Google Workspace Changes

Goal Seek add-on now available for Google Sheets

The Goal Seek add-on for Google Sheets is now available for download and installation from the G Suite Marketplace. This tool allows users to calculate the required value of a cell to achieve a desired value in another cell, which is particularly useful for conducting break-even analysis or sensitivity calculations.

Retirement of the Sheets v3 API

Google is retiring the Sheets v3 API and requiring users to migrate their apps to the Sheets v4 API to ensure continued functionality. After several extensions, the final turndown date for all components of the v3 API is August 2, 2021.

Accessibility settings are now easier to access on Sheets

It’s now easier to discover accessibility features like screen reader support, braille support, and screen magnifier support in Sheets. This change will make these settings more readily available by placing the Accessibility settings in the Tools menu.

New integration allows direct import of SAP ERP content into Google Sheets.

In an upcoming SAP release, employees will be able to import ERP content directly into Google Sheets, removing the need to manually export data to CSV files and upload them to Drive, allowing for faster analysis using tools like intelligent pivot tables and macros.

Expanded Braille support for Google Sheets on Windows computers via JAWS and NVDA screen readers.

Google Sheets is expanding its accessibility features by adding Braille support for Windows computers using the latest versions of JAWS and NVDA screen readers. Users with Braille displays can now read and edit cell contents and navigate between cells. This update complements existing Braille support on Chrome OS (via ChromeVox) and Mac (via VoiceOver), ensuring a more inclusive experience across different operating systems and browsers.

Enhanced control over chart data labels, including totals for stacked charts and customizable placement.

Google Sheets is introducing new features to improve how charts represent data. Users can now add total data labels to stacked charts to display the sum of all content in a data set. Additionally, new alignment options for data labels have been added for column, bar, line, point, and area charts, allowing users to position labels in locations such as Center, Inside end, Inside base, Outside end, Left, Right, Above, or Below.

Group data by time frame in Google Sheets pivot tables.

When creating pivot tables in Google Sheets, users can now group their data by specific time frames, such as week, month, or year, to facilitate better temporal analysis of their data.

Ability to add checkboxes in cells in Google Sheets.

Google Sheets has added the ability to insert checkboxes directly into cells, making it easier for users to create checklists and track task completion within their spreadsheets.

Expanded options for row and column grouping in Google Sheets.

Google Sheets now provides more options for grouping rows and columns, enabling users to organize and manage their data more effectively.

Added printing page breaks and custom paper sizes to Google Sheets.

Google Sheets has introduced new printing capabilities, allowing users to add printing page breaks and define custom paper sizes to better control the layout of their printed documents.

Record macros in Google Sheets to automate repetitive tasks.

Google Sheets now allows users to record macros in the cloud to automate repetitive tasks without needing to write code. The macro recorder automatically converts actions into Apps Script, which can be edited directly for updates. Because these macros are cloud-based, teams can run them simultaneously without interrupting other collaborators working in the same sheet.

Braille support added to Google Sheets

Google Sheets now supports Braille displays, enabling users to read and edit cell contents and navigate between cells. This feature is currently available on Chrome OS using the ChromeVox screen reader.

Google Sheets introduces intelligent pivot table suggestions, formula suggestions, and enhanced data analysis tools.

Google Sheets is adding several AI-powered and analytical features to help users uncover insights. This includes intelligent pivot table suggestions via the Explore panel and natural language processing, machine-learning-based formula suggestions, a refreshed pivot table UI with customizable headings, new pivot table calculation options (such as showing values as a percentage of totals), the addition of waterfall charts, and improved importing of fixed-width formatted data files.

Comments in the Google Sheets and Slides apps for Android and iOS

Users can now add new comments and reply to existing comments within the Google Sheets and Slides mobile apps for Android and iOS, bringing parity with the Google Docs mobile apps.

Google Sheets functions are now available in users' preferred languages.

Google Sheets now supports displaying functions in the user's preferred language for English and 21 other supported languages across both web and mobile platforms. New users will see functions in their preferred language automatically, while existing users can choose whether to keep functions in English or switch to their preferred language via the Spreadsheet settings in the File menu.