Google Workspace Updates: August 2014

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Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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With this launch, we are introducing a new tab to Hangouts in Gmail that shows a list of a person’s contacts sorted by availability, making it easier to see which contacts are currently online.

To access the new contacts tab, click on the person icon on the bottom of the Hangouts section.

Release track:

Rapid release, with Scheduled release coming in two weeks

For more information:

Changes to legacy Google Drive URLs

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Those with docs.google.com bookmarked as a way to access Google Drive should update their links accordingly. We will be showing a notification to users in both Drive and Docs to remind them of this change.

Release track:

Rapid release (gradual rollout over the coming weeks), followed by rollout to Scheduled release domains two weeks after completion of rollout to Rapid release domains

For more information:

As initially mentioned last month, in line with the new Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides home screens we announced in June, we’ll now start redirecting docs.google.com to point to the new Google Docs home screen instead of to Google Drive. You can always get to Google Drive by going to drive.google.com.

Release track:

Rapid release (gradual rollout over the coming weeks), followed by rollout to Scheduled release domains two weeks after completion of rollout to Rapid release domains

For more information:

Quickly find and insert special characters into Google Docs, Slides, and Drawings

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

The new picker now supports keyword search as well as free form input, so editors can draw the symbol that they have in mind and the picker will return available characters that resemble the drawing.

To add special characters, click the Insert menu and select Special characters.

Release track:

Rapid release, with Scheduled release coming in two weeks

For more information:

We have launched a new version of the special character picker in Google Docs, Slides, and Drawings, making it easier for people to find characters and symbols—like arrows, shapes, or non-Latin characters—to insert into their content.

The new picker now supports keyword search as well as free form input, so editors can draw the symbol that they have in mind and the picker will return available characters that resemble the drawing.

To add special characters, click the Insert menu and select Special characters.

Release track:

Rapid release, with Scheduled release coming in two weeks

For more information:

New Google Slides, Docs, and Sheets apps for iOS

Monday, August 25, 2014

Rapid release and Scheduled release For more information:

Get the Google Slides, Docs, and Sheets iOS apps

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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The new Google Slides mobile app is now available on iOS, making it easier for people to quickly find, edit and create presentations on the go--online or offline. As with the Android version, the Slides iOS app includes support for editing PowerPoint files. Additionally, as announced for Android in June, the Google Docs and Sheets apps for iOS have been updated to allow for seamless editing of Word and Excel files. No need to worry about file compatibility or internet connections anymore with the new Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps on iOS--it all just works. Release track:

Rapid release and Scheduled release For more information:

View event support in Google Drive audit logs

Monday, August 18, 2014

View event will cover file views for Google and non-Google file formats. Admins will also be able to filter on view events and combine that with other filtering criteria like document name, user name and timestamp.

Release track:

Rapid release and Scheduled release

For more information:

Currently, Google Apps Unlimited customers are able to access Drive audit logs using the Reports API and in the 'Audit' section of the Admin console reports. The current Drive audit logs include events such as create, upload, edit, rename, move, add to folder, remove from folder, trash, delete and untrash. We are now adding view event support to the Drive audit logs.

Release track:

Rapid release and Scheduled release

For more information:

Copy and paste charts within Google Sheets

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Rapid release and Scheduled release For more information:

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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People using Google Sheets will now be able to copy and paste high-fidelity, fully functional charts inside the same spreadsheet and between spreadsheets. When copying inside the same spreadsheet, the original data is used, so updating any data updates the chart. When copying between spreadsheets, a copy of the data is used, so no data is linked and updating the original data does not affect the chart. Release track:

Rapid release and Scheduled release For more information:

Chart trendlines now available in Google Sheets

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Rapid release, with Scheduled release coming in two weeks For more information:

People creating charts in Google Sheets will now have the ability to add trendlines--lines superimposed on charts revealing the overall direction of the data. Trendlines can be styled with different colors and line thicknesses, and can be displayed as an item in the legend. They are available for scatter plot, bar, column, and line charts. Release track:

Rapid release, with Scheduled release coming in two weeks For more information:

Classroom now available to Google Apps for Education

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Release track:

Rapid release and Scheduled release For more information:

Today we started to open Classroom to all Google Apps for Education users, helping teachers create and collect assignments paperlessly. Classroom includes time-saving features like the ability to automatically make a copy of a Google Document for each student, and also creates Drive folders for each assignment and for each student to help keep everyone organized. Students can keep track of what’s due on the Assignments page and begin working with just a click. Teachers can quickly see who has or hasn't completed the work, and provide direct, real-time feedback and grades right in Classroom. We’ll be rolling out to more users every day, so if you go to classroom.google.com with your Apps for Education account and don’t have access yet, please check back soon.

Release track:

Rapid release and Scheduled release For more information: