Tag Archives: Google Calendar

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – July 14, 2023

4 New updates 

Unless otherwise indicated, the features below are fully launched or in the process of rolling out (rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete), launching to both Rapid and Scheduled Release at the same time (if not, each stage of rollout should take no more than 15 business days to complete), and available to all Google Workspace and G Suite customers. 


Improved media viewing on Android devices in Google Chat 
We’re introducing a new media viewer in Google Chat on Android devices that significantly improves the media browsing experience. Now, media thumbnails open faster in full screen, repeat playback is quicker, and you can swipe between all of the media in the conversation. We've also added a shared media option that allows users to quickly browse through all media shared in a Chat conversation, which is accessible from the conversation as well as from the full-screen view of every media item. | Learn more about sending & sharing files in Google Chat messages.




Extending long running queries within Connected Sheets
Currently, we timeout any queries that take longer than 5 minutes for Connected Sheets. This week, we extended the timeout time from 5 minutes to 10 minutes for BigQuery and Looker. This means Connected Sheets users will be able to analyze data from queries that scan even larger data sets in Sheets.  


Filter by measures and value in a pivot table with Connected Sheets for Looker
Previously, Connected Sheets users could filter by dimensions in pivot tables, but not measures. Now, Looker users are able to filter by measures in a pivot table, which allows for even more targeted analysis on Connected Sheets. Additionally, Looker users will be able to filter by value in a pivot table on Connected Sheets. | Learn more about measure types on Looker and creating & using pivot tables. 




Add emojis in Google Sheets
Emojis are a great way for people to express themselves across Google Workspace. We’re excited to announce that you can now insert emojis into a Google Sheet by:
  • Typing “@” > “Emoji” > select the desired emoji
  • Going to “Insert” > “Emoji” > select the desired emoji

Scale meetings to 1,000 attendees, with 500 attendees being viewers, now available for Google Workspace Education Plus
In June 2023, we announced viewer mode for Google Meet. For certain Google Workspace editions, viewer mode can be used to scale their meetings to 1,000 attendees, with 500 attendees being viewers. We’re now expanding this functionality to Google Workspace Education Plus customers. | Learn more about scaling meetings with viewer mode.


Previous announcements

The announcements below were published on the Workspace Updates blog earlier this week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details.


Add hyperlinks to text in Google Chat
You can now hyperlink text on web and Android when composing or editing a message in Google Chat. This update also includes the ability to copy over hyperlinks from other places like Gmail, Docs, Sheets and Slides. | Available to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google Accounts. | Learn more about adding hyperlinks to text in Chat.


Paid appointment bookings now available in Google Calendar
To improve upon the current capabilities of appointment scheduling, the Google Calendar feature that allows users to share their availability via a booking page, we're now integrating paid appointment bookings into Google Calendar. | Available to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Nonprofits and Workspace Individual only. | Learn more about paid appointment bookings in Google Calendar.


Negotiate time directly in Gmail to schedule meetings faster
We’re adding a feature into Gmail that helps you find convenient 1:1 meeting times with others much quicker. This is especially useful when scheduling time with customers, partners or people in your organization whose Google Calendars are not visible to you. | Learn more about scheduling meetings in Gmail.


Completed rollouts

The features below completed their rollouts to Rapid Release domains, Scheduled Release domains, or both. Please refer to the original blog posts for additional details.


Rapid Release Domains:

Negotiate time directly in Gmail to schedule meetings faster

What’s changing 

We’re adding a feature into Gmail that helps you find convenient 1:1 meeting times with others much quicker. This is especially useful when scheduling time with customers, partners or people in your organization whose Google Calendars are not visible to you. 
Negotiate time directly in Gmail to schedule meetings faster

While composing an email, you will see a new Calendar icon with all Calendar-related actions consolidated and easily discoverable. You can: 
  • Offer times you’re free: This option opens up your calendar on the right. You can select and insert proposed meeting times directly from your calendar into the email without leaving Gmail. The recipient of the email can then review the proposed times and select one directly from the email to automatically get an email with a calendar invite. 
  • Create an event: This is a quick way to schedule a meeting and share the event information back in the email. Starting the flow opens up a calendar event creation on the right with the recipients and title pre-filled from the email. An event summary will automatically be inserted into the email body for easy sharing. Previously, this feature was available in the three dot menu on top of the email conversation view. 
    Offer times you’re free or create an event

Who’s impacted 

End users 

Why you’d use it 

This feature makes scheduling much easier by reducing the back-and-forth in lengthy email threads when negotiating or scheduling meeting times. 

