The other day, I was looking for ways to shore up my consulting business. One area I wanted to improve was my customer relationship management (CRM) system.
At the moment, I do not have enough clients to justify a full-blown CRM system. But I do have tools already in place:
- Google Contacts
- Google Sheets
- Google Docs
- Gemini
So, I asked Gemini a simple question:
How can I use what I already have to build a lightweight CRM?
Gemini came back with a solution that was quite good. In that solution, it introduced me to something I had not paid much attention to before:
Smart chips.
I had probably been using them in small ways already, but I did not realize they had a name. Now that I know what they are and what they can do, I see tremendous potential.
And I wanted to share that with you.
What Are Smart Chips?
Smart chips are interactive data objects in Google Docs and Google Sheets.
Smart chips connect your document or spreadsheet to other Google tools.
For example, smart chips can connect to:
- Google Contacts
- Google Calendar
- Google Drive files
- Google Maps
- YouTube videos
- Tasks
- Dates
- Timers
- Dropdown menus
Before smart chips, you could always copy a URL and paste it into a document. That worked, but it was not very elegant.
Smart chips do more.
When you place a smart chip in a document and hover over it, more information appears. For example, if you add a person’s name as a smart chip, you can hover over it and see more of their contact information.
That is really useful.
How to Add Smart Chips
There are two main ways to add smart chips in Google Docs and Google Sheets.
1. Use the @ Sign
Open a Google Doc and type the @ sign.
That will trigger a menu where you can start making selections.
For example, you can type:
@Stanley Sk
Google will search your contacts and start giving you options. Once you select the right person, Google inserts that contact as a smart chip.
Later, when you hover over that chip, you can see more information about that contact.
Selecting Open detailed view will open a sidebar with an array of options.
2. Use the Insert Menu
You can also go to the Insert menu and select Smart chips.
From there, Google will show you the available smart chips.
Depending on your Google version, you may see different options. The free version, Google Workspace, and professional Workspace accounts offer different features.
I have tried smart chips in both the free version and my Workspace account, and so far, I have been impressed.
Types of Smart Chips You Can Use
Smart chips can help you connect many parts of your work.
Here are some examples.
People
You can add people from your Google Contacts.
This is useful when building a client list, a project plan, or meeting notes. Instead of typing a plain name, you can connect directly to the contact record.
Files
You can also connect to Google Drive files.
Start with the @ sign, then type the name of a file. Google will show matching files. Once you select one, it adds a clean, reader-friendly link.
When you hover over the file chip, you can even see a small preview of the file.
That is much better than a long, messy URL.
Places
Smart chips can also connect to places.
Type the @ sign and begin entering an address. Once you add the place chip, hovering over it gives you an option to open it in Google Maps.
This could be handy for:
- Event pages
- Meeting agendas
- Travel plans
- Client visits
- Workshop details
You can list the address and give people quick access to the map.
YouTube Videos
You can also connect to YouTube videos.
For this, you need the video’s URL. Once you add it, Google can convert it into a smart chip.
This makes the link cleaner and easier to use inside your document.
Calendar Events
You can link to calendar events and meetings.
This is especially useful when you are building project documents or client notes. Instead of writing down the meeting details in several places, you can connect the event directly.
Tasks
You can create a task from a smart chip.
That task can appear in your task list and remain connected to the document. This is helpful when working with others and tracking action items.
Dates, Timers, and Stopwatches
There are also productivity chips.
For example, typing:
@today
will insert today’s date.
You can also add a timer or stopwatch. This could be useful in a meeting agenda to keep each discussion item on track.
Dropdowns
You can create dropdown chips too.
These are useful for showing a project’s status. Google provides some preset dropdowns, but you can also create your own.
For example, you might create a dropdown with options like:
- Not started
- In progress
- Waiting
- Complete
That gives you a simple way to track progress without building a complicated system.
Using Smart Chips in Google Sheets
Smart chips are not just for Google Docs. They can also be used in Google Sheets.
This is where things got really interesting for me.
In Google Sheets, you can add a person smart chip and then extract information from it.
For example, once you have a contact chip in a cell, you can use data extraction to pull out related information.
The available information depends on the chip type. Some smart chips have more data than others.
You can also use formulas.
For example, you can reference a cell, add a dot, and then select from a list of available properties. This makes it easier to fill out a spreadsheet with the information you need.
In the case above, I could have typed =A1.Email to extract the email address into cell B1.
That opens the door to some useful workflows.
How I Am Using Smart Chips to Build a Lightweight CRM
This all started because I wanted a better way to manage client relationships.
I did not want to buy a CRM system before I needed one. I wanted to use the tools I already had.
So, I started building a simple CRM with Google Sheets, Google Docs, Google Contacts, and Google Calendar.
Here is the basic idea:
- Google Sheets holds the main client list.
- Smart chips connect each client to Google Contacts.
- Google Docs hold client notes.
- Smart chips connect those notes back to the spreadsheet.
- Google Calendar tracks upcoming meetings.
- Smart chips help connect meeting information to the client record.
Now these pieces are connected.
It is still simple, but it is much more powerful than a plain spreadsheet.
And honestly, I am very happy with where it is going.
Why Smart Chips Matter
Smart chips may seem small at first.
But once you start using them, you begin to see how much friction they remove.
They make information easier to find. They make documents cleaner. They reduce the need to copy and paste long URLs. They also make your files more useful by connecting information across Google tools.
There is another benefit too.
Smart chips can be more accessible than long URLs. A screen reader can handle a clean smart chip better than a long, confusing web address.
That matters.
Good tools should make work easier for everyone.
Key Takeaways
Smart chips are one of those tools that can easily go unnoticed.
Once you know they are there, you start seeing ways to use them everywhere.
You can use smart chips to:
- Connect people, files, events, and places
- Build cleaner Google Docs
- Create more useful Google Sheets
- Track client information
- Improve meeting agendas
- Build a lightweight CRM
- Reduce messy links
- Improve accessibility
Final Thoughts
I love finding simple tools that improve existing systems.
Smart chips fall into that category.
They do not require a new platform. They do not require a huge learning curve. They simply help you connect the information you already have.
For me, that means building a lightweight CRM using Google tools I already use every day.
For you, it might mean better meeting notes, cleaner project plans, or more useful spreadsheets.
Either way, give smart chips a try.
You may end up asking the same question I did:
Why didn’t I know about this sooner?
