Google Workspace Changes

Changes to Google Chat group conversations and classic Hangouts coming December 3, 2020

Starting December 3, 2020, we’ll make three changes to how group conversations work in Google Chat: Add and change members. You’ll be able to add and change members of new group conversations.

You can now find additional information about people within your organization, your Contacts, and people who email you in the Gmail side panel.

You can now find additional information about people within your organization, your Contacts, and people who email you in the Gmail side panel. This includes Contact information, such as phone number and email address, Team and manager, Office and desk location, Whether you’ve received email from them before, and more.

Breakout rooms are now available to more Google Workspace customers and new features are added

Breakout rooms in Google Meet are now available to Google Workspace, Essentials, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus customers, as well as G Suite Business and Enterprise for Education customers. New features include Ask for help, Timer/countdown, and additional supported participants.

Introducing two BeyondCorp Alliance partner integrations for improved context-aware access

We’re announcing new integrations with our BeyondCorp Alliance partners Check Point and Lookout.

Streamlined and intuitive app management in the Admin console with new unified experience

We’re creating a single place to manage web and mobile apps in the Admin console.

A single place to manage web and mobile apps in the Admin console.

We’re creating a single place to manage web and mobile apps in the Admin console. With the new location, we’ll also be updating the management interface to be more consistent and intuitive. You’ll find this at Admin console > Apps > Web and mobile apps. There, you’ll be able to see configured apps, search apps, add apps, manage user access, adjust settings, and more for Android apps, iOS apps, and SAML apps.

Introducing data protection insights reports.

These new reports will help you understand what sensitive information is stored in your organization, and can help you make more informed decisions to protect it. For customers new to DLP, a report can help you identify the types of sensitive content, such as credit card numbers and tax IDs, that you might want to prioritize establishing DLP policies for.

Use the Count API to estimate Vault API export sizes

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.

Folder sharing in shared drives now generally available

With this launch, you can share a specific folder with other users, or upgrade member access to provide users with additional permissions on specific folders within shared drives.

Improving braille support in Google Docs

Making several improvements to braille support in Google Docs to make it easier for users of assistive technologies, including refreshable braille displays, to work on documents. These changes will enhance the experience of reading documents with new keyboard shortcuts, improved navigation, and more reliable verbalizations.

Adding support for macros and APIs to help you automate tasks, as well as providing mobile access to connected sheets

We’re now adding support for macros and APIs to help you automate tasks, as well as providing mobile access. Specifically, you can now use Connected Sheets with: Sheets Macro Recorder, to record Apps Script scripts and automate daily tasks. Apps Script and the Sheets API, to develop extensions, add-ons, and applications.

Simplify management of company-owned iOS devices with new Apple Business Manager integration

We’re launching an integration between Google endpoint management and Apple Business Manager (formerly the Device Enrollment Program, or DEP).

Adding Trash to Google Contacts. Now, when you delete a contact, it will go into Trash, where it will stay for 30 days before being permanently deleted.

Adding Trash to Google Contacts. Now, when you delete a contact, it will go into Trash, where it will stay for 30 days before being permanently deleted. In that time, you can view, restore, or permanently delete the contact.

Update Calendar Interop authentication with OAuth 2.0 to continue interoperation with Microsoft 365.

We’re enabling OAuth 2.0 authentication support for Google Calendar Interop with Microsoft Exchange Online (Microsoft 365). Calendar Interop is a feature that lets you sync events and availability between Google Calendar and Exchange Online.

Admins can now migrate all users from classic Hangouts to Google Chat using the 'Chat preferred' setting.

Google has introduced the 'Chat preferred' setting in the Admin console, allowing administrators to migrate all users from classic Hangouts to Google Chat. When enabled, Google Chat becomes the default chat application for the organization and is integrated directly into Gmail on the web. This integration allows users to access 1:1 and group direct messages, full-screen rooms, bot integrations, and emoji reactions without switching tabs.