This update makes sharing across Google Workspace more secure by making it easier to specify when a given collaborator should lose access to a specific file. This is especially useful in cases where a file creator or editor knows their collaboration with another person is time-bound. With this security feature, you don’t have to clean up a file’s access control list after collaboration has ended.
Additional details
You will also be able to set expiring access to files when sharing files in My Drive on Android by the end of November.
Getting started
Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, Education Standard, and Nonprofits customers
Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Education Fundamentals, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Frontline, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers
Not available to users with personal Google Accounts
Words whose spelling is not recognized will now be underlined in red, even if there is no suggestion. When you click on such a word, you'll see it labeled as an "unknown word" -- from here you can choose to add the word to your personal dictionary or ignore the suggestion. This improvement will highlight more potential spelling errors - helping you write correctly and with confidence. Note that this feature is only available in English at this time. | Learn more.
Improved hearing aid support for Google Meet on Android
We’ve expanded Google Meet hearing aid support on Android devices to recognize a wider variety of hearing aid devices. Meet will automatically default to using hearing aid support when they’re connected. You can also select hearing aids during a meeting from the audio settings menu. If the hearing aid has a built-in microphone, this microphone will be used. If it doesn’t the mobile phone or tablet microphone will be used.
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.
Use built-in mail merge tags like @firstname to personalize multi-send emails
We’ve launched the ability to personalize multi-send emails with mail merge tags like @firstname and @lastname. | Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Workspace Individual customers only. | Learn more.
Stronger Admin console protection with risk-based re-authentication challenges
In August 2022, we announced strengthened safeguards for sensitive actions taken in your Google Workspace end users accounts. Specifically, this update protected users from bad actors taking over accounts via cookie theft. Beginning this week, we’re extending this protection to the Admin console. | Learn more.
Custom emojis coming to Chat
We’re making emojis even more expressive and personalized by allowing people to create custom emojis. Everyone in an organization can view and use custom emojis uploaded by their colleagues in Chat messages and reactions. | Learn more.
Save time by adding in grading category information before exporting Google Assignments in Google Classroom
Starting this week, teachers can include grading category information when exporting Google Classroom assignments to the SIS. | Available to Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Aspen and Skyward 2.0 (SaaS Customers Only) SIS customers only. | Learn more.
Create and manage AppSheet databases, available in public preview
AppSheet is Google’s platform for building and deploying end-to-end apps and automation without writing code. As we continue to enhance and streamline app creation, we’re introducing a built-in structured database in public preview. | Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus customers, as well as those with an AppSheet license. | Learn more.
Configure App Access Control for third-party applications in bulk
You can now use that CSV file to specify the status of each app—trusted, blocked, or limited—and upload the file back into the Admin console for updates. | Available to Google Workspace Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Frontline, and Nonprofits, legacy G Suite Basic and Business, and Cloud Identity Pro customers only. | Learn more.
In the Admin console, under Security > API Controls > App Access Controls, you’ll see the option to “Bulk update list”.
Controlling how apps across your organization access Google Workspace data is critical to the security of your end users and sensitive data. This change makes it easier for Admins to set these policies in bulk, versus taking these actions individually, which can be time consuming.
Getting started
Admins: To manage app access, in the Admin console navigate to Security > API Controls > App Access Controls. Visit the Help Center to learn more about adding & configuring third-party apps in bulk.
Available to Google Workspace Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Frontline, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers
Available to Cloud Identity Pro customers
Not available to Google Workspace Essentials customers
Within the database editor, you can set the same column types as in the AppSheet editor for your data.
Easily create and customize databases starting from AppSheet's My Apps page.
Who’s impacted
Admins, developers and end users
Why it’s important
AppSheet databases make it easy for you to organize and manage the data that power your apps directly inside AppSheet. See our Developer Blog for more information.
Additional Details
Note that during preview:
Access to AppSheet databases will be enabled by default for everyone. There will be no impact on existing apps. Users can connect a database to both new and existing AppSheet apps.
Databases will be limited to 10k rows per table, 20 tables per database and 20 databases per user. These limits may change when this feature becomes generally available.
