How can a teammate suggest a change without rewriting the guide?

Give them Commenter access. They can propose an edit that an Editor can accept or reject. Keep one team link so people know where the current instructions live.

A Google Account can create a Doc. If your organization supports shared drives, a shared drive lets the team retain files when the person who made them leaves. Choose the folder before sharing the document because a folder can grant access to everything inside it.

Start in a restricted location
In a private disposable document, write three steps for a made-up app and one result you expect to see. Check that the folder itself does not give your test reviewer broader access.
Try a suggestion
With a test account you control and are allowed to use, choose Commenter for the private document. Ask that account to propose a different button label in Suggesting mode. The current text should remain until an editor accepts the change.
Accept one correction
Return as an editor and accept the suggestion only if it matches the app you are documenting. Read the result using the teammate link and confirm that the accepted wording is the one someone sees.

How do you publish the reader copy and take it down?

Make a new, clean document for readers. Publish to web gives it a separate view-only address when your account allows it. Keep the original draft restricted.

In the clean document, open File → Share → Publish to web. Check the allowed audience and open the published address as an intended reader. If it should be public, open it while signed out. Automatic republication can copy later edits to the web version after a short delay. You can turn off automatic updates under Published content & settings if the release needs to stay on an approved copy.

Owners and editors can normally publish. The file owner can use the sharing settings to prevent editors from changing permissions and sharing, subject to inherited access and organization settings. A work or school administrator can also turn publication off.

Google says the owner’s name and email can be visible on an ordinary file link set to Anyone with the link. Before sending that link, open it as the intended reader and check what owner information you are sharing.

Use Stop publishing to withdraw the web address. If the ordinary document link was also shared publicly, change its General access separately. Test each address again from a signed-out browser when the old audience was public.

Which copy helps if the instructions change or move?

Use Version history to recover an earlier edit in Docs. Use File → Download for a copy you can open somewhere else.

A downloaded file has a different access path from the live Doc. Keep your team’s access settings and public address list separately. If you import to another workspace, check who can open the new file before sharing its link.

Choose what to keep
If you need to	Use	Check
See what changed in the live file	Version history	You need edit permission to browse earlier versions. Inspect the older wording before restoring it.
Keep writing in another tool	Word or Markdown download	Choose all relevant tabs. Open the result and check headings, links, images and any comments or suggestions you still need.
Keep a reading copy	PDF download	Open the file and check that the right tabs and content are present. Keep an editable copy separately if the steps will change.

On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to read every column.

When does Google Docs become a paid team expense?

You can create a document with a Google Account. A company may pay for Google Workspace to manage its users and other team services.

In November 2026, Google listed standard US-dollar pricing for Workspace Business Starter at US$8.40 per user per month on the flexible plan, or US$7 per user per month with an annual commitment. The annual commitment charges for purchased licenses until renewal. Local rates and promotions can differ.