U-M Google Updates

U-M Google August Monthly Summary

9/28/2023

Updates:

  • Reorganized file and folder menu in Google Drive

Earlier this year, Google introduced an updated interface for Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Building upon this, you will now notice a new menu format when right-clicking a file or folder in Drive. While the menu functionality remains the same, menu items have been reordered, renamed, and placed in new sub-menus. 

Google Drive file menu opened to show the new organization and subsections.

  • Bulk empty the trash folder of Google shared drives

Google has added the ability to empty the entire trash folder of a Google shared drive to help eliminate the manual effort of permanently deleting items in the trash one by one. From your shared drive’s trash folder, click Empty shared drive trash in the top right corner of the page. As a reminder, files and folders in the trash are automatically deleted after 30 days.

  • Linkable headings now available in Google Docs

Google has added the ability to copy links to headings in Google Docs. From a Google Doc on the web, right-click a heading in the document and select Copy heading link from the drop-down menu.

Google has added a feature that lets you annotate content while you present in Slides. With the new pen tool, you can circle, underline, draw connections, or make quick notes directly on your presentation. The annotations are not saved after ending the presentation, and they will only remain visible for as long as you are presenting.

To annotate your Slides presentation, click the Slideshow button in the top right of your slides, move your mouse over the bottom left of the screen, click the three-dot menu icon, and select Turn on the pen.

Google has released an enhanced tool finder at the top of Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides to help you discover commonly used tools and features. When you open a new file, the tool finder will suggest common actions that you can take when preparing a new document, spreadsheet, or presentation. For example, in Sheets, the tool finder might suggest "freeze rows" or "create a pivot table." Once you start editing, you can find recent actions in the tool finder for easy access to previously used features. Learn more about the tool finder for Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

User clicking into the new search bar on the far left of the toolbar in Sheets and typing Freeze to find the setting they want

You can now hyperlink text when composing or editing a message in Google Chat on the web. This update also includes the ability to copy hyperlinks from other places like Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Slides. To hyperlink your text, click the link icon in the formatting toolbar or press CTRL/CMD + K and enter the URL. 

  • Add bulk conversion for place chips in Google Sheets

You can now convert links to place chips in bulk from the insert menu or cell menu in Sheets. Learn more about inserting smart chips in your Google Sheets. 

  • Set up drop-down chips in Google Sheets with pre-fill feature 

You can now select a range of cells in Sheets and turn them into a drop-down chip. Your manually entered cell data will convert to pre-fill the drop-down values. You can then use the drop-down sidebar to easily adjust the options or add styles to the drop-downs before accepting. Learn more about creating a drop-down list with existing data.

User select multiple cells in Google Sheets and using the new pre-fill feature to create drop-downs for each cell

  • Insert emojis into Google Sites 

You can now insert emojis directly into text boxes and headings in Google Sites.

Previously Communicated:

Final Reminder: Upgrades to threading in Google Chat spaces to begin September 30

9/21/2023

As a reminder, starting September 30, 2023, Google will begin upgrading the format of all Google Chat spaces organized by conversation topic to in-line threaded spaces in batches over the course of several months. Learn more about in-line threaded Chat spaces.

What to Expect

Before the upgrade

A banner should appear in spaces that are organized by conversation topic, notifying you of the upcoming transition in the weeks leading up to it.

Google Chat space with blue banner at the top stating the space will be upgraded soon.

During the upgrade

  • According to Google, the upgrade should occur during non-peak hours on weekends to ensure minimal disruption.
  • Once the upgrade starts, it will typically take a few minutes to complete but can take up to 12 hours in some cases.
  • You will receive an error stating the space is temporarily unavailable if you attempt to open a space while it’s being upgraded.

After the upgrade

  • You may need to close and reopen Chat in order to access the upgraded spaces.
  • Messages sent before the upgrade will be retained and arranged chronologically instead of by topic. There will also be a separator (“Begin New Topic”) in the message history to indicate every time a new topic was started.
  • In some cases, when individuals have responded to older topics, the new chronological order takes precedence. This means that messages may not appear next to the original topic but rather according to the time that they were sent. When this occurs, the new response will quote the last corresponding message.
  • There will also be a separator (“In-Line Replies Added”) between the last message sent before the upgrade and new messages sent after.
  • Messages sent after will have the same experience as the existing in-line threaded spaces.
  • The upgraded spaces will have conversation history turned ON by default. (This is to match the previous history retention behavior of spaces organized by conversation topic, which always had history on.) In most cases, this setting can be changed by Space Managers after the upgrade.

