From today, using 3rd-party services on your mobile device in conjunction with Google's office programs became that much easier. Google Docs and Sheets now have available Android add-ons within the Google Play web storefront or directly via GoogleSheets and Docs. Simply download them and instantly have the capability to do a whole range of extra jobs such as preparing a contract for e-signing or importing CRM data.

The first batch of add-ons have been produced with several partners. For example, CRM data is incorporated into Google Sheets via ProsperWorks. A signing process is completed in Docs or Sheets via DocuSign's add-on, while one can use data in Sheets to create mobile apps through AppSheet. Finally, Scanbot uses OCR to first scan business documents and then recreate them as editable text within Docs.

These are just some of the main partners from a list also including; Teacher Aide, Pandadoc, EasyBib and ZohoCRM. Google has even created its own in-house add-ons such as its educational platform: Classroom.

Of course, within the desktop environment, software add-on programs and online productivity software have been available for many years. But this latest development is the natural consequence of many people now using their phones for office programs. In fact, this mobile-first approach is part of the evolution started by Google when previously providing third-party plugins for use in conjunction with Google Drive and Google Apps.

Google Play should be your first port of call in acquiring these new supported Google add-ons for Docs &Sheets.  No doubt the list will rapidly be expanded with newer partners who see the sense in such a partnership.