Tag Archives: Google Chat

New admin controls for access to discoverable spaces in Google Chat

What’s changing 

Recently, we introduced the ability to create spaces in Google Chat that you can share with others in your organization to join via link. We’re now adding the ability for Admins to set the default for newly created spaces and enable sharing scoped to specific audiences. 

Admins can set the default for new spaces and define more granular target audiences for Discoverable Spaces


End-users can select admin-defined audiences from space access drop-down



Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 



Why it matters 

Admins can now set the default access for new spaces and who can find them by defining the appropriate target audiences. While creating topic-based conversations that can be shared more broadly within an organization fosters collaboration and helps build community, there may still be instances where an organization may wish to target which group or audience can discover or join a space. With additional admin controls, admins can help users discover and join relevant conversations to encourage collaboration more effectively. 



Getting started 

  • Admins: The creation of “Restricted” spaces will be OFF by default and can be enabled at the domain level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Google Chat sharing settings. 
  • End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about creating shareable spaces. 

Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to Google Workspace Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers 
  • Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Enterprise Essentials, Education Fundamentals, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Frontline, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Basic customers 
  • Not available to Google Workspace Individual users or users with personal Google Accounts 

Resources 

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – May 27, 2022

New updates 

There are no new updates to share this week. Please see below for a recap of published announcements. 


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.


Send group membership information in outbound SAML responses 
Admins can now configure and send group membership information as part of SAML responses. | Learn more. 


Add personal tasks from Google Chat 
In Google Chat, you can now create personal tasks from individual or group messages. | Learn more. 


Take action on multiple text selections in Google Docs 
Using Google Docs, you can now make multiple text selections at once, and apply actions such as delete, copy, paste, or format to all selections. | Learn more. 


Add shared drives to specific organizational units 
Admins can now place shared drives into sub organizational units (OUs), enabling them to configure sharing policies, data regions, access management, and more at a granular level. | Learn more.

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


Embed content as a full page in new Google
Sites Site editors using new Google Sites can now add content as a full page from the following sources: custom code, other websites, and Google apps, such as Maps and Docs. | Learn more. 


Copy your client-side encrypted Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides files 
If you have client-side encryption enabled for Docs, Sheets and Slides, you can now make a copy of an existing encrypted document, spreadsheet or presentation. | Learn more. 

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


Cut, copy and paste files using keyboard shortcuts in Google Drive Web 
You can now use familiar keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + C (or ⌘ + C on Mac), Ctrl + X and Ctrl + V to copy, cut and paste Google Drive files in your Chrome browser. | Learn more. 


For a recap of announcements in the past six months, check out What’s new in Google Workspace (recent releases).

Add personal tasks from Google Chat

What’s changing

In Google Chat, you can now create personal tasks from individual or group messages. These will then be viewable by you in Google Tasks, the quick-access side panel, and Google Calendar if the task has a set date.

add-personal-tasks-from-google-chat


Who’s impacted 

End users 



Why you’d use it 


This feature allows you to more easily stay on top of tasks that come out of conversations with your coworkers via Chat. Once you’ve created a personal task, you can add a due date and description, then quickly navigate back to the conversation. 



Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
  • End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about adding or editing a task. 


Rollout pace 


Android & Web: 

iOS: 
  • We anticipate this feature to be available for iOS in the coming months—we will provide an update on the Workspace Updates Blog once available. 


Availability 

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers 


Resources 

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – May 20, 2022

New updates 


There are no new updates to share this week. Please see below for a recap of published announcements. 


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.



Migrate your classic Google Sites before December 1, 2022 
We’re extending the previously announced timeline to give Google Workspace customers more time to migrate from classic Google Sites to new Google Sites: 
  • Starting December 1, 2022 (previously June 1, 2022), you will no longer be able to edit any remaining classic Sites in your domain. 
  • Starting January 1, 2023 (previously July 1, 2022), Classic Sites will no longer be viewable unless they are converted to new Google Sites. 
Learn more here and here. 


