U-M Google Updates

U-M Google February & March Monthly Summary

4/24/2024

Updates:

  • Jump to where your collaborator is while editing in Google Sites

Currently when working on content in Google Docs or Slides, you can go to wherever your collaborator is working within the document or presentation by clicking their profile picture in the top right corner. Google has introduced a similar feature in Google Sites. Now, when a Site editor clicks on a collaborator’s profile picture, they will jump to the selected tile of the clicked collaborator. If the collaborator is on a different page, the site editor will be taken to that page. If the collaborator moves to another page or tile after you follow them, you won’t move to the new one. Learn more about following a collaborator on Google Sites.

Google has introduced a new comment experience in Docs, Sheets, and Slides. While you will continue to see and interact with the comments experience you’re familiar with, you’ll also notice updates to our comment cards, icons, and more.

You can explore new and familiar ways to interact with comments by going to the View tab, hovering over Comments, and selecting: 

  • Show all comments: Opens a full-length view into multiple comments in Docs, Sheets, or Slides. It includes an updated search and filter functionality. You will also notice a curated “For you” list, which surfaces all the comments you need to take action on.
  • Expand comments (in Docs and Slides): Shows comments next to the document or presentation content so you can review comments and content together.
  • Minimize comments (in Docs and Sheets): Reduces comments to icons so you can have a more focused view of your work in Docs and Sheets. This setting provides a quick preview with high-level information about who is commenting when you hover over the minimized icons.
  • Hide comments: Hides comments from view when you want to focus solely on the content in Docs, Sheets, or Slides.

Google Doc where comments have been made by collaborators. Someone is viewing the comments and using the new minimize comments feature

  • Drag and drop an image to replace the background in Google Slides

Hovering over the border of an empty slide before dropping in an image will now set the image as the background in Google Slides. Dropping the image anywhere else will insert the image onto the slide instead.

To provide you with more context upfront, you will now see participant profile pictures for unread threads in the conversation view in Chat (similar to Slack threads).

Google has announced a new feature known as markups in Google Docs. The new markup experience lets you add handwritten annotations to documents with a stylus or your finger when using an Android device. On iOS devices and the web, you will only be able to view a document with markups, delete markups, and hide/show markups. Learn more about adding markups to Docs on Android devices.

  • Playback improvements to videos uploaded on Google Drive 

Google has enabled the generation and playback of “Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP” (DASH) video transcodes for all new videos uploaded to Google Drive. DASH transcodes provide adaptive bitrate playback, which allows you to receive higher- or lower-resolution playback based on aspects like your local network quality. As a result of this change, you’ll also notice: 

  • Improvements in join time (the time it takes from clicking play to actually starting playback)
  • A reduction in re-buffering, both in normal playback as well as during playback at higher speeds 

While this feature applies to all new videos uploaded to Drive, existing videos in Drive will be updated by the end of the year (according to Google).

Instead of manually creating values for your drop-downs in Sheets, you can insert preset drop-down chips that are configured for common use cases like priority or review statuses (similar to present drop-downs in Docs). After inserting a preset drop-down, you can use the data validation sidebar to adjust the options or add styles. Learn more about inserting smart chips in your Sheets.

Blank Google Sheets spreadsheet where someone is typing the @ symbol into a cell and selecting a preset drop-down chip

To prevent duplicate space names in Google Chat, you will no longer be able to create a space within U-M Google if the space name already exists. If the name already exists, an error message will appear. The same will happen if you try to edit the name of a space to another name that already exists. Existing spaces with the same name will not be impacted.

You will also notice an updated user interface when creating a new space in Chat. In addition to easily determining access settings, you can now designate the space for Collaboration or Announcements.

In Google Meet, you can now pin messages to the top of the in-meeting chat. Pinned messages will appear for all participants, even if they join the meeting after the message was initially sent. Participants can pin and unpin their own messages by hovering over the message and clicking the pin icon. Meeting hosts can unpin anyone’s message.

Google has added the ability to search for and insert a smart chip via Chat message that links to another Chat space. When composing a message in Chat, typing the “@” symbol will now display a list of suggested spaces to include as a smart chip based on your membership. You can also paste the link of a space into a message and press the Tab key to convert it into a space smart chip. (Note that a recipient of the space smart chip must be a member of the space to access it. If they are not a member, they will not have access.)

You can now make one-to-one video calls to other U-M Google accounts using the Meet mobile app. Previously, you had to create a meeting link ahead of time, which could then be shared in a calendar invite, chat, or email. Now you can place a Meet call on your mobile app directly to a colleague, ringing their mobile device. The individual must have the most up-to-date version of the Meet app on their phone and connected to their U-M Google account. Currently, you cannot make calls to those outside of U-M or via the web interface. Learn more about making calls with the Meet app.

If you’re a Google Meet host or co-host, you can pin up to three specific tiles for all meeting participants. Participants can unpin these tiles on their screen if they wish. Learn more about pinning content in Meet.

