Tag Archives: Google Forms

Adding granular control options for who can respond to Google Forms

What’s changing

Last year, we ​​introduced a beta that gives Google Forms creators more granular control over who can respond to their forms via sharing settings. 

Previously, form creators had two sharing options: restrict responses to users within their domain (and trusted domains) or make forms public (i.e. anyone with the URL can respond). 

With this new option, now generally available, form creators can limit response access to specific users, groups, or target audiences—similar to how file owners can restrict the sharing of Google Docs, Sheets, Slides or Sites in Drive. 

Adding granular control options for who can respond to Google Forms




Who’s impacted 

Admins, end users and developers 


Why you’d use it 

This feature is useful in any scenario where you’d like to control who can respond to a form. For example, business leaders can better collect feedback from specific organizational units and prevent the form from being responded to by other teams or organization units. Similarly, teachers can use this to ensure a quiz is only accessible to select students who receive the link.


Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
  • End users: 
    • Form creators must publish their form to enable responders to view the form or submit a response. 
    • Form creators can see who has access to the form and share response access to specific users, groups, or target audiences. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about publishing & sharing your form with responders.

Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google Accounts 
    • Note: The target audiences feature mentioned above is only available for the Google Drive and Docs and Google Chat services. Supported editions for this feature on Drive, Docs & Chat include: Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Standard, Education Plus, Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus. Supported editions for this feature on Drive & Docs only include: Business Standard, Nonprofits and G Suite Business. 

Resources 

Ask responders for a rating in Google Forms

What’s changing

To add to the list of question types that users can respond to in Google Forms and enable the collection of feedback in a more engaging way, we’re introducing a rating question type. 


This new question type enables you to customize rating questions by setting a rating scale level and include rating icons, such as stars or hearts, to offer a more intuitive way to gather opinions from an audience. 


With this update, you'll be able to analyze responses to these questions (e.g. average rating of responses and visual distributions of ratings) using the summary tab of the responses section. 

rating question in Google Forms

Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
  • End users: 
    • Go to “create a new form” at forms.google.com or an existing form and add a new “Rating” question from the dropdown of different question types. 
    • Add the scale for the rating question, such as 1-5, and choose between the different icons supported: stars, hearts and thumbs up. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about asking responders to provide a rating on a scale. 

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts 

Resources 

View and structure Google Form data as a table in Google Sheets

What’s changing

We're introducing a new feature that enables users to more easily view and structure their Google Form data in Sheets. 

Starting today, when a user initiates the creation of a new sheet using their Forms data, Sheets will automatically open the data as a table, bringing format and structure to your data. If a user opens a pre-existing sheet connected to a Form, there will be no change and the user will need to convert the data to a table by going to Format > Convert to table. 

View and structure Google Form data as a table in Google Sheets


Getting started

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
  • End users: 
    • For pre-existing spreadsheets connected to Form data, you can convert the data to a table manually by selecting the data range and going to Format > Convert to table. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about using tables in Google Sheets. 

Rollout pace 

  • Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on August 15, 2024 
  • Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on September 5, 2024 

Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts 

Resources 

Adding Data Loss Prevention (DLP) to form content in Google Forms

What’s changing

We’re continually investing in data protection capabilities for Google Forms. We’ve already enabled data loss prevention (DLP) for Google Drive policies that apply to files submitted in external Forms, including Forms from external organizations. To expand on this, today we’re announcing that DLP policies for form content in Google Forms is now generally available. 


With DLP, Forms with sensitive content can be blocked from being viewed or responded to by external individuals. Based on DLP rules configured by the admin, this feature checks form content including questions, form title and description and answer options provided in the form, and prevents sensitive content from being shared externally; it does not check form responses provided by end users that are submitted to external forms. 

DLP in Forms
This screenshot of a Google Form includes mentions of “Project X”. DLP rules are configured to detect and prevent sharing of Forms with responders outside the organization with any mentions of “Project X”, the sensitive content in this form.


