Tag Archives: Hangouts Chat

Combining classic Hangouts and Chat policy management

What’s changing

We’re combining the Admin console settings for Hangouts Chat and classic Hangouts. This will make it easier to manage your policies and make sure they’re configured appropriately. The new settings will be located at Admin console > Apps > G Suite > Hangouts Chat.

See more details and images below.

Who’s impacted

Admins only

Why you’d use it

These Admin console settings help you dictate how your organization uses G Suite messaging products. For example, you can set policies for chat history, external user chats, and third-party integrations (bots). With this update, you only need to go to one place to control all the chat settings for your organization. This can help to simplify deployment and ensure policies are set up as desired.

How to get started



Additional details

Note, we will not be making any changes to your effective settings—only the location and presentation of the settings will change. Clicking “Chat Settings” from the classic Hangouts page in the Admin console will redirect you to the Hangouts Chat settings page. From there, you'll find all of the settings that control chatting across both classic Hangouts and Hangouts Chat.

The specific policies affected by this change, along with details of the impact of the change, are shown in the Help Center. The new policies can be customized for each organizational unit (OU).

Additional details on the function of the settings and what products they apply to are provided in the Admin console interface:

The new combined settings in the Admin console 

Helpful links



Availability

Rollout details


G Suite editions

  • Available to all G Suite editions.

On/off by default?

  • These changes will take place automatically for all domains once rollout is complete.

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Find people and rooms more easily on the Hangouts Chat mobile app

Quick launch summary

We've made some changes to the colors and layout of the Hangouts Chat apps on Android and iOS devices. These changes will make it easier to keep track of your chats and stay organized. One of the biggest changes you’ll notice is that the single list of “People,” “Rooms,” and “Bots” is now two tabs: “People” and “Rooms.” Bots will now be included in the “People” tab, making it easier to find a single contact.
People tab, which now includes bots, on iOS

Rooms tab on Android
Additionally, we’ve removed the filter at the top of these tabs to simplify how you navigate the app. To find people, bots, and rooms, search using the magnifying glass at the top of the screen or start a conversation by clicking the “+” button in the bottom right corner.

These changes are available starting today and will be rolling out on Android beginning next week.

Availability

Rollout details


G Suite editions

  • Available to all G Suite editions

On/off by default?

  • These changes will be ON by default.

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Search, view and add bots directly within Hangouts Chat

Quick launch summary 

We’re making it easier to find bots within Hangouts Chat. Now, when you select “Find a Bot”, you’ll see a catalog where you can discover bots and view more information about them:



From here, you’ll be able to select Message or Add to Room if supported by a specific bot. 

Availability 

Rollout details 


G Suite editions 

  • Available to all G Suite editions 


On/off by default? 

  • This feature will be ON by default.


Stay up to date with G Suite launches

Updates to Hangouts Chat migration timelines

What’s changing

Earlier this year, we announced that we will be transitioning classic Hangouts users in G Suite domains to Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet. At that time, we provided a timeline of changes and said that in October 2019 we would start retiring classic Hangouts for G Suite customers.

Since then, we’ve heard feedback from many of you that you’d like more time to migrate your organizations from classic Hangouts to Hangouts Chat.

As a result, we’re officially postponing the final transition date (i.e. phase 4 in this timeline) to no sooner than June 2020.

In the interim, we’ll continue to improve the transition experience of classic Hangouts group conversations, as well as add new Chat features like Read receipts. We’ll also provide advance notice once we have a more definitive date, so please monitor the G Suite Updates blog for updates. We’ll also have a detailed breakdown of the transition timeline in the Help Center.

Migrate sooner with the Accelerated Transition Program
Admins who prefer to fully migrate to Chat sooner can still request an invitation to the Accelerated Transition Program, which disables classic Hangouts and migrates all users to Hangouts Chat, while providing early access to new Chat features.

This program is great for domains that:

  • Want to simplify communications and get all users on the same chat experience
  • Are new G Suite customers or haven’t used classic Hangouts before


Migration by organizational unit is not available at this time, and classic Hangouts group conversations will need to be recreated in Chat. Please review the Deployment Guide and Known Limitations to determine if this migration experience is right for you.

For admins who have already signed up for early access through the Accelerated Transition Program, we are adding domains to this program on a rolling basis.

