Last year, we introduced the ability for teachers to mark an assignment for a particular student as “excused” instead of giving it a 0-100 score. We also added the ability to manually mark an assignment as “missing” or “complete” and automatically add a default draft score. 

These updates give teachers even more flexibility when it comes to grading for assignments and classwork, and today we’re excited to announce that teachers can include missing and excused grades when exporting grades to their Student Information Systems (SIS). 

• Admins: Once an admin establishes a connection between their SIS and Google Classroom, teachers can include missing and excused grades when they export grades from Classroom to their SIS. Visit the Help Center to learn more about connecting your Classroom to your SIS. 
• End users: If your admin has connected to your SIS, you can export missing or excused grades by going to classroom.google.com > select the class > “Grades” > “SIS export.” Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Classroom with your SIS, exporting grades to your Student Information System (SIS) gradebook. 

• Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on October 29, 2024 

Available for Google Workspace:

• Education Plus and the Teaching & Learning Upgrade 

• Google Help: Connect Classroom to your Student Information System (SIS) 
• Google Help: Export grades to your Student Information System (SIS) gradebook 
• Google Help: FAQ for Student Information System (SIS) integration for teachers 
• Google Help: FAQ for Student Information System (SIS) integration for admins 
• Google Help: Get started with Student Information System (SIS) roster import

To give users more control over how they see information in Google Chat, we’re introducing a new setting that allows you to control the visual density of screen elements. Choose between “Comfortable” or “Compact” on chat.google.com. 

• Comfortable mode, the default setting, reflects Chat’s modernized design, in line with Google Material Design 3, and clearly differentiates message bubbles.
• Compact mode is for users who prefer to see more information at a time with less scrolling. With this option, you’ll notice: 
• Message bubbles that are aligned in the same direction for both sender and recipient 
• Wider message bubbles 
• Padding in the left bar, conversation list, and home. 

• Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
• End users: 
• To modify density settings, go to chat.google.com > Settings > Density > Compact. Users can revert this to the default at any time by going to chat.google.com > Settings > Density > Comfortable. 
• Those who use Compact density setting in Gmail will also see Chat in Gmail in compact mode. Users can adjust their Gmail and Chat-in-Gmail density settings by going to Gmail > Settings > Density. 
• Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Compact mode in Google Chat.

• Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on October 30, 2024 
• Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on December 2, 2024 

• Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts on web

• Google Help: Get started with Google Chat 
• Google Help: Use Compact mode in Google Chat

Beginning today, you can upload reference documents, including Google Docs and Google Sheets via Google Drive, when creating Gems. By adding reference documents to your Gems instructions you can further tailor Gems to meet your specific needs. 

These file types include: 

• Document and text files, such as TXT, DOC, DOCX, PDF, RTF, DOT, DOTX, HWP, HWPX and Google Docs 
• Data Files, such as XLS, XLSX, CSV, TSV and Google Sheets

In September, we introduced a feature through the Google Workspace Developer Preview Program that enables developers to create group chats in import mode using the spaces.create method when migrating to Google Chat from other messaging platforms. This week, we’re excited to announce that this is now generally available for Google Workspace developers. | Roll out to Rapid Release domains and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available to all Google Workspace customers. | Learn more about import mode. 

Currently, users can define saved queries in BigQuery Studio and notebooks, but they cannot reuse those queries in Connected Sheets without copy/pasting them. This week, we’re excited to announce that users can now search for and reuse pre-defined queries directly from BigQuery to load Connected Sheets data. To do so, go to Connection Settings > Edit connection > Saved queries and query editor and search for your query by project. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains at an extended rollout pace (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility), with expectation completion by December 6, 2024. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about writing & editing a query and getting started with BigQuery data in Google Sheets. 

Launching to beta: Import sensitive Microsoft Word documents as client-side encrypted Google Docs. 

