Do you collaborate on documents with co-workers? I.e., do you edit the same doc or file (I use “docs” and “files” interchangeably herein) with one or more people sometimes?

Duh, who doesn’t, right?

Unless your company has strict policies, you probably have some options on how you share documents. You could use browser-based apps like Google Docs or Microsoft OfficeOnline. Or you could email file attachments around.

(I can’t believe I’m still writing about email file attachments for doc collab; but alas, status quo is hard to change.)

Different users have different preferences and different needs. Some are power spreadsheet users. Some don’t need every word processing bell and whistle. Some are always online when they work. Some travel. Even each individual user may even have different needs at different times.

Unfortunately, though, there’s no perfect way to collaborate on docs (yet), so I attempt herein to qualitatively (as objectively as I can) compare the six main ways you can edit a doc and share it with others to review and/or edit. You may use one method primarily, or you may use different methods depending on your current situation. Hopefully, this will help ensure you know your options and the impact to you and others.

Doc Collab Methods

First, let’s look at the 6 primary doc collaboration methods. The typical scenarios include desktop productivity apps (e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, presentations via Google Docs or Microsoft Office) and cloud storage providers (e.g., Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft Onedrive). But these concepts can apply more broadly to most apps and cloud storage.

1. Web App

Some applications provide web-based versions that you access via standard browser (e.g., Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox). E.g., Microsoft Office has “web app” versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Google docs only works via browser. If so, then you may have this option. How well integrated this is, depends on the app vendor and cloud provider.

2. Mapped Drive

Many, but unfortunately, not all cloud services make it easy to map a networked drive to your storage in the cloud. (Third party tools like Mountain Duck can provide drive mapping.)  Then, you just access it as you would any network-accessible storage. Latency may be longer, but access is virtually the same.  Of course, you only have access when connected online.

3. Manual Download / Upload

You can manually download a file from the cloud and edit it with your desktop app.  But then you’re responsible for uploading it back to the cloud properly.  Careful, though. Each cloud service may have a different way you must upload the doc, so it appears as a new version of the existing doc. Do this incorrectly, and you may lose all previous versions or create a duplicate file.

4. Auto Upload

Some cloud providers will provide the ability (usually requiring some desktop software install) to simply select in the browser to “Edit on Desktop”. The file is automatically downloaded, edited with the correct desktop app; and any time you save, the doc is automatically uploaded to the cloud as a new version.

5. Background Sync

Most (all listed above) cloud services provide the ability to automatically and continuously keep select files synchronized on your desktop with the cloud. Thus, you can simply edit the local copy of the doc and the cloud’s background “sync” program will upload it to the cloud as a new version automatically.

6. Email

Traditional emailing of document around as a file attachment.  Depending on your email program, you typically have to download the attachment, edit it and email it back or on to the next editor. Savvy users will rename the file to indicate a version change because otherwise, it’s difficult to tell which version is the latest.

Considerations

Next, let’s look at the main trade-offs when considering each collaboration method.

App Functionality

Do you need full application functionality?  Web versions almost always have less capability than desktop versions.  What you can do in a browser is limited or at least difficult.  Some may say they only use 20% of an app’s functionality, but often different people use different 20%s, so the org uses a lot more than 20%.

Master Version

Different versions of the same doc is a recipe for miscommunication.  Ideally, you want a sole master version of the doc, a “single version of the truth.”

Edit Collisions

When multiple users edit different copies of the same doc, then you end up with multiple inconsistent versions that must somehow (usually manually) be reconciled.

Without File Lock capability, all desktop options will create edit collisions if multiple users edit at same time (before updating the cloud). So, some situations may be more prone (e.g., lots of co-editing at same time, larger files, etc.)

File Lock

This “check-in/check-out”, or “locking/unlocking” prevents edit collisions by requiring editing by one person at a time. It’s key to prevent edit collisions, but this prevents concurrent editing too. Users must be trained to check-in (unlock) asap to avoid preventing anyone else from editing.

Possibility of Lockouts

With the ability to lock a file, comes the possibility to forget to unlock it again, preventing anyone else from editing the file. Usually, there are overrides, but then you’re likely to lose the edits of the user who forgot to unlock the document.

Concurrent Editing

Allow multiple users to edit the same document at the same time. Ideally, they can see each other’s edits in real-time.

Offline Editing

Ability to edit a doc when not connected to the Internet (offline – e.g., on airplane without connectivity).

Local Diskspace Usage

How much local PC disk storage is required?

6 Collaborative Document Editing Methods

Bottom Line

Unfortunately, there’s no perfect solution for all people in all situations.

If you don’t need the advanced capabilities available in the desktop app, and you don’t need the ability to edit offline, using the Web App version is usually a great solution.  Keep in mind, however, the context of “you.”  For example, and individual may only use 20% of a mature application’s (e.g., MS Excel) capabilities, but if different individuals use different 20%s, then the organization may need to enable the choice of using the desktop application.

Email is clearly not optimal for document collaboration or co-editing.  However, it’s probably still the most common method.  This has to do with many factors including status quo (effort to change habits), flexible enough to cover every edge use case, possibly slightly easier for the individual at greater expense to the group (a topic for behavioral economics).

Selection of other methods that allow use of desktop app still requires consideration of the situation.  If it’s unlikely that lots of edits to the same doc will happen at the same time, and the overall storage requirements are not large, then automatic sync is easy and convenient.  However, in many organizations, the doc library can get too big to store on everyone’s PC (not to mention security concerns), so auto sync (without elaborate selective sync efforts) may be impractical.

I did not get into security here, as there are lots of variables.  For example, editing a doc from a public kiosk is always risky, and each editing method has its own risks.  Obviously, any time you’re storing a local copy of a file, there’s a possibility that someone else may get to it.  Even the auto upload options inevitably are saving at least a temporary local copy of the file; who knows if proper housecleaning is being done.  And even browser apps cache data locally, so beware of editing docs on insecure PCs.

The good news is there are better doc collaboration options than email.  The bad news is there’s no perfect solution.  It’s easy to stick with the status quo, but if they really thought about the costs to team productivity or of making bad decisions, more teams and companies would proactively move to non-email doc collaboration alternatives as quickly as possible.