Maximize team efficiency with document collaboration

Document collaboration software allows multiple people to work together on digital documents in real-time or asynchronously. Key aspects of document collaboration software include: 

• Real-time editing where multiple people can work simultaneously
• Version history
• Comments and notes
• Access controls and permissions
• Cloud storage and syncing

When evaluating document collaboration software, choose an application that allows you to create documents that help your team save time and be more productive. For example, Zoom Docs offers built-in collaboration tools, pre-populated templates, and content blocks that can be inserted into the doc. It also allows you to use Zoom AI Companion to pull summaries and information from your Zoom Meetings into a document. 

When people refer to document collaboration or say they’re working collaboratively on a doc, it means multiple people are working together on the same document, presentation, or spreadsheet at the same time. Document collaboration makes it easier for groups of people to create, review, and refine documents collectively without worrying about issues such as version control (using an outdated version of the document) or having to share feedback on content via email or other forms of communication. The document collaboration process improves communication and efficiency and helps ensure everyone’s input is considered.

File collaboration is another term for document collaboration and refers to a solution or process that allows multiple people to work together on a file or document to create a single final version. It can be done in real time across different locations and time zones because living documents are accessed via the internet and saved in the cloud. Using file collaboration and file-sharing processes helps keep teams aligned on projects by supporting asynchronous communication and increasing visibility.

Many document collaboration tools allow team members to share a doc from inside the document using the “Share” button or directly from a list of document titles. To share a document that everyone can edit in Zoom Docs, click on “Share” in the top-right corner of your open document, enter the names of the contacts you’d like to share the doc with, and make them “Editors” in the permission settings.

In Zoom Docs, you can choose to notify document collaborators via email, Team Chat, or by copying and pasting the link to another application.

Real-time online document collaboration is when multiple people are working on a digital document at the same time. Online document collaboration is commonly used in business settings where team members are distributed across different locations but need to prepare one document together. Using a living document (one that is always up-to-date and automatically saved) allows collaborators to work simultaneously, from wherever they are.

For example, a marketing team with multiple remote workers in different time zones can prepare a campaign planning document together, with each member responsible for a different part of the plan. Throughout the day, you can write text, and add graphs, tables, images, timelines, and due dates, while other colleagues are also in the same document writing and adding content.

Collaborative document editing is easier and more efficient when Zoom Docs and Zoom Meetings are used together. While working on a doc, you can quickly meet with your collaborators to talk through work that needs to get done. When you share a doc directly in a meeting, attendees can view, edit, and add content at the same time (depending on individual permission settings). 

Here are a few ways you can use Zoom Docs and Zoom Meetings together for more effective document collaboration.

Before a meeting: Create a meeting agenda in Docs. Then, start or schedule a meeting from Docs.

During a meeting: Create, share, and co-edit docs directly in meetings or in the Zoom Workplace app, working in real time to keep everyone aligned.

After a meeting: Edit and share Zoom AI Companion-generated meeting summaries in Docs.