Google Workspace Updates

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - January 10, 2025

2025-01-10T12:28:00.000-08:00

1 New update

Unless otherwise indicated, the features below are available to all Google Workspace customers, and are fully launched or in the process of rolling out. Rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete if 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.

Local files now sync to Google Drive faster

We’ve added support for differential uploads to Google Drive, which means when large files are edited, Drive for desktop will now upload only the parts of the file that changed. This highly-requested feature results in much faster Drive syncs. | Rollout to Rapid and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about uploading files & folders to Google Drive.

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.

Granular OAuth consent in Google Apps Script IDE executions

The OAuth consent screen will now let users specify which individual OAuth scopes they would like to authorize. | Learn more about OAuth consent in Google Apps Script IDE executions.

Use Gemini to interact with PDFs in Google Drive’s overlay file previewer

Earlier this year, we introduced the ability to use Gemini in Google Drive to interact with PDFs. To improve your viewing experience when reviewing PDFs from Drive, we’re excited to announce that Gemini in the side panel of Drive is now integrated into Drive's overlay file previewer. | Learn more about Gemini and Drive’s overlay file previewer.

Google Meet provides additional privacy for livestreaming with new eCDN On-Premises API

Admins can now use the eCDN On-Premises API for Google Meet to configure their network for eCDN while keeping classified IP addresses and network information private. | Learn more about the new eCDN On-Premises API.

Prevent the downloading, printing, or copying of files by all users with Enhanced IRM for Google Drive Data-Loss Prevention

We're expanding IRM to be applicable to all users, including file editors and owners, when it is applied by a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) rule. | Learn more about Enhanced IRM for Google Drive Data-Loss Prevention.

Completed rollouts

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

Rapid Release Domains:

Scheduled Release Domains:

Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains:

The next phase of digital whiteboarding for Google Workspace (All items mentioned under Jamboard app)
Request an eSignature on PDF files
SOC 1 compliance for Gemini

Paused rollouts

We have paused the rollout for this feature while we evaluate performance and quality. We will provide an update with new rollout information as soon as possible.

Available in open beta: Set up Single-Sign On with custom OpenID Connect profiles

For a recap of announcements in the past six months, check out What’s new in Google Workspace (recent releases).

Prevent the downloading, printing, or copying of files by all users with Enhanced IRM for Google Drive Data-Loss Prevention

2025-01-09T11:59:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

Google Drive’s Information Rights Management (IRM) capability protects documents from data exfiltration actions, specifically downloading, printing, and copying. This is useful for making sure that sensitive content is protected from data leakage.

Historically, this feature has only been applicable to users with either the “viewer” or “commenter” role, which has left administrators unable to apply the setting to users with write permissions (see here for more information on Drive roles). To address this, we’re expanding IRM to be applicable to all users, including file writers and owners, when it is applied by a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) rule.

The new Enhanced IRM action, as seen in the DLP Rule creation flow.

Additional details

When an editor or owner is affected by IRM, they will retain the ability to copy and paste document content, but they may only do so within that document. Attempting to paste content outside of the document will not succeed. For more information, please refer to the help center content.

Getting started

Admins: DLP rules and CAA levels are applied per-file based on how these rules are configured.
End users: Only administrators can set IRM for all user roles on a file. File owners may still only set IRM for viewers and commenters. If a file has both an administrator-applied IRM setting and a file owner setting on it, the administrator setting takes priority. Once this feature is enabled, all entry points for downloading, printing, and copying will be removed from Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides on all platforms. Visit the Help Center to learn more about stopping, limiting, or changing how your files are shared.

A view of the file owner’s IRM setting when an overriding administrator setting is present.

Rollout pace

Rapid and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on January 9, 2025

Availability

IRM controls are available for all Google Workspace customers
Data Loss Prevention Rules and Context-Aware Access conditions are available for Google Workspace:

Enterprise Standard and Plus
Education Fundamentals, Standard, Plus, and the Teaching and Learning add-on
Frontline Standard
Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus

Resources

Google Meet provides additional privacy for livestreaming with new eCDN On-Premises API

2025-01-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

Earlier this year, we introduced Enterprise Content Delivery Network (eCDN) to enhance livestreaming in Google Meet. When configured by admins, eCDN has the potential to reduce bandwidth consumption to a fraction of the traffic volume through peer-assisted media delivery.

However, environments that have additional security requirements would not be able to benefit from the network traffic savings enabled by eCDN. That changes today with the introduction of the eCDN On-Premises API for Google Meet, which admins can use to configure their network for eCDN while keeping classified IP addresses and network information private. Specifically, IP addresses will be replaced with self-assigned peering group names and encrypted information for session description protocol (SDP) handshakes. This ensures that no IP information is shared with Google, so customers can take advantage of eCDN while adhering to their own security guidelines.

Admin console > Apps > Google Workspace > Google Meet > Meet video settings > eCDN

Who’s impacted

Admins

Why it’s important

The eCDN On-Premises API can be used to deploy eCDN for Google Meet live streaming in a way that allows the eCDN tracker service to optimize peering topologies without access to internal network information such as IP addresses or subnets. A customer-supplied service uses the API to replace all IP address information with arbitrary text labels. The service also manages encryption of SDP offers/answers using encryption keys that are never made available to Google. Any decryption needed by client peers is performed completely inside the customer's own network. No network information is sent outside the organization's network, not even to Google. This ensures that bandwidth-optimized media delivery via eCDN can also be implemented in sensitive environments without compromising organizations’ internal security guidelines.

Getting started

Admins: Visit the Help Center to learn more about configuring your network grouping using the API, as well as our developer documentation.
End users: There is no end user action required.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on January 9, 2025

Availability

Available for all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Use Gemini to interact with PDFs in Google Drive’s overlay file previewer

2025-01-09T08:49:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

As a result, you can seamlessly switch between multiple files while leveraging AI capabilities using Gemini in Drive to do things like:

Getting started

Admins: To access Gemini in the side panel of Workspace apps, users need to have smart features and personalization turned on. Admins can turn on default personalization setting for their users in the Admin console.
End users:

To access this feature, double-click on a PDF from the Google Drive file list and click on "Ask Gemini" (star button) in the top right corner.
Note: When Gemini initially launched in Workspace, PDFs viewed in Drive opened in a new browser tab to allow interaction with the Gemini side panel. With this update, the default behavior will open a file in the overlay file previewer. If you prefer for PDFs to open in a new tab by default, you can update your PDF opening default behavior in your Drive settings. If you previously set a preferred PDF opening default behavior in your Drive setting, your default open behavior will remain the same.
Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Gemini in Drive to work with PDFs.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on January 9, 2025

Availability

Available for Google Workspace customers with these add-ons:

Gemini Business
Gemini Enterprise
Gemini Education
Gemini Education Premium
Google One AI Premium

Resources

Google Help: Use Gemini in Drive to work with PDFs

Granular OAuth consent in Google Apps Script IDE executions

2025-01-08T13:43:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

Google offers a wide variety of APIs that Google Apps Script developers can use to build features for Google users. The data access that these APIs can reference is governed by the OAuth scopes of each Workspace application, which users are required to authorize before a script can run. Historically, the OAuth consent screen has asked the user to authorize all of the necessary OAuth scopes to run a given script.

