Google Workspace Changes

Admins can now convert client-side encrypted Google Sheets into Microsoft Excel files after Vault or Takeout exports.

Client-side encryption now offers full support for converting decrypted Google Sheets into Microsoft Excel files after an export using Google Vault or the data export tool (Takeout). This new conversion tool allows customers to maintain ownership, access, and perform analysis of sensitive data by enabling administrators to convert previously client-side encrypted content into a more widely compatible format.

NotebookLM now allows educators and students to create interactive flashcards, quizzes, and personalized reports from their documents.

NotebookLM has introduced new capabilities for educators and students, enabling them to transform their documents into interactive flashcards and quizzes, facilitating personalized study sessions generated rapidly and grounded exclusively in their source materials. Users can now effortlessly memorize key terms, test their comprehension with personalized questions, and create custom reports by specifying structure, style, and tone, all based on their uploaded class material. This feature helps go beyond passive reading to actively engage with academic content, prepare for exams, and master new skills, with the option to share these tools via a simple link.

Gemini summaries are now displayed directly on the Home page in Google Drive for suggested Docs, Sheets, Slides, and PDFs.

Users can now view Gemini-generated summaries directly within the suggested files section on the Google Drive Home page. These summaries will appear for selected Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and PDF files in the suggested list. Users have the option to click a ‘See more’ button that appears on hover to view a more in-depth analysis or to ask Gemini follow-up questions about the file in the Gemini side panel, enhancing quick understanding and interaction with document content.

Google Workspace is implementing a Shared Signals Framework (SSF) Receiver to enhance security by ingesting Continuous Access Evaluation Profile (CAEP) signals, currently in closed beta.

The Shared Signals Framework (SSF) is an initiative by the OpenID Foundation to standardize cross-system communication between security platforms, facilitating the sharing of security insights and events. Google Workspace is supporting this initiative by implementing an SSF Receiver to ingest Continuous Access Evaluation Profile (CAEP) signals. This feature is currently available in a closed beta for Google Workspace customers and interested partners. An example use case for this enhancement is session revocation, where a signal to revoke a session will automatically invalidate the user's session, thereby reducing the window of access for potentially compromised users. This improves security by enhancing cross-system communication and accelerating responses to security incidents.

Google Sheets introduces a new condensed view for version history, displaying only rows with changes for quicker edit identification.

Google Sheets is rolling out a new condensed view for its version history feature. By default, this view will now only display rows containing cells that have undergone changes in the selected version. This enhancement aims to help users identify relevant edits within a spreadsheet more quickly and efficiently. Users can revert to the previous full version history view by selecting the 'Show unmodified rows' checkbox, which will highlight changes across the entire sheet.

NotebookLM partners with OpenStax to offer interactive academic notebooks, including flashcards and quizzes.

NotebookLM has announced a partnership with OpenStax, a leading provider of free, peer-reviewed textbooks, to transform some of their most popular academic titles into interactive Notebooks. These ready-to-use Notebooks are designed to help high school and college students transition from passive reading to active learning. Covering subjects like Biology, Psychology, and Business, users can instantly engage with complex material, accelerate understanding, and utilize features like flashcards and quizzes for enhanced study.

Google Chat now offers real-time push notifications for reactions on messages to keep users updated.

Google Chat users can now receive real-time push notifications for reactions on their messages. This feature helps users stay informed about engagement with their messages and ensures they don't miss important updates. Reactions, such as emojis like a smiley face or a thumbs up, allow for easier conveyance of information or sentiment, and now message authors will be aware of these reactions without manually checking the conversation.

Users can now utilize Gemini to refine text within text boxes in Google Slides using pre-set options or custom prompts.

Google Slides now integrates Gemini to enable users to refine text directly within text boxes. With just a few clicks, users can leverage Gemini to rephrase, shorten, formalize, or bulletize existing text using optimized pre-set options. Additionally, users have the flexibility to enter their own prompts for text refinement, helping to quickly polish slide content and improve its readability and consumability.

'Help me create' in Google Vids now includes support for Google Slides presentations as reference materials for video drafts.

The 'Help me create' feature in Google Vids has been updated to include support for Google Slides presentations as reference materials. Users can now incorporate their Google Slides when constructing prompts, which will lead to improved Slides analysis and content integration into the generated video drafts. This includes pulling text and visual content like relevant Slides, images, and text, in addition to suggested scripts, AI voiceovers, and music.

Google AI Pro for Education subscription consolidates Gemini Education offerings and provides advanced AI features for Workspace for Education customers.

Google AI Pro for Education is now available as a single add-on subscription for Workspace for Education customers, consolidating the previous Gemini Education and Gemini Education Premium offerings. This new subscription includes all advanced features from Gemini Education Premium, such as access to Gemini in Google Workspace apps, AI-powered note-taking and summaries in Google Meet, expanded access to premium models and features in Gemini for Education and NotebookLM, and enhanced proactive security with AI-enhanced data loss prevention. This aims to provide more value and simplify access to advanced AI features for education institutions.

Google Drive on Android devices revamps the scanned document editing experience with improved adjustment options and UI.

Google Drive on Android devices is revamping its scanned document editing experience. Users will now benefit from updated adjustment options, offering a more seamless and improved user experience. Enhancements include larger page previews for detailed viewing, an improved UI layout with easy access to page deletion and retake functions, and a new Material 3 page thumbnail carousel for quick document skimming and drag-and-drop page reordering. These updates allow for better cropping, rotation, color adjustments, and shadow erasure.