How to get started

Helpful links

Availability

  • G Suite editions All G Suite editions can apply.

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Apply to be a part of the Hangouts Chat Accelerated Transition Program

This announcement was made at Google Cloud Next ‘19 in San Francisco. Check out Next OnAir to tune into the livestream or watch session recordings following the event.


What’s changing

We’re announcing an Accelerated Transition Program to give a first wave of organizations a head start on migrating to Hangouts Chat and get early access to new features.

Additionally, we've heard your feedback, and we want to give you early access and more time before the general availability of these features. Therefore, we’re extending the previously announced timelines to give you more time to manage change in your organization. See below for more information.

Who’s impacted

Admins only

Why you should apply to the Accelerated Transition Program

Simplify communications by disabling classic Hangouts apps and migrating all users to the newest enterprise-grade Chat product on a faster timeline. As a part of this program, you’ll receive early access to new Chat features such as Chat integration with Gmail and the ability to chat with external users.

For more information about the additional benefits of this program, check out the Acceleration Transition Program Help Center.

How to get started



Upcoming changes to the Chat and Vault transition schedule

Some changes originally scheduled to happen starting on April 16, 2019, such as Chat retention rules and holds applying to your messages in Hangouts Classic, and enabling Chat for all users that are using classic Hangouts, will now take place over the next few months. We'll also be giving you more time before we transition all domains from classic Hangouts to Chat. More notices and details will be shared on the G Suite Updates blog as they approach.

Note: If you are a Google Vault customer, you still must set Chat retention rules and holds before April 16, 2019. You must continue to create new holds in both Mail and Hangouts Chat if you need to preserve chat messages during this migration period.


Helpful links



Availability

G Suite editions

  • All G Suite editions are welcome to apply to this program.

Stay up to date with G Suite launches

Stay organized and on-top of conversations with Hangouts Chat improvements

Quick launch summary 

We’re improving the side panel on Hangouts Chat, making it easier to keep track of your chats and stay organized.

In addition to Starred, you’ll now see the following sections in the left-hand side panel: People, Rooms, and Bots, with corresponding chats grouped accordingly. These sections will better organize your chats, making it easy to find specific chats and see where there are items that need attention. This feature will be available across web, desktop, iOS, and Android.


Hangouts Chat on desktop.


Hangouts Chat on Mobile

Availability 

Rollout details 


G Suite editions 

  • Available to all G Suite editions. 

On/off by default? 

  • This feature will be ON by default.

Stay up to date with G Suite launches

Delete your conversation history in Hangout Chat

Quick launch summary

You’ll now be able to delete your conversation history of 1:1 direct messages in Hangouts Chat. These deletions apply to 1:1 conversations between classic Hangouts and Hangouts Chat in both directions. Please note, you’re only deleting your copy of the conversation history. Other users will still be able to see the chat.

Availability

Rollout details


G Suite editions

  • Available to all G Suite Editions.

On/off by default?

  • This feature will be ON by default.

Stay up to date with G Suite launches

Easily copy your Gmail holds to Hangouts Chat in Google Vault

What’s changing

As we previously announced, beginning on April 16, 2019, Mail retention rules and holds will stop protecting chat messages in classic Hangouts. Instead, Hangouts Chat retention rules and holds will protect chat messages in both classic Hangouts and Chat. To continue to preserve messages in classic Hangouts, before April 16, 2019, you must copy any existing Mail holds (that apply to messages in classic Hangouts) to Hangouts Chat in Google Vault. Today, we’re launching a new feature in Vault to help you copy your holds from Mail to Hangouts Chat, with a few clicks.

Who’s impacted

Vault Admins only

Why you’d use it

This feature helps you ensure all your messages in classic Hangouts and Hangouts Chat are preserved by the same Vault policies as your classic Hangouts messages are today.

How to get started

Admins: In Vault,
  • From the list of Vault matters, click on any matter that may contain Gmail holds. When viewing the list of holds in this matter, you can select multiple Mail holds at once.
  • Select the Mail hold(s) and click Copy holds to Hangouts Chat.


End users: No action required

Additional details

Note that Hangouts Chat doesn’t support holds based on date ranges or search terms, so they won’t be copied with the hold. You can also choose to extend these holds to cover conversations associated with these custodians in rooms.

Additionally, if you have a large number of holds in place, you can also use Vault APIs to duplicate your holds in bulk.

