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  • ANU SRIVASTAVA: Hi, everyone.

  • I'm Anu Srivastava, and I'm here to tell you

  • about the new Google Docs API.

  • As of today, the Google Docs REST APIs are finally here.

  • You can now automate many of the things

  • you do manually at Docs at Google.com.

  • We've got client libraries in many languages such as Java,

  • PHP, Go, and more, which makes it easy for apps

  • to integrate with the doc using both user

  • and system-provided input.

  • The REST API was designed to help with three broad use

  • cases that are common in many enterprises, bulk document

  • creation, content management, and workflow management.

  • So first up, document creation.

  • A common example here would be if you find yourself making

  • invoices, if you make the same invoice each month,

  • why not make Google do it for you?

  • Rather than manually creating each one,

  • you can use the Docs API to programmatically generate

  • each new invoice from a template.

  • And if you connect your database or even a Google Sheet,

  • that creation can already be populating

  • up-to-date information such as customer contact

  • info, order numbers, balances due, et cetera.

  • The doc is still a Google Doc, and can

  • be opened by an employee, edited, and shared.

  • We're not disrupting their work, just

  • trying to do the boring, tedious stuff for them.

  • OK, so use case number two, content management.

  • The Docs API allows for easy imports and exports

  • of document contents.

  • With this capability, you can let your employees

  • create content with the powerful collaboration

  • tools in Docs while still using the existing publishing

  • and distribution tools that your business relies on.

  • A great example of this is for a publishing flow

  • for an internally-managed wiki or blog.

  • The Docs API makes it easier than ever

  • to use a Google Doc as a text editor

  • for bringing internal content management needs

  • and bringing collaboration back into your communication

  • processes, from wikis to simple websites and blogs.

  • Finally, the third universal use case is workflow management.

  • Workflows power everything, and bottlenecks or broken steps

  • can carry huge productivity costs,

  • so use automation to improve steps

  • that slow your company down or even replace entire workflows.

  • Consider a basic contract workflow.

  • Perhaps you need to create a standard contract like a lease

  • or employment agreement, and send it out for review.

  • Maybe you're doing this every month, every week,

  • or even every day.

  • With the Docs API, you can automate the creation process

  • by using the API's write capabilities and a custom

  • template.

  • Since the API can repeatedly write to the same document,

  • you can automate approvals and updates.

  • So for example, you may need to add an appendix or an exhibit

  • as an action item after one of these reviews.

  • Even these additions can be automated.

  • So try it for yourself.

  • Check out the documentation, run a quick start,

  • and let me know what you think.

  • If you've been sitting at your desk

  • generating the same report over and over again, automate it.

  • [MUSIC PLAYING]

ANU SRIVASTAVA: Hi, everyone.

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