Additional details 

  • Offer times you’re free: Time suggestions can only be made for your primary calendar at this time and only work for 1:1 meetings. If multiple people are included in the recipient list, only the first person to book an appointment will be added to the event automatically. 
  • Create an event: If you are creating events from Gmail, you can create them on any of the primary or secondary calendars you have manage access to. 

Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for these features. 
  • End users: These features will be ON by default. 
    • To add proposed meeting times in an email, start composing or replying to an email > click “Set up a time to meet” in the menu bar > “Offer times you’re free” > follow the instructions in the right side panel to add times you’re available and other meeting details. 
    • To accept a meeting time, simply click on a time in the email and confirm your name and email. 
    • To create a new event, start composing or replying to an email > click “Setup a time to meet” in the menu bar > “Create an event” and follow the instructions in the right side panel. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about scheduling events in Gmail. 

Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google Accounts 

Resources 

Paid appointment bookings now available in Google Calendar

What’s changing

To improve upon the current capabilities of appointment scheduling, the Google Calendar feature that allows users to share their availability via a booking page, we're now integrating paid appointment bookings into Google Calendar. As a result: 
  • Appointment providers can connect their Stripe account to Calendar when creating an appointment schedule and set a price. You can also create a new Stripe account from Calendar.
set price for appt in Google Calendar
  •  The person booking the appointment will visit the booking page, choose their preferred time, and enter their credit card information. visit the booking page, choose their preferred time, and enter their credit card information

Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why you’d use it 

Requiring payment upfront can help small business owners reduce no shows and grow their business further. Additionally, this feature enables you to manage your time and payments in a simple and seamless manner. 


Additional details 

Google Calendar will redirect bookers to Stripe, does not process or store any payment info (such as credit card numbers), and will not charge any platform fees. Google cannot assist with any payment or refund issues. Canceling and refunding needs to be handled by providers and bookers via the Stripe dashboard. 

Getting started 

  • Admins: 
    • For users on Business Standard, this feature will be ON by default and can be disabled in the Admin console. 
    • For all other SKUs, the feature is OFF by default and needs to be enabled by the admin. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about allowing paid appointment schedules in Calendar. 
  • End users: 
    • For users on Workspace Individual, as the appointment schedule provider, turn payments on by setting it up in the “Payments and cancellation policy” section of the appointment schedule editor. 
    • For all other SKUs, if enabled by your admin, as the appointment schedule provider, turn payments on by setting it up in the “Payments and cancellation policy” section of the appointment schedule editor. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about requiring payments for appointments. 

Rollout pace 

Admin setting: 
End user setting: 

Availability 

  • Available to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Nonprofits and Workspace Individual 

Resources 

Paid appointment bookings now available in Google Calendar

What’s changing

To improve upon the current capabilities of appointment scheduling, the Google Calendar feature that allows users to share their availability via a booking page, we're now integrating paid appointment bookings into Google Calendar. As a result: 
  • Appointment providers can connect their Stripe account to Calendar when creating an appointment schedule and set a price. You can also create a new Stripe account from Calendar.
set price for appt in Google Calendar
  •  The person booking the appointment will visit the booking page, choose their preferred time, and enter their credit card information. visit the booking page, choose their preferred time, and enter their credit card information

Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why you’d use it 

Requiring payment upfront can help small business owners reduce no shows and grow their business further. Additionally, this feature enables you to manage your time and payments in a simple and seamless manner. 


Additional details 

Google Calendar will redirect bookers to Stripe, does not process or store any payment info (such as credit card numbers), and will not charge any platform fees. Google cannot assist with any payment or refund issues. Canceling and refunding needs to be handled by providers and bookers via the Stripe dashboard. 

