Tag Archives: Other

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – March 17, 2023

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.


Introducing new space manager capabilities in Google Chat
Space managers now have additional capabilities to ensure effective conversations take place in spaces: space configuration, member management, and conversation moderation. | Learn more.

External label for Google Meet participants
“External” labels will be available in Google Meet. Users will see a label in the top-left corner of their meeting screen indicating that participants who are external to the meeting host’s domain have joined the meeting. In the people panel, external participants will be denoted with the same icon. | Learn more.

Provide custom Google Meet background images for your users
Admins can now provide a set of images for the background replace feature in Google Meet. This will enable users to easily select an image that properly represents their company's specific brand and style. | Learn more. 

Improving your security with shorter Session Length defaults
To further improve security for our customers, we are changing the default session length to 16 hours for existing Google Cloud customers. Note that this update refers to managing user connections to Google Cloud services (e.g. Google Cloud console), not connections to Google services (e.g. Gmail on the web). | Learn more. 



Completed rollouts

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


Rapid Release Domains:
Scheduled Release Domains:
Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains:

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – March 10, 2023

1 New update

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.


Additional details for the updated Gmail experience on Android foldable devices and tablets 
Last month, we announced an improved Chat, Meet, and Gmail experience on Android foldable devices and tablets. To provide additional details on functionality, Gmail supports a 2-pane view in landscape orientation only. | This is now available. | Learn more. 


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.


Indicate your Google Voice availability with more options
We’re making it easier for you to indicate your availability in Google Voice on web and mobile. Previously, you could only indicate your availability for all of your ring groups. This update gives you greater flexibility to manage your Ring Group availability in Google Voice, without the need to sign-out of Voice or block all incoming calls using “Do Not Disturb”. | Available to Google Voice Standard and Premier customers only. | Learn more. 


Refreshed interface for Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides
In the coming weeks, you’ll notice a new look and feel for Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides on the web. Following the release of Google Material Design 3, the refreshed user interface is purposefully designed to streamline core collaboration journeys across our products. | Learn more. 


New updates for Google Meet on Poly Android-based appliances
We are rolling out updates to Google Meet to support our upcoming launch of Google Meet on Poly Android-based appliances. Within the Google admin console, admins can enroll Poly devices and include reporting of these new appliances. The Google Meet hardware experience will become available in the upcoming Poly OS 4.0 update as part of the Poly Studio X series family. | Learn more.


Managed Android devices must upgrade to Android Device Policy during March 2023
In 2019, we announced that a new Android management client, Android Device Policy, would replace the legacy Google Apps Device Policy client. We’re now in the final stages of this upgrade. All devices with the Google Apps Device Policy will lose access during March 2023 if they have not already upgraded. | Learn more. 


Completed rollouts

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


Managed Android devices must upgrade to Android Device Policy during March 2023

What’s changing 

In 2019, we announced that a new Android management client, Android Device Policy, would replace the legacy Google Apps Device Policy client. We’re now in the final stages of this upgrade. 


All devices with the Google Apps Device Policy will lose access during March 2023 if they have not already upgraded. Existing Google Apps Device Policy app users must switch to Android Device Policy before then to continue syncing work data. Note that, per our last update, the new user registration flow on the legacy Google Apps Device Policy will be blocked and users may see errors during the registration process as of January 2022. Admins can act directly from the alert in the Admin console to identify users who need to upgrade.




Visit the Help Center to learn more about migrating to Android Device Policy and our previous announcement for more information.


Getting started 


Rollout pace

  • Devices on the old agent will lose access during March 2023. 
  • Android Device Policy is available now and all users should upgrade to avoid disruption.  


Availability

  • This change impacts Google Workspace customers who use basic and advanced mobile management.


Resources


New updates for Google Meet on Poly Android-based appliances

What’s changing 

We are rolling out updates to Google Meet to support our upcoming launch of Google Meet on Poly Android-based appliances. Within the Google admin console, admins can enroll Poly devices and include reporting of these new appliances. The Google Meet hardware experience will become available in the upcoming Poly OS 4.0 update as part of the Poly Studio X series family. 


This update will become available over the next few weeks. However customers and admins can try out this experience ahead of the official Poly OS 4.0 launch by downloading the current beta candidate for their Studio X series device. For more information, please reach out to your Poly account team or reseller.


Additional details 

The Google Meet hardware experience will be available on the Poly Studio X series family once they have been updated to Poly OS 4.0. Admins can enroll these devices and manage them as part of the regular Google Admin console experience. The Poly Studio X family offers appliances of all sizes: Studio X30 for small rooms, Studio X50 for medium rooms, and Studio X70 for large rooms. 




