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Store & organise · Documents & office · ~10 min read

ONLYOFFICE

Coming soon

Edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations in the browser - together, at the same time, with track changes.

See ONLYOFFICE in the tool catalogue →
Coming soon. This tool isn't switched on for your company yet - but you can read up in advance. The guide reflects how it will work on your Brundo instance.

What is ONLYOFFICE?

ONLYOFFICE is a full office suite in your browser: Documents (like Word), Spreadsheets (like Excel) and Presentations (like PowerPoint). Several people can edit the same file at the same time, with comments and track changes.

Its standout strength is Microsoft Office compatibility: it uses.docx,.xlsx and.pptx natively, so files clients send you open correctly, and files you send back look right on their side - the place where many alternatives fail.

How it works: ONLYOFFICE plugs into Nextcloud. Your files stay in Nextcloud; clicking a document opens the editor in a browser tab. Saves are automatic, and version history is kept by Nextcloud.

Getting started

  1. Open any office file in Nextcloud - click a.docx,.xlsx or.pptx and the editor opens in the browser. There is nothing to install.
  2. Create a new document: in Nextcloud Files, click + New → choose Document, Spreadsheet or Presentation.
  3. Invite a co-editor: share the file in Nextcloud like any other file; when your colleague opens it you'll see their cursor live in the document.
  4. Get to know the toolbar - it's laid out like Microsoft Office's ribbon (Home, Insert, Layout…), so most habits carry over.

Core concepts

Real-time co-editing

Everyone in the file sees everyone else's changes as they type, each cursor coloured and named. Two modes exist: Fast (changes appear instantly) and Strict (paragraphs lock while someone edits them) - Fast is the default and right for most teams.

Comments and mentions

Select text → right-click → Add comment. Mention a colleague with @ and they're notified. Comments resolve, keeping a tidy review trail.

Track changes

Collaboration tab → Track changes. Edits show as suggestions the document owner can accept or reject one by one - essential for contracts.

Version history

Handled by Nextcloud: details sidebar → Versions. Every co-editing session creates restorable snapshots.

Everyday tasks, step by step

Review a contract with track changes

  1. Open the.docx from Nextcloud.
  2. Collaboration tab → switch on Track changes.
  3. Make your edits - they appear as coloured suggestions.
  4. Add comments for questions rather than editing text you're unsure about.
  5. The owner reviews via Accept / Reject, change by change.

Build a spreadsheet with formulas the team fills in

  1. Create a Spreadsheet in Nextcloud (+ New).
  2. Set up headers and formulas (SUM, IF, VLOOKUP and friends all work as in Excel).
  3. Protect formula cells if needed: select → right-click → cell settings.
  4. Share with edit rights; multiple people can fill it in simultaneously.

Export a presentation as PDF

  1. Open the presentation → File → Download as → PDF.
  2. For client sends, PDF avoids font or layout surprises on their machine.

Tips & good habits

  • Stop emailing attachments internally - share the Nextcloud link. One file, one truth, no "v7_final_FINAL".
  • Use styles (Heading 1, Heading 2) instead of manual bold-and-resize: navigation, ToC generation and consistent formatting come free.
  • Autosave is on - there is no Save button panic. Version history has your back.
  • Keyboard shortcuts match Office: Ctrl+B, Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+F all work.
  • Very heavy Excel work (macros, giant pivots)? Test your specific workflow early and tell Brundo where it pinches.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

A client's document looks slightly different. Rare, but usually missing fonts. Stick to common fonts for outbound documents, or export to PDF for pixel-perfect delivery.

Can I work offline? The browser editor needs a connection. For offline stretches, sync the file via the Nextcloud desktop client and edit in a local office app, then let it sync back.

Do Excel macros work? ONLYOFFICE has its own JavaScript-based macros; classic VBA macros don't run. If a workbook depends on VBA, flag it to Brundo and we'll look at options.

Who saw or changed what? Version history shows each author's changes per version; track changes shows edits inline while reviewing.

Useful resources

Curated for the version Brundo hosts (community / self-hosted editions) — cloud-only or enterprise-only material is skipped.

  • ONLYOFFICE Help Center — Official guides for Documents, Spreadsheets and Presentations - searchable how-tos.
  • Community forum — Official forum for questions about the community edition we run.
  • Official blog — Release announcements and practical feature walkthroughs.
  • GitHub project — Source code and release notes.