Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

Box and Google Docs: Accelerating the Cloud Workforce

By , co-founder and CEO

Largely thanks to Steve Jobs, cloud storage is suddenly hip. Having been in this industry for six or so years, it’s fascinating to watch the meteoric rise of this category in public awareness. But this is no fluke: there is massive, unprecedented demand for anytime, anywhere access to information across our many devices. Apple intends to solve this problem for the individual consumer with iCloud; at Box, we’re laser-focused on addressing the enterprise information challenge, where it’s not just about accessing content across devices, but also extending it to other people and applications.

But even as enterprises embrace content sharing and collaboration in the cloud, we’re still very much anchored to our desktops. We’re tethered to applications that let us work on documents, model financial statements, and create presentations. At Box, we’re working hard to make maneuvering between the desktop and the cloud as smooth as possible with tools like Box Sync. But what if the entire process – from content creation and editing to sharing and collaboration – took place online, without ever involving your desktop? Or, what if you could take the content you’ve created in desktop applications and enable real-time collaboration and editing on them? Word and Excel aren’t going away in the near-future, but we can (and should) accelerate that transition to cloud documents.

The Cloud Workforce


To this end, we’re very excited to announce a major integration with Google Docs, Google’s leading web productivity suite. Beginning today, Box’s 6 million users can easily create and collaborate on Google Docs and Spreadsheets from within Box, as well as edit the existing 50M+ Word and Excel files already stored on our platform. Google Docs enable entirely new forms of collaboration – like concurrent editing – that are impossible within desktop applications, and now these capabilities are easily available to Box users. We believe that the combination of Google Docs’ collaborative editing and Box’s content management will transform the way people work, and we look forward to hearing if you agree.

What About Microsoft?

Well, I’m glad you asked. After much fanfare, Microsoft is due to finally launch Office 365 next week. (And if there’s any indication that the cloud is now mainstream, it’s Microsoft actually having a cloud offering on the market.) Having played with the beta version, I can say that the application interface feels familiar to the desktop experience we’re all familiar with, although it’s lacking the power and functionality of Google Docs. But what will really be telling is whether Microsoft offers third party developers the ability to integrate. And if history is any indication, they won’t.

At Box, we believe that the true power of the cloud is unlocked through deep integrations and information sharing between applications. The future isn’t about a single vendor solution for all your IT needs, but rather a mix of cloud applications. But in order for this new approach to be successful, it is absolutely critical that these systems work together. We want our users to have access to the most powerful tools for their content – some of these will come from us, many of them will come from partners. Google is there, Microsoft isn’t. We look forward to a day when we can offer users the choice between a Microsoft Office experience and a Google Docs experience. But until then, we’ll continue to invest in our relationship with Google to create the best possible experience for managing documents in the cloud.

Happy collaborating,

By ,

co-founder and CEO

See all of Aaron's articles.

Showing 53 comments

Box.net Ups The Ante Against Microsoft With In-Depth Google Docs Integration | The Wood is Good June 22nd, 2011

[...] startup Box.net is upping the ante against competitor Microsoft SharePoint today with the launch of an in-depth integration with Google’s productivity suite Google Docs and Spreadsheets directly [...]

Use Google Docs in Box | Whats new at Box.net June 22nd, 2011

[...] Google Docs and Spreadsheets in Box -Use Google’s real-time editing technology -Learn More This entry was posted in login, Whats New. Bookmark the permalink. ← Recent Changes to [...]

Box.net Ups The Ante Against Microsoft With In-Depth Google Docs Integration | Mankato Local News June 22nd, 2011

[...] startup Box.net is upping the ante against competitor Microsoft SharePoint today with the launch of an in-depth integration with Google’s productivity suite Google Docs and Spreadsheets [...]

Box.net Ups The Ante Against Microsoft With In-Depth Google Docs Integration | Little Falls Local News June 22nd, 2011

[...] startup Box.net is upping the ante against competitor Microsoft SharePoint today with the launch of an in-depth integration with Google’s productivity suite Google Docs and Spreadsheets [...]

Box Announces Integration with Google Docs - ReadWriteCloud June 22nd, 2011

[...] a blog entry today, Levie wrote: "We believe that the true power of the cloud is unlocked through deep integration and [...]