Beginning this week, eligible customers can import and convert sensitive Microsoft Word files into Google Docs with client-side encryption. When collaborating with external and internal stakeholders, you may find yourself working across both Google Docs and Microsoft Word. This update keeps your work moving by layering interoperability on top of the confidentiality benefits of client-side encryption: customers are in direct control of their encryption keys and the identity service that they choose to authenticate for those keys. Eligible Google Workspace admins can use this form to request access to the beta. | Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about client-side encryption. More specific instructions will be shared once you’re accepted into the beta. 

Admins can now apply the following Google Chat settings at the group level: 

• Third-party archiving 
• Chat file sharing 
• Chat apps (allow users to install Chat apps) 
• Allowing the GIF picker in Chat 
• Auto deletion for 1:1 messages, group messages, and spaces 
• History for chats 

While these settings can also be configured at the Organizational Unit (OU) level, this update provides more granular control for admins. This is critical for our customers, who frequently request more flexibility in how they apply settings, giving them more flexibility on how to configure settings based on the various needs of their users. | Roll out to Rapid Release domains and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available to all Google Workspace customers.

Previous announcements

We have paused the rollout for this feature while we evaluate performance and quality. We will provide an update with new rollout information as soon as possible.

Google Workspace for Education admins can now turn on the Gemini app with added data protection as an additional service for their teen users (ages 13+ or the applicable age in your country) in the following languages and countries. With added data protection, chats are not reviewed by human reviewers or otherwise used to improve AI models. The Gemini app will be a core service in the coming weeks for Education Standard and Plus users, including teens, 

We created this Gemini experience for teens after consulting with child development and learning science experts – including conducting learning focused red teaming, an industry standard testing process to find vulnerabilities in generative AI – and testing with youth advisory panels to ensure we’re bringing this technology to students responsibly.

Who’s impacted

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We’re introducing a new collection of modern, professionally designed templates in Google Slides to help users build presentations much faster. These new templates cater to a wide range of use cases that provide users with the perfect starting point for their presentations. For example, there are:

• Sales pitches, product roadmaps and strategic plans templates for business users. 
• Lesson plans, book reports and project reports templates for education users. 
• Milestone celebrations, workshop facilitation and team game templates for anyone looking to build collaborative teams. 

Access these templates using the new “Templates” button in the Slides toolbar or by going to Insert > Templates. Once clicked, you can browse the collection, select a template that aligns with your vision and style, and choose to insert all slides or just the ones you need before personalizing the template with your own content. 

End users 

Slides templates enable users to jumpstart their presentation, maintain a consistent look and feel, and focus on what matters most. More specifically, they help users overcome the blank canvas and spend less time on design by enabling them to dive straight into crafting compelling content that is visually cohesive and professional. 

You can expect even more high-quality Slides template options in the coming months. 

• Admins: This feature will be ON by default for domains that do not have default templates & themes turned ON. Domains that have default templates & themes turned ON, will continue to see their company specific template. Visit the Help Center to learn more about default templates & themes. 
• End users: 
• In Google Slides, access templates using the top toolbar or by going to Insert > Templates. Visit the Help Center to learn more about templates in Google Slides. 
• Note: This feature is only available for users using the “English (United States)” language setting. If your language settings are set to another form of English (eg – “English (United Kingdom)” or “English (Australia)”, you will not have access to these templates. Visit the Help Center to learn more about updating your language. 

• Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on November 7, 2024 
• Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on November 21, 2024 

• Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts (using the “English (United States)” language setting) 

• Google Help: Use a Template or change the theme, background, or layout in Google Slides

Earlier this year, we announced Google Vids, the newest productivity app in our suite of Google Workspace products. Vids is an AI-powered video creation app for work designed to help teams in customer service, learning and development, project ops and marketing tell more engaging stories at work through video. 

Today, we’re excited to announce the general availability of Google Vids for select Workspace editions. Here’s how you can use it:

• Customer service teams are using Vids to provide better customer support, supplementing help center articles with videos. 
• Leaders are creating vids to share company-wide updates and announcements. 
• Learning and development teams are using Vids to deliver employee training and education at scale. 
• Marketers are using vids inside their organizations to share recaps on their campaigns and events. 
• Project management teams are building vids to share meeting recaps, business updates and report share outs. 