This screenshot shows the old OAuth consent screen, which requires the user to authenticate all or none of the requested OAuth scopes.

Starting today, the OAuth consent screen will now let users specify which individual OAuth scopes they would like to authorize. For example, if a script requests access to a user’s Sheets and Forms files, and the users only intends to use the script with Sheets files, they can decide to only allow access to their spreadsheets and not their forms. This affords users the benefit of more granular control over what data their 3P applications are allowed to access.

This screenshot shows the new OAuth consent screen, which lets the user provide consent for a subset of the requested OAuth scopes.

Additional details

To complement the release of this new consent flow, we’re also adding methods to the ScriptApp and AuthorizationInfo classes that let Apps Script developers programmatically interact with the scopes granted for a script. Refer to the developer documentation for more information.

After a user grants permission to a script, Apps Script might request OAuth consent again in the following cases:

The user, who has granted consent to a subset of the requested OAuth scopes, tries to run a part of the script that was not previously authorized.
The script is updated in such a way that it requires permission for additional scopes.
The user revoked access to the script from their Google Account settings.

All past execution failures will be logged in the execution history. Each OAuth failure will contain a hyperlink that users can use to provide the permissions that were missing.

Getting Started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
Developers and end users:

Granular OAuth consent is only available for scripts that have finished migrating to the V8 runtime. If you would like to utilize granular consent on one of the few remaining Rhino scripts, you can manually migrate to V8 by following these instructions.
This new consent screen will only be used for new OAuth scope grants. Pre-existing scope grants will not be affected, so no action is required by users on scripts they’ve already authorized.
The new consent screen will be launched first to the Apps Script IDE (i.e. executing a script directly from Apps Script). The consent screen will launch to the remaining surfaces in the future:

Google Ads Script
Macro executions
Trigger executions
Web app executions
API Executions
Chat apps
Add-ons

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on January 8, 2025, with expected completion by January 24, 2025

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers and Workspace Individual Subscribers

Resources

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - December 20, 2024

2024-12-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

3 New updates

Unless otherwise indicated, the features below are available to all Google Workspace customers, and are fully launched or in the process of rolling out. Rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete if 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.

Introducing instant video playback after uploads in Google Drive

Following up on the recent announcement of a smoother, more modern video player in Google Drive, we’re excited to share that you can now watch videos the moment you upload them to Drive on web. This highly-requested feature eliminates wait times between upload and playback, while ensuring your videos still get fully processed. | Rollout to Rapid Release domains is complete; launch to Scheduled Release domains planned for January 2, 2025. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about storing & playing video in Google Drive.

Updated keyboard shortcuts for Google Groups

Google Groups is designed to work with keyboards, screen readers, braille devices, screen magnification, and more. We’re excited to improve the accessibility of Groups by introducing updated keyboard shortcuts. Over the coming weeks existing keyboard shortcuts will be replaced by new shortcuts. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains, with expected completion by January 13, 2025. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about using keyboard shortcuts in Google Groups.

SOC 1 compliance for Gemini

We’re pleased to announce that the Gemini app on web and mobile has achieved SOC 1 compliance. This latest certification is in addition to SOC 2 and SOC 3, which the Gemini app achieved on web and mobile earlier this year. | SOC 1 is available now for Google Workspace customers with a Gemini Business, Enterprise, Education, or Education Premium add-on. Also available for Google Workspace customers accessing the Gemini app as a core service with a qualifying edition. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about how Google Workspace satisfies certification and compliance standards and about turning the Gemini app on or off for your users.

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.

Available in open beta: migrate messages from Microsoft Teams to Google Chat

We're expanding our data migration experience to include the ability for Google Workspace admins to migrate conversations from channels in Microsoft Teams to spaces in Google Chat, making it easier for organizations to onboard and deploy Chat. | Learn more about migrating messages from Microsoft Teams to Google Chat.

Available in open beta: Set up Single-Sign On with custom OpenID Connect profiles

Via open beta, admins now have the option to set up a custom OpenID Connect (OIDC) profile for single sign-on (SSO) with Google as their Service Provider. | Learn more about Single-Sign On with custom OpenID Connect profiles.

Now generally available: Monitor and manage AppSheet usage in your organization with the AppSheet Admin console

All Google Workspace Admins with the AppSheet service privilege can access the AppSheet Admin Console. | Learn more about the AppSheet Admin console.

Control whether your users can add account recovery information with two new admin settings

We’re launching two new settings that will allow admins to control whether their users can add recovery email information and phone information to their Google Workspace account. | Learn more about the new admin settings.

Completed rollouts

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

Scheduled Release Domains:

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).

Control whether your users can add account recovery information with two new admin settings

2024-12-18T07:39:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

We’re launching two new settings that will allow admins to control whether their users can add recovery email information and phone information to their Google Workspace account.

By default, the ability to add a recovery email or phone number is ON for most Workspace users and K-12 super admins, but it should be noted that:

Adding email and phone recovery information is OFF by default for K-12 users.
Phone number recovery collection is always enabled for super admins regardless of whether it’s disabled in the admin console.

Any changes admins make to these settings will overrule the existing organizational unit (OU) settings, except for super admins as stated above.

Security > Account Recovery > Recovery information

Who’s impacted

Admins and end users

Why it’s important

Adding recovery information to your account is helpful for keeping users’ accounts more secure, recovering users’ accounts as well as evaluating security related events, such as risky logins or re-authentication attempts. However, we know that there are a variety of reasons that customers would want to prevent their users from doing so. For example, turning recovery information off can help customers stay compliant with local privacy regulations, such as GDPR. Or admins can opt to add recovery information themselves. This update gives admins the control to decide which configuration makes the most sense for their users.