New and updated third-party DevOps integrations for Google Chat, including PagerDuty 
There are now a variety of additional DevOps integrations that allow you to act on common workflows directly in Google Chat. | Learn more. 


Export log data in near-real time to BigQuery
Exported log data streams are now in near-real time (under 10 minutes), improving upon the previous process which returned log data that could be up to three days old. | Learn more here and here. 


AppSheet Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus available as add-ons to Google Workspace editions
Google Workspace customers can now purchase AppSheet Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus as add-ons by contacting their Google Cloud sales representative or through the Google Workspace Partner network. | Learn more. 


Use Connected Sheets with VPC-SC protected data, improved Cloud Audit Logs for Connected Sheets events 
BigQuery datasets that are behind a perimeter created by VPC Service Controls can now be accessed using Connected Sheets. We’ve also made improvements to the Connected Sheets logging in the Cloud Audit Logs. | Learn more. 


New banners in Google Chat protect against malicious links 
In Google Chat, you can now see banners warning against potential phishing and malware messages coming from users with personal Google Accounts to help protect users against malicious actors, keeping data safe. | Learn more. 


For a recap of announcements in the past six months, check out What’s new in Google Workspace (recent releases).

New banners in Google Chat protect against malicious links

Quick summary 

In Google Chat, you’ll see banners warning against potential phishing and malware messages coming from users with personal Google Accounts. These warning banners, which are already available in Gmail and Google Drive, help protect users against malicious actors, keeping data safe. 





Additional details 

In Gmail, warning banners are displayed when responding to emails sent from outside of your organization. Now, Android warning banners are also displayed as you add new external recipients. Admins can turn these specific warning labels on or off for their organization. 


Getting started 


Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers 
  • Available to users with personal Google Accounts 

Resources 

New and updated third-party DevOps integrations for Google Chat, including PagerDuty

What’s changing

We’re introducing and updating a variety of additional DevOps integrations, which will allow you to take action on common workflows directly in Google Chat: 

  • Apps such as Google Cloud Build, Asana, GitHub, Jenkins and more, have been updated with new functionality: 
    • Using Slash commands for quick actions such as creating a new Asana task or triggering a build in Jenkins or Google Cloud Build. 
    • Ability to use Dialogs for important flows such as setting up the app, or entering detailed info such as creating a GitHub issue. 
  • Operations and incident response professionals can use the new PagerDuty integration to take action on PagerDuty incidents from Chat. From Chat, you’ll be able to: 
  • Receive notifications of PagerDuty incidents right from Google Chat. 
  • Take action, including acknowledging and resolving incidents without leaving the conversation. 



You can find these integrations and a complete list of other Google-developed Chat apps here. 


Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why you’d use them 

We hope these additional third-party integrations within Chat help you collaborate and get work done faster by eliminating the need to switch between various apps and browser tabs. 


Additional details 

We plan to introduce the ability to create dedicated spaces to collaborate with teammates on important incidents to resolve them quickly, with the right people. We will provide an update on the Workspace Updates blog when that functionality becomes available. 


Getting started 


Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers 

Resources 

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – May 13, 2022

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 legacy Google Workspace and G Suite customers. 


New idle status in Google Chat 
In Google Chat on web and Chat in Gmail, you'll see an orange clock badge for users that were recently active in Chat, but aren't currently active. We hope this makes it easier to determine the best time to connect with your colleagues. Visit the Help Center to learn more about availability statuses in Google Chat. 





Changes to the default Host Management controls in Google Meet for users with personal accounts 
The default setting for Host Management controls is changing for users with personal Google accounts. Previously, Host Management controls were ON by default — going forward, this setting will be OFF by default for new meetings. There are no changes to the behavior for Google Workspace customers or Google Workspace Individual users.



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.


Improved user interface for sharing your working location in Google Calendar
This update improves the working location feature by offering the same functionality for easily entering and updating location information in a more compact format that uses screen space more efficiently. | Learn more here and here. 

Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Nonprofits, as well as G Suite Business customers. 


Easily search for Google Meet content in Google Drive
In Google Drive, you can now use app:”Google Meet” to easily find and organize Meet content such as Meet recordings, meeting transcripts, and more. | Learn more.


Import existing custom themes to new Google Sites
You can now import a custom theme from one new Google Site to another. | Learn more.


Create Spaces and Add Members with the Google Chat API, available in Developer Preview
Using the Google Chat API, you can now programmatically create new Spaces and add members to those Spaces. This functionality is available in preview – developers can apply for access through our Google Workspace Developer Preview Program. | Learn more.


Require email verification to book appointments in Google Calendar
When using appointment scheduling in Google Calendar, you can now opt to have users verify their email before booking an appointment. When enabled, the user must be signed into a Google account or validate their email address using a PIN code to complete the booking. | Learn more.

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 customers.


New delegated VirusTotal privilege in the Alert Center
In 2021, we announced an integration between the Alert Center and VirusTotal. At that time, any admin who had the Alert Center privilege could access all VirusTotal reports. Now, we’ve added the ability for admins to control who can view VirusTotal reports. | Learn more.

Available for Google Workspace Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Standard and Education Plus.


Set up SSO profiles for multiple third-party identity providers with the Multi-IdP SSO beta launch
You can further customize authentication by setting up single sign-on (SSO) profiles for multiple identity providers and then configuring authentication for each group or OU. This feature is available beginning today as an open beta, which means you can use it without enrolling in a specific beta program. | Learn more.


For a recap of announcements in the past six months, check out What’s new in Google Workspace (recent releases).

Create Spaces and Add Members with the Google Chat API, available in Developer Preview

What’s changing

Using the Google Chat API, you can now programmatically create new Spaces and add members to those Spaces. This functionality is available in preview – developers can apply for access through our Google Workspace Developer Preview Program.

Google Workspace administrators can also use the API controls in Admin Console if they would also like to restrict access to Google Chat data.


Who’s impacted

Admins and Developers

Why you’d use it 

While it’s easy to create new Spaces and add members directly in Google Chat, there are cases where Spaces can be filled with many topics and side conversations, making it difficult to keep track of important information. Using the new API functionality, you can set up new spaces that focus on a specific topic, team, or project. For example, an on-call app can automatically create a space when an outage has been detected.

Getting started


Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers


Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – May 6, 2022

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 legacy Google Workspace and G Suite customers.


Space descriptions and guidelines in Google Chat rolling out now
Earlier this year, we announced the ability for space managers to add descriptions and guidelines for their spaces. This feature is now available on mobile and will be gradually rolling out for web. | Learn more here and here.


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.


Use new table templates and dropdown chips in Google Docs to create highly collaborative documents
We’re introducing two new enhancements for our flexible, smart canvas for collaboration: dropdown chips and table templates in Google Docs. | Learn more. 


Share your video feed when using Companion mode in Google Meet
When using Companion mode in Google Meet, you can now turn your camera on and share your video feed with all other participants. | Learn more.


Set recurring task end options directly in Google Tasks
You can set the end option for a recurring task (never, on a certain date, or after X occurrences) directly in Google Tasks. | Learn more.


Space managers can now delete messages in Google Chat
This feature will allow Space managers to easily moderate their spaces and remove any content that is irrelevant or inappropriate in the space. | Learn more.


For a recap of announcements in the past six months, check out What’s new in Google Workspace (recent releases).

Space managers can now delete messages in Google Chat

Quick summary 

In Google Chat, Space managers can now delete messages from other users in a threaded spaces. This feature will allow Space managers to easily moderate their spaces and remove any content that is irrelevant or inappropriate in the space. 



Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn more about optimizing Chat spaces for your organization. 
  • End users: Hover over a message and select the “Delete the message” option. 

Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, and the Teaching and Learning Upgrade 
  • Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Frontline, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers 

Resources