Getting started
Admins and Developers: You can create a blank database from the My Apps page.
Visit the AppSheet Help Center for more information on AppSheet databases.
This highly requested grade export feature eliminates the previous experience of teachers having to manually change the grading category directly in their SIS, which was both tedious and prone to error.
Getting started
Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users:
To set up your gradebook with grading categories, go to classroom.google.com, click the class > select Class Settings > and set up your grading categories.
Note: The grading category titles should match the exact text in your SIS gradebook.
After setting up grading categories, assign a grading category when creating an assignment. To export grades with grading categories, click SIS export > select the assignment > click export.
Available to Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade customers
Available to Aspen and Skyward 2.0 (SaaS Customers Only) SIS Customers (not available with Infinite Campus). Visit the Help Center to learn more about connecting Classroom to your SIS.
Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Plus, Frontline, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers
Not available to users with personal Google Accounts
Before launching to end users, admins can set organizational guidelines and designate emoji managers who can browse and delete custom emojis that do not adhere to the company’s guidelines. These admin controls will begin rolling out before the end user functionality to create custom emojis is available. See the "Rollout" section below for more information.
Who’s impacted
Admins and end users
Why it matters
As one of our top feature requests, custom emojis help teams develop their culture and enable people to express themselves more authentically in Chat.
Getting started
Admins: This feature will be ON by default for everyone in the organization. Admins can limit who can create new custom emojis, including turning it OFF for everyone at the organizational unit level. Admins can also designate emoji managers at the organizational unit level.
Within the Admin console, navigate to Apps > Google Workspace > Settings for Google Chat and classic Hangouts > Emoji Options.
To limit the creation of custom emojis, select the top-level organizational unit and turn OFF “Allow users to create custom emojis.” You can then turn it ON for specific child organizational units.
To designate emoji managers, select the organizational unit for that role and turn ON “Allow users to manage all custom emojis.”
If the creation of custom emojis is enabled for your organizational unit, you can create custom emojis in the web versions of Chat or Gmail by navigating to the “Create” button within the emoji picker. There, you can upload an image of your choice and give it a descriptive name, and then use your custom emoji while sending or reacting to messages in Chat.
Note: Custom emojis you create can be viewed and used by everyone in your organization.
To use custom emojis, navigate to the “Custom Emojis” tab within the emoji picker in messages and reactions. You will then see custom emojis created by everyone in your organization that are available for you to use.
Note: Custom emojis are only available in conversations without guests or external participants.
Currently, the Admin console prompts users to re-authenticate every hour. We are extending our current protections with additional signals to detect potential cookie theft. If a risky session is detected, we will issue extra challenges such as mobile notifications or the use of a security key. Once the user has successfully verified, they’ll be directed back to the admin page they came from.
Who’s impacted
Admins
Why it’s important
This added layer of security helps to intercept bad actors who have gained access to the Admin console using a stolen cookie. Cookie theft is a session hijacking technique whereby accounts can be accessed by exploiting cookies stored in the browser.
The additional “Verify it’s you” challenges help ensure only authorized users are accessing your organization’s sensitive information and data, preventing bad actors from taking damaging actors. Further, these challenge attempts will be logged as Admin log events allowing for further admin investigation.
Additional details
To avoid situations where a bad actor has a cookie that marks a device as trusted, admins can configure a device to be trusted based upon login.
If an admin gets legitimately stuck trying to access the Admin console, other admins can temporarily turn off login challenges, including additional log-in challenges. We strongly recommend only using this option if contact with the user is credibly established, such as via a video call.
Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on October 24, 2022. We anticipate rollout to be complete by November 14, 2022
Availability
Available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers
Today, we’re announcing the ability to personalize multi-send emails with mail merge tags like @firstname and @lastname.
This feature will begin rolling out over the next several weeks beginning today. See the "Rollout" section below for more information.
Who’s impacted
End users
Why it’s important
You can use mail merge tags to send more personalized and engaging emails to large audiences from web Gmail.
Getting started
Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users:
Turn on multi-send mode:
Multi-send mode must be turned on to use mail merge. Turn on multi-send mode using the button in your Compose toolbar.
