What’s Up, (with Google) Docs? – The Challenge of Native Cloud Formats | Digital Preservation Coalition

by Paul Young, Digital Preservation Specialist/Researcher at The National Archives UK

The Challenge

The National Archives has recently been looking at the issue of transferring material from departments with Google Workspace Environments (previously GSuite). The rise in cloud document management has brought new challenges which require changes to existing processes and methods. 

One of the biggest issues is dealing with the Google native cloud formats produced by the suite of collaborative Google tools, such as docs, slides and sheets. These require different methods of handling, as they exist as data that is rendered within the browser, rather than as distinct files. The original format cannot be exported and rendered as you would a Word Document or PDF file.