Google has launched a spreadsheet application that is free, Web-based, and can be shared by up to 10 users at a time. You can type data in rows and columns, and you can also do all basic and some intense calculations on your data. Most importantly, you can import and export in both the Microsoft-specific .xls and the generic .csv formats.

The search engine giant has taken yet another step into the software realm, charging hard at Windows maker Microsoft. Google also recently bought Writely, a Web-based word processing application that also allows online sharing.

The Google Spreadsheets, which are platform-neutral, are designed primarily for small groups and don’t boast all of the functionality that Excel spreadsheets do, but the majority of spreadsheet users don’t require vast functionality in the first place.

Google Spreadsheets are available in beta form at the moment. A full version can’t be too far away.