Additional details 

If you do not want DLP rules applied to users in your domain, you can exclude certain groups or organizational units from DLP checks. You can also exclude DLP rules for forms by using nested condition operators in DLP for Drive rules. To do so, add a ‘AND NOT’ conditional operator with a custom detector for “vnd\.google\-apps\.form” as a regex. In scenarios where you only want to apply DLP for forms, add a custom detector for “vnd\.google\-apps\.form” as a regex. Visit this Help Center to learn more about using Workspace DLP to prevent data loss. 


Getting started 

  • Admins: 
    • Data loss prevention rules scoped to Drive files defined for your domain will be applied automatically to Forms.
    • If you are not using DLP for Google Drive, you can create DLP rules at the domain, OU, or group level in the Admin console under Security > Data protection. You can apply block, warn or audit actions, consistent with DLP for Drive. If you apply the block action, users external to the domain will not be able to view or respond to forms with sensitive content. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning data loss prevention in Google Forms on for your organization. 
  • End users: End users can respond to forms as usual to forms that do not violate DLP rules, but if a form violates Drive DLP rules for their domain, form editors may see warnings and form responders external to the domain may be blocked from viewing or responding to the form. 

Rollout pace 

Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 
  • Enterprise Standard, Plus 
  • Enterprise Essentials Plus 
  • Education Fundamentals, Standard, Plus, the Teaching & Learning Upgrade 
  • Frontline Standard 
  • Cloud Identity Premium 

Resources 

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – June 21, 2024

3 New updates

Unless otherwise indicated, the features below are available to all Google Workspace customers, and are fully launched or in the process of rolling out. Rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete if 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.


Now generally available: Build AppSheet automations using Google Forms 
AppSheet helps users automate manual workflows by integrating with data sources like Google Drive, Chat and Sheets, and earlier this year we announced its integration with Google Forms in beta. This week, we’re excited to announce this is now generally available. | Roll out to Rapid Release domains and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available to Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Enterprise Essentials Plus, Education Standard, Education Plus and the Teaching & Learning Upgrade, Frontline Starter, Frontline Standard, AppSheet Starter, AppSheet Core, AppSheet Enterprise Standard, and AppSheet Enterprise Plus customers only. | Learn more about AppSheet's integration with Google Forms and building your first app and automation using Google Forms. 


The ability to add and remove Google Groups as space members using the Google Chat API is now generally available 
Last year, we announced the ability to create spaces, memberships, group chats, and more using the Google Chat API. This week, we’re excited to introduce the option for developers to add and remove Google Groups as space members using the Google Chat API. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release domains and Scheduled Release domains. | Available to all Google Workspace customers. | Learn more about accessing Chat APIs through the Google Chat API. 


Comments and action items in client-side encrypted Google Docs is now generally available 
You can now collaborate with others on client-side encrypted Google Docs to add, edit, reply, filter, or delete comments. You can also assign action items to yourself or others. This functionality was previously available in open beta — see our original announcement for complete details. | Rolling out to Rapid Release domains now; launch to Scheduled Release domains planned for July 2, 2024. | Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Standard and Education Plus customers. | Learn more about working with encrypted files in Drive, Docs, Sheets & Slides.


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.


Insert images into practice sets in Google Classroom 
Teachers can now import images, like graphs, charts or photos, into practice sets using files from Google Drive or directly from their computer. | Learn more about inserting images into practice sets. 

Help your students learn to read with Read Along in Classroom 
We’re introducing Read Along in Google Classroom, a new feature that helps students build their independent reading skills by enabling teachers to assign differentiated reading activities, based on Lexile® measure, grade level, or phonics skills. | Learn more about Read Along in Google Classroom. 

External users can now securely collaborate on client-side encrypted files 
We’re expanding visitor sharing, a feature that provides secure, pincode-based collaboration over sensitive data with people, to include client-side encrypted files. This allows users to securely collaborate with external partners on sensitive Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides files, while maintaining the confidentiality of the information with the granular control of encryption keys, identity verification and user permissions. | Learn more about visitor sharing. 

Create interactive YouTube assignments in Google Classroom more quickly and efficiently, with the help of AI 
We’re introducing AI-suggested questions that educators can easily attach to a video based on its content when creating interactive YouTube assignments in Google Classroom. | Learn more about YouTube assignments in Classroom.