This latest update will make it easier for customers currently using the Studio X line to switch to Google Meet from other conferencing platforms. It also offers new customers more choice and flexibility in their hardware options for Google Meet. 


Google Meet on Poly Android appliances require Google Meet hardware licenses; these can be purchased through authorized resellers. Please contact your existing Google Meet hardware or Poly reseller for more details.


Getting started

  • End users: No action required. Once a Studio X Series device has been successfully enrolled, you can join Google Meet meetings normally. 

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Available on Poly X30, X50 and X70 with support for additional Poly devices will be added over time
  • Available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers

Resources


Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – March 3, 2023

3 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.


Improving Filters in Google Sheets
Filters and filter views help you analyze a set of data in a spreadsheet, and to improve upon this widely used feature, we’re introducing two updates. First, there will be a summary of the rows remaining after a filter is applied in Sheets. You will now see the number of rows that are displayed in the bottom right margin, helping you know immediately whether you are looking at the entire data set or just a subset of it. Second, with the new option to directly apply filters from the right-click menu, filters are now more accessible and discoverable. Simply right-click and apply filters directly to your data, remove them, or filter by the current cell value from the same menu. | Rolling out to Rapid Release domains now; launch to Scheduled Release domains planned for March 15th, 2023 | Learn more.
Programmatically manage and apply Google Drive label taxonomy changes
In 2022, we announced a highly requested update that allows admins and developers to programmatically manage labels at scale through Google Drive APIs. As a follow up, the Drive Labels API now supports taxonomy management, enabling admins and developers to programmatically add, modify, delete, and publish label taxonomy changes. | This is now available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, Education Standard, and Nonprofits customers only. | Learn more. 


Expanding noise cancellation to phone participants
For select Google Workspace editions, participants who dial in by phone will have background noise removed from their audio. This helps ensure phone participants are easier to hear and understand during meetings, while removing any potential disturbing sound from the meeting. | This is now available to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Frontline customers only. | Learn more.  



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.


Save time with suggested work locations in Google Calendar
We added an update that helps you easily define your work location much quicker with suggested working locations based on your recent locations. | Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, Teaching & Learning Upgrade, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Business customers only. | Learn more.


All newly created spaces in Google Chat will be in-line threaded beginning March 13, 2023
As previously announced, we’re streamlining the way you organize conversations in Google Chat. Starting March 13, 2023, all newly created spaces in Google Chat will be in-line threaded. Users will no longer have the option to organize them by conversation topic, where related messages and replies were grouped together in the main conversation window. Existing spaces organized by conversation topic will continue to function as they do today. | Learn more. 


Expanding noise cancellation in Google Meet to more devices
Beginning today, noise cancellation is available for users with personal Google Accounts on a wider variety of Android mobile devices, and for Google Workspace Business Starter, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard customers. It is also enabled by default for third-party devices that connect to Meet using Pexip. | Learn more. 


Client-side encryption for Gmail is now generally available
Beginning today, client-side encryption for Gmail is now generally available for Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers. For customers currently enrolled in the beta, your experience will not change. | Learn more.


Google Keep notes now available on home screen of Android devices
In addition to dual pane view, drag out, and a number of other features supporting the mission to provide a top-class user experience on Android devices when using Google Keep, we’re introducing the Keep single note widget. With this new feature, you can “pin” a note or list to your home screen and edit them in the Keep app with a single tap. | Learn more.  


Completed rollouts

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


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).

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – February 24, 202

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.


View your peripheral devices directly in the Google Meet green room
Before joining a Google Meet meeting, you’ll be able to instantly check which of your peripheral devices are available and connected. You can still view your peripheral devices via the settings menu, but this update makes it easier to select equipment or identify potential issues. | This is now available. | Learn more.
Improvements to sales and customer service integrations in Google Chat
Third-party sales tool Salesforce and customer service tool Zendesk are now better integrated with Google Chat, using the updated Salesforce and Zendesk Chat apps. The Salesforce Chat app now allows you to more easily search and share Salesforce records into the Chat stream. The Zendesk Chat app provides improved notifications of updates to Zendesk tickets into Chat, including the ability to update and reassign tickets. Installing these apps provides simpler access to your sales and customer service workflows directly in Chat. | This is now available. | Learn more. 
2-pane view on foldable Android devices now available for Meet, Gmail, and Chat
As part of our mission to provide a top-class user experience on large screen devices, Android foldable-device users have been able to access a 2-pane view for Google Meet and Gmail. We’re excited to announce this also includes the Chat tab in the Gmail app. | This is now available. 
Optimized zoom experience for Google Sheets on Android devices
In continuing our efforts to enhance the Google Workspace experience on Android devices, we’re introducing an improved zoom scale experience when using Google Sheets on Android devices. Upon opening the Sheets app, zoom scales are now different based on your device type. | Rolling out to Rapid Release domains now; launch to Scheduled Release domains planned for mid March, 2023.

