The ability to edit a document at the same time as another user is one of the features that initially made Google Docs so popular. During my time on an MSP service desk, issues associated with users trying to make edits to the same documents at the same time were plentiful. Our work is more collaborative than ever before, and the ability to edit documents in real time with other users is almost a required feature now.
Both Microsoft OneDrive and Google Docs have had real-time collaboration features for a while. Now, Amazon's WorkDocs has gained some collaboration capabilities. These features come from Amazon's partnership with Hancom, which allows you to edit Microsoft Office documents in your browser without having to install any applications or connect with another web service.
The new feature is now available for WorkDocs users in the US West (Oregon) Region, and will become available in other regions in the next couple of weeks. It is available at no extra charge to all WorkDocs users. However, your WorkDocs administrator will have to manually enable the feature for your organization.
How Amazon WorkDocs Actually Works
Once you save a document inside WorkDocs, you can then share the document with a colleague. When that person logs in you can see them making edits in real time on the document. You can also check and see which people are currently utilizing the shared file. WorkDocs creates a new revision after all of the participants have exited the editing session. This feature also works with spreadsheets and presentations.
The new capabilities sound promising for Amazon WorkDocs users. This new addition also potentially counters Google Docs and Microsoft OneDrive. Perhaps not by coincidence, the three companies also are battling for public cloud services market dominance.
