How do you make a header in Google Docs?

For the writing experts, do any of you know how to make a proper MLA page header in Google Docs?

Nevermind, I figured it out. Or not, don't know yet :)

Upload it like any other document. You may need to save it as a.doc first.
For Headers, Insert/Header.

One thing I hate about Google Docs is that you can't quite do APA style correctly. You can't omit the page number on the first page while keeping it on subsequent pages.

Then maybe you need to put some more time trying to learn how to do these things on GD.

You try it, then. The page number thing cannot be done. It's a well-known issue.

Using Google Docs only works if you are working on a draft of a paper with a group of people. I have never relied on it for final formatting of a document because of the well known issues behind it. This is such a proprietorial piece of software that it doesn't play nicely with MS Office. It just doesn't translate well. You would be better off using some other form of free encoding software like Libre, Kingsoft, and whatever apps come with a Mac. Those have no problems with formatting because they follow the commonly used MS Office versions. While those programs do have a learning curve, it beats having to try to figure out how to use Google Docs.

I have known people to use Google docs only as a last resort. Usually when taking an online class with a group of people and they happen to be working on a group project. Or, independent writers and programmers working on a lucrative programming deal but residing in different parts of the world. Even then, they finalize offline using a more reliable software. However, if you really want to complete your document using Google Docs then this is how you do it:

1. Open the document in Google Docs
2. Click on Insert . Header / Footer
3. Choose one of the two
4. Insert the information you need

The above instruction works for the general header or footer. If you need to change it for the first and second pages, then click on Different first page Header / Footer. Note than you can only change the first page information. The rest of the pages will have uniform information for the header / footer.

I use Google for a lot but not for docs unless it's for taking notes to review later. I never use GD for papers because it's just not fully compatible with Word, which what most universities and business use and require. There are too many conversion errors when going from GD to Word. I've had client take screenshots of files created with GC and the "look" fine... until you save them and try to open and work in them in Word. In a business where time is always a factor, I don't have time to waste.

As for other Google products, I love most of them. I use Google spreadsheets all the time and prefer it over Excel.

Google is always playing the catch up game anyway. GD is no exception. It is the worst kind of document creator because it expects the end user to be presenting it to a public of fellow GD users, which is not always the case. Ever since Microsoft launched OneDrive, more and more people have been sharing documents on that cloud server instead. It is easier to format the papers, create shareable documents, and is basically, just something people are more used to using. Don't try to make GD jump through hoops, you will waste your time doing that. Use other forms of document creators instead. I am partial to the MS Suite mostly because almost everyone I work with uses that software, thus making even creating a simple header a no brainer of a task.

I find that WPS is the better alternative to GD. The free version works well enough and it actually allows you to save the document in .docx format, making it fully compatible with MS word. The whole WPS slew of software are actually Office compatible, even in free form. That is why I recommend that students use that app instead of GD. The GD forms are still highly confusing to use and are difficult to format in a manner that would be recognizable to MS Office.