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.


Introducing Trusted Types in Google Workspace
We’re improving the client-side security of Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Sites, Jamboard, Drawings, and Drive with Trusted Types. This will provide an extra layer of protection around Document Object Model (DOM) APIs that are used by the apps listed above or third-party extensions. | Learn more. 


Introducing new smart canvas features in Google Sheets and Google Docs
We’re introducing even more smart chips and a new way to display dates across Google Sheets that will make it easier for you to quickly preview and interact with dates, locations, and financial information. We’re also adding a stopwatch chip to Google Docs that can track how long it takes to complete an activity, helping you stay on task and on time. | Learn more. 

Completed rollouts

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

Introducing Trusted Types in Google Workspace

What’s changing

We’re improving the client-side security of Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Sites, Jamboard, Drawings, and Drive with Trusted Types. This will provide an extra layer of protection around Document Object Model (DOM) APIs that are used by the apps listed above or third-party extensions. 

This new enforcement mode will require third-party extensions to use typed objects instead of strings when assigning values to DOM APIs, and will begin rolling out on March 23, 2023. Once Trusted Types are fully enforced, the Trusted Types directive will be present in the Content Security Policy (CSP) header: 

Who’s impacted

Developers (relying on any Chrome extensions that modify DOM APIs.) 


Why it’s important

Trusted Types is a feature that further enhances our advanced data protection controls to keep users and data safe across more of the apps they use everyday. 


Additional details 

Screen readers, braille devices, and screen magnification will not change with Trusted Types. However, we recommend admins and developers check third party extensions for Trusted Types violations. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Accessibility for Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, & Drawings. 


Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
  • Developers: 
    • To make code Trusted Types compliant, signal to the browser that data being used within the context of these DOM APIs is trustworthy by creating a Trusted Type special object. 
    • There are several ways to be Trusted Types compliant, such as removing the offending code, using a library, or creating a Trusted Types policy. To ensure a seamless experience for users, these techniques can be employed before Trusted Types enforcement is rolled out. 
    • Visit the Chrome DevTools engineering blog to learn more about implementing CSP and Trusted Types debugging in Chrome DevTools. 
  • End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. 

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 

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – February 17, 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 and G Suite customers.


360 degree video backgrounds available for Google Meet on mobile
Adding to our existing library of immersive backgrounds, Meet users on mobile can use several new 360 degree video backgrounds. These backgrounds—which include a beach and a temple—use your device's gyroscope to create a dynamic experience that moves with you. Note that Admins can turn backgrounds on or off for their users. | Available on Android and iOS devices for all Google Workspace users and users with personal Google Accounts. 
Editable widgets now available for Chat app cards 
Developers can now include interactive widgets like checkboxes, radio buttons, and dropdowns in Chat app cards that are posted in the Chat message stream. This will allow you to quickly modify information sent from Chat apps, such as: 
  • Changing the assignee on a task card or changing the due date on a task card
  • Selecting or deselecting options on a card
This feature is available now to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Frontline, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers only.



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.


New setting for content managers to modify shared drives now on by default
Last December, we announced an upcoming shared drive setting for content managers to modify shared drives. Starting today, all content managers will have the ability to share folders by default, in addition to their current capabilities of editing, reorganizing, and deleting shared drive content. | Available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Business customers only. | Learn more. 


Client-side encryption for Google Calendar is now generally available
Client-side encryption for Google Calendar is now generally available to eligible Workspace editions. Additionally, based on feedback from beta, we’ve extended client-side encryption to support Key Migration and Google Takeout. | Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers only. | Learn more.


Improving accessibility of the “connect device” feature on Google Meet hardware devices
We’re updating the home screen on Series On Desk 27 and Board 65 devices to feature a “Connect device” button as a quick action. | Learn more. 


Google Calendar and Assistant Reminders will migrate to Google Tasks soon
As previously announced, in the coming months, we’ll migrate Reminders from Google Calendar and Google Assistant to Google Tasks to create a single experience for managing to-dos across Google. | Learn more.


Improving the Google Contact management experience
We’re introducing a new feature available in the Google Contacts sidebar that lets you create new contacts and edit existing contacts. Whether you want to edit contacts faster or create contacts more easily, this update streamlines the contact management experience. | Learn more. 