Getting started 

  • Admins: 
    • For users on Business Standard, this feature will be ON by default and can be disabled in the Admin console. 
    • For all other SKUs, the feature is OFF by default and needs to be enabled by the admin. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about allowing paid appointment schedules in Calendar. 
  • End users: 
    • For users on Workspace Individual, as the appointment schedule provider, turn payments on by setting it up in the “Payments and cancellation policy” section of the appointment schedule editor. 
    • For all other SKUs, if enabled by your admin, as the appointment schedule provider, turn payments on by setting it up in the “Payments and cancellation policy” section of the appointment schedule editor. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about requiring payments for appointments. 

Rollout pace 

Admin setting: 
End user setting: 

Availability 

  • Available to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Nonprofits and Workspace Individual 

Resources 

Paid appointment bookings now available in Google Calendar

What’s changing

To improve upon the current capabilities of appointment scheduling, the Google Calendar feature that allows users to share their availability via a booking page, we're now integrating paid appointment bookings into Google Calendar. As a result: 
  • Appointment providers can connect their Stripe account to Calendar when creating an appointment schedule and set a price. You can also create a new Stripe account from Calendar.
set price for appt in Google Calendar
  •  The person booking the appointment will visit the booking page, choose their preferred time, and enter their credit card information. visit the booking page, choose their preferred time, and enter their credit card information

Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why you’d use it 

Requiring payment upfront can help small business owners reduce no shows and grow their business further. Additionally, this feature enables you to manage your time and payments in a simple and seamless manner. 


Additional details 

Google Calendar will redirect bookers to Stripe, does not process or store any payment info (such as credit card numbers), and will not charge any platform fees. Google cannot assist with any payment or refund issues. Canceling and refunding needs to be handled by providers and bookers via the Stripe dashboard. 

Getting started 

  • Admins: 
    • For users on Business Standard, this feature will be ON by default and can be disabled in the Admin console. 
    • For all other SKUs, the feature is OFF by default and needs to be enabled by the admin. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about allowing paid appointment schedules in Calendar. 
  • End users: 
    • For users on Workspace Individual, as the appointment schedule provider, turn payments on by setting it up in the “Payments and cancellation policy” section of the appointment schedule editor. 
    • For all other SKUs, if enabled by your admin, as the appointment schedule provider, turn payments on by setting it up in the “Payments and cancellation policy” section of the appointment schedule editor. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about requiring payments for appointments. 

Rollout pace 

Admin setting: 
End user setting: 

Availability 

  • Available to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Nonprofits and Workspace Individual 

Resources 

Adding more flexibility to working locations in Google Calendar

What’s changing

Since 2021, users have been able to indicate where they’re working from directly in Google Calendar. Subsequently, we’ve made numerous enhancements to the working location feature to ensure users have better context for in-person collaboration, location planning, meeting room management, preparing meetings for virtual and in-room attendees, and more. 

To improve upon this further, we’re introducing the option to set working locations in Calendar that indicate where you’re working for specific portions of the day. This will help you more accurately reflect your availability based on the physical location you set, which can change throughout the day. 
Adding more flexibility to working locations in Google Calendar

Who’s impacted 

End users 

Why you’d use it 

Working from multiple locations is especially prevalent in a hybrid work environment where employees may work from home, an office, a specific building, or a combination. 

Additional details 

In addition, for those who have delegate access to someone’s Google Calendar, you can now fully edit the working locations for the entire day or for specific portions of the day for that calendar. This update is especially useful for people, such as executive assistants, that manage the calendars of others. 

Getting started 

  • Admins: Working location is ON by default and can be disabled at the domain or OU level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning working location on or off for users. 
  • End users: 
    • Unless disabled by your admin, the working location feature will be ON by default. To set a sub-day working location, select Working Location as an event type in Calendar > choose a location > Optional: Modify time, date, or recurrence by clicking on the time element > click Save. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about setting your working location and adding your working location for part of a day. 

Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Nonprofits 

Resources 

Client-side encryption for Google Calendar is now generally available on mobile

What’s changing

Earlier this year, we expanded the client-side encryption beta to Google Calendar on mobile to help customers strengthen the confidentiality of their data while helping address a broad range of data sovereignty and compliance requirements. Today, we’re happy to announce that client-side encryption for Google Calendar is now generally available on Android and iOS devices for eligible Workspace editions. 

When using client-side encryption for Calendar events, your event description, attachments, and Meet data is encrypted before it reaches Google servers. You have control over encryption keys and the identity service to access those keys. 
mobile Client-side encryption for Google Calendar

Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why it’s important 

Google Calendar uses strong cryptographic standards to encrypt all data at rest and in transit between its facilities. With client-side encryption, your organization has control of encryption keys and the identity provider (IdP) used to access those keys to further strengthen the security of your events data.

Client-side encryption helps you to create a stronger privacy posture, whether that’s to help your organization comply with regulations like ITAR and CJIS or simply to better protect the privacy of your confidential data. 

Getting started 

  • Admins: 
    • This feature will be OFF by default and can be enabled at the domain, OU, and Group levels. Go to the Admin console > Security > Access and data control > Client-side encryption. Visit the Help Center to learn more about client-side encryption. 
    • If you have already configured CSE for Web, you will still need to add client IDs and redirect URLs for your Android and iOS clients in order for end users to access this feature on their mobile devices. 
  • End users: 
    • You will need to be logged in with your Identity Provider to have access to encrypted content. 
    • To add encryption to any event in Calendar, click on the shield icon at the top of the event creation card. This will add encryption to the event description and the Meet video conference, and enforce encryption on event attachments. Other items such as event title, time, and guests remain on standard encryption. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about client-side encryption in Calendar. 

Rollout pace 

Android:
  • This feature is available now.
iOS:

Availability 

  • Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Standard, and Education Plus customers 

Resources 

Making focus time more productive with new Google Calendar setting

What’s changing

In 2021, we introduced the option to reflect time set aside for focus in Google Calendar with the focus time entry type. When coupled with the do not disturb setting in Google Chat, users are able to protect their time for heads-down individual work without distractions. 

To increase concentration and bridge the gap between do not disturb and focus time, you can now mute notifications for the duration of your focus time directly in Calendar. 
Calendar Focus time integration with Chat DnD

Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
  • End users: To mute Chat notifications when adding a Focus time Calendar entry, check the "Do not disturb" box. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using focus time in Google Calendar. 

Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Business Standard, Business Plus, Education Standard, Education Plus, and Nonprofits 

Resources 

Launching in beta: programmatically write working locations with the Calendar API

What’s changing 

Available now in beta through our Developer Preview Program, you can write a user’s working location using the Calendar API. 


Using the API to write a Calendar user’s working location values can help you synchronize users' working location with third-party tools. You can easily update users’ working location based on: 
  • When they book a hot desk via a hot desk booking tool 
  • Schedule a trip via a travel booking tool 


Reading of working locations is already available through the Developer Preview Program. 

Getting started 


Rollout pace 

  • This feature is available now for all eligible Google Workspace editions. 

Availability 

All developers can use the API, however the working location feature is only available for eligible Workspace editions: 
  • Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade and Nonprofits customers

Resources 

Assistant and Calendar reminders are automatically migrating to Tasks

What’s changing

In September 2022, we announced that we would be migrating Reminders from Google Calendar and Google Assistant to Google Tasks in order to create a single experience for managing to-dos across Google. Over the last several weeks, Google Workspace users had the opportunity to voluntarily migrate their reminders to Tasks. 


For Google Workspace users: If you have not already migrated your Reminders to Tasks, they will be migrated starting today. 


To help ensure a smooth transition, we’d like to remind admins and end users to: 


Admins: 
If you use a Google account for work or school: 
  • If you want a copy of your reminders data and Takeout is enabled for your organization, export your Reminders data before June 22, 2023. 
If you use a personal Google Account: 
  • If you haven’t already migrated, Assistant and Calendar reminders will begin to automatically migrate in June 2023. We’ll share more information on this timeline in a future update on the Workspace Updates blog. 

Availability 

  • This update impacts all Google Workspace Customers 

Resources