Add recipients to your email draft in the “To:” line
Insert mail merge tags:
Type “@” to see a list of available merge tags.
Insert the desired merge tag by pressing Enter or by clicking on the merge tag.
Currently, the available merge tags are @firstname, @lastname, @fullname, and @email.
What recipients will see:
When your email is sent, the first name and last name values will be taken from whatever is saved in Google Contacts (if available). If you added recipients who aren’t in your Google Contacts, mail merge will try to infer the first name and last name based on how the name is formatted. Adding recipients to Contacts is the best way to ensure that they see the correct names in the email they receive.
Visit the Help Center to learn more about mail merge.
Adding custom merge tags:
Future releases of this feature will provide support for custom mail merge tags using spreadsheets.
Previewing mail merge emails: Before sending a multi-send email to recipients, you can send a preview to yourself. If your draft has mail merge tags, the test email will show the corresponding values for the first recipient.
Rollout pace
Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on October 24, 2022
Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on November 7, 2022
Availability
Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Workspace Individual customers
Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Enterprise Essentials, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Education Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Frontline, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers
Not available to users with personal Google Accounts
Initiate dialog workflows from the Chat app using message cards
Previously, the only way for developers and Chat app users to open dialogs was through slash commands. Now, we’re adding the ability to trigger the dialog by using buttons on an in-stream message card. This addition provides a much more convenient way to initiate workflows that involve dialog surfaces. | Learn more.
Add shared drives to specific organizational units, now generally available
Earlier this year, we launched a beta that allows admins to place shared drives into sub organizational units (OUs). Doing so enables admins to configure sharing policies, data regions, access management, and more at a granular level. We’re excited to announce this is now generally available. | Available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Nonprofits customers only. | Learn more.
See when colleagues are out of the office on Android
When viewing a person information card in Google Voice, Calendar, Gmail, and Chat on Android, you are now able to see your colleagues’ out-of-office status via an out-of-office banner. The banner also shows when the person is expected to return.
More ways to work with, display, and organize your content across Google Workspace on Android
Link previews in Google Sheets: We’re improving the Android experience by adding link previews to Sheets. This feature is already available on the web and allows you to get context from linked content without bouncing between apps and screens. | Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on October 24, 2022. | Learn more.
Google Sheets drag & drop improvements: We’ve enhanced drag & drop support for the Sheets Android app by adding the ability to drag, copy, and share charts and in-cell images.
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.
Workspace Admins are now notified when Label editing is restricted by set rules We’ve added a new Label Manager UI feature showing which rules a label is used within. Specifically, a message identifying and linking the label to the exact rule(s) will now appear in the Label Manager to ensure admins understand why label modification is disabled. | Available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, Education Standard customers only. | Learn more.
Encouraging Working Location coverage across organizations
Admins now have access to a new tool that aims to drive Working Location usage across their organizations. This setting adds a customizable banner to users’ Calendar either encouraging or requiring them to set up their working location. | Available to Google Workspace Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, and the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, as well as legacy G Suite Business customers only. | Learn more.
Enhanced menus in Google Slides and Drawings improves findability of key features
We’re updating the menus in Google Slides and Google Drawings to make it easier to locate the most commonly-used features. | Learn more.
Preview or download client-side encrypted files with Google Drive on Android and iOS
Admins for select Google Workspace editions can update their client-side encryption configurations to include Drive Android and iOS. When enabled, users can preview or download client-side encrypted files. | Learn more.
Split table cells in Google Docs to better organize information
You can now split table cells into a desired number of rows and columns in Google Docs. | Learn more.
Updates to storage management tools in the Admin console
To further enhance the set of tools for managing storage, we’re rolling out a new Storage Admin role. The ability to apply storage limits to shared drives and a new column called Shared drive ID in the Manage Shared Drives page are coming soon. | Learn more.
Hold separate conversations in Google Chat spaces with in-line threading
You can now reply directly to any message in new spaces and some existing spaces. This creates a separate in-line thread where smaller groups of people can continue a conversation on a specific topic. | Learn more.