Control the visibility of warning banners in Gmail with a new admin control
We’re giving admins more control over whether warning banners for incoming email messages are displayed for their end users. Specifically, admins can choose to disable spam filters and hide warning banners for: All users and a specific allowlist of senders. | Learn more. 


Completed rollouts

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


Rapid Release Domains:
Scheduled Release Domains:
Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains:

Google Calendar and Assistant Reminders will migrate to Google Tasks soon

What’s changing

As previously announced, in the coming months, we’ll migrate Reminders from Google Calendar and Google Assistant to Google Tasks to create a single experience for managing to-dos across Google. 

Users can create tasks from Calendar and using the hands-free power of Assistant, similar to how they previously created Reminders. Additionally, unlike with Reminders, they can create tasks from other Google Workspace apps like Gmail, Docs and Chat, or directly from the Tasks app.

If you’re a Google Workspace customer with the Tasks service ON in your organization, your end users can voluntarily migrate beginning April 12, 2023. This migration prompt will appear for users with personal accounts starting on March 6, 2023.

Enterprise end users will be prompted to migrate their experience beginning April 12, 2023. 



For Google Workspace customers: Starting on May 22, 2023, Assistant and Calendar Reminders will begin to automatically migrate to Tasks for users that have not already migrated. To help ensure a smooth transition, we recommend the following steps:

Admins:

If you use a Google account for work or school:
  • You’ll see a prompt in Assistant and Calendar to move reminders created in these apps to Tasks beginning on April 12, 2023.
  • 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 Google with a personal account:
  • You’ll see a prompt in Assistant and Calendar to move reminders created in these apps to Tasks beginning on March 6, 2023.
  • If you haven’t already migrated, Assistant and Calendar reminders will begin to automatically migrate in Q2. We’ll share more information on this timeline in a future update on the Workspace Updates blog.

Why it’s important

Once the migration is complete, you’ll be able to view and manage all of your to-dos in one place: Tasks. You’ll be able to leverage features in Tasks such as organizing to-dos with multiple lists and adding descriptions for extra organization. Tasks can be accessed on the web in Google Workspace apps like Gmail, Calendar, Docs and Chat, making it easy to create tasks without the need to switch tabs or apps. If you use Assistant, you’ll also be able to create Tasks directly from Assistant.


Additional details

Reminders created in Keep will not be migrated to Tasks — they will still be available in Keep, but they will no longer be displayed in Google Calendar once the migration is complete.


Rollout pace 


Google Workspace users:
  • Voluntary migration: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) beginning April 12, 2023
  • Automatic migration: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) beginning May 22, 2023


Users with personal Google Accounts: 
  • Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) beginning March 6, 2023

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – February 10, 2023

3 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.


Increasing visibility into unmovable items in Google Drive
Following the recent announcement of a new beta to move folders from My Drive to shared drive, we’re launching the ability for admins to generate a CSV report with more details about unmovable items. With greater visibility into which files are impacted and unmovable, admins can then take necessary action such as request to transfer content ownership, make file copies, move content around, and more. | Available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Nonprofits, and legacy G Suite Business customers only. | Rolling out to Rapid Release domains now; launch to Scheduled Release domains planned for February 20, 2023. | Learn more.

Changing the POWER function in Google Sheets
The POWER function, which returns a number raised to a power, will now return a real-valued root when trying to take the odd root of a negative number. | This feature is available now for all users. | Learn more. 
New free-hand PDF annotation support in the Google Drive app on Android
You can now use your finger or a stylus to freely write annotations on a file shown in the Drive preview screen on Android devices. These annotations can be saved to the file if it is a PDF, or a PDF copy of the file can be made with the annotations saved to it. | Learn more.


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.


Expanding SIP Link for Google Voice to Latin America
Beginning today, we’re launching Voice to the following countries in Latin America by expanding SIP Link availability: Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Brazil, and Mexico | Customers in Latin American Countries will need to purchase SIP Link Standard or SIP Link Premier licenses to set up SIP Link. Customers in all other supported countries will need to purchase Voice Standard or Voice Premier licenses to set up SIP Link. | Learn more. 

Expanding the power of Google Sheets with localized formatting and improved CSV imports
We’re introducing updates to improve the overall Google Sheets experience for users around the world. First, Sheets will now automatically use regional-specific decimal separators based on your spreadsheet's locale. Second, we’re making it easier to import CSV files into Sheets. | Learn more.  

Include captions with a Google Meet video recording
If you’re using captions in Google Meet, you now have the option to include those captions in a meeting recording. | Available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade customers only. | Learn more. 


Completed rollouts

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