U-M Google Updates

U-M Google June Monthly Summary

7/22/2022

The monthly U-M Google summaries inform the university community of new Google releases and previously communicated updates.

Updates:

In Google Docs, you can now make multiple text selections and apply actions such as delete, copy, paste, or format to all selections at once. To make multiple text selections, triple-click the first text selection to highlight it, and then while holding down the Ctrl or Cmd key, triple-click on any other text selections. When done, you can then take action on all text selections at once.

Selecting multiple text snippets and formatting them all at once in Google Docs

Editors of new Google Sites can now add content as a full page from the following sources: custom code, other websites, and Google apps such as Maps and Docs. Previously, editors could only add these elements as part of a page. Learn more about embedding content in new Google Sites.

You can now use familiar keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + C (or Cmd + C on Mac), Ctrl + X, and Ctrl + V to cut, copy, and paste Google Drive files in your Chrome browser. Additional things to note:

  • A link to the file and its title will be captured when copying, so you can paste the file directly into a document or email.
  • Ctrl + C, Ctrl + Shift + V will create shortcuts to keep files in multiple locations organized without creating duplicate files.
  • Open files or folders in a new tab using Ctrl + Enter to view multiple files at once.

Multiple examples of using keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl + C to cut, copy, and paste files in Google Drive

In addition to seeing a file’s name, owner, modification date, and size, Google has added a column to include location information in the Search, Recent, Starred, and Trash Google Drive views on the web.

Google Drive search results with a file's location selected from the new location column

In Google Tasks, you can now mark important tasks with a star (similar to functionality that currently exists in Drive). Additionally, you’ll be able to view or sort your starred items across various task lists in the new starred view.

  • Set a custom duration for "Do Not Disturb" in Google Chat 

You can now set the duration of your "Do Not Disturb" status in Google Chat to a specific date and time. This feature is now available on the web, Android, and iOS devices. Learn more about changing your Google Chat status.

Google has refreshed the layout of email notifications sent by Google Calendar to make key event details more accessible. In addition, when you receive an email notifying you of a modification to an event, such as a time or location change, it will display both the old and updated information.

Google has updated the experience for removing participants from a meeting in Google Meet. Now, when a host or co-host removes a participant from a call, they will be prompted with additional actions. Specifically, they can opt to: 

  • Remove the user from the call
  • Fill out an additional abuse report 
  • Block the user from rejoining (Only use the “block” functionality when absolutely necessary)

Learn more about adding or removing people from a Google Meet video call.

Picture-in-picture mode and multi-pinning are now available in Google Meet in Chrome web browsers. You’ll be able to see up to four video tiles of meeting attendees in a floating window on top of other applications. Additionally, you can now pin multiple video feeds. Learn more about multi-tasking with picture-in-picture mode in Meet.

Entering Picture in Picture mode while using Google Meet in the Chrome web browser to navigate to different tabs while still paying attention to the meeting

You can now print personal and Google Chat spaces Task lists on the web. Learn more about printing your Google Tasks. 

In 2019, Google released the ability to edit Microsoft Office files in Docs, Sheets, and Slides and sync Docs, Sheets, and Slides for offline use. Google has now announced the ability to sync your opened Microsoft Office files offline via Google Drive on your desktop. (Note: This change only applies to files that have already been opened in Office editing mode.) Learn more about enabling offline access in Google Drive.

Previously Communicated:

Coming soon: Visual changes to email compose fields in Gmail

7/21/2022

Google has announced several improvements in Gmail to help you compose email more efficiently. When interacting with the “To,” “Cc,” and “Bcc” fields, key changes include: 

  • New right-click menu to view a recipient's contact information
  • Recipient profile pictures

Address fields in Gmail Compose box shows profile pictures with the names of the recipients

  • Better indicators when emailing an external recipient
    • External recipients you’ve interacted with before will be highlighted in yellow. 
    • External recipients you’ve not interacted with before will be highlighted along with an external icon and warning banner.

Two Gmail Compose boxes side by side, both have a recipient highlighted in yellow and the right image has a yellow warning box at the bottom

  • New indicators when adding a duplicate recipient
    • Duplicate recipients will be grayed out with a checkmark to indicate they have already been included in the email.
    • Gmail will automatically remove duplicate entries within the same field when dragging and dropping between the To, Cc, and Bcc fields.

