U-M Google Updates

Reminder: Only use Google apps with U-M Google

9/9/2019

This is a reminder that using third-party apps to connect to a U-M Google account can lead to unexpected results. 

Google-Created Apps and Applications

Apps and applications created by Google provide the most seamless experience when using Google services, particularly with mobile devices. Google-created apps and applications are also supported by Google, whereas third-party apps are not. We strongly recommend that only apps and applications created and supported by Google be used to connect to U-M Google accounts for these reasons. A web browser may also be used.

Third-Party Apps and Applications

Third-party apps and applications are created by a group or company other than Google. Google does not support the use of third-party apps or incidents that might result from using them. Using apps not provided by Google is at your own risk and could lead to university data loss. We have seen issues related to the use of third-party applications when used with Google services.

Some reported issues include:

  • Email and calendar events permanently deleted 
  • Inaccurate calendar notifications sent to event invitees 

These types of issues have occurred using an iPhone or iPad and Apple’s native mail and calendar apps. However, unexpected behavior is not limited to iPhones and iPads. Third-party desktop applications such as Apple Mail and Calendar or Microsoft Outlook may also cause unexpected behavior.

Be aware of the apps you use with your U-M Google account. Google provides and supports apps for Gmail, Calendar, Drive, and more in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Using only the apps provided by Google ensures that we can get support from Google when issues arise.

Classic Google Sites Creation Re-enabled

9/5/2019

In response to strong feedback about certain features and functionality missing in new Google Sites, classic Sites creation will be re-enabled in U-M Google. According to Google, it could take up to 24 hours for this to be rolled out to the entire domain. This decision was made to minimize impact to fall term coursework requiring those features. Classic Sites creation will be available until closer feature parity exists between classic Sites and new Sites. The main impact you will notice is that sites.google.com delivers you to the classic Sites page rather than new Sites. 

We emphasize the importance of using new Sites whenever possible. This will reduce potential impacts when Google retires classic Sites, including a required effort to self-migrate your classic Sites. You can find the new Sites page by clicking New Google Sites in the left panel of sites.google.com or in Google Drive by clicking New > More > Google Sites. We will closely monitor as Google continues to improve new Sites with features and functionality currently available in classic Sites. 

To reiterate, this is temporary. We strongly encourage the use of new Sites, as Google will eventually retire classic Sites. 

U-M Google August Monthly Summary

9/5/2019

The monthly U-M Google Summaries inform the university community of Google releases for Core Apps as well as the Non-Core Apps (those that are not part of the G Suite for Education agreement). We communicate important information on Core Apps throughout the month. Core and Non-Core Apps are listed on the G Suite website.

Core Apps:

Google has added three new tools to help you generate more compelling reports and better display data in Google Sheets:

  • Slicers: a new way of filtering for reports or dashboards by condition and values
  • Scorecard Charts: a new way to call out key metrics, such as KPIs or a key stat, within your sheet
  • Themes: You can now quickly alter the look and feel of an entire spreadsheet including charts, pivot tables, and cells. To apply a preset theme, select Format > Theme and choose an option, or to create a custom theme, select Customize in the top right.

GIF of new Google Sheets features

You now have more options for customizing chart borders in Google Sheets.

  • Double click on any chart to open the Chart editor and select the Customize tab. 
  • Under Chart style, you can select a border color or select None to remove the border.

Currently, the default border for a chart is dark gray.

Google has made it easier for you to identify which Google account is active when opening and contributing to Docs, Sheets, and Slides files. When you’re logged into multiple accounts, like switching between your work and personal accounts, it can sometimes be confusing to determine which account is active when opening and collaborating on a Doc, Sheet, or Slide. Now when you open a file, you may see a message that indicates which account is active and gives you the option to quickly change accounts to ensure you're using the correct one. This will help eliminate confusion and ensure you’re using the correct account when contributing to content.

Screenshot showing the new view of active accounts when using Google Drive

Google has released changes to Jamboard to make it easier to jam on all your devices. Specifically you may notice:

  • An improved editing experience on Jamboard devices, including a redesigned toolbar and framebar, a new quick-access menu, and new gestures to select objects
  • Simpler ways to open jams from your computer or on Jamboard devices 

For the full list of changes, visit Google’s Jamboard Help Center page.

The new fonts take into account typographical factors, such as size and spacing, that the Google Font developers hope will improve reading speed. This can be particularly helpful for educators who want to leverage new tools that can improve reading among their students, especially those who are sensitive to visual crowding.

Google has announced a new feature to fill out structured PDF forms within the Google Drive app on Android and iOS devices. You’ll be able to complete text fields, select options from a drop-down list, and select checkboxes or radio buttons. After filling out the form, you can save your edits as a new revision of the document, or save a copy.

To begin filling out a form, tap the pencil in the PDF preview or tap the form field directly. When you’re done, save edits or save a copy of the form.

Note: this feature is not available on XFA forms, and does not support e-signature.

 

GIF of using the new PDF feature to fill-out PDFs on mobile Google Drive

  • Collaboration Services Notifications MCommunity Group

As a reminder, to receive notifications of service disruptions, join the Collaboration Services Notifications MCommunity group!

 

Previously Communicated:

Note: Keep in mind that even when Non-Core Apps are found in a Core App (like Add-ons in Gmail and Google Drive), they are not covered by the G Suite for Education agreement.

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Interested in our latest updates about Google G Suite at U-M? Check out the Google Service Updates page. 

Work smarter with the new Priority page in Google Drive

8/21/2019

Google has released a new feature in Drive known as the Priority page. This page allows you to access the files you need through a combination of suggestions and workspaces.

You can access the Priority page from the left-hand navigation panel in Drive. Some features you’ll see on the Priority page include:

  • Priority:

Here you’ll see the documents Google thinks are most relevant to you. On each suggested document, you can also take action without having to navigate to the document. Some actions include replying to a comment or reviewing recent edits.

  • Workspaces: 

Here you’ll be able to see suggestions of related content to group together for easier access— like multiple files related to the same project. You can also create your own personalized Workspaces to collect any files you have access to including content stored in your My Drive and various shared drives. To add to a Workspace, right-click on any file and select Add to Workspace to group files as you work.

Note: There is 25 file limit for each Workspace you create.

Screenshot of the new Priority dashboard in Google Drive.

Note: If you would like to make Priority your default home page, you can do so by going to your Settings, which is accessible via the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner.

 

According to Google, this feature should be fully visible within the U-M Google domain.

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Interested in our latest updates about Google G Suite at U-M? Check out the Google Service Updates page. 

U-M Google July Monthly Summary

8/1/2019

The monthly U-M Google Summaries inform campus of Google releases for Core Apps. We communicate important information on Core Apps throughout the month. Core and Non-Core Apps are listed on the G Suite website.

Core Apps:

You can now enable Dark mode for Google Keep in the web browser. Dark mode is a popular feature that creates a better viewing experience in low-light conditions by reducing brightness. To activate Dark mode, click Settings (gear icon) in the top bar and select Enable Dark mode from the dropdown menu.

Note: Dark mode must be enabled on a per-device basis. You can also enable Dark mode for Keep on Android devices.

Screenshot of computer screen depicting Dark mode on Google Keep

 

Previously Communicated:

Note: Keep in mind that even when Non-Core Apps are found in a Core App (like Add-ons in Gmail and Google Drive), they are not covered by the G Suite for Education agreement.

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Interested in our latest updates about Google G Suite at U-M? Check out the Google Service Updates page.