Getting started

Admins:

These settings can be configured at the OU and group level in the Admin console at Security > Account Recovery > Recovery information. Visit the Help Center to learn more about allowing your users to add email or phone number recovery information to their account.
Note that these settings are not applicable if you’re using single sign-on (SSO) with a third-party identity provider or password sync.

End users: Whether you can add recovery email or phone information to your Google Workspace account depends on your admin configuration.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 18, 2024

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Now generally available: Monitor and manage AppSheet usage in your organization with the AppSheet Admin console

2024-12-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

Beginning today, we’re pleased to announce that all Google Workspace Admins with the AppSheet service privilege can access the AppSheet Admin Console. The AppSheet Admin console is a consolidated location to monitor, manage and govern AppSheet across your organization. Previously, the AppSheet Admin Console was only available to those with an AppSheet Enterprise Plus license in public preview, but now any admin with sufficient privileges has access to monitor and manage their users (note: some features require an enterprise license for the admin and the user).

The AppSheet Admin Console gives admins visibility into the users, apps and licenses associated with their AppSheet users. From here, admins can:

Review the most popular apps and creators.
Review how many apps are owned and used for every user account.
View all of their organization's app users.
Verify the AppSheet licenses purchased, assigned and used.
Export a list of accounts, users, apps and licenses.

Since Public Preview, we’ve added more functionality:

Historical app usage: Admins can see app usage history for all accounts in their organization up to three months starting today and soon extending to six months.
Self-serve provisioning: Admins can choose how their enterprise licenses are provisioned - either through license assignment in the Workspace Admin Console or automatically upon login to AppSheet.
Organizations as the new standard: New and existing Workspace customers can manage all of their secondary domain users under a consolidated AppSheet organization.

The AppSheet Admin Console

Who’s impacted

Admins

Why it’s important

We’ve heard from our customers that in order to effectively manage AppSheet activity in their organizations, they need visibility into its usage. This includes information regarding how many users are using an AppSheet license, who is accessing their teams apps, and more. Expanding access to the AppSheet Admin console provides admins with these critical metrics, enabling them to understand how the tool is being used and govern the use of the tool as needed.

Additional details

The Licenses page will remain in public preview pending some supporting launches and additional enhancements expected early in 2025.

Getting started

Admins: Visit the Help Center to learn more about using the AppSheet Admin Console.
End users: There is no end user impact or action required.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility) starting on December 18 2024

Availability

Available to Google Workspace customers with a domain verified organization

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Manage using the AppSheet Admin Console

Available in open beta: Set up Single-Sign On with custom OpenID Connect profiles

2024-12-17T14:31:00.000-08:00

Update
[January 9, 2025] We have paused rollout for this beta and will provide an update once rollout resumes.

What’s changing

Beginning today, admins now have the option to set up a custom OpenID Connect (OIDC) profile for single sign-on (SSO) with Google as their Service Provider. OIDC is a popular method for verifying and authenticating the identities - this update gives admins more options for their end users to access cloud applications using a single set of credentials. Previously, only OIDC with pre-configured Microsoft Entra ID profile was supported in addition to SAML.

Custom OIDC profiles can be configured in the Admin console at >Security > Authentication > SSO with third party IdP

Getting started

Admins: This feature is available in open beta, which means you can use the feature without opting-in to a specific program. Visit the Help Center to learn more about SSO and configuring custom OIDC profiles for SSO via a third party identity provider.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on December 17, 2024

Availability

Available for all Google Workspace customers except Google Workspace Essentials Starter customers and Workspace Individual Subscribers
Also available for Cloud Identity and Cloud Identity Premium customers

Resources

Available in open beta: migrate messages from Microsoft Teams to Google Chat

2024-12-17T09:01:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

Beginning today, we’re expanding our data migration experience to include the ability for Google Workspace admins to migrate conversations from channels in Microsoft Teams to spaces in Google Chat, making it easier for organizations to onboard and deploy Chat.

This can be done within the Admin console in a few steps:

First, connect to your Microsoft account.
Then, upload a CSV of the teams from where you want to migrate the messages. You can specify the source to destination identity mapping by uploading a CSV of the email ID’s from source to target.

You can only migrate data to accounts of existing users with a user license and the Google Chat service turned on. Visit our Help Center for more details.

Next, you’ll enter the starting date for messages to be migrated from Teams. Then you can begin your data migration.
Finally, you’ll complete the migration by making migrated spaces, messages and related conversation data available to Google Workspace users (see our Help Center article for specific details on supported data types).

Starting a chat migration in the admin console

When a migration starts, the UI displays a visual report that breaks down tasks with individual progress bars for tasks that are successfully completed, skipped, failed or have warnings.

The final step to complete the migration is to roll out spaces, making migrated spaces and their content available to users.

Additional details

The Chat migration tool doesn’t delete or modify existing Google Chat spaces or messages.
You can also run a delta migration, which will migrate any messages added to Teams channels since the primary migration. Messages that are already successfully migrated are skipped.
Once a migration is complete, you can export a report that contains detailed information regarding content that skipped, failed or had warnings during the migration.
You can find more information in our Help Center about migrating other forms of data from different types of source accounts.

Getting started

Admins:

To perform a migration, you must be a Workspace super admin and a Microsoft Teams Global Administrator.
Visit the Help Center to learn more about migrating chat messages.

Rollout pace

This feature is available now.

Availability

Available for all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Migrating chat messages

Share your thoughts on the Workspace Updates Blog

2024-12-16T06:50:00.000-08:00

As we approach the new year, we want to ensure the Workspace Updates Blog serves its purpose of effectively explaining new product features, improvements and changes. Please share your thoughts in this brief survey to help us identify areas of improvement.

Thanks in advance!

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - December 13, 2024

2024-12-13T14:00:00.000-08:00

3 New updates

Unless otherwise indicated, the features below are available to all Google Workspace customers, and are fully launched or in the process of rolling out. Rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete if 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.

Use the GitHub app in Google Chat to get notifications about GitHub events

We’re excited to announce that we’ve made updates to the Google Chat integration with GitHub, a cloud-based platform that enables users to store, share and collaborate with others to write code. With these updates users can expect:

Streamlined notification cards with key details from Github, such as issues, pull requests and comments.
Enhanced repository and pull request subscription options (open/merge/close, comments, CI pipeline and test results).
Clearer overview of GitHub links with richer link previews.
Options to configure multiple repositories within a single space.