Google Meet adds 52 new languages to translated captions and 11 more languages for closed captions 
For all Google Workspace customers and users with personal accounts, we’ve expanded support for closed captioning. In addition, for Gemini for Google Workspace customers, we are adding 52 languages to translated captions with full language support. | Learn more about translated captions and closed captions. 

Improved syncing experience between Google Calendar and third-party calendars 
We’re pleased to introduce an improved email notification experience for those who are using third-party calendar services—like Outlook—to collaborate with Google Calendar users. | Learn more about the improved syncing experience on Calendar.

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: 
Scheduled Release Domains: 
Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains: 

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

Available in open beta: Build AppSheet automations using Google Forms

This announcement was part of Google Cloud Next ‘24. Visit the Workspace Blog to learn more about the next wave of innovations in Workspace, including enhancements to Gemini for Google Workspace.


What’s changing

AppSheet helps users automate manual workflows by integrating with data sources like Google Drive and Sheets, and today we’re excited to announce its integration with another data collection tool in Workspace: Google Forms.


Many companies rely on the data collected via form submissions when they are performing tasks for ticketing or incident reporting. However, prior to today you could only view information from form submissions via email, spreadsheet or in the Forms app itself. 


With this update, Google Forms submissions can act as event triggers within AppSheet Automations. These automations can then take many different actions, such as sending notifications or approval requests to Gmail or Google Chat, or even calling a custom Apps Script function. 
Build AppSheet automations using Google Forms is now available in beta


Who’s impacted 

Admins, end users and developers 


Why you’d use it 

This integration enables users to receive actionable notifications based on responses to Google Forms.


Getting started 

  • Admins: 
    • AppSheet admins can use AppSheet’s Policy Engine to control access to this feature by App Creators in their organization. Visit the Help Center to learn more about policy enforcement in AppSheet policies and specific guidance on preventing app creators from using Google Forms
    • This feature is available as an open beta, which means AppSheet app creators can use it without enrolling in a specific beta program. 
  • Developers and end users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about building automations using Google Forms. 

Rollout pace 


Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 
  • Business Starter, Standard, Plus 
  • Enterprise Standard, Plus 
  • Enterprise Essentials Plus 
  • Education Fundamentals, Standard, Plus and the Teaching & Learning Upgrade 
  • Frontline Starter, Standard 
  • AppSheet Starter, Core, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus 

Resources 

New beta to add granular control options for who can respond to Google Forms

What’s changing

We’re introducing a beta that gives Google Forms creators more granular control over who can respond to their forms via sharing settings. 

Previously, forms creators had two sharing options: restrict responses to users within their domain (and trusted domains) or make forms public (i.e. anyone with the URL can respond). With this new option, form creators can limit response access to specific users, groups, or target audiences—similar to how file owners can restrict the sharing of Google Docs, Sheets, Slides or Sites in Drive. 
New beta to add granular control options for who can respond to Google Forms


Who’s impacted 

Admins, end users and developers 


Why you’d use it 

This feature is useful in any scenario where you’d like to control who can respond to a form. For example, teachers can use this to ensure a quiz is only accessible to select students who receive the link. Similarly, business leaders can better collect feedback from specific organizational units and prevent the form from collecting email addresses or from being forwarded. 


Getting started 

  • Admins: For a limited time, you can sign your organization up for the beta using this form. Upon signing up, users within the Google group signed up for the beta should see the new feature within 2-3 weeks. 
  • End users: All new forms created by users who are allowlisted will be enabled into this feature. Form creators must publish their form to enable responders to view the form or submit a response. Form creators can see who has access to the form and share response access to specific users, groups, or target audiences. Visit the Help Center to learn more about creating a form in Google Forms
    • Users with personal Google Accounts or Workspace Individual subscribers can sign up using this form. 

Availability 

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google Accounts 
    • Note: The target audiences feature mentioned above is only available for the Google Drive and Docs and Google Chat services. Supported editions for this feature on Drive, Docs & Chat include: Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Standard, Education Plus, Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus. Supported editions for this feature on Drive & Docs only include: Business Standard, Nonprofits and G Suite Business. 

