As we head into the fall semester, our team is focused on one major priority: bringing PERRLA to Google Docs.

We know how many students rely on Google Docs every day – for collaboration, accessibility, and cloud-based convenience. And while PERRLA has long supported Word (on desktop and web), we’ve heard the requests loud and clear: you want the same paper-building, citation-handling, formatting-helping experience in Docs.

So this fall, we’re building it. You can sign up here to receive the latest updates as we work.

What to Expect in the First Version

We’re starting with a foundational set of features – the tools students need most when starting a paper:

• Create PERRLA Papers directly in Google Docs
• Insert and manage references & citations
• Add & view Research Notes linked to each reference
• Apply and customize Heading Styles that match APA formatting
• Support all APA 7 Paper Types

This first release is intentionally focused. Rather than duplicating every feature from our Word integration right away, we're prioritizing stability, simplicity, and usability. That means students will be able to write, cite, and stay organized – all inside Google Docs, without switching platforms.

We’ll be expanding functionality over time based on feedback, usage, and what students find most helpful.

Why Google Docs Now?

Building for Google Docs has been on our roadmap for a while, but it's required a careful approach. Unlike Microsoft Word, Google Docs doesn’t provide the same kind of robust native support for complex add-ins – so we’ve been working closely with their APIs to develop something lightweight, secure, and student-friendly.

What makes this version different is that it’s not trying to replicate the full desktop experience right away. Instead, it’s built to integrate cleanly with what Google Docs does well – and to bring PERRLA’s most important writing and formatting tools along for the ride.

What Comes Next

As we roll out the first version of PERRLA for Google Docs, our goal is to make it feel seamless and familiar to existing users – while also opening the door to students who’ve never used Word at all. We're already planning future updates to include things like:

• Alternate paper export option
• Expanded paper section formatting
• Additional body elements (tables & figures)
• MLA & Turabian Formats

And yes – this work also informs our larger goals of cross-platform consistency and a fully unified PERRLA experience across all major environments.

Want to Keep Up with All the Details?

We’ll be sharing more updates, behind-the-scenes insights, & screenshots as development continues. This includes sneak peeks at the user interface and guidance on how to get started once it launches. If you want to be among the first to know when beta access becomes available, sign up to receive the updates here.

In the meantime, if you're a faculty member, tech lead, or student group interested in early access or testing, reach out – we’d love to hear from you.

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