Admins can install the Github app on their users’ behalf. End users need a GitHub account to use this app, and can also search for the app in the + New Chat menu to get updates via a DM with the bot. | Rollout to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn how to set up the GitHub app in Chat.

Mobile scans are now crisper and clearer with auto enhancements in the Google Drive scanner

Late last year, we made updates to the Google Drive scanner on mobile devices, and recently announced the option to apply black & white filters to Drive scans and save scanned files as PDFs or JPEGs. This week, we’re excited to introduce an additional improvement to the scanner experience on Android devices. Now, with the help of auto enhancement, Drive’s document scanner will digitize paper documents into higher quality images much faster. Depending on the document, auto enhancement will perform actions like white balance correction, shadow removal, contrast enrichment, auto sharpening, light improvement, and more. | Rolling out to Rapid Release domains now, with expected completion by January 2, 2025; launch to Scheduled Release domains planned for January 6, 2025. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about scanning files with your mobile device.

The image on the right reflects auto enhancements to the Drive scanner

HDMI presentation now supported on Google Meet hardware devices from Poly

You can now present content via a wired HDMI connection when using Poly devices with Google Meet, specifically Poly Poly Studio X30, X50, X52, and X70 devices. This update provides another option for sharing high-quality video and audio content during your meetings. | Available to all Google Workspace customers. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about presenting using an HDMI cable.

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.

Create and manage rubrics using the Google Classroom API
Since 2019, teachers have been able to create or reuse a rubric for an assignment, however this capability did not previously exist in the Classroom API. To improve upon this experience, we’re excited to announce that developers can now manage assignment rubrics via the Classroom API. | Learn more about the Google Classroom API.

Introducing Gemini Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI™)
We’re pleased to introduce Gemini LTI™, an AI-powered assistant that can integrate into third party Learning Management Systems (LMS). | Learn more about Gemini Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI™).

Build high-quality, modern documents faster in Google Docs with 40 new templates
We’ve introduced a collection of 40 new high-quality, visually modern designs in Google Docs. These pre-made pageless templates consist of several new features that make your documents visual and effective. | Learn more about templates in Docs.

Create fully stylized documents using Gemini in Google Docs
This week, we launched help me create, a new feature that lets you build a full document using content in Drive from a single, custom prompt. | Learn more about help me create in Docs.

Available in open beta: prevent sensitive changes by locking Groups
Admins can now label a Google Group as “Locked,” which will heavily restrict changes to group attributes (such as group name & email address) and memberships. | Learn more about the locking Groups beta.

Adding folder support to Gemini in the side panel of Google Drive
You can now focus your Gemini conversations in Drive to a specific Drive folder using the side panel. | Learn more about Gemini folder support for Drive files.

Gemini for Workspace usage reports now include Gemini usage per app interactions
We’re introducing additional usage metrics on the Gemini for Workspace reports in the Admin console. This report will now provide admins additional information about Gemini usage per app by users. | Learn more about Gemini usage reports.

Now generally available: the Groups Editor & Groups Reader roles can now be provisioned for specific group types
At the beginning of the year, we launched the ability to assign the Groups Editor and Groups Reader roles for security groups or non-security groups in open beta. This feature is now generally available and Groups Admins have access to all groups. | Learn more about group types.

New Google Chat usage reports provide deeper insights into user engagement
We’re pleased to introduce new, information-rich usage reports to help Workspace administrators understand how their teams are using Google Chat. | Learn more about usage reports in Chat.

Improvements to mentions in Google Chat
When mentioning a user that is not already in the conversation, you will have the option to add them and send the message, or just send the message without adding them in Google Chat. | Learn more about mentions in Chat.

NotebookLM Plus now available to Google Workspace customers

NotebookLM Plus, our newest and most advanced version of NotebookLM, is now available to Gemini for Google Workspace customers. | Learn more about NotebookLM Plus.

Translate messages in-line from one language to another in Google Chat

As one of the most requested Gemini enhancements in Chat this year, translate for me will automatically detect and translate over 120 languages to a user’s preferred language. | Learn more about translate for me in Chat.

Completed rollouts

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

Rapid Release Domains:

Scheduled Release Domains:

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).

Translate messages in-line from one language to another in Google Chat

2024-12-13T10:12:00.000-08:00

This announcement was part of Google Cloud Next ‘24. Visit the Workspace Blog to learn more about the next wave of innovations in Workspace, including enhancements to Gemini for Google Workspace.

What’s changing

In continuing our effort to ensure Google Chat is your home for collaboration in Workspace, especially for global teams, we’re excited to introduce translate for me in Google Chat.

As one of the most requested Gemini enhancements in Chat this year, translate for me will automatically detect and translate over 120 languages to a user’s preferred language. Rather than requiring users to navigate outside of Chat to translate a message, this update reduces friction and improves collaboration with colleagues, partners and customers in other parts of the world.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users:

Automatic translation via translate for me will be OFF by default. Turn ON the automatic translation setting at chat.google.com (web) or on your Android or iOS device by going to Settings > Automatic Translation > select the box for ‘Translate messages to your preferred language.’

This feature translates messages received into your preferred language (based on your Google account settings). Please allow up to 24 hours for this feature to update languages when languages are changed in your Google account settings.
These translated messages are viewable only to you.

Automatic translation only applies to message content inside the conversation stream and does not show up on message snippets in Home or notifications.
Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Automatic Translation in Chat.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 13, 2024, with expected completion by January 7, 2025
Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on January 15, 2025

Availability

Available for Google Workspace customers with these add-ons:

Gemini Business and Enterprise
AI Meetings and Messaging

Resources

Google Help: Use Automatic Translation in Chat

NotebookLM Plus now available to Google Workspace customers

2024-12-13T07:33:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

Today, we’re announcing that NotebookLM Plus, our newest and most advanced version of NotebookLM, is available to Gemini for Google Workspace customers. In addition to what's already included with NotebookLM, which we introduced in September, this enhanced version allows users to:

Get 5x more Audio Overviews, queries, notebooks, and sources per notebook
Customize the style and length of their notebooks
Create shared notebooks for their team and get usage analytics
Use with confidence knowing their sources, queries and responses stay within their organization

Who’s impacted

Admins and end users (18+) with a Gemini for Google Workspace add-on or Gemini Education add-on.

NotebookLM Plus is available in 180+ regions where Gemini API is available and currently supports 35+ languages. For Audio Overviews, while you can upload sources from all supported languages, the spoken audio is currently only available in English.
See the ‘Getting started’ section below to learn more about adding Gemini to your Google Workspace plan.