Previously Communicated:

New features for Google Calendar appointment schedules

2/28/2024

Google has added several new features to their appointment schedules experience in Calendar. These features include the ability to:

  • Add up to 20 calendar co-hosts to your appointment schedule. This allows you to host calendar appointments with others at U-M.
    • You cannot add MCommunity groups or external (non-UM) users as a co-host.
    • Co-hosts cannot view appointment schedule details or make changes. However, if the schedule was created on a shared calendar, the co-host will have access to view details or make changes.
    • Bookings will be visible on the host’s and co-hosts’ primary calendars.
    • Note: The new calendar “co-host” role does not apply to other services attached to the appointment events (like Zoom or Meet). “Co-host” in this context means another person who will be joining the appointment(s) with you.
  • Create appointment schedules on secondary calendars. Previously, you could only create appointment schedules on your primary calendar. Now, you can create the schedule and receive booked events on secondary calendars as well.
    • Everyone with permission to use the secondary calendar can make changes to the schedule and view all bookings.
    • The appointment schedule can check the secondary calendar for availability but cannot check the availability of all users with access to the secondary calendar.
  • Select “Check calendars for availability.” This allows you to select secondary calendars, which the appointment schedule will use to check your availability across each one.
    • Unchecking this setting means that even if there is a conflict on one of the calendars, users will still be able to book that time.
    • Co-hosts’ calendars are not automatically checked for availability. You can select your co-host's calendar in the "Check calendars for availability" section to have their availability considered (as long as you are subscribed to that calendar).
  • Allow delegates to manage your appointment schedules. Delegate access enables you to let someone else access your U-M Google account to send mail or manage calendar invitations and events on your behalf. Now, the delegates can also edit or delete your appointment schedules on your primary calendar.

Calendar option to Check calendars for availability (checked) with note "Bookable times won't be available during any events created or accepted on the following calendars" and a link to learn more. Also shows the new co-hosts section at the bottom of the image.

Learn more about creating Google Calendar appointment schedules, customizing your appointment availability, and the differences between appointment schedules and appointment slots.

According to Google, this feature began showing up in U-M Google on February 12, 2024 and could take 15 days or longer to become fully visible.

Visual updates to the Google sign-in page

2/22/2024

According to Google, they will be making minor visual updates to the Google account sign-in page in the coming weeks. These changes will appear across all web browsers and mobile devices.

Important: This change does not affect the U-M Weblogin screen or the process for logging in to your U-M Google account. It is only a visual change to Google’s sign-in page.

Graphic comparing the current version of the Google sign-in page on the left side and an arrow pointing to the new version of the sign-in page on the right side.

Some of the visual changes will include:

  • A simplified Google logo (Capital “G” instead of the name “Google”).
  • The sign-in page adjusts to your screen’s size to better accommodate large and wide screens.

Visit the Google Help Center to learn more about the new Google sign-in page.

U-M Google December and January Monthly Summary

2/20/2024

Updates:

The redesigned navigation panel brings direct messages and spaces together and introduces shortcuts. “Home” displays new activity across all your conversations, and “Mentions” displays messages addressed to you.

Upon typing a math equation that ends with “=” into your document, presentation, spreadsheet comments, or drawing, solutions will appear as grey text suggestions. (You can turn off the Smart Compose feature by clicking Tools, selecting Preferences, and unchecking the “Show Smart Compose suggestions” box in Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Drawings.)

Muted conversations will not send push notifications, will not appear in Home, and will be visually deprioritized by moving them to the bottom of each conversation section. Notification badges will still apply to muted conversations when there are new “@” mentions for you or everyone in the conversation. Learn more about muting notifications in Chat.

When working in Docs, a replaceable “placeholder” chip for people, dates, files, events, and places can be inserted by typing @ and selecting Placeholder chip. Upon hovering or clicking on a placeholder chip, a search menu opens and includes results filtered to the chip type. Placeholder chips are only editable on the web but can be viewed on the web and mobile. Learn more about inserting smart chips in Docs.

Zoom in on Google Doc showing someone filling in content using the placeholder chips

There is a new option to share any file with all meeting participants on a Google Calendar invite via the sharing dialog within a file. As a file owner or editor (and a participant on the calendar event), click Share in the top right corner of a file, enter the calendar event name and select it, confirm the meeting attendees list is correct, select the users’ access level, and click Send.

If you’d like to link the file to the calendar invite, you can check the “Attach to calendar event” box before clicking Send. If you attach a file directly to a Calendar invite, a pop-up will appear asking if you'd like to share the file with the meeting attendees. Learn more about sharing in Google Drive.

  • Share a link to a specific time in a Google Drive video file

Google has added new functionality to the Drive sharing button that allows you to share timestamped links to specific parts of a video file. In Drive on the web, open a video file, go to the specific time you want to share, click Share, and click “Copy link to this time.” Learn more about copying a link to a specific time in the video.

  • New drop-down options on the sharing button in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings

In Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings, you can now use a drop-down on the Share button that shows you quick actions to take, such as pending access requests and the “Copy link” option, without the need to open the sharing dialog.

Languages include Armenian, Catalan, Filipino, Macedonian, Sundanese, Urdu, and more! Learn more about using closed captions in Meet.

Previously Communicated:

New Google Drive homepage view arriving January 11

1/9/2024

Google has announced a new homepage view in Google Drive called “Home.” According to Google, this feature should begin showing up in U-M Google on January 11, 2024, and could take 15 days or longer to become fully visible. 

In the new view, you’ll notice:

  • Personalized suggestions: Google surfaces relevant files and folders based on your activity.
  • Improved filtering: Filter chips help you narrow down results by type, owner, and more.

Fullscreen view of the new Google Drive homepage called "Home"

Important: When you go to drive.google.com after the change, instead of landing on My Drive or Priority, you will now be directed to Home. If you would like to set your default landing page to My Drive, click “Change to My Drive” in the blue banner that will appear on Home. (You should also be able to find it in your Google Drive settings once rolled out.)