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What’s new in Google Workspace?

#Google Workspace

As the new year begins, it's crucial to reflect on the tools that empower businesses’ productivity and collaboration, like Google Workspace. The updates from the last three months offer a treasure trove of enhancements designed to propel individual and team productivity to new heights. In this blog, read about these latest new Google Workspace functionalities uncovered by Devoteam’s experts.

New functionalities available from the last 3 months | January 2024

Watch the full video here.

Google Calendar: Tame the Schedule, Embrace Efficiency:

  • A more consistent experience for the guest list in Google Calendar. Google has enhanced the presentation of meeting attendee names in Calendar invites and email updates. Currently, you may observe only email addresses or, in some instances, a combination of email addresses and names within a calendar invite. Moving ahead, you can expect to find an increased inclusion of names in the calendar invite, encompassing individuals within your organisation, as well as guests with whom you have previously interacted
  • API access for power users: Unlock automation potential with the Calendar API. Manage out-of-office settings and focus time events with ease, streamlining your workflow and maximising productivity.
  • Full-screen focus: Conquer your to-do list and dive into full-screen task lists directly on Calendar, removing distractions and empowering you to tackle your day with full focus. 

Google Meet: Elevate your meeting experience with Google Meet enhancements:

  • Uncompromising clarity: Immerse yourself in meetings with stunning Full HD video in group meetings, ensuring every detail, from presentations to whiteboard scribbles, comes through razor-sharp.
  • Boost your confidence: Feeling a little self-conscious on camera? Google’s subtle portrait touch-up on mobile devices gently enhances your appearance, putting you at ease and ready to shine.
  • Enhanced interactivity: For those who prefer to observe, the improved Google Meet viewer mode now enables smoother interaction and participation, even without being in the spotlight. Empower meeting hosts and co-hosts with the ability to seamlessly elevate a viewer to a meeting contributor during picture-in-picture mode. This feature enhances flexibility, allowing hosts to efficiently adjust participant rights without exiting PiP mode, saving valuable time.
  • Developers, listen up: The Google Meet API is now in Developer Preview, opening up a world of possibilities for custom integrations.

Google Chat: Boost your communication efficiency 

  • Say goodbye to repetitive tasks: Smart replies automatically suggest concise responses to common messages, saving you time and effort. Need to acknowledge an update or reschedule a meeting? Smart replies have you covered.
  • Declutter your workspace: Tame message overload with the space management tool, allowing you to bulk delete unused or outdated Chat spaces in a breeze.
  • Find what you need instantly: Experience enhanced communication efficiency with our redesigned navigation panel, seamlessly integrating direct messages and spaces. Introducing shortcuts, a novel framework designed to keep you effortlessly organized with your messages. The “home” feature minimizes friction by providing a centralized hub for catching up on new activities across all conversations. For further streamlining, easily filter for unread messages to tailor your view and prioritize essential communication. 
  • Seamless collaboration between Chat and Drive: Take action on Drive requests and comments directly within Chat, eliminating context switching and keeping workflows uninterrupted.

Google Drive: Enhance your workflow and security:

  • Future-proofed data management: Stay ahead of evolving privacy regulations with updates to third-party cookie requirements in Drive. Devoteam is here to guide you through these changes and ensure your data remains secure.
  • Boost your creativity and organisation: Spice up your presentations with playful GIFs and stickers in Slides. Drive now lets you filter files by people or groups, streamlining collaboration and information discovery.
  • Automate and simplify with smart tools: AppSheet smart chips in Docs empower you to automate repetitive tasks and workflows, saving valuable time and effort.
  • Navigate with ease: Drive’s refreshed homepage offers a more intuitive and efficient way to find what you need.
  • Effortless scanning on the go: The upgraded Google Drive scanner on Android and iOS devices makes capturing documents faster and simpler than ever.
  • Sheets fans rejoice: Get ready for the next generation of automated data entry in Sheets, designed to elevate your data analysis and reporting power.

Admin Power-Ups: Strengthen governance and security with enhanced Admin Console tools:

  • Gain clarity on access control: Monitor Mode sheds light on how Context-Aware Access policies impact your users, enabling informed decision-making and policy refinement.
  • Simplify user management: Streamline user onboarding and information synchronization with seamless External Directory integration.
  • Empower iOS device management: User enrollment and Apple Volume Purchase program support simplify iOS device deployment and control.
  • Mitigate insider threats: Chronicle’s advanced risk detection capabilities safeguard your organization against internal data breaches and security incidents.
  • Comprehensive data archiving: Google Vault now encompasses Google Calendar data, ensuring complete control and preservation of important information.

Gmail: Enhance your communication with an expanded emoji palette: 

Gmail’s refreshed emoji picker offers a wider range of expressive options, allowing you to more accurately capture your tone and intent in email messages. Celebrate achievements with playful confetti, offer reassurance with a virtual hug, or convey a spectrum of emotions beyond traditional text. This expanded functionality empowers you to build deeper connections and create more nuanced communication, even within the written format.

To Summarise: 

The end of 2023 brought significant advancements to Google Workspace. Calendar offers enhanced guest list clarity, API access for automation, and full-screen focus mode. Google Meet shines with Full HD video for groups, subtle portrait touch-up, and improved viewer/contributor interactions. Drive boasts future-proofed data management, playful presentation options, and automated workflows. Admins gain power with Monitor Mode, External Directory integration, and advanced risk detection via Chronicle.

Ready for More? Dive into Beta Programs with Devoteam!

Can’t get enough of cutting-edge features? Devoteam, your go-to Google Workspace partner, is here to guide you through the world of beta programs. 

  • Reach out to your devoteam contact or representative to join the beta
  • Re-watch the Google Workspace Update webinar here

So, what are you waiting for? Explore these updates, join the beta programs with Devoteam

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