10 Best Ways to Organize Documents in Google Docs.Efficiently organizing documents, especially long ones, can be a daunting task. With the built-in features of Google Docs, you have multiple ways to efficiently write reports, articles, essays, proposals, team documents, and more.You need to structure your document so that it’s easy to display information and scan for details. So let’s look at a few key features for organizing your next Google Doc.
1. Scan the Document With a Summary and Outline
One of the easiest ways to create an overview of document details is to use the summary and outline features. These handy tools sit out of content so they’re not distracting and can be shown or hidden with a single click.These organizational features allow you to summarize the content of your document and jump to the right section with an automatically generated outline.
Show and close summary and diagram
To display the summary and outline, go to the View tab and select Show Structure. 
You will then see the Show Document Outline icon in the top left corner of the document area. Select it to expand. 
When you’re done with the summary and outline, use the Close Document Outline arrow to hide it and show Show Document Outline again.
Add summary and outline
To add a summary, use plus sign to open a box and enter text. 
To change it later, simply select the Edit (pencil) icon.To use an outline, add headings to your document (see below) and they will automatically appear in the outline. You can then select a heading to navigate to that section of the document. 
Optionally, you can remove a specific heading from the outline by selecting X to the right of it in the outline.
2. Include and Customize a Table of Contents
If you need something in the content that your readers can use to navigate your document, you can embed a table of contents in Google Docs. This feature was basic, but over time Google has refined it to make it customizable and attractive.
Insert
To create a table of contents, structure a section of your document with headings. Enter the heading text, select it, and then select the heading level from the Styles drop-down list on the toolbar. These headings automatically appear in the table for you. 
When you’re ready to insert the table, place your cursor in the document where you want. Then open the Insert menu, go to and select the style from Plain Text, Dotted and Linked. 
Select the design you want to use and you will see the table appear. 
You can customize the look and feel of the table of contents in Google Docs, which is a nice feature.To open the editing tools, select the table to display a small toolbar. Then use three dots in the toolbar to select More Options. 
When the sidebar opens, you’ll see two sections for formatting and heading levels.
- Formatting: Choose a different table style, show or hide page numbers, and optionally use a tab stop such as dots, dashes, or lines. .
- Heading Levels: Select the headings you want to display in the table and adjust the padding as needed.
You should see your settings update in real time. 
3. Work Efficiently With Collapsible Headings
In early 2023, Google added a very useful feature to Docs that makes it a little easier to work with long documents. You can collapse and expand headers. This is great for focusing on the sections of the document you use and collapsing the ones you don’t.At the time of this writing, collapsible headers only worked when using a no-page layout. It’s unclear if this feature will eventually be ported to the Pages layout.To use a pageless layout in a new or existing document, go to the File section and select Page Setup. Then select Pageless at the top and OK at the bottom. 
You should see arrows to the left of the headings in the document. Just use these arrows or right click to collapse and expand the titles. 
4. Track Info Easily With Building Blocks
Building blocks in Google Docs allow you to display information quickly and conveniently using tables, text entries, and drop-down lists. Just insert one of these prepackaged blocks and enter your details in one place.Currently, you can choose from four pre-built blocks, including a product roadmap, feedback tracker, project assets, and content launch tracker. You can use the Building Block as is or customize it to suit your needs.To insert a building block, select a location in the document and navigate to Insert > Building Blocks. Choose the type you want to use from the pop-up menu. 
You will see the block appear in your document, ready to use. If you want to change headings to suit your content, you can edit them like you would any other text. 
5. Create and Reuse Custom Blocks
If you have a supported Google work or school account, you can set up building blocks in Docs. This allows you to create a block, save it and reuse it. The block is saved to your Google Drive as a Google Docs file type, so you can also use it in new documents in the future.
- Go to Insert > Building Blocks and select Custom Building Block from the pop-up menu.
- When the document pops up, select New Custom Building Block.
- Select the content you want to use as a custom block and click Save in the blue bar at the top.
- Enter a name for your block and optionally a description. Then select Create. You will receive confirmation that your block has been saved.
To use a new block, type the @ (At) symbol followed by the block name and select it from the list that appears. 
6. Enter Programming Snippets With Code Blocks
If your document contains code such as Java, JavaScript, or Python, you can take advantage of the Code Building Block. This allows you to neatly structure the code in the document.Go to Insert > Creating Blocks, go to Code block and select a language from the pop-up menu. 
When your block appears, just enter your snippet. If you want to change the programming language, use the dropdown box in the top left corner. To update the colors, use the Update icon in the top right corner. 
7. Collaborate on Emails, Calendar Invites, and Meeting Notes
Another cool tool for organizing items in Google Docs is the built-in template block. This is especially useful if you’re collaborating on emails, calendar invitations, and meeting notes.For emails, you can specify recipients, subject, and message. Then select the Gmail icon to draft directly in Gmail. 
For calendar invitations, enter a title, guests, start and end time, location, and description. Use the Calendar icon to open the event in Google Calendar. 
For meeting notes, select an event from the drop-down list, and you’ll get a block with a title, date, and attendees with markers for notes and checkboxes for actions. Use the Email icon to draft meeting notes in Gmail.MISSING IMAGETo use one of these templates, go to Insert > Creating Blocks and choose from pop-up menu. 
8. Enter Details Using a Drop-Down List
Using the building blocks above to track information, you can take advantage of the pre-made Google Docs dropdowns. However, you can create your own dropdown list like in Google Sheets. It is convenient for you, your readers or your employees to easily enter the required data.Place the cursor where you want in the list, open the Insert menu and select Dropdown.To use a pre-made dropdown list, select it at the bottom. 
To create your own, select New Dropdown. Then enter a name and a list of options. You can select a color next to each list item, add more items, and reorder using drag and drop. When you’re done, select Save. 
You will then see your new dropdown which you can then reuse. Just select it from the menu Insert > Dropdown Menu. 
To make changes later, open the dropdown and select Add/Change Options.
9. Pop In Information With Smart Chips
For a clear list and view of contacts, events, files, locations and dates, you can embed smart chips in your documents. These nifty tools stay condensed but expand to show details and allow you to perform actions with a single click.You can insert a smart chip by typing the @ symbol followed by the name of the element, or by selecting Insert > Smart -chips and select one from the pop-up menu. 
After you insert the chip, hover over it or select it to preview it. Each chip contains different parts and actions depending on the type of chip. For example, with the File Smart Chip, you can preview a file, copy a link to it, or open it. 
If you have a supported Google Workspace account, you have access to additional smart chips, including a stopwatch, timer, and reusable variables. 
Take advantage of these smart chips to include the information you need while keeping the content concise and clear.
10. Insert Equations With Ease
Another good tool that Google Docs offers is equations. Whether you’re a student or a professor, you can stop looking for the right characters and then format them to fit your document. Just use the equation editor.To open the editor, select View > Show Formula Toolbar. You can also select Insert > Equation. An editing toolbar appears at the top of the document. 
Use the dropdowns on the toolbar to add your symbols. You can use Greek letters, mathematical operators, relation symbols, and arrows. 
You will then see your equation appear in a nice and neat text box in your document.From a summary to a tracking table, from a dropdown to a detail chip, you can organize your Google Docs in a variety of ways to suit your needs. Which of these features will be your favorite?For related guides on other Google apps, learn how to set an expiration date for your Google Drive files.
10 Ways to Organize Documents in Google Docs
10 Ways to Organize Documents in Google Docs