Box.net Ups The Ante Against Microsoft With In-Depth Google Docs Integration | Tux Blog June 22nd, 2011

[...] startup Box.net is upping the ante against competitor Microsoft SharePoint today with the launch of an in-depth integration with Google’s productivity suite Google Docs and Spreadsheets [...]

Box.net Ups The Ante Against Microsoft With In-Depth Google Docs Integration | Fairtrademerton June 22nd, 2011

[...] startup Box.net is upping the ante against competitor Microsoft SharePoint today with the launch of an in-depth integration with Google’s productivity suite Google Docs and Spreadsheets [...]

Box.net Ups The Ante Against Microsoft With In-Depth Google Docs Integration | Bitmag June 22nd, 2011

[...] startup Box.net is upping the ante against competitor Microsoft SharePoint today with the launch of an in-depth integration with Google’s productivity suite Google Docs and Spreadsheets [...]

Box.net Ups The Ante Against Microsoft With In-Depth Google Docs Integration - DELEGATED June 22nd, 2011

[...] startup Box.net is upping the ante against competitor Microsoft SharePoint today with the launch of an in-depth integration with Google’s productivity suite Google Docs and Spreadsheets [...]

Box.net Ups The Ante Against Microsoft With In-Depth Google Docs Integration | Energizer Blog June 22nd, 2011

[...] startup Box.net is upping the ante against competitor Microsoft SharePoint today with the launch of an in-depth integration with Google’s productivity suite Google Docs and Spreadsheets [...]

Box.net Ups The Ante Against Microsoft With In-Depth Google Docs Integration | TxtJive.Com June 22nd, 2011

[...] startup Box.net is upping the ante against competitor Microsoft SharePoint today with the launch of an in-depth integration with Google’s productivity suite Google Docs and Spreadsheets [...]

Box.net Ups The Ante Against Microsoft With In-Depth Google Docs Integration June 22nd, 2011

[...] startup Box.net is upping the ante against competitor Microsoft SharePoint today with the launch of an in-depth integration with Google’s productivity suite Google Docs and Spreadsheets [...]

Box.net integrerar Google Docs | Kontoret på nätet June 22nd, 2011

[...] (Google Docs) inifrån box.net. Man kan också skapa nya Googledokument om man så vill.  I ett blogginlägg om tänket kring detta spekuleras det över framtiden i molnet. Det sägs också en del om vad man tror om [...]

Brandon June 22nd, 2011

I think this is a phenomenal addition to box. I’ve utilized box both personally for school and work for a number of years now. This feature I think is the missing link that will allow users to work completely on the web. It will also come in handy for working at multiple computers. Gone are the days where you have to download the file and upload it Google docs or use it locally depending on your operating system. Being somewhat of a geek this has annoyed me going from linux to windows to mac depending on my mood that day. Now no matter where you are, no matter what OS you are on, you can accomplish this task in a few clicks. Well done box team! I’m looking forward to your future innovations!

P.S. Your box tshirt is a hit here in Indianapolis. You wouldn’t believe how many people have asked me about it in the last few years!

Box.net Ups The Ante Against Microsoft With In-Depth Google Docs Integration | MotorolaBattery June 22nd, 2011

[...] startup Box.net is upping the ante against competitor Microsoft SharePoint today with the launch of an in-depth integration with Google’s productivity suite Google Docs and Spreadsheets [...]

Do Google Docs para o Box sem escalas | Global June 22nd, 2011

[...] Docs com o gerenciamento de conteúdo do Box vai transforma o modo como as pessoas trabalham”, escreveu o CEO do Box.net, Aaron Levie. Com o Box sendo usado em sete de cada dez das maiores empresas [...]

Box.net and Google Docs Join Forces against Microsoft Office 365 | Microsoft Powerpoint June 22nd, 2011

[...] co-founder and CEO Aaron Levie explains in an Inside the Box blog post, “Beginning today, Box’s 6 million users can easily create and collaborate on [...]

Box.net se integra con Google Docs June 22nd, 2011

[...] el blog de Box.net comentan la novedad, algo que podrá impulsar aún más este servicio, que ya cuenta con 6 millones [...]

Box.net Integrates with Google Docs | RemoveWAT June 22nd, 2011

[...] DiggBox.net, a popular online storage service, added an option that allows its users to create and edit documents and spreadsheets using Google Docs, but without [...]

Box.net se integra con Google Docs | June 22nd, 2011

[...] el blog de Box.net comentan la novedad, algo que podrá impulsar aún más este servicio, que ya cuenta con 6 millones [...]

Box.net Integrates with Google Docs | Tux Blog June 22nd, 2011

[...] a popular online storage service, added an option that allows its users to create and edit documents and spreadsheets using Google Docs, but without [...]

20 Most Handy Tools for Google Docs June 22nd, 2011

[...] – A popular online storage service, added an option that allows its users to create and edit documents and spreadsheets using Google Docs, but without [...]

The Google Docs Integration We’ve Been Waiting For Is Finally Here | TechDiem.com June 22nd, 2011

[...] however, Box.net made a huge announcement about online [...]

Box.net se integra con Google Docs — Bitelia June 23rd, 2011

[...] días del debut oficial de Office 365, la compañía da un nuevo paso en ese sentido, ofreciendo integración con Google Docs.Aunque ya existe un editor nativo, ahora también es posible crear documentos o planillas de [...]

Box.net integruje się z Dokumentami Google - bo Microsoft Office 365 jest za słabe June 23rd, 2011

[...] ogłosił właśnie głęboką integrację swojego produktu – w praktyce DropBoxa na sterydach skierowanego do [...]

Box.net Ups The Ante Against Microsoft With In-Depth Google Docs Integration | Camixo June 23rd, 2011

[...] startup Box.net is upping the ante against competitor Microsoft SharePoint today with the launch of an in-depth integration with Google’s productivity suite Google Docs and Spreadsheets [...]

Why Cloud Vendors Play Nicely and Others Don’t - View From Above June 23rd, 2011

[...] next week) in the same fashion that Google has allowed Google Docs integration in Box. And as Levie wrote in a blog post announcing the Google Docs integration, he believes if history is any indication, Microsoft [...]

Box.net Announces Google Docs Integration « WebScanNotes June 23rd, 2011

[...] has announced that it has integrated Google Docs into its cloud storage product that will allow its users to [...]

Box.net se integra con Google Docs | Dynamyza.com June 23rd, 2011

[...] Desde que Box.net estrenó su nueva interfaz, una de las novedades más importantes fue la posibilidad de interactuar con herramientas de terceros, como ocurrió hace unos meses con SharePoint. Pues a pocos días del debut oficial de Office 365, la compañía da un nuevo paso en ese sentido, ofreciendo integración con Google Docs. [...]

Mark Saldana June 23rd, 2011

So cool to hear that, Brandon! Also glad to hear that you approve of our latest addition to Box :) . Oh, and if you need any more swag, feel free to shoot me an email at mark@box.net.

Best,

-Mark

Remains of the Day: Create Google Docs and Spreadsheets Inside of Box [For What Its Worth] | That Soviet Guy June 23rd, 2011

[...] Box and Google Docs: Accelerating the Cloud Workforce Box.net and Google have integrated Google Docs and Box, allowing Box users to create documents and spreadsheets inside of Box. [Box.net Blog] [...]

Remains of the Day: Create Google Docs and Spreadsheets Inside of Box [For What Its Worth] June 23rd, 2011

[...] Box and Google Docs: Accelerating the Cloud Workforce Box.net and Google have integrated Google Docs and Box, allowing Box users to create documents and spreadsheets inside of Box. [Box.net Blog] [...]

Box.net se integra con Google Docs | SOLO INFORMATICA, POR MANUEL MURILLO GARCIA June 23rd, 2011

[...] Desde que Box.net estrenó su nueva interfaz, una de las novedades más importantes fue la posibilidad de interactuar con herramientas de terceros, como ocurrió hace unos meses con SharePoint. Pues a pocos días del debut oficial de Office 365, la compañía da un nuevo paso en ese sentido, ofreciendo integración con Google Docs. [...]

Cloud Computing : Recent News And Developments June 26th, 2011

[...] a box blog post, CEO Aaron Levie says that Box's 6 million users can easily create and collaborate on Google Docs [...]

What Does “All in” Look Like for Microsoft and Office 365? | The Box Blog - Read about new features, interviews and more June 27th, 2011

[...] Salesforce, NetSuite, Jive and many others – and just last week, we announced an integration that brings Google Docs to our entire user base, helping to accelerate the fully-cloud [...]

