Featured Launch: A new look for the Apps Admin console |
Work together Addition of Docs, Sheets, and Slides icons to App Launcher Protected sheets and ranges improvements in Google Sheets |
Simple to use “Last seen” indication in Hangouts Better search experience for Hangouts in Gmail Images in frozen sections in Google Sheets Archive classes and teacher assignments page in Google Classroom |
Business ready Gmail labels in Google Vault email search results Google Apps Vault added to all Google Apps for Education accounts |
Learn more about Google Apps Google for Work Connect (GWC): The community for Apps administrators |
We’d really appreciate your thoughts on how we can make this newsletter work best for you.
-The Google Apps Team
February 2, 2015
Featured Launch: A new look for the Admin console
Material design comes to the Google Apps Admin console
Released January 28, 2015 (gradual rollout)
What’s new: At Google I/O last June, we introduced material design, a single underlying design system that allows for a beautiful unified experience across platforms and device sizes. You’ve seen these design principles applied to many of Google’s products recently, and in late January, the Admin console was the latest product to get a refresh.
The Admin console was redesigned to better meet the needs of Google Apps admins, putting your most important controls front and center and making the most common tasks easier than ever to complete.
For example, to add new users and start other tasks, just look for the consistent create button on the bottom right:
And to take actions for users (like resetting passwords), just go to the drop down menu:
How it works: The redesign was launched gradually to all Apps domains starting on January 28, with the rollout expect to be complete in early February.
To help you get acquainted with the new design, we’ve prepared a design change guide [pdf] [translations], featuring screenshots of the new navigational elements and guidance on how to change settings, manage and add users, apply filters and access other frequently used features in the new UI. We also pulled together a video walk-through and before and after screenshots for context on how things will be changing.
Work together
Addition of Docs, Sheets, and Slides icons to App Launcher
Released January 13, 2015 Share with your organization
What’s new: We’ve added Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides to the App Launcher for Google Apps customers, making it easier for people to get straight to the Docs editors when signed into other Google products. Groups and Contacts were moved to the ‘More’ screen to make room. How it works: To access the Docs editors and your other Google Apps products, open the App Launcher from the Google bar. Click on ‘More’ to access Groups, Contacts, and other products. |
Protected sheets and ranges improvements in Google Sheets
Released January 21, 2015 Share with your organization
What’s new: We launched several improvements to the protected sheets and ranges functionality in Google Sheets, providing faster and more granular control when locking down sections of content in spreadsheets.
Key changes include:
- Ability to lock down all content in a sheet except a particular cell or range
- Faster set up with the ability to re-use the same permissions you previously chose on a different set of cells
- Ability to quickly lock down a sheet or range to only a single person, a small number of people or a domain
How it works: To protect a range, select the cell or group of cells you want to protect, click the Data menu and select Protected sheets and ranges. To protect a sheet, click the sheet's tab at the bottom of your spreadsheet and select Protect sheet.
Check out the Help Center for more information.
Work anywhere
Custom status messages on the Hangouts iOS app
Released January 6, 2015 Share with your organization
What’s new: As launched in December for Hangouts in Gmail, the Google Hangouts iOS app now includes the ability to add custom status messages and see the status messages of others in the Contacts view.
How it works: Status messages can be added via the settings menu. Status messages shared on one device will also apply to other devices on which one is signed in with their Hangouts account. This feature is coming soon for the Hangouts Android app.
Get the Hangouts iOS app in the App Store and check out the Help Center for more information.
Easier guest access to Hangouts video calls on iOS
Released January 6, 2015 Share with your organization
What’s new: Last year, we announced a new feature for Hangouts on the web allowing Google Apps customers to share links to Hangouts video calls so that external meeting guests may request to join if not explicitly invited. This feature helps external guests avoid errors when joining with alternate Google accounts.
The Hangouts iOS app now has the same functionality, allowing external guests using the app to join Hangouts video calls from their mobile device with a meeting link provided by the organizer.
This feature will be coming soon to the Hangouts Android app.
How it works:
- Anyone in the same domain as the Hangout can make a video call externally accessible with the link
- Video calls that are shared with the link require someone in the Apps domain of the Hangout video call to accept those requesting access on the web
Get the Hangouts iOS app in the App Store and check out the Help Center for more information.
Search improvements in the Gmail iOS app
Released January 9, 2015 Share with your organization
What’s new: Google Apps customers using the Gmail iOS app now see query suggestions when searching their email. The query suggestions are shown in a drop down as a query is typed and are tailored to the content in your email, so you can save time and get the information you want faster than ever before―same as the experience in Gmail on the web. Note: This launch does not apply to Google Apps for Government customers Check out the Help Center the more information. |
New Google Classroom mobile app
Released January 14, 2015 Share with your organization
What’s new: We launched a native Classroom mobile app for both Android and iOS to help teachers and students be more collaborative in the classroom and save even more paper and time. How it works: New with the mobile app, students and teachers can:
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Check out the Google for Work blog post and Help Center to learn more. Download the Classroom app from Google Play and the App Store.
New status menu, bandwidth control for Google Drive for Mac/PC
Released January 14, 2015 Share with your organization
What’s new: The Google Drive for Mac/PC sync client syncs any or all of your files to Google Drive on the web, making them available anywhere, at any time, on any device. It also provides secure cloud-based storage for your files.