Conversation summaries in Google Chat help you stay on top of messages in Spaces
We've introduced conversation summaries in Google Chat on web, which provide a helpful digest of conversations in a space, allowing you to quickly catch-up on unread messages and navigate to the most relevant threads. | Available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Frontline, and Nonprofits customers only. | Learn more.
Present Google Slides directly in Google Meet
You will now be able to control your Slides and engage with your audience all in one screen by presenting Slides from Meet. This updated experience can help you present with greater confidence and ultimately make digital interactions feel more like when you’re physically together. | Available to Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Education Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Nonprofits customers only. | Learn more.
Easily find Google Workspace Marketplace apps with enhanced search filters
We’ve introduced enhanced search filters in the Google Workspace Marketplace to help you quickly find relevant apps. These new filters allow you to search by category, price, rating whether it’s a private app for the organization, if it works with other apps, and more. | Available to Google Workspace Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers only. | Learn more.
Improving the Google Chat and Gmail search experience on web and mobile
In order to help you find more accurate and customized search suggestions and results, we’ve introduced three features that improve the Google Chat and Gmail search experience on web and mobile: Search suggestions, Gmail labels, and Related results. | Learn more.
Since then, we’ve made this feature available for Google Meet, Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides, with support for multiple file types including Office files, PDFs, and more. Today, we’re happy to announce the beta for Client-side encryption for Google Calendar. When using Client-side encryption for Calendar events, your event description, attachments, and Meet data is indecipherable to Google servers. You have control over encryption keys and the identity service to access those keys.
Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers are eligible to apply for the beta here until November 11, 2022.
Who’s impacted
Admins and end users
Why it’s important
Google Workspace already uses the latest cryptographic standards to encrypt all data at rest and in transit between our facilities. With Client-side encryption, we’re taking this a step further by giving customers direct control of encryption keys and the identity provider used to access those keys. This can help you strengthen the confidentiality of your data while helping to address a broad range of data sovereignty and compliance needs.
When using Client-side encryption, your event description, attachments, and Meet data is indecipherable to Google. You can create a fundamentally stronger privacy posture, whether that’s to help your organization comply with regulations like ITAR and CJIS or simply to better protect the privacy of your confidential data.
Getting started
Admins: This feature will be OFF by default and can be enabled at the domain, OU, and Group levels by going to the Admin console > Security > Access and data control > Client-side encryption. Visit the Help Center to learn more about client side encryption.
End users:
You will need to be logged in with your Identity Provider to have access to encrypted content.
To add encryption to any event in Calendar, click on the shield icon at the top of the event creation card. This will add encryption to event description, attachments, and Meet, while other items such as event tile, time, and guests remain on standard encryption.
Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers
Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Education Fundamentals, Frontline, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers
Not available to users with personal Google Accounts
Search suggestions: Search-query suggestions based on your past search history in Chat will now appear as you type in the Chat search bar. This will help you quickly recall important messages, files, and more on mobile.
Gmail labels: You can now search messages under a specific Gmail label in the app to return results only within that label. You can also use search chips in the Gmail search bar to refine label searches.
Related results: For Gmail search-queries that return no results, related results will be shown to improve the overall search experience.
Getting started
Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
Available to Google Workspace Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers
Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Enterprise Essentials, and Frontline customers
Many Google Meet users share content on their screen during meetings, and we know it’s important for presenters to actively interact with their audience.
You will now be able to control your Slides and engage with your audience all in one screen by presenting Slides from Meet. This updated experience can help you present with greater confidence and ultimately make digital interactions feel more like when you’re physically together.
Who’s impacted
End users
Why you’d use it
This feature fosters active collaboration by enabling you to see your Slides content, controls, and audience all in one place.
Getting started
Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users:
Select ‘Present a Tab’ in Meet > choose a Google Slide presentation > manage your presentation with controls in the bottom corner of the presentation.
Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Education Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Nonprofits customers
Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Education Fundamentals, Frontline, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers
Not available to users with personal Google Accounts
Throughout the course of the workday, we often find ourselves switching between virtual meetings, emails, and Chat threads. With conversation summaries, you can easily stay on top of the latest conversations.
