Google Workspace Updates

Grant access to Drive files directly from Gmail

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Quick launch summary
We’re making it easier to manage access requests to Drive files by sending dynamic emails which allow you to respond to the request without leaving Gmail.
When someone requests access to a Drive file, you’ll receive an email with the access request. Now, Gmail users will be able to manage that request directly from that email, without leaving the message. Specifically, you’ll receive a dynamic email that lets you review the request, choose the access level (e.g. edit, comment, or view), and grant access directly from the email.
Previously, you had to open the document in a new tab or app to manage the access request. The dynamic email will make it quicker and simpler to manage these requests and control access to your files. It will work for Gmail users on the web, on Android, and on iOS.
Note that the 'from' address for access request emails is changing with this launch. They will now come from drive-shares-dm-noreply@google.com.

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be ON by default if dynamic email is available for your users. Use our Help Center to learn more about dynamic email and how to turn it on or off for your users.
End users: This feature will be ON by default for users with dynamic email turned on. Use the Help Center to learn more about how to turn dynamic email on or off for your account.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on October 20, 2020

Availability

Available to Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education, Enterprise for Education, and Nonprofits customers, and users with personal Google Accounts

Resources

Use Smart Fill to help automate data entry in Google Sheets

Thursday, October 15, 2020

What’s changing We’re launching Smart Fill for Google Sheets, which detects and learns patterns between columns to intelligently autocomplete data entry.

For example, if you have a column of full names, you may want to split it into a column with first names and a column with last names. As you start typing first names into a column, Sheets will automatically look for patterns. If Sheets detects a pattern, it will generate the corresponding formula, and then autocomplete the rest of the column for you.

We previously announced that Smart Fill for Sheets was coming soon. See more details below.

Who’s impacted End users

Why it’s important We hope that Smart Fill will make it easier to prepare and use data in Sheets. Similar to how Smart Compose in Gmail helps you write faster with fewer mistakes, Smart Fill makes data entry quicker and less prone to error.

We also recently launched Sheets Smart Cleanup, which uses similar intelligence to help prepare and analyze data in Sheets. By adding new, intelligent features to help automate data preparation and analysis, we hope to empower all users to harness the power of data and quickly make data-backed decisions.

Additional details In addition to using data that’s in a sheet, Smart Fill can also use data from Google’s Knowledge Graph. For example, it can use public data to autocomplete a list of countries where a list of cities are located.

For Enterprise Plus customers, it can also use information from your company’s people Directory to autocomplete data. For example, it can use organization-only data to fill in email addresses for company employees.

Getting started

Admins: Smart Fill will be ON by default for users. There is no admin control for this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn how to manage information in your company’s directory.
End users: This feature will be ON by default. Visit the Help Center to learn how to use Smart Fill or turn it off for your account.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on October 15, 2020
Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on November 5, 2020

Availability

Smartfill is available to Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education, Enterprise for Education, and Nonprofits customers, and users with personal Google Accounts
Smartfill integration with people directory is only available to Enterprise Plus customers.

Resources

Roadmap

This feature was listed as an upcoming release.

Enhancing Google Workspace Add-ons in Gmail with Compose-time functions

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Quick launch summary We’re enhancing the way you work with Google Workspace Add-ons in Gmail with the addition of Compose-time functions. Compose-time functions can help modify and format your messages in Gmail faster by:

Adding recipients in the “To”, “CC”, and “BCC” fields.
Inserting content into the subject line and body of the email.
Inserting message templates for a consistent look and feel for your communications, and more.

Organizations can also create their own compose-time add-ons using Apps Script or alternative runtimes. Use the Google Workspace Developer Guide to learn more about building compose actions.
Getting started

Admins: In the Admin Console, you can specify which applications your users can install from the Google Workspace Marketplace. You can also install chosen Google Workspace Add-ons for your entire domain via the listing in the Google Workspace Marketplace.
End users: If allowed by your admin, you’ll be able to install Google Workspace Add-ons using the “+” button in the Google Workspace quick access side panel. The add-ons you install will appear in the side panel across Google Workplace apps.

Rollout pace

Compose time add-ons are available now in the Google Workspace Marketplace.

Availability

Available to Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education, Enterprise for Education, and Nonprofits customers (when enabled by admins) and users with personal accounts.

Resources

Changes to Google Chat migration timeline

Thursday, October 15, 2020

just announcedtimeline Google Workspace and G Suite for Education customers have to migrate from classic Hangouts to Google Chat

In June, we introduced the Chat preferred setting in the Admin console to allow any admin to opt in to migrate all end users to Chat. We also made Chat preferred configurable at the organizational unit level.

In 2021, we will start migrating all remaining customers with “Chat and classic Hangouts" and "classic Hangouts only" settings selected to Chat. Here’s what you can expect:

Opt-out upgrade (no earlier than Q2 2021): All customers will be migrated to Chat Preferred unless their admins explicitly opt out. Customers who only have enabled Chat, with classic Hangouts completely disabled, will not be impacted.
Mandatory upgrade (late 2021): All remaining customers will be migrated to Chat Preferred, and we will fully replace classic Hangouts with Chat. There will be no option to opt out at this stage.