The latest version of Google Drive for Mac/PC now features a new, more visually rich status menu and bandwidth controls. The menu allows people using Google Drive for Mac/PC to more clearly follow their sync status, including guidance on already synced files, files currently syncing and files yet to be synced. When you hover over a recently synced file, you’ll see an icon that saves you steps by letting you share it right from the menu:
You can also now choose to limit how much bandwidth Drive consumes while syncing your files for those times when you need extra bandwidth for something else. You can do that in the Advanced section of the Preferences menu.
How it works: See the Help Center for details on syncing files with Google Drive for Mac/PC.
Install Google Drive for Mac/PC.
Formatting, security improvements in the Android/iOS Docs editors apps
Released January 21, 2015 Share with your organization
What’s new: New versions of the Google Docs, Sheets and Slides apps are now available on Google Play and the App Store. New features include:
We’ve also added support for Touch ID on iOS, so you can unlock Docs, Sheets and Slides with your unique fingerprint. Download the latest Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps on Google Play and the App Store |
Simple to use
“Last seen” indication in Hangouts
Released January 7, 2015 Share with your organization
What’s new: To make it easier to know when people using Hangouts are available to chat, we’ve added timestamps as part of status (e.g. ‘last seen 2h ago’), indicating when one was last using Hangouts: How it works: Individuals can control whether this info is shared from Hangouts chat settings. This feature is now available on Hangouts in Gmail, as well as on the Hangouts Android and iOS apps. Learn more in the Help Center: |
Better search experience for Hangouts in Gmail
Released January 9, 2015 Share with your organization
What’s new: To make it easier to find and connect with your work contacts in Hangouts in Gmail, we’ll now display them as a distinct group as you start typing in the search box.
How it works: Your work contacts will appear below any contacts (work or personal) that you regularly Hangout with, so you can always find your most frequently contacted colleagues and friends.
Learn more in the Help Center
Images in frozen sections in Google Sheets
Released January 13, 2015 Share with your organization
What’s new: People using Google Sheets are now able to add images to frozen sections. This is helpful for prettying up invoices, reports and other spreadsheets where you want to feature a logo or image:
How it works: To insert an image in a frozen section, select a cell in the row and click on Insert > Image. You can then resize and move your image to fit the section or rows as needed.
More on inserting images in the Help Center.
Archive classes and teacher assignments page in Google Classroom
Released January 14, 2015 Share with your organization
What’s new: We launched two new desktop features to help teachers stay organized as they head into the second half of the year:
- Teacher Assignments Page: On Classroom for desktop, we launched a teacher assignments page, where teachers will be able to get quick access to any assignment, see how many students are done and mark assignments as reviewed.
- Archive Classes: We know that classes don’t go on forever—that’s why we launched the ability to archive classes. Archiving a class will remove it from the home page and make it read-only— teachers and class members can still view valuable information in archived classes, but can’t make any changes or turn in assignments.
How it works: More details on archiving classes and the teacher assignment page are available in the Help Center.
Business ready
Gmail labels in Google Vault email search results
Released January 14, 2015
What’s new: To make it easier for Google Apps admins to locate specific emails in Google Vault search, Gmail labels are now included in search results. Admins can now view both system labels―i.e. the status of the message as viewed by the user - Unread, Inbox, Spam, Sent, etc―and user-applied labels:
How it works: To view Gmail labels and basic header information for a message, click show details in your Vault search results.
Gmail user label metadata will also now be included in XML file exports to aid with deeper analysis.
Check the Help Center to learn more.
Google Apps Vault added to all Google Apps for Education accounts
Released January 28, 2015
What’s new: In September 2014, we announced that Google Apps Vault would be added to all Google Apps for Education accounts at no charge. In January 2015, we implemented this change for all new and existing Google Apps for Education customers. How it works: All new Google Apps for Education customers now receive Vault as part of their Google Apps for Education suite. Existing Google Apps for |
Education customers who do not already have Vault enabled now have it added to their account (note: these customers will first have to set up retention policies for archiving to begin). Existing Google Apps for Education customers who already had Vault enabled did not see any changes.
Learn more about Vault in the Help Center.
Learn more about Google Apps
Google for Work Connect (GWC): The community for Apps administrators
Sign in now: With several hundred IT admins signing up every month, Google for Work Connect (GWC) is increasingly becoming the best place to go to get the right information at the right time. Sign in now to discuss best practices, ask questions, and communicate with your peers and Googlers. Don’t miss out - sign in now and follow the areas in which you are interested. What’s new: Besides a UI refresh for the new year, a simpler sign-in process, and the publication of the Q1 Content Plan packed with great articles, GWC now hosts a Change Management area featuring pieces written by Google’s resident expert, Kim Wylie. Whether you deployed last week or two years ago, Kim’s advice will make your life and your job easier. Come read her column every week and ask her questions. |
Google Apps for all: The Apps Show on YouTube, every Tuesday, 11am PST, with special episodes every Thursday
Share with your organization
What’s new: The Apps Show has moved to Tuesdays, with new special episodes every Thursday. This month, we introduced a new one minute Shortcuts video on Search, and an episode dedicated to using Google Apps in the classroom. Meanwhile, Debbie & John continue to cover news and topics like productivity with Chrome and time management. To know: Let us know what types of Googlers and customers you want to see in our Thursday specials by commenting in our latest episode. |
What’s New for Apps Admins videos
Share with your organization
What’s new: The What’s New for Apps Admins videos provide a recap of all of the features we've released in the past month that are relevant to Google Apps Admins, so you can watch and share them whenever you want. How it works: Bookmark the playlist on YouTube and check back each month for the latest updates. You can also access all video recordings in the archive on the What’s New site. |
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