Helpful links

Availability

Rollout details

G Suite editions
  • Available to G Suite Business, Enterprise, and Enterprise for Education editions, as well as G Suite users with the Vault add-on license.

On/off by default?
  • This feature will be ON by default.
Stay up to date with G Suite launches

Upcoming Hangouts service consolidation for all G Suite customers

What’s changing

As we announced in 2017, Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet are the next generation of Hangouts that focus on team communication. Later this year, we'll transition classic Hangouts users on G Suite domains to Chat and Meet. As a first step, some changes are coming on April 16, 2019.

Key dates to note

G Suite customers can expect the following timeline of changes:
  • April 16, 2019 – Several changes that may require administrator action (see below for details).
  • Between April and September 2019 – Features from classic Hangouts will come to Chat.
  • October 2019 – Start retiring classic Hangouts for G Suite customers.


Consumer impact
The above dates are specific to G Suite customers and their end users who use classic Hangouts. We will continue to support consumer use of classic Hangouts, and expect to transition consumers to free Chat and Meet following the transition of G Suite customers. A more specific timeline will be communicated at a later date.

What changes will take place on April 16, 2019?
For G Suite domains that have classic Hangouts enabled, Chat will also become available to users on the web and via mobile apps. They can also continue using classic Hangouts in Gmail, mobile, web or the Chrome extension. See these details for how interoperability works between Chat and classic Hangouts.

The following admin-facing changes will begin taking place on April 16, 2019:
  1. For Google Vault customers, Mail retention rules and holds will stop protecting chat messages in classic Hangouts. Instead, Chat retention rules and holds will protect chat messages in both classic Hangouts and Chat.
  2. Chat admin settings will now control chat capability in both classic Hangouts and Chat.
  3. A new setting in the Admin console under Apps > G Suite > Hangouts Chat will be added so you can disable classic Hangouts user interfaces at a time of your choosing.
  4. The "Google Hangouts" settings page in the Admin console will be renamed "Hangouts Meet." This setting will control both classic Hangouts video and Hangouts Meet.

Google Vault customers need to take action before April 16, 2019
Between March 16 and April 16, 2019, Vault customers that have any Mail retention rules or holds will have an indefinite retention rule automatically created for Chat. This rule is to protect all your chat messages in classic Hangouts when Chat rules start protecting them on April 16, 2019. Before April 16, 2019, you must:

  • Review and set new retention rules for Chat in Google Vault.
  • Duplicate any existing Mail holds for Chat in Google Vault.
  • Set any new holds on chat messages from Chat in Google Vault.
  • Once you have set your preferred retention rules and holds for Chat, in order for them to take effect, remove the indefinite retention rule that may be overriding your rules.

If you don’t take set your preferred retention rules or holds in Chat and then remove the indefinite retention rule by April 16, 2019, all your chat messages in classic Hangouts and direct messages in Chat will be retained indefinitely. Refer to this Help Center article to learn more about completing these actions.

What will happen in October 2019?
Classic Hangouts will be retired for all G Suite customers starting in October 2019 and all remaining users will be transitioned to Chat. More notices and details will be shared on the G Suite Updates blog in the future. In order to make the transition easier for your users, you can review our Chat documentation.


What is the best time to move my users to Hangouts Chat?
You can transition your users immediately if you’d like. If there’s more functionality that your organization needs before switching, rest assured that between April and September 2019, we’ll add features that will make it easier for your users to move from classic Hangouts to Chat such as:

  • Integration with Gmail
  • Chatting with external users
  • An improved video calling experience
  • Making calls with Google Voice

We will communicate availability of these new features via the G Suite Updates blog so stay tuned!

Helpful links


Stay up to date with G Suite launches

Save time with Smart Reply in Hangouts Chat

We’re bringing Smart Reply to Hangouts Chat so you can respond to teammates quickly and move projects forward more efficiently, in less time. This launch is part of our ongoing effort to bring intelligent, assistive writing tools to all of G Suite.

Smart Reply in Hangouts Chat uses sophisticated machine learning intelligence, similar to that behind Smart Reply in Gmail. Our technology recognizes which messages most likely need responses, and proposes up to 3 different replies.





Once you’ve selected one, you can send it immediately or edit your response starting with the Smart Reply text. Please note, this feature is currently only available in English.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Reply to a message

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
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