With Vids, you can easily build videos by tapping into the power of Gemini to help you get to a first draft faster using a set of generative AI capabilities. ‘Help me create’ can generate a fully editable initial storyboard using a prompt and a doc from your Google Drive. After choosing a style, Gemini pieces together your video draft with suggested scenes, including recommended stock media, text, scripts per scene, and even a background music track. 

You can also start with a variety of use-cased based templates to create a new video. From there, you can add motion with animations, transitions, and photo effects, and customize your video using the Vids royalty free stock content library or your own media directly from Google Drive or Google Photos.

With ‘Help me create’, Gemini suggests scripts to get you started or you can write your own. You can easily add a voiceover by either choosing from one of Gemini’s preset AI voices or by recording your own voice using a teleprompter with Gemini read-along and rolling features that help you record your message with confidence. You can also use the Vids’ in-product recording studio to: 

• Add a video recording of yourself. 
• Add a screen recording with narration. 
• Add a screen recording with video recording. 
• Add audio-only recording.

Similar to other productivity tools like Docs, Sheets, and Slides, Vids includes a simple, easy-to-use interface and the ability to collaborate in real-time and share projects securely from your browser. 

In summary, Vids enables you to produce engaging videos that help scale your message, build connections and break through the noise across your organization.

Who’s impacted 

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Vids can help deepen learning opportunities, up-level instruction, and inspire the next generation of storytellers in a variety of scenarios, for example: 

• Educators can support diverse learning styles and help students retain information with instructional videos and deep dives on complex concepts. 
• Students can work on video projects and review recorded lessons. 
• Education leaders can easily incorporate video in their school newsletters and create internal training videos for staff. 

Similar to other productivity tools like Docs, Sheets, and Slides, Vids includes a simple, easy-to-use interface and the ability to collaborate in real-time and share projects securely from your browser. You can easily get started with a variety of templates organized by use cases to create a new video. From there, you can add motion with animations, transitions, and photo effects, and customize your video using the Vids royalty free education-friendly stock content library or your own media directly from Google Drive or Google Photos. Vids is also integrated with Workspace tools like Google Classroom, empowering educators to easily assign video projects or post video explainers right to their students. As detailed here, Google Vids is a core Workspace Service covered under the Google Workspace for Education terms of service. 

Users 18 years and older with a Gemini Education or Education Premium add-on will also have access to Gemini in Vids, giving them the ability to produce polished videos even faster with the help of AI. ‘Help me create’ can generate a fully editable initial storyboard using a prompt and a doc from your Google Drive. After choosing a style, Gemini pieces together your video draft with suggested scenes, including recommended stock media, text, scripts per scene, and even a background music track. 

• Admins: 
• Vids will be ON by default and can be disabled at the organizational level. However, if Google Docs are turned OFF in your domain, Vids access will be unavailable. 
• Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning Vids on or off for users and new core services coming to Google Workspace for Education. 
• End users: 
• To start, open Google Vids and choose an option to create a new video. You can create a new video or make a copy of an existing video for editing. 
• You can use Vids on your computer with the two most recent versions of these browsers: 
• Chrome 
• Firefox 
• Windows only: Microsoft Edge 
• Other browsers may work, but you might not be able to use all of the features. 
• Dive into Google Vids with our free, self-paced online training course, designed specifically for educators and available now in the Google for Education Learning Center. You can also leverage this one pager to get a quick summary of what you can do with Vids. 
• Currently, Vids is available in the user’s local language, but the AI features (e.g. Help me create a video, read-along teleprompter) and templates are only available in English at this time. 
• Visit the Help Center to learn more about getting started with Google Vids. 
• Note: Create and copy access is available for Education Plus and Gemini for Google Workspace customers, while view and collaborate access is available to anyone with a Google Workspace for Education license. 

• Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on November 7, 2024 

Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 

• Education Plus 
• Customers with a Gemini Education or Education Premium add-on 

• Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn Vids on or off for users 
• Google Workspace Admin Help: New core services coming to Google Workspace 
• Google Help: Get started with Google Vids

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