Why you’d use it

NotebookLM Plus supercharges productivity and collaboration through AI that’s grounded in the information you provide. For example:

Sales teams can add their product roadmap and feature specs, competitor benchmarking analysis, customer audio interviews, and market research to NotebookLM Plus. As a result, NotebookLM can help you prepare for customer meetings by creating an account plan to help your team find information faster and better engage with customers.
Marketers can use NotebookLM Plus to help summarize customer trends and purchase behaviors, draft communications, create campaign briefs, and more–all based on market research, customer segmentation analysis, and marketing roadmaps.
Educational customers can add their district’s strategy plan, education standards, lecture notes and/or course readings to get real-time summaries, guided lesson plans, discussion questions, quizzes and more. They can also generate audio overviews to take learning on the go and make content more accessible, digestible and engaging.

Additional details

NotebookLM Plus is an Additional Service and is covered under the NotebookLM Plus for Workspace Additional Terms of Service.

As a Gemini for Workspace user of NotebookLM Plus, your uploads, queries and the model's responses are not used to train models and are not reviewed by humans. Your data remains your data and any files uploaded, queries and responses are not shared outside your organization’s trust boundary.

Users can only upload sources from Workspace that they have permission to access. Furthermore, they can control who has access to their notebooks and set more granular permissions within each. Notebooks can only be shared within your organization.

Getting started

Admins:

Admins must turn on NotebookLM as an Additional Service if new services are not set to turn on automatically for end users. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning on or off additional Google services.
NotebookLM Plus is available in 180+ regions where the Gemini API is available. If you are a Workspace customer without the Gemini add-on, you can access NotebookLM Plus today by adding Gemini to your Google Workspace plan.

End users:

Once NotebookLM service is enabled by your admin, go to notebooklm.google.com to start using it.
Visit the Help Center to learn more about NotebookLM Plus.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 13, 2024

Availability

Available for Google Workspace customers with these add-ons:

Gemini Business
Gemini Enterprise
Gemini Education
Gemini Education Premium

Resources

Improvements to mentions in Google Chat

2024-12-12T13:54:00.000-08:00

Update
[December 18, 2024] We have updated the rollout information for this feature. See the Rollout section below for more details.

What’s changing

We know there are scenarios in which you may want to reference a person with an @mention without adding them to a conversation in Google Chat. Starting today, when mentioning a user that is not already in the conversation, you will have the option to add them and send the message, or just send the message without adding them.

We’re also adding visual improvements by rendering @mentions as smart chips, which brings them more in line with Drive chips in Chat and smart chips across Workspace. With simplified colors, your personal mentions still stand out the most and will be easily spotted in conversations, Home and Mentions.

[email protected]" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">[email protected]" width="200" />

On web, hovering on the chip will show more information about the person and clicking the chip will start a new 1:1 direct message with them.

Who’s impacted

End users

Why you’d use it

This feature reduces friction for users by making it easier to provide context when composing messages.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users:

On web, go to chat.google.com or Chat in Gmail and type “@[a person’s name or email address]” to mention them. This functionality is supported across 1:1 direct messages, group direct messages, and spaces.
Note that you can only add members to a conversation in group direct messages and spaces. In 1:1 direct messages, when you mention someone they are treated as a reference and not added directly.
This functionality will rollout on Android and iOS devices in Q1 2025.
Visit the Help Center to learn more mentioning someone or adding someone to a message.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 12, 2024, with expected completion by January 6, 2025
Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on January 14, 2025

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts

Resources

Google Help: Mention someone or add someone to a message

New Google Chat usage reports provide deeper insights into user engagement

2024-12-12T12:30:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

From the introduction of spaces, huddles, voice messages, and more, Google Chat has added major new features and transformed significantly over the past several years. As a result, usage reports for Google Chat are evolving as well. Beginning today, we’re pleased to introduce new, information-rich usage reports to help Workspace administrators understand how their teams are using Google Chat.

The charts being added are:

User activity: the number of users based on two types (engaged and communicating) in the last 1 day and 28 days over a period of the last 180 days.

“Engaged” users: these users read conversations. These users may, but are not required to, send messages and react to messages.
“Communicating” users: these users send or react to messages. The number of communicating users is a subset of engaged users.

Messages sent: the number of messages sent by users of your organization in 1 day, 7 day, and 28 day period over a period of the last 180 days.
Messages sent by conversation type: the number of messages sent in 1 day in direct messages, group and space conversations over a period of the last 180 days.
Messages sent by type: the number of messages sent in 1 day broken out by message type: regular message, voice or video, huddle over a period of the last 180 days.
Messages sent with attachment: the number of messages sent with or without attachments in 1 day over a period of the last 180 days.
Messages sent to conversations with external participants: the number of messages sent to conversation that include or may include users external to your organization over a period of the last 180 days.
Created spaces*: the number of spaces created by users of your organization in 1 day over a period of the last 180 days
Active spaces*: the number of spaces owned by your organization in 1 day over a period of the last 180 days.

Updated Apps Reports for Google Chat

Admins can view user level data for Google Chat, as you can with Gmail, Drive, and other apps today. Admins can also view how many conversations were read, how many messages were sent, how many attachments* were uploaded, and more. They can also sort this information by specific organizational units or groups to assess adoption or usage within specific parts of organization

User level reporting for Google Chat

*Active Spaces and Created Spaces charts may show different numbers from those in Active Rooms and Active Rooms legacy charts. Active Spaces and Created Spaces charts only count conversations of ‘space’ type; Active Rooms and Created Rooms count conversations of space group conversation types.

*Attachments can be viewed in the security investigation tool.

Who’s impacted

Admins

Why it’s important

The updated reporting aligns trackable metrics with the current Chat experience and provides essential data for analyzing and driving adoption, configuring safety features, and more.

For instance, admins can gain a deeper understanding of how their users are engaging with chat, differentiating between those who actively participate (send, react) and those who are primarily only reading messages. Organizational leaders can use these insights to assess the need for further product training to boost adoption. Additionally, monitoring the volume of messages sent to external users can signal to admins that safety measures should be implemented, like establishing data loss prevention (DLP) rules to safeguard sensitive information.

