The new look for Google Spreadsheets is now live. As the Docs team announced, there’s a completely new interface. And it’s looking a lot more like its desktop step-brother, Excel.
Most notably, Spreadsheets now has a full menu across the top: File, Edit, Format, and so on. The team ditched the strange tabbed method where each section had its own toolbar. Instead, the toolbar is reserved for the most common commands, mostly formatting-related.
The interface reshuffling also makes Spreadsheets look a lot more like its Docs siblings. The Word-like app gave the tabs the heave-ho in March.
Though there’s something to be said for web and desktop interfaces not needing to be the same, in this case organizing the options within pull-down menus makes sense. Everything feels like its within the same frame of reference. The entire toolbar changing always threw me off.
Plus, it’s now easier for Google to add new features. For example, the interface for manipulating a form is so easy now, because it can be another pull-down. You can even see the number of responses right in the menu.
Spreadsheets was already a part of my daily routine, replacing Excel for all except the largest, most complicated documents. These changes bring Microsoft’s offering even closer to my trash bin.
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