Google Chat space showing how previous conversation topic spaces will look after the upgrade, with text separators between topics

Negotiate meeting times directly in Gmail

8/25/2023

Google has added a feature to Gmail that helps you find and schedule one-to-one meeting times with others without leaving your email conversation. This is especially useful when scheduling time with individuals whose calendars are not visible to you.

Gmail view of someone composing an email reply and using the new negotiate time feature to suggest meeting times in Calendar without leaving Gmail

While composing an email, you will notice a new Calendar icon in the toolbar at the bottom of your draft. The feature offers two options: 

  • Offer times you’re free: This option opens your Google Calendar in the right side panel, where you can select and insert proposed meeting times into the email. The recipient can then review the proposed times, select one via the email, and automatically receive a calendar invite.
    • Time suggestions can only be made using your primary calendar and only work for one-to-one meetings.
    • If multiple people are included in the email’s recipient list, only the first person to book an appointment will be added to the event automatically.
  • Create an event: This option opens your Google Calendar in the right side panel, where you can create an event and automatically share the details in the email. (Previously, this feature was available in the three-dot menu on top of the email conversation view.)
    • You can create events on any of the primary or secondary calendars you have access to manage using this option.

An email reply in Gmail showing the new Calendar icon in the toolbar and the options available for you to choose

This feature should be available and fully visible to everyone using Gmail and Calendar in U-M Google. Learn more about scheduling events in Gmail.

Upgrades to threading in Google Chat spaces to begin September 30

8/24/2023

Starting September 30, 2023, Google will begin upgrading the format of all Google Chat spaces organized by conversation topic to in-line threaded spaces in batches over the course of several months. Learn more about in-line threaded Chat spaces.

What to Expect

Before the upgrade

A banner should appear in spaces that are organized by conversation topic, notifying you of the upcoming transition in the weeks leading up to it.

Google Chat space with blue banner at the top stating the space will be upgraded soon.

During the upgrade

  • According to Google, the upgrade should occur during non-peak hours on weekends to ensure minimal disruption.
  • Once the upgrade starts, it will typically take a few minutes to complete but can take up to 12 hours in some cases.
  • You will receive an error stating the space is temporarily unavailable if you attempt to open a space while it’s being upgraded.

After the upgrade

  • You may need to close and reopen Chat in order to access the upgraded spaces.
  • Messages sent before the upgrade will be retained and arranged chronologically instead of by topic. There will also be a separator (“Begin New Topic”) in the message history to indicate every time a new topic was started.
  • In some cases, when individuals have responded to older topics, the new chronological order takes precedence. This means that messages may not appear next to the original topic but rather according to the time that they were sent. When this occurs, the new response will quote the last corresponding message.
  • There will also be a separator (“In-Line Replies Added”) between the last message sent before the upgrade and new messages sent after.
  • Messages sent after will have the same experience as the existing in-line threaded spaces.
  • The upgraded spaces will have conversation history turned ON by default. (This is to match the previous history retention behavior of spaces organized by conversation topic, which always had history on.) In most cases, this setting can be changed by Space Managers after the upgrade.

Google Chat space showing how previous conversation topic spaces will look after the upgrade, with text separators between topics

Updated access controls for Google Meet

8/16/2023

Google has introduced simplified controls for managing meeting access in Google Meet. These replaced the previous “Quick access” meeting settings.

From a Google Calendar invite or Google Meet itself, meeting organizers can now pick from the following three levels of access:

  • Open
    • Anyone with a meeting link will be able to join your meetings.
    • No one will have to ask to join.
    • Anyone can dial in.
  • Trusted
    • The following individuals can join without having to ask to join (or, as Google calls it, “knocking”):
      • Anyone within the meeting host's organization (i.e., the University of Michigan, using their @umich.edu Google account).
      • Anyone outside the organization but invited via a Google Calendar event or anyone invited from within the meeting.
    • Anyone can dial in.
    • Everybody else will have to ask to join.
  • Restricted
    • Only someone who is invited via a Google Calendar event or someone invited from within the meeting by a host will be able to join.
    • Everyone else will have to ask to join, including participants inside a host’s organization (i.e., the University of Michigan) who aren’t included on the invite and those dialing in.
    • Additionally, meeting hosts can configure whether guests can join the meeting before the hosts.

Red box appears around the new Meeting access type settings in Google Meet

The table below provides information regarding how the new settings are applied to new and existing meetings:

New meetings Existing meetings with “Quick access” turned OFF Existing meetings with “Quick access” turned ON
All new meetings will be set to TRUSTED, and your guests will be able to join before you. Existing meetings will be set to RESTRICTED, and your guests won’t be able to join before you. Existing meetings will be set to TRUSTED, and your guests will be able to join before you.

According to Google, this update should be available and fully visible in U-M Google now.