Additionally, Chat is now represented in app usage reports, alongside other products like Google Drive and Gmail. While each set of apps has their own unique set of metrics, admins now have another data set to draw on when analyzing how their users are interacting with Google Workspace apps

Additional details

With the implementation of these new, information rich charts, we’re planning to remove the following charts on July 1, 2025:

Active Rooms
Created Rooms
Active Users
Messages Posted

Also note that:

Some metrics will take time to populate, such as the 7-day or 28-day views.
If you've used the 'Manage Reports' or 'Manage Columns' features to customize the App Reports or User Reports pages, you'll need to adjust your settings to see the new Google Chat charts and columns. These customization features, which allow you to hide, unhide, and rearrange the order of chats or columns, will prevent the new Google Chat data from automatically appearing in your reports.

Getting started

Admins:

You can find these charts in the Admin console by going Reporting > Apps Reports > Google Chat. User level reports can be found in the Admin console at Reporting > App Reports > Chat > User Reports. Visit the Help Center to learn more about viewing Apps reports for your organization and viewing user level Apps usage reports.

End users: There is no end user impact or action required.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December, 12, 2024.

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Now generally available: the Groups Editor & Groups Reader roles can now be provisioned for specific group types

2024-12-12T08:35:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

At the beginning of the year, we launched the ability to assign the Groups Editor and Groups Reader roles for security groups or non-security groups in open beta. Beginning today, this feature is now generally available. Groups Admins have access to all groups. The new roles of Groups Editor and Groups Reader offer delegated admin permissions for groups, and can use conditions to limit access to sensitive groups as needed.

Getting started:

Admins:

You can assign a group as a security group through the Cloud Identity Groups API or the Admin Console, and then manage these groups through the Admin SDK Groups API, the Admin console, or the Cloud Identity Groups API. See our API documentation to learn how to update a Google Group to a security group.
Visit the Help Center to learn more about assigning specific admin roles and prebuilt administrator roles.

End users: There is no end user action required.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on December 12, 2024

Availability

Available to Google Workspace:

Enterprise Standard and Plus
Education Plus and Education Standard

Resources

Gemini for Workspace usage reports now include Gemini usage per app interactions

2024-12-12T08:23:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

Starting today, we’re introducing additional usage metrics on the Gemini for Workspace reports in the Admin console. This report will now provide admins additional information about Gemini usage per app by users, specifically:

The number of times Gemini content summarization and content generation features were used in Gmail, Docs, Slides, Sheets by users.
The number of messages exchanged when chatting with the Gemini App and Gemini in the sidepanel of various apps by users.

Gemini usage reports in the Admin console

Getting started

Admins: Admins can access these reports via the admin console under Menu > Generative AI > Gemini reports. Visit the Help Center to learn more about reviewing Gemini usage in your organization.
End users: There is no end user impact or action required.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on December 12, 2024

Availability

Available for Google Workspace customers with the Gemini Business, Gemini Enterprise, Gemini Education and Gemini Education Premium add-ons.

Resources

Adding folder support to Gemini in the side panel of Google Drive

2024-12-11T09:48:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

Since rolling out Gemini in the side panel of Google Drive, users have been able to summarize one or multiple documents, get quick facts about a project, and more. We also introduced a new way for users to interact with the Gemini side panel while viewing PDFs.

Today we’re excited to announce that you can now focus your Gemini conversations in Drive to a specific Drive folder using the side panel. For example, after indicating a specific folder via an @-mention, you can ask Gemini to find files in the folder or write a summary of the folder’s content. You could also ask things like:

“Summarize files in @-folder”
“What is the theme of the content in @-folder”

Additional details

Gemini can only answer questions about text documents, PDFs, spreadsheets, and presentations.

Getting started

Admins: To access Gemini in the side panel of Workspace apps, users need to have smart features and personalization turned on. Admins can turn on default personalization setting for their users in the Admin console.
End users:

If Gemini in the side panel is closed, you can:

Navigate to a folder, and click on the “Summarize this folder” button, or;
Right-click on a folder in the doclist, and click on “Ask Gemini” in the context menu, or;
Select a folder in a doclist, and click on “Summarize this folder” in the selection toolbar.

If Gemini in side panel is already open, you can:

Drag and drop a folder from the doclist into the side panel, or;
@-mention a folder in the side panel’s textbox.

If you are searching for a folder, you can:

Click the Gemini icon next to the folder in the search dropdown box.

Visit the Help Center to learn more about collaborating with Gemini in Google Drive.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 11, 2024

Availability

Available for Google Workspace customers with these add-ons:

Gemini Business, Enterprise, Education, Education Premium
Google One AI Premium

Resources

Available in open beta: prevent sensitive changes by locking Groups

2024-12-10T08:16:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

Admins can now label a Google Group as “Locked,” which will heavily restrict changes to group attributes (such as group name & email address) and memberships. This will help admins who sync their groups from an external source and want to prevent getting out of sync, or who want to restrict changes to sensitive groups. This feature will be available in open beta, which means no additional sign-up is required.

The Group Details page in the Admin console shows a “Locked” label on the group, with the message “You can’t update this group - it might be managed by an external identity system.”

Who’s impacted

Admins

Why it’s important

If you use third-party tools, like Entra ID, to manage group synchronization, you may encounter inconsistencies when modifications are made to these groups, like adding or removing members, for example. To help address this, we’re introducing the option to “lock” a group, which will prevent modifications within Google Workspace and help maintain synchronization with the external source.

When a group is locked, only certain admins* can modify:

The group name, description, email, and alias(es)
Group labels
Memberships (adding or removing members) and member restrictions
Membership roles
Delete the group
Set up a new membership expiry

When a group is locked, access and content moderation settings are not affected, this includes:

Who can post
Who can view members
Who can contact members
Membership removals due to an existing membership expiry
Access or content moderation settings

*Super Admins, Group Admins, and Group Editors with a condition that includes “Locked Groups”

Additional details

By default, the changes listed above will be restricted from end users, including group owners and managers of a locked group. If you want to also restrict some admins from making these changes in the Admin Console or APIs, you can assign them the Group Editor role with a condition that excludes locked groups.

The ability to lock or unlock a group using the “Locked” label is available to Super Admins, Group Admins, or a custom role with the “Manage Locked Label” privilege. Lock a group using the “Locked” group label in the Admin Console, or the Cloud Identity Groups API.

Getting started

Admins: Visit the Help Center to learn more about locking groups and assigning the Group Editor role with conditions. Use our developer documentation to learn more about managing locked groups with the Cloud Identity Groups API (beta version).
End users: There is no end user action required.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 10, 2024

Availability

Available for Google Workspace:

Enterprise Standard and Plus
Enterprise Essentials Plus
Education Standard and Plus
Also available to Cloud Identity Premium customers

Resources

Create fully stylized documents using Gemini in Google Docs

2024-12-10T07:13:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

Building upon AI-powered features such as help me write, image generation, and more using Gemini in Google Docs, we’re excited to introduce a new way for users to create highly structured, styled, and visually-appealing documents with Gemini.