Getting started
Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: This feature will be ON by default and can be disabled by navigating to Conversation Summary. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Conversation Summary.
Rollout pace
Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on October 19, 2022
Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on November 2, 2022
Availability
Available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Frontline, and Nonprofits customers
Not available to Google Workspace Business Starter, Education Fundamentals, and legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers
Not available to users with personal Google Accounts
You can find and navigate to the threads you’re following or where you’re specifically mentioned with a new thread panel on the right side of the conversation. Visual indicators, such as a badge for the number of replies, direct@ mentions, and when a message is deleted within a thread, will help you stay on top of the latest activity in any given thread.
Who’s impacted
End users
Why you’d use it
With in-line threading, you can reply to a specific message in the space. This can be useful in scenarios such as:
Answering questions with in-line replies, while not disrupting the flow of the main space
Starting a break-out discussion for topics that may not be of interest to everyone. By default, replying in-line will notify the original poster and those who have either been @ mentioned or replied in the thread. Other users will have the ability to subscribe to the chain by opening the in-line replies and selecting “Follow.”
Replying to an older message when the main discussion has moved on to a different topic
We hope that by incorporating in-line threading into spaces, it will also be easier and more intuitive for users to scan the space and know what’s going on. It will also help reduce noise for many users, as they will only be notified for replies to threads they participated in or choose to follow.
We are also making improvements to navigating the space. With the new thread navigation panel, you can browse through all the threads in the space, and you can also filter for only threads you’re following or where you’re specifically mentioned.
Additional details
In-line threading functionality will depend on which type of space you’re using:
In-line threading will be available in existing spaces where there is a single stream of unthreaded messages, previously known as “unthreaded spaces.”
Existing spaces with messages and replies grouped together for everyone in the main chat window were previously known as “threaded spaces” and will now be referred to as “spaces organized by conversation topic.” These spaces will not have in-line threading and cannot be reconfigured.
You can identify which type of space you are in by the location of the compose box. In-line threaded spaces have a single compose box at the bottom of the space. Spaces organized by topic instead have a + New topic button at the bottom of the space, while each topic has its own compose box.
A space with in-line threading
A space organized by conversation topic
Starting with this rollout, newly created spaces will feature in-line threading by default. Until early 2023, you can change this to spaces organized by conversation topic from the creation menu under “Advanced Settings”. Once a space is configured, it cannot be changed.
Beginning in early 2023, the option to create spaces organized by conversation topic will be removed, and in-line threading will be the standard for all new spaces. Existing spaces organized by conversation topic will not be impacted. We will share more information on the Workspace Updates Blog when that change begins rolling out.
In April 2022, we announced a new set of tools for managing storage across your organization. These tools give our customers additional insights and control to manage storage usage across users, groups, and their entire organization. To further enhance this experience, we’re rolling out:
A new Storage Admin role
The ability to apply storage limits to shared drives (coming soon)
A new column called Shared drive ID in the Manage Shared Drives page (coming soon)
See below for more information.
Who’s impacted
Admins
Why it's important
Super admins can use the new “Storage Admin” role to delegate access to the storage management tools, which will allow these admins to view and manage their storage usage. The new Storage Admin role will be rolling out over the next several days. As an admin, you can delegate a new Storage Admin in the admin console by navigating here.
In the coming months, admins will be able to apply a storage limit policy to shared drives within a company or an organizational unit. This new functionality will further help admins configure and manage storage settings that best fit the needs of their organization. In addition, admins will be able to uniquely identify a shared drive using the Shared drive ID. We’ll provide an update on the Workspace Updates Blog when this functionality becomes available.
In the Google Cloud Community, connect with Googlers and other Google Workspace admins like yourself. Participate in product discussions, check out the Community Articles, and learn tips and tricks that will make your work and life easier. Be the first to know what's happening with Google Workspace.
On the “What’s new in Google Workspace?” Help Center page, learn about new products and features launching in Google Workspace, including smaller changes that haven’t been announced on the Google Workspace Updates blog.
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