Are you already in “holiday mode” or is it still a while before your next break? Either way, summer is here! So actually time for the traditional “summer slump”, right? Not when it comes to Google Workspace: Because Google has used the time up to this point and published more than 20 exciting updates in June.
Work easy with new features in Google Docs, Sheets, Chat and Gmail
These include some functions that will make everyday work a little easier for Google Workspace users in the future. Our colleague Max looked around and put together all the new products for you. (Spoiler: In the accompanying video he shows you all the functionalities in more detail.)
Our personal highlights are the innovations in Smart Chips, but above all the checklists in Google Docs, which have earned the title “Tip of the Month”:
You can easily create a functional checklist in a Google Doc, e.g. B. a packing list before you go on vacation, or a to-do list if certain things still have to be done in the run-up to a project. You can assign these tasks to different people (for Atlassian users: similar to a Jira ticket) and also give them a date. The highlight: The tasks then appear automatically in Google Tasks and are activated in the Google calendar of the respective person.
When the task is done, it can be checked off accordingly in the calendar, which in turn is mirrored in the list in your Google Doc and displayed as “done” (strikethrough).
Of course, the whole thing is also very practical if you want to do a workation with your team…
The other innovations at a glance
Google Meet
The popular Google Meet is getting several new features that are practical on both a small and large scale:
#1: New audience role (“spectator”): You can preset this role for all participants in very large meetings where it is unfavorable if people accidentally chattered in. Viewers cannot activate the camera or microphone, or share their screen. Of course you can also change the role assignment again.
#2: Whiteboard camera support: If your team meets on site for a brainstorming session, that’s great – however, colleagues who cannot be there in person are often at a disadvantage and their participation is limited. Google Meet now supports whiteboard cameras that cleanly film the analog board on site. This also makes it possible to develop and develop ideas remotely.
#3: Better picture-in-picture function (in Chrome): If you only have one monitor at your disposal, the picture-in-picture function is very practical, but until now it has only offered limited operating options. That’s different now: From now on you can also raise your hand, use the Meet chat, turn subtitles on and off, change the size of the view or use flexible layouts.
#4: More languages for subtitles and translations: Google Meet now also “speaks” French-Canadian, Polish, Romanian, Indonesian, Turkish, Thai and Vietnamese.
#5: Polls and Q&As during the Google Meet live stream: If you want to use interaction options such as surveys or Q&A even at very large company meetings or conferences – this is now possible!
#6: Virtual desktop background blur: Many users appreciate that the background can easily be blurred in Google Meet. This will also work for virtual desktops in the future – Google has thus corrected an existing deficiency.
#7: Better enrollment management: If people want to join a meeting, the join requests now end up on the right side in the people tab.
Google Chat
New features are also available in Google Chat. In detail:
#8: Improved onboarding: New colleagues who, for the first time, e.g. B. visiting Google Chat via Gmail are “taken by the hand” and guided in detail through the various chat options. So nothing stands in the way of a smooth start to corporate chat communication!
#9: More overview: Direct messages or group chats that are more than seven days without interaction will be hidden. You can of course call them up again via the list, and pinned people or groups also remain visible.
#10: Smart Compose: The feature uses machine learning to provide you with suitable text suggestions as you type, which can save you time. It is available in multiple languages.
#11: Read receipt for group messages: You can now also see if direct group messages have been read.
Gmail
#12: Top search results on the smartphone: Again, backed by machine learning that considers more than just the search term, Google has improved its search in Gmail on mobile. The best results for your query now appear at the top of the smartphone, then sorted in descending order of relevance.
Google Docs
#13: User-defined building blocks: Regarding the templates in Docs defined by Google itself, e.g. B. for meetings or project plans, you can now also create and reuse your own text blocks. Handy if you often have to set up similar documents.
#14: Variable Chips: Smart chips are small, interactive elements that you can insert into Docs and Sheets, e.g. B. the date, contacts, places, links, etc. New are variable chips that can be used as placeholders for a wide variety of things, e.g. B. customer names, transaction numbers or similar. Together with the user-defined building blocks, templates for contracts, for example, can be easily created.
#15: Third Party Smart Chips: You can also integrate smart chips developed by third parties via the Marketplace.
Google Sheets
#16: Timeline view: The timeline view, which has existed for a while, has new, useful functions.
#17: keyboard shortcuts: Google has expanded the palette and implemented new keyboard shortcuts.
#18: Smart chip data extraction: You can now extract the metadata contained in smart chips (e.g. the creation or modification date for a doc, an e-mail address for contacts, etc.) into cells and then process the data as normal in your sheet.
And there is also this on top:
#19: Access requests to Google Docs: So far, you have only been informed by email if a colleague needs access to a document. From now on, the document itself will indicate that there are one or more access requests that can also be accepted or rejected directly in the Doc.
#20: Order in Google Drive: Thanks to a new sorting function, you can decide for yourself whether, how and where folders and other files are displayed.
#21: crystal ball of the month: The form letters in Gmail will soon be even more powerful, because in the future you will be able to use every column of a Google Sheet as a tag for personalized mass mails. This makes them much more personal and individual than was previously the case.
And the checklists already mentioned, our tip of the monthwill definitely make your everyday work easier!
Up to date in Sachen Google Workspace
You’re now thinking “Wow – and how am I supposed to keep all this”? Don’t worry: Our colleague Max shows you details about all the new functions in the current video, which you can find on our YouTube channel.
By the way, you can do that too subscribe directlyso that you are always up to date with regard to Google Cloud and Google Workspace in the future!
If Google-Cloud-Partner we would be happy to advise you on all things Google Cloud and Google Workspace. Just get in touch with us – Kai is an expert for Google Workspace and will show you how the solution can work for you and your company if you wish: https://calendly.com/kgossens!
Further information
Literal digital transformation – our success story with Google Workspace and NOZ/mh:n MEDIEN
Hybrid working with Google Workspace – Part 5: Scenarios for successful meetings
Everything about Google Workspace and what advantages it has for you
No digital transformation without Google Data Cloud – Part 1
No digital transformation without Google Data Cloud – Part 2