Box.net se integra con Google Docs | Posa Studio Creativo / Centro Integral de Comunicación Visual June 28th, 2011

[...] Desde que Box.net estrenó su nueva interfaz, una de las novedades más importantes fue la posibilidad de interactuar con herramientas de terceros, como ocurrió hace unos meses con SharePoint. Pues a pocos días del debut oficial de Office 365, la compañía da un nuevo paso en ese sentido, ofreciendo integración con Google Docs. [...]

Susan Taylor June 28th, 2011

Fantastic and Forward thinking! When I first heard about the “Cloud” concept, I immediately thought of Box.net and how you have been ahead of the curve. Since then you have had a lot of copy cats who don’t seem to offer as much storage, or are not as user friendly, or don’t offer the same feel of a groovy interface as Box.net does. Your site just keeps developing and getting better and better. Working with Google to move everyone forward together is the smartest thing you could do. Bravo!

Someone June 29th, 2011

Box.net+Google Docs FTW!

Olalaaa June 29th, 2011

It is not Steve Jobs that came with the idea of the cloud, it’s the Ubuntu One the service that made us use the cloud from everywhere … So, c’mon now, why saying that Apple is good while Microsoft is bad ? Everyone knows that Apple is as “closed” as Microsoft, in what regards the OS that they deliver to their consumers.

Only Linux is as free as it should be…

Box.net and Google Docs Integration: The Continuing Emergence of the Cloud | Easy Cloud Solutions June 29th, 2011

[...] by Aaron Levie, CEO and Co-founder of [...]

seongwoo's me2day June 29th, 2011

ucandoit의 알림…

box.net가 Google Docs와 연동되는군요~! 네이버도 얼른 웹오피스 좀 만들어 주세요. 오피스가 힘들면 노트부터 만들어 주세요~~!…

Google.com and Box.net in the Cloud | Brad Andersohn June 29th, 2011

[...] “we’re very excited to announce a major integration with Google Docs, Google’s leading web productivity suite. Beginning today, Box’s 6 million users can easily create and collaborate on Google Docs and Spreadsheets from within Box, as well as edit the existing 50M+ Word and Excel files already stored on our platform.” READ MORE HERE [...]

Box.net Newsletter | Mad4Code! July 1st, 2011

[...] Google Docs + Box = Your Office in the Cloud Now everyone can use our powerful Google Docs integration to edit spreadsheets, word documents and more, right from Box. Your two favorite services just got a whole lot better. Read more > [...]

Online samenwerken aan documenten met Google | Koen Mariën blogt July 13th, 2011

[...] Max. 1GB (wel mogelijk koppelen aan Box.net) [...]

stephanie c. July 22nd, 2011

Just wanted to let you know that box has come in quite handy for me as a manager and publicist in the music business. No more sending press photos, MP3′s or tour posters in separate emails. I just give my media people and promoters the URL and tell them to help themselves. I cannot wait to integrate our tour schedules and expense reports in Google docs as well. With our team being spread out across the country it’s a great workspace for us.

Adam Parish August 31st, 2011

Question. The Google Doc is still stored on Google’s servers. Right? Just trying to understand where the space allocation is coming from – Box or Google? Thanks.

NMNJ October 11th, 2011

WE NEED GOOGLE DOCS SYNC

BOX.Net can synch with google docs only if the document is created on box from what i understand.
But as Google is the main platform where emails, calendar and documents sit, what we need is the ability to create a document within google docs and save to box (but from the google platform, not other way around).

Also, how can all the documents already stored in google docs be synched into box.net?

Assaf November 5th, 2011

Is box intended to replace could-connect?

Ellen Feaheny February 6th, 2012

“We believe that the true power of the cloud is unlocked through deep integration and information sharing between applications. ” – Aaron Levie

Well said – couldn’t agree more! Which is why AppFusions brought Box into the very powerful Atlassian Confluence wiki and issue tracking system JIRA also – (in addition to our Google Docs integrations as well!)

* Box in Confluence 3.5.x, 4.X > https://www.appfusions.com/display/BOXCONF/Home
* Box in JIRA 5.0+ >> https://www.appfusions.com/display/BOXJIRA/Home

Contact us today for evaluations: info [at] appfusions [dot] com

ANCA August 29th, 2012

I WANNA KNOW WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOX AND GOOGLE DOC????

Kevin Miller September 4th, 2012

I get an error message that states the site can’t be accessed. It has been this way for 2 weeks. What’s up?