U-M Google Updates

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

Updates:

• Hold separate conversations in Google Chat spaces with in-line threading

You can now reply directly to any message in new and existing unthreaded spaces. This creates a separate in-line thread where smaller groups of people can continue a conversation on a specific topic, similar to Slack’s in-line threading. Moving forward, newly created spaces will feature in-line threading by default.

With the new right-side thread navigation panel, you can browse through all the threads in the space and filter just for threads you’re following or where you’re specifically mentioned.

Additionally, beginning in early 2023, the option to create spaces organized by conversation topic (i.e., threaded spaces) will be removed, and in-line threading will become the default for all new spaces. Existing threaded spaces will not be impacted. More information to come, according to Google.

Learn more about using Spaces, organizing a space, and managing a space with in-line threading. 

• Preview and interact with files using smart chips in Google Sheets

You can now add Google Drive files directly into a Google Sheet as a smart chip to quickly preview and interact with files in Sheets. This feature is already available in Google Docs. Learn more about inserting smart chips in Google Sheets.

• Expanding smart chips to include events in Google Sheets

In addition to the new ability to add smart chips for Drive files in Sheets, you can now also add Google Calendar events. Once placed in your Sheet, you can view the event name and an actionable hover card in the cell, which includes an overview of attendees, times, and other meeting metadata. Learn more about inserting smart chips in Google Sheets.

• Join or start a meeting directly from Jamboard on the web to kickstart collaboration

Google has expanded interoperability with Google Meet and Jamboard with the new option to join or start a meeting directly from Jamboard on the web (as you can with Docs, Sheets, and Slides). This feature is available on the web. Learn more about collaborating with Jamboard in Meet.

• Enhanced menus in Google Slides and Drawings improve findability of key features

As they did earlier with Docs and Sheets, Google is now updating the menus in Google Slides and Google Drawings to make it easier to locate the most commonly-used features.

• Split table cells in Google Docs to better organize information

You can now split table cells into a desired number of rows and columns in Google Docs.

To split cells, right-click the table cell, select Split cell, enter the number of rows and columns you want, and click Split. Learn more about adding and editing tables in Docs.

• Improving the Google Chat and Gmail search experience on web and mobile

Google has added three features to improve the Google Chat and Gmail search experience on web and mobile. These features include:

• Search suggestions: Search query suggestions based on your past search history in Chat will now appear as you type in the Chat search bar.
• Gmail labels: You can now search messages under a specific Gmail label in the mobile app to return results only within that label. You can also use search chips in the Gmail search bar to refine label searches.
• Related results: For Gmail search queries that return no results, related results will be shown.

Learn more about search in Gmail and searching for Google Chat messages. 

• See when colleagues are out of the office on Android

When viewing an individual’s information card in Google Calendar, Gmail, and Chat on Android, you are now able to see their out-of-office status via an out-of-office banner. This feature is already available on iOS devices.

• Improved experience for the Calendar guest list in Google Meet

To help participants run effective hybrid meetings, in addition to seeing the RSVP status of everyone on the meeting invite, you'll now see all information from the Google Calendar guest list, including: 

• Working Location 
• Out-of-office status 
• If the meeting is outside of an invitees working hours 
• If an invitee is joining from the meeting room

Previously Communicated:

Notice: Google Hangouts will finally retire on November 1, 2022

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

Updates:

• Improved notifications when editing Microsoft Office files in Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Google has improved the notifications you see when editing a Microsoft Office-formatted file in Google Drive. These improvements include:

• An Office-formatted warning symbol for compatibility details that will appear while working within a document, spreadsheet, or slide deck. This indicates potential compatibility issues or if any Office features are unavailable.
• An option to easily view and restore earlier versions of the document, spreadsheet, or slide deck.

Learn more about working with Office files using Office editing. 

• Adding more flexibility to functions in Sheets

Google has introduced a new feature in Google Sheets called “named functions.” Named functions allow you to create custom functions that support built-in Sheets formula constructs. To maintain reusability across files, you can also import named functions from existing Sheets files.

In Sheets, navigate to Data > Named functions > Add new function to create your new function. You can then enter your custom formula into a Sheets’ cell as you would any other formula.

Named functions created in a Sheets file are available only in that file. To use named functions in another Sheet, select that file via Data > Named functions > Import function. Learn more about named functions in Sheets. 

• Quickly mute/unmute yourself with the spacebar in Meet

To quickly unmute yourself during a Google Meet call, you can now hold down the spacebar to be unmuted, then release the spacebar to return to a muted state. This feature is off by default and can be enabled in your Google Meet settings. During a session, click the three-dots icon next to the red Leave call button, select Settings, and toggle Push to talk to ON (in the Audio tab).

• Insert emojis inline with text in Google Docs

To search for and add emojis directly inline with text in Docs, follow one of the options below: 

• Type “@:” or “:” to see a drop-down list of emojis and the option to navigate to the entire catalog of emojis.
• Type “@” followed by a descriptor, such as “@smile,” to search for a specific emoji.

Learn more about inserting emojis and special characters in Docs.

• Insert Google Maps "place chips" into Google Docs 

Last year, Google added the ability for you to insert a Google Maps “place chip” into a Google Doc by pasting a Maps link directly into the document. Now, you can insert place chips into your Docs using “@[address or place name].” Learn more about using place chips in Docs.

• Notification permissions now required for devices running Android 13

Upon upgrading your Android device to the latest Android 13 release, you will have to explicitly accept notification permissions to receive Google Chat and Gmail notifications. Learn more about notification permissions on Android 13. 

• Easily share Google Meet artifacts with co-hosts

You can now share meeting artifacts (such as attendance reports, other documents, etc.) directly with the meeting co-hosts in Google Meet. Previously, some Meet features would generate meeting artifacts that were only shared with the meeting host.

To share meeting artifacts directly with the co-hosts, the primary host needs to: 

• Add individuals as co-hosts when setting up or editing the event in Google Calendar.
• Check the “Call artifacts are shared with the host and co-hosts you add here” box when you add co-hosts in Calendar.

Learn more about sharing meeting artifacts with co-hosts in Meet. 

• Spanish, French, and Portuguese Smart Replies in Google Chat

You will now see options for Spanish, French, and Portuguese while using Smart Reply in Google Chat. When you are typing a reply, Smart Reply will automatically detect the language and offer responses accordingly.

• Send multiple images or videos at a time in Chat

You can now select more than one image or video at a time when sending a message in Google Chat.

• Multi-pinning available for Meet on Android and iOS

Earlier this year, Google added multi-pinning for Google Meet on Chrome. You can now use multi-pinning on Android and iOS devices, too. With this feature, you can pin up to three participants’ video tiles at once to keep them fixed on your screen. Learn more about multi-pinning in Meet. 

• Introducing new spacing feature on Google Sites

You can now use spacers to add empty space to your Google Sites in specific places. In a Site draft, add spacers by clicking Spacer from the Insert panel on the right. Learn more about adding a spacer between elements in Sites.

• New Google Calendar shortcut improvements for screen reader users

Users of screen readers can now type a keyboard shortcut to verbalize the content/details of a Google Calendar event, such as the title, date and time, guest list, and more.

Use the following keyboard combinations: 

• ALT+{number} for Windows 
• Option+{number} for Mac
• ALT+SHIFT+{number} for ChromeOS 

Learn more about the new Google Calendar keyboard shortcut for screen reader users.

Previously Communicated:

None for the month of September!