Resources 

Expanding branding and customization capabilities in Google Slides and Google Forms

What’s changing

You can now more easily and quickly create with high-quality, pre-designed branded templates and themes in Google Slides and Forms. 

Once an admin distributes branded materials to users in their domain, they will have access to: 
  • A domain template with a variety of branded slides, layouts, images, colors and fonts that will appear when creating a new presentation in Slides. 
  • A domain theme including fonts, branded colors and a header image that you can use when creating a new form or editing an existing form in Forms. 
Domain template in Slides
Domain template in Slides

Domain theme in Forms
Domain theme in Forms

Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why you’d use it 

These features enhance brand consistency across an organization. 


Additional details 

Admins have the ability to assign a domain template to all users in the organization, or specify particular templates for certain workgroups. 


Getting started 

Rollout pace 


Availability 

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

Resources 

More granular control for Google Forms

What’s changing 

We’re introducing a new toggle in the Admin console that adds controls for who can access Google Forms features and services. When disabled, end users cannot create, edit or respond to Google Forms. 
More granular control for Google Forms

Getting started 

  • Admins: 
    • Forms will be ON by default and can be disabled at the domain, OU, and group level by navigating to Apps > Google Workspace > Drive and Docs > Google Forms. This setting will not take effect if the entire Drive and Docs Service is turned OFF. 
      • The entire Drive and Docs Service is the setting in the Admin console that turns OFF Drive, Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Forms. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning Google Forms on or off for users
  • End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. If disabled by your admin, you cannot create, edit, or respond to Google Forms. 

Rollout pace 

Availability 

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers 

Resources 

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – June 23, 2023

2 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 customers.



Adding flexibility to email collection in Google Forms 
Previously, when creating or modifying a Google Form and editing the “Responses” section, form creators only had the option to toggle the "Collect email addresses" option on or off. If enabled, this meant when users filled out the form, their email was automatically collected with their form submission. To add flexibility, we’ve introduced the ability to choose between the following email collection options:
  • Verified email collection (previously known as automatic email collection)
  • Responder input (previously known as manual email collection)
  • Do not collect
The verified collection option will now require a user to click a checkbox to confirm which email address is being collected upon submission. | Learn more about viewing & managing form responses

Adding flexibility to email collection in Google Forms
Gain consensus from collaborators quickly with voting chips in Google Docs 
You can now add smart chips that contain emojis to use as voting indicators in Google Docs. This feature helps teams express themselves while they’re collaborating in Docs by allowing you to rank or compare ideas. | Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus customers and Nonprofits only. | Learn more about inserting smart chips & building blocks in your Google Doc
Voting chips in Google Docs


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.


Launching in beta: programmatically write working locations with the Calendar API 
Available now in beta through our Developer Preview Program, you can write a user’s working location using the Calendar API. | 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 only. | Learn more about writing working locations with the Calendar API

Enhancing Google Vault file retention capabilities using Google Drive Labels 
Google Vault now supports custom retention rules based on Drive labels. | Available to Google Workspace Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Standard, and Education Plus customers only. | Learn more about Vault file retention using Google Drive Labels

Respond to access requests for Google Workspace files more efficiently 
Users can now review and respond to requests from within the file. Approvers will see a notification dot on the “Share” button if they have a pending access request and a new banner at the top of the sharing dialog. | Learn more about responding to access requests

Monitor additional Google Meet hardware issues in the Admin console 
You can now use the Admin console to detect and monitor additional Meet hardware issues, such as: missing display, missing controller, missing default camera, missing default microphone, missing default speaker, and missing default whiteboard camera. | Learn more about monitoring Google Meet hardware issues

Use companion mode to check-in to a Google Meet conference room, so everyone can know you by name
If you’re joining a meeting from a conference room, you can use companion mode on your personal device to check in to that specific room. Room check-in allows everyone on the call to easily identify who is in the conference room, rather than simply seeing the conference room name. | Learn more about companion mode check-in with Google Meet.


Completed rollouts

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

Scheduled Release Domains:
Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains:


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