Gmail Compose box shows a duplicate user grayed out in the recipient drop-down selection

  • Improved email formatting validation
    • To prevent errors, Gmail will validate that email addresses are entered in the correct format (e.g., [email protected]) and will prevent any incorrect formats from becoming a recipient.
    • If you add an incorrectly formatted email address in the address fields, you’ll see an error message prompting you to fix the error before sending.
    • Validation is only performed on email address formatting and does not check the accuracy of the email address itself.

Note: These updates may impact some Chrome extensions using the current Gmail Compose interface.

According to Google, these improvements should begin showing up in U-M Google sometime between July 7 and the end of September 2022 but could take longer to become fully visible to everyone.

U-M Google May Monthly Summary

6/10/2022

The monthly U-M Google summaries inform the university community of new Google releases and previously communicated updates.

Updates:

You can now join a Google Meet call from Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. In addition to the "present to Meet" option, you can select “Join the call” to quickly join and present a document, spreadsheet, or presentation to all meeting attendees. Learn more about using Google Meet with Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

User joins a Google Meet session from their Google Doc

You can now import a custom theme from one new Google Site to another. In a new Site, navigate to Themes > Custom > Import theme. Learn more about changing how your new site looks.

User importing an existing custom theme into their Google Site

When using the new appointment scheduling feature in Google Calendar, you can now opt to have individuals verify their email before booking an appointment with you. When enabled, the individual must be signed in to a Google account or, if they’re not signed in to a Google account, validate their email address using a PIN code to complete the booking.

This setting is off by default and is “sticky.” This means that if you turn it on or off, the setting will be saved for any new appointment scheduling series. Learn more about appointment scheduling and requiring email verification for appointments. 

In Google Drive, you can now use app:”Google Meet” in your search query to easily find Meet content such as meeting recordings and chat transcripts.

Google Drive search results for Meet content

Similar to Google’s updates to the Google Sheets menus earlier this year, you’ll now notice they have updated the menus in Google Docs to make it easier to locate the most commonly-used features.

You can now set the end options for recurring tasks directly in Google Tasks. Previously, you could only set the end option for a recurring task by opening the task in Google Calendar.

  • New idle status in Google Chat 

In Google Chat on the web and in Gmail, you'll now see an orange clock icon for users that were recently active in Chat but aren't currently active. Learn more about availability statuses in Google Chat.

In Google Chat, you may now encounter banners warning against potential phishing and malware messages from individuals with external (non-UM) Google accounts. These warning banners are already available in Gmail and Google Drive and help protect you against malicious users.

Google Chat messages with the new red warning banners

In Google Chat, you can now create personal tasks from individual or group messages. These tasks will then be viewable by you in Google Tasks, the quick-access side panel, and Google Calendar (if the task has a set date). Once you’ve created a personal task, you can add a due date and description, then quickly navigate back to the conversation. Learn more about adding or editing a task. (Currently, this feature is only available for Chat on the web and Android devices. The feature will come to iOS devices in the coming months.)

Previously Communicated:

None for the month of May!

New "Space Manager" role in Google Chat

6/9/2022

Google recently introduced a new “Space Manager” role in Google Chat to give you greater control over the management of your Chat spaces. Space creators will be Space Managers by default and can assign this role to additional members in the space, too. Space Managers will appear with a green diamond (Green diamond) next to their name in the chat and member list of the space.

The members list for a Google Chat space that shows the green diamond denoting who is a Space Manager

As a Space Manager, you can: 

  • Add and remove space members
  • Assign or remove Space Managers
  • Delete a space
  • Delete messages
  • Edit the space description and guidelines

Visit the Google Chat Help Center to learn more about Space Managers and their abilities in Google Chat.

New table templates and drop-downs in Google Docs

6/7/2022

Google has introduced new drop-downs and table templates in Google Docs. Drop-downs allow you to indicate the status of items in your document. There are two default drop-down options: Project Status and Review Status. In addition to the Google-made defaults, you also have the ability to create new drop-downs with custom options and colors. To insert a drop-down, click Insert and select Dropdown from the menu bar, or type “@dropdown” anywhere in the document.

User types @dropdown, selects dropdown from the menu, and makes changes to the new dropdown. The user also creates a custom dropdown and options

The four table templates made by Google allow you to quickly insert building blocks for common workflows, like review trackers and product roadmaps. Also, if the templates don’t exactly fit your needs, you can customize the headers, columns, and more after inserting one into your document. To insert a table template, click Insert > Table > Table templates from the menu bar, or type “@” anywhere in the document and find them under “Building Blocks.”

User types the at symbol in Google Docs and selects a table template from the dropdown list under Building Blocks. The user also click the Insert menu from the menu bar and selects a table template to begin editing

This feature is now available in U-M Google.