We will provide advance notice (4 weeks minimum) on the Google Workspace Updates blog before each phase begins. Stay tuned for more information.
Getting started

Admins: No action is needed at this time. Check out the Help Center for more information on transitioning your users to Chat.
End users: There is no end-user action for these changes.

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Google Chat upgrade timeline
Keyword: The latest with Google Hangouts and what to expect with the future upgrade to Google Chat

Use the Count API to estimate Vault API export sizes

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Quick launch summary We’re adding a Count API to the Vault API. The Count API enables you to see the number of messages, files, or other data items that match a search query.

You can use the number of items to estimate the size of the export, and then choose to proceed with the export or adjust the query to retrieve fewer items. This can help ensure a successful export by reducing the likelihood of export errors due to size.

Getting started

Admins: Visit the API documentation to learn more about the Count API and review an example.
End users: No end user impact.

Rollout pace

Rapid and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on October 15, 2020

Availability

Available to Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Enterprise for Education, as well as other customers with the Vault add-on license
Not available to Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Education, and Nonprofits customers

Resources

Roadmap

This feature was listed as an upcoming release.

New default video playback option in Google Slides

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Quick launch summary We’re updating the default way videos play when you present in Google Slides. Now, the video will start playing when you click to advance the presentation. Previously, the presenter had to specifically click on the video to start playing.
With this launch, there are now three options to control playback:

Play (on click) - Video will play when you advance the slide. (This is the new default option.)
Play (automatically) - Video will play without you clicking to advance.
Play (manual) - Video will play when you click specifically on the embedded video in the slide while presenting. (This was previously the default.)

The new play on click option works the same way as any other animation or slide transition. When you’re presenting a slide with an embedded video, advance the slide by pressing a key, clicking a mouse, or using a remote clicker, and the video will start playing. You can adjust the sequence the video plays in the animations sidebar, so you can coordinate playback with other animations on the slide.

Note that this change in default behavior will only apply to videos inserted after the launch takes place. Videos already in presentations will not change playback type automatically, but you can change them manually in the format options.

The new default will help make presentations flow better and reduce distractions, so presenters can focus on content rather than where they have to click.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: This feature will be ON by default and can be turned off for any video in video format options. Visit the Help Center to learn more about videos in Slides.

Rollout pace

Availability

Available to Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education, Enterprise for Education, and Nonprofits customers and users with personal accounts

Resources

Google Help: Insert or delete images & videos

Managed Android devices must upgrade to Android Device Policy by October 26, 2021

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

What’s changing Last year, we announced that a new Android management client, Android Device Policy, would replace the legacy Google Apps Device Policy client. We’re now discontinuing the legacy client.

To ensure that devices enrolled by users with advanced management will continue to sync and have access to data, users in your organization must switch to Android Device Policy before October 26, 2021. If users still have Google Device Policy on this date, they won't be able to sync their devices or access data.
To switch to Android Device Policy, users must have an Android 6.0 Marshmallow or later device that supports a work profile. For users with devices that don’t meet these requirements, consider switching to basic mobile device management.

Devices enrolled by users with basic management must move to Android 6.0 Marshmallow or later before October 26, 2021 to continue enforcing a screen lock. If a user's device can't be upgraded to Android 6.0 or later, their device will continue to sync and retain access to data, however it will not be able to enforce a screen lock.

Who’s impacted Admins and end users

Why it’s important The latest Android devices and operating system (OS) versions provide improved security features. Moving to Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or newer can help ensure all devices are protected by the latest security features, and can take advantage of improvements in the Android enterprise experience.

Getting started

Admins: Admins can find devices which may need to take action in the Admin console. Visit our Help Center to learn more about the differences between Android Device Policy and Google Apps Device Policy. Different devices may need to take different steps to upgrade:

Advanced management devices:

Find advanced management devices by going to Admin console > Mobile devices and filtering for Type: Android and Management level: Advanced.
Determine which of these devices are currently managed by the Google Apps Device Policy app and support the Android Device Policy app (i.e. devices with Android 6+ and support for a work profile)
Send these instructions to your users to help them migrate to Android Device Policy.

Basic management devices:

End users: Affected users can visit our Help Center to learn how to transition devices from Google Apps Device Policy to Android Device Policy.

Rollout pace

Rapid and Scheduled Release domains: All devices must complete the upgrade by October 26, 2021. Android Device Policy is available now for all users.

Availability

Available to Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education, Enterprise for Education, and Nonprofits customers
Not available to G Suite Essentials

Resources

Useful Links

Updates

Grant access to Drive files directly from Gmail

Use Smart Fill to help automate data entry in Google Sheets

Enhancing Google Workspace Add-ons in Gmail with Compose-time functions

Changes to Google Chat migration timeline

Use the Count API to estimate Vault API export sizes

New default video playback option in Google Slides

Managed Android devices must upgrade to Android Device Policy by October 26, 2021

Filter by product

Filter by date

Subscribe by email

Subscribe by feed

Localized Google Workspace Updates

Useful Links

Join the official community for Google Workspace administrators

Learn about more Google Workspace launches

View active Google Workspace Beta Programs