete with Office 365.

Microsoft has Avery Templates app, but Google likewise has an enhanced app to merge addresses and create labels. Another example is that Google has the EasyBib, Bibliography Creator that was with Microsoft Office 365 for quite some time, but that Google did not offer. The Track Changes add-on is another example this.

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