The panorama of web applications for remote collaboration is always wider than offers, often also available for free. Collaborating remotely means working together other people on a document or on a file writing it together, without the need to meet in person and without having to make video calls or classic calls (even in different parts of the world).
Everything is managed on the computer connected to the internet, including communication, both vocal and written.
In this new chapter we will see the tools of online collaboration and remote work together, so that we can share a project and carry it out via the Internet.
READ ALSO -> How to share a document and write simultaneously
In this guide we will show you above all the tools that can be used for free, to communicate with others and work together on the same ; the latter can be a text sheet or a virtual whiteboard.
Most of them are free online programs that are excellent for working professionally on simple documents, tables, presentations and projects.
Online collaboration on documents
There are several websites and web applications that allow you to collaborate online on the same document, let's see which ones together.
1) Google Docs
One of the best sites for making office documents (compatible with Word, Excel and PowerPoint) is undoubtedly Google Docs, reachable from here -> Google Docs .
Simply choose the type of document to be created and invite all collaborators via email.
As soon as everyone is online, they can make changes or improvements to the document, with the possibility of chatting (so that they can coordinate in additions).
The document is saved in real time in the Google Drive space of the creator and all collaborators, with instant synchronization: everyone will have the latest copy with all the changes, we do not run the risk of missing some additions.
Definitely the best tool to be able to collaborate online on the Internet to create office documents, moreover for free.
2) Microsoft Office Online
If we want something more compatible with the Microsoft and Office environment, we can also use Microsoft Office Online, accessible for free with a Microsoft account from here -> Microsoft Office Online .
Once you open the site and enter your login credentials to Outlook or another Microsoft account, we will be able to create Office documents that are perfectly compatible and synchronized with the OneDrive cloud, so that you can always carry them with you.
The features of Office online are obviously limited, but allow you to edit most of the working documents very well.
To start the collaboration, simply add new users, inviting them from the list of friends or sending an email to access the document.
Once everyone is connected we can edit the document in multiple hands, in real time and with automatic synchronization.
The best tool to get the most out of Office.
3) CryptPad
Another site that we can use to create a shared document is CryptPad, which allows you to create a new document without even registering, then just share the link of the same with all collaborators.
You can choose to write a document on WordPad or programming code or even slide presentations.
Each editor has a chat to communicate with other people and shows a preview of the result of the document that must be written in the central part of the page.
By registering an account it is possible to save the developed and written text sheets in the application cloud, otherwise they will disappear automatically after 3 months that are not modified.
4) PrimaryPad
Another very interesting site for creating collaborative projects and documents is PrimaryPad .
Designed to be used at school by pupils and teachers, it offers a shared platform with which you can create any type of document, inviting collaborators to work together to achieve the goal.
One of the best if we want to take advantage of collaborative technologies at school and don't always want to offer the same tools.
5) Framasoft
One of the best free and free online collaboration suites to use to create documents and projects by writing them together with other people is that of Framasoft .
From the top menu you can then open the Framapad to write documents, create tables with FramaCalc, create questionnaires with FramaForms and so on.
By opening, for example, Framapad, you can immediately open a new project without registering an account, also giving it an expired time which the document is removed from the site.
By registering on the site, however, you can save projects in your personal cloud space, all free and free offered by this non-profit organization.
The writing sheet opens with a simplified editor similar to that of Word and allows multiple people to write together, distinguishing them with colors.
Other sites that allow multiple people to work on the same document together are:
- Sync.in, an online word processor for people who need to collaborate on the same document in real time; the colors distinguish the changes of each individual participant.
Sync.in can be used without any registration and is rather immediate, unless you want a pro account to unlock all the features (for a basic use the free version is more than enough).
- Twiddla is a sort of digital whiteboard where we can mark notes and ideas on web pages, documents and images, to be shared with the whole class or with our friends.
Really excellent as a collaborative virtual whiteboard, but also as a text editor; in order to coordinate with all participants, a chat service is offered.
With Twiddla we can at any time start an audio conference with the participants, so as to discuss together the ideas on the digital whiteboard.
- Riseup, to create sheets of notes to be written together with others, which have a chosen deadline of up to one year.
Online collaboration on projects
For this type of function we have seen in another article the best tools for working in groups, collaborative apps with chat, videoconferencing and project sharing .
Given the presence of a guide, here we will show you only the websites where you can quickly download the recommended tools:
- Slack
- Microsoft Teams
- Asana
- Ryver
We refer you to the reading of the dedicated guide for further information on each single program mentioned and also to find valid alternatives.
Videoconferencing services for professional use
In another article I mentioned several video conferencing and video chat programs useful for business meetings on the internet.
The best programs we can try right away are:
- Skype (video calls, also in groups)
- Facebook (single calls and group chats)
- Facetime (if Apple products are used)
- Viber (calls and video calls)
- CamFrog (virtual room with calls and video calls)
For each program in the list above we have expressed our opinion in the guide indicated at the beginning of the section, in addition you can also find dedicated articles on particular programs (those that we consider most useful from a professional point of view).
READ ALSO: Write and save documents with online Office suites
