Introduction

Microsoft stated on its Website that “People expect existing documents from their desktop to look exactly the same when they share them in the cloud. In this demo, you will see completely different results when viewing the same document using Word Web App and using Google Documents.” The circles call out file integrity differences that come through in Word Web App and Google Docs.

Microsoft noted that Word Web App shows the file header the same way it appeared in the original Word document.

Note that in Google Docs, the page number is now pressed up against the document title. Moreover, the document style changed in a not very attractive way.

The Word file had a “confidential” watermark, which was preserved by Word Web App.

The watermark did not translate to Docs.

Word Web App shows “Smart Art” globes that appeared in the original document.

No Smart Art is present when the file appears in Docs.

Word Web App preserves the original table format here.

While Google Docs preserves the content, the format has changed.

Word Web Apps retains this chart.

The chart does not port to Docs, leaving white space.

Microsoft keeps the original footer.

Google Docs doesn’t appear to include the footer at first look. Actually, it does but not until the second page of the document. This is bad news. Microsoft may have proven its point that file formatting and content get lost in translation with Google Docs.