Today, we’re introducing help me create, a new feature that lets you build a full document using content in Drive from a single, custom prompt. Simply click to create at the top of a new document or go to File > New > Help me create to get started. After describing the document you want to create, which includes the option to pull in content from your files using “@ filename", Gemini will transform your blank page into a long-form document with cover images, in-line images, stylized text, tables, content from your Drive files, and more.

Who’s impacted

End users

Why you’d use it

Help me create is designed to help you get started with a first draft of your document. For example:

A marketing manager at a CPG company can create a launch plan for a new product using the following prompt: Create a marketing plan to support the launch of a new line of coffee flavors. Include timing, owners, deliverables, and create a cover image that shows different types of coffee.
A manager can create a vision document to keep their team on track by telling Gemini: Create an overview document of our team charter and goals based on [Team charter brainstorm notes], and include a cover image that shows team bonding in an office setting.
A small business owner specializing in eco-friendly products can create a proposal for a new client by typing: Create a proposal for my new client using the deliverables listed in [Customer meeting notes - November 30, 2024]. Outline the scope of work, pricing, and timing, and create a cover image that shows eco-friendly cleaning products and inline images.

You can also choose from a variety of starter prompts to expedite the creation process for common document use cases. For example, you can select:

A roadmap for a product launch that includes strategy breakdowns and outlines key milestones, timelines, and initiatives (with the option to include images for each feature).
A party planning checklist with a timeline of tasks, milestones, deadlines, and dependencies.
A template for a 15-minute daily standup meeting with teammates that includes a table for each individual to leave their updates.

Getting started

Admins: To access this feature, users need to have smart features and personalization turned on. Admins can turn on default personalization setting for their users in the Admin console.
End users:

Help me create is currently supported on pageless documents only, is only available in English at this time, and does not currently incorporate web search results.
Visit the Help Center to learn more about creating documents with Gemini in Google Docs, which includes tips on how to write prompts to create documents.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 10, 2024
Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 16, 2024, with expected completion by January 9, 2025

Availability

Available for Google Workspace customers with these add-ons:

Gemini Business, Enterprise, Education, Education Premium
Google One AI Premium

Resources

Build high-quality, modern documents faster in Google Docs with 40 new templates

2024-12-10T07:03:00.000-08:00

Update
[December 18, 2024] We have updated the rollout information for this feature. See the Rollout section below for more details.

What’s changing

We recently released our refreshed library of templates in Google Slides, and today we’re introducing a collection of 40 new high-quality, visually modern designs in Google Docs.

These pre-made pageless templates consist of several new features that make your documents visual and effective. Document tabs keep your documents organized, placeholder chips make it easy for you and your collaborators to add data, and building blocks, pre-set layouts and styles give your document a premium look and feel. Accessible via the “Templates” button at the top of a newly created document or by going to File > New > From template gallery in an open document, users can find customizable templates that cater to a wide range of use cases. For example, there are templates for blog posts, press releases, business proposals, and journals, in addition to:

A project roadmap, marketing plan, and sales emails for business users.
An interview guide, onboarding guide, and training manual for human resource teams.
A reading list and class notes templates for education users.

Who’s impacted

End users

Why you’d use it

Docs templates help users save time since they don’t have to build documents from scratch, create more uniform, high-quality, visually-appealing documents, and enable them to be more productive with the latest Docs features in their daily processes.

Additional details

You can expect even more high-quality Docs template options in the coming months.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about using templates in Google Docs.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 10, 2024, with expected completion by January 15, 2025

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts

Resources

Google Help: Use templates

Introducing Gemini Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI™)

2024-12-09T13:37:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

We’re pleased to introduce Gemini LTI™, an AI-powered assistant that can integrate into third party Learning Management Systems (LMS). Gemini LTI™ helps enhance the educational experience for both educators and students by providing AI-driven tools and features powered by Gemini within their LMS environment. To start, Gemini LTI™ integrates with Canvas by Instructure and Powerschool Schoology Learning.

Who’s impacted

Admins and end users

Why you’d use it

Google is committed to making AI helpful for everyone, in the classroom and beyond. Bringing Gemini into LMS tools helps educators boost their creativity and productivity to create more dynamic and engaging learning experiences for their students. Specifically, educators can use the AI tools to:

Outline a lesson plan, including learning objectives.
Generate a quiz and export it to Google Forms.
Create a hook to spark curiosity and engage your students.

Students can further solidify what they’re learning in the classroom or explore new topics alongside an AI:

In-the-moment assistance: get unstuck and keep learning going by get clarification in real time.
Learning coach: get a step-by-step learning plan built around specific learning goals.
Brainstorming partner: generate fresh ideas for a research paper, additional authors to read, and more.
Feedback on writing: get suggestions on how to strengthen your arguments and hone your ideas
Mock interviews: prepare for an upcoming internship or extra curricular interview.

Additional details

Gemini LTI™ is part of Google Workspace LTI, our suite of LTI™ tools, including Assignments LTI™, Google Drive LTI™, and Google Meet LTI™. Visit our Help Center to learn more about Workspace LTI™.

Getting started

Admins:

In order for educators and students to access the Gemini LTI™, you’ll need to enable Google Workspace LTI™ service in Admin Console and enable Gemini service in Admin Console. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Gemini LTI in general.
Learning Management Systems admins need to enable Gemini LTI™ in their LMS as well. Visit the Help Center to learn more about setting up Gemini LTI in Canvas by Instructure and Powerschool Schoology Learning.

End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about Gemini LTI™.

Rollout pace

Rapid and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on December 9, 2024

Availability

Available for Google Workspace Education Fundamentals, Standard, and Plus

Resources

Create and manage rubrics using the Google Classroom API

2024-12-09T06:47:00.000-08:00

What’s changing

The Google Classroom API enables third-party developers to manage classes, rosters, invitations and more in Google Classroom. Since 2019, teachers have been able to create or reuse a rubric for an assignment, however this capability did not previously exist in the Classroom API. To improve upon this experience, we’re excited to announce that developers can now manage assignment rubrics via the Classroom API.

More specifically, developers can read and write rubrics using the API, and also see student submission scores broken down by the corresponding rubric criteria, rather than just accessing the total score, enabling deeper insights into student performance.

