Google Docs Adds Pagination

Every time I get writer’s block, I head somewhere else to write. I don’t just mean grabbing my laptop and going to a coffee shop, either (though I do that too). I mean going to a library or a friend’s house and using their computer. I’m able to do this because so much of the world of productivity has moved onto the web – including cloud document creation through services like Google Docs.

However, Google Docs, is nonetheless limited in a number of ways, making certain tasks impossible, and the constant development struggle for the Docs steam is implementing all the necessary features from the established world of offline document creation. Over the last year Google has implemented a wide array of these features, but one of the most crucial was added today (on April 12th): pagination.

Pagination, or the visual display of actual page breaks – demonstrating how words will actually look on a page, how changes in margin/spacing will change page flow, etc. – has been a standard for offline word processing since the 90s. Having it available in Google Docs is both important in matching the standard and in adding a number of other vital features. This includes putting headers/footers on each page, putting footnotes on the bottom of corresponding pages, and in-browser printing (in now, a feature restricted to Chrome). However, pagination may also lead to other in-demand features such as page numbering.

Users who prefer the unpaginated approach can switch to the classic format by going to View > Document View > Compact. If you’re eager to use paginated documents and haven’t seen the update yet, be patient: the feature will be released to all Docs users by the end of the day.

in reference to: Google Docs Adds Pagination | Search Engine Journal (view on Google Sidewiki)