Who’s impacted

Admins and developers

Why it’s important

This update enables developers to create and manage rubrics on behalf of teachers at scale, and retrieve rubric-based grades to support more holistic student performance insights.

Getting started

Admins: The Classroom API provides a RESTful interface for you to manage courses and rosters in Google Classroom. Learn more about the Classroom API overview.
Developers:

Visit the following developer resource to learn more about getting started with rubrics, the general structure of a rubric and how rubric grading is done in the Classroom UI.
As part of this change, the Eligibility API has been extended to enable developers to determine which users are able to take advantage of the new rubrics endpoints.

Rollout pace

Available now.

Availability

Available for Google Workspace:

Education Plus

Resources

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - December 6, 2024

2024-12-06T12:50:00.000-08:00

3 New updates

Unless otherwise indicated, the features below are available to all Google Workspace customers, and are fully launched or in the process of rolling out. Rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete if 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.

Adding improved accessibility tagging to PDFs exported from Google Docs

To improve the ability for users with screen readers and other assistive technology to read and navigate PDFs, we’re adding more structural and accessibility tagging in PDFs exported from Google Docs. Specifically, we’ve improved tagging for paragraphs, headings, hyperlinks, image alt text, and lists. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains, with expected completion by mid January 2025. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Google Docs with a screen reader.

Improving out of office notifications in Google Chat group messages and spaces

Today, if you navigate to a 1:1 direct message with someone who is out of office, you will see a banner that shows the person is out of office and the date they are returning. We’re excited to announce that this banner will now extend to group direct messages and spaces. If a group direct message or space has more than 6 users, out of office status will only be shown if the user is @ mentioned. | Rollout to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about mentioning someone else in a Chat message.

Easily discover Google Workspace Marketplace apps in Google Docs

We’re making it easier for users to discover and install relevant add-ons and apps available in the Google Workspace Marketplace. Starting this week, when you add a link into a Google Doc that is supported by select Marketplace apps, you will be prompted to install the relevant add-on. Once installed, you can replace the link with a third-party smart chip and preview relevant app information upon hovering over the chip. | Rollout to Rapid Release domains is complete; launch to Scheduled Release domains planned for December 10, 2024. | Available to Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about inserting third-party smart chips from other applications.

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.

Now generally available: Policy visualization across Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Vids and Drive

Earlier this year, we introduced a beta for policy visualization across Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. This is now generally available, and as a result, users who are interacting with policy-protected content, such as those with data loss prevention (DLP) rules or trust rules, will now be informed about what actions are prevented by those policies. | Learn more about policy visualization.

New beta that supports running Google Drive on Arm-compatible Windows PCs now available

We're excited to announce beta support for Drive for desktop on Windows 11 devices powered by Snapdragon processors. Compiled natively for ARM64, this release enables users to easily sync and store files online from Windows PCs powered by Snapdragon. | Learn more about the beta for running Google Drive on Arm-compatible Windows PCs.

Now generally available: configure third-party apps by select API scopes

Earlier this year, we launched the ability to configure third-party apps by select API scopes to open beta. This feature is now generally available. | Learn more about configuring third-party apps by select API scopes.

Available in beta: Convert your client-side encrypted spreadsheets after a Vault or Takeout export

After a Vault or Data export (Takeout), admins can now convert their exported client-side encrypted spreadsheets to Excel files. | Learn more about CSE spreadsheets.

Adding granular control options for who can respond to Google Forms

Form creators can limit response access to specific users, groups, or target audiences—similar to how file owners can restrict the sharing of Google Docs, Sheets, Slides or Sites in Drive. | Learn more about controls on Form responses.

Assign Calendar resources to organizational units

Admins can now assign Calendar resources, such as rooms, projectors, or company cars, to specific organizational units. Upon doing so, the resource will be governed by the policies and settings of the assigned organizational unit (OU), including data location policies. | Learn more about assigning Calendar resources.

Request an eSignature on PDF files

You can now request electronic signatures on PDF files stored in Google Drive. | Learn more about eSignature on PDF files.

Tackle repetitive tasks, extract deeper insights, and more with the latest premade Gems in the Gemini app

We’re introducing several new Gems which you can leverage across a variety of areas, including common use cases for teams across sales, customer service, marketing, human resources, and more. | Learn more about premade Gems in the Gemini app.

HIPAA and additional ISO certifications for the Gemini app on web and mobile

We’re pleased to announce the attainment of HIPAA, ISO 27701, 27017, 27018, 9001, and 42001 certifications for the Gemini app on web and mobile.| Learn more about certifications for the Gemini app on web and mobile.

Completed rollouts

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

Rapid Release Domains:

Scheduled Release Domains:

Use intelligent suggestions for table conversion in Google Sheets

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

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - January 10, 2025

1 New update

Previous announcements

Completed rollouts

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

Paused rollouts

We have paused the rollout for this feature while we evaluate performance and quality. We will provide an update with new rollout information as soon as possible.

Prevent the downloading, printing, or copying of files by all users with Enhanced IRM for Google Drive Data-Loss Prevention

What’s changing

Additional details

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Google Meet provides additional privacy for livestreaming with new eCDN On-Premises API

What’s changing

Who’s impacted

Why it’s important

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Use Gemini to interact with PDFs in Google Drive’s overlay file previewer

What’s changing

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Granular OAuth consent in Google Apps Script IDE executions

What’s changing

Additional details

Getting Started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - December 20, 2024

3 New updates

Previous announcements

Completed rollouts

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

Control whether your users can add account recovery information with two new admin settings

What’s changing

Who’s impacted

Why it’s important

Getting started

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Now generally available: Monitor and manage AppSheet usage in your organization with the AppSheet Admin console

What’s changing

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Available in open beta: Set up Single-Sign On with custom OpenID Connect profiles

Update[January 9, 2025] We have paused rollout for this beta and will provide an update once rollout resumes.

What’s changing

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Available in open beta: migrate messages from Microsoft Teams to Google Chat

What’s changing

Additional details

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Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - December 13, 2024

3 New updates

Previous announcements

Completed rollouts

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

Translate messages in-line from one language to another in Google Chat

This announcement was part of Google Cloud Next ‘24. Visit the Workspace Blog to learn more about the next wave of innovations in Workspace, including enhancements to Gemini for Google Workspace.

Update
[January 9, 2025] We have paused rollout for this beta and will provide an update once rollout resumes.

Update
[December 18, 2024] We have updated the rollout information for this feature. See the Rollout section below for more details.