Introducing Google Meet LTI™

What’s changing

To help improve remote and hybrid learning, we’re introducing Google Meet LTI™ for Canvas by Instructure and PowerSchool Schoology Learning. This builds on the existing Google Workspace Learning Interoperability Tools including Assignments LTI™ and Google Drive LTI™.
You can use Google Meet LTI™ to easily enable secure remote and hybrid learning – via video conferencing –  directly within Canvas by Instructure and PowerSchool Schoology Learning. Educators can schedule video meetings with pre-configured host controls, including recordings, transcripts, and breakout rooms*. Students can view meeting recordings and artifacts from past class sessions directly within Meet. Google Meet LTI™ is also deeply integrated with your learning management system so that only educators can start the meeting and only students in the course can join.

*Support for pre-configured breakout rooms is coming soon — we’ll provide more details on the Workspace Updates blog once that becomes available.

Getting started

Admins: Visit the Help Center for an overview of Google Workspace LTI™.End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Google Meet LTI™.

Rollout pace

Availability

Available for Google Workspace Education Fundamentals, Standard, Plus, the Teaching & Learning Upgrade

Resources

Adding Data Loss Prevention (DLP) to form content in Google Forms

What’s changing

We’re continually investing in data protection capabilities for Google Forms. We’ve already enabled data loss prevention (DLP) for Google Drive policies that apply to files submitted in external Forms, including Forms from external organizations. To expand on this, today we’re announcing that DLP policies for form content in Google Forms is now generally available. 
With DLP, Forms with sensitive content can be blocked from being viewed or responded to by external individuals. Based on DLP rules configured by the admin, this feature checks form content including questions, form title and description and answer options provided in the form, and prevents sensitive content from being shared externally; it does not check form responses provided by end users that are submitted to external forms. 
This screenshot of a Google Form includes mentions of “Project X”. DLP rules are configured to detect and prevent sharing of Forms with responders outside the organization with any mentions of “Project X”, the sensitive content in this form.

Additional details 

If you do not want DLP rules applied to users in your domain, you can exclude certain groups or organizational units from DLP checks. You can also exclude DLP rules for forms by using nested condition operators in DLP for Drive rules. To do so, add a ‘AND NOT’ conditional operator with a custom detector for “vnd.google-apps.form” as a regex. In scenarios where you only want to apply DLP for forms, add a custom detector for “vnd.google-apps.form” as a regex. Visit this Help Center to learn more about using Workspace DLP to prevent data loss. 

Getting started 

Admins: Data loss prevention rules scoped to Drive files defined for your domain will be applied automatically to Forms.If you are not using DLP for Google Drive, you can create DLP rules at the domain, OU, or group level in the Admin console under Security > Data protection. You can apply block, warn or audit actions, consistent with DLP for Drive. If you apply the block action, users external to the domain will not be able to view or respond to forms with sensitive content. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning data loss prevention in Google Forms on for your organization. End users: End users can respond to forms as usual to forms that do not violate DLP rules, but if a form violates Drive DLP rules for their domain, form editors may see warnings and form responders external to the domain may be blocked from viewing or responding to the form. 

Rollout pace 

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on July 24, 2024 Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on August 5, 2024 

Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 
Enterprise Standard, Plus Enterprise Essentials Plus Education Fundamentals, Standard, Plus, the Teaching & Learning Upgrade Frontline Standard Cloud Identity Premium 

Resources 

Enable Classification labels on specific Google Workspace applications

What’s changing

Admins can create classification labels for users to apply to files in Google Drive. These classification labels are useful for many common workplace scenarios, including records management, classification, structured finding, reporting, auditing, and more. 
To improve granularity in enabling & governing labels, we are replacing and improving the existing “Labels” setting within Apps > Google Workspace > Drive & Docs and adding label-level application toggles to the Label Manager tool. 
Classification labels can be applied to a Workspace application once it’s selected during the setup process. A lock icon will be displayed in line with the application toggle when the label is referenced by a policy, such as a DLP rule. To remove all rules that reference a specific label, go to the Data protection section of the Admin console > Security > Access and data control. 
The active labels in your Workspace domain will continue to function and will be auto-enabled for Drive & Doc as a result of this update.
 

Getting started 

Admins: To begin, turn on Drive labels for your organization. To create a label, go to the Label Manager at https://drive.google.com/labels > select “New Label” or edit an existing label by selecting it within Label Manager. Visit the Help Center to learn more about creating Drive labels for your organization. Note: Labels can be viewed by any admin in your organization with the Manage Labels privilege. They could also be visible to everyone in your organization if the label’s permissions are set that way. End users: Visit this Help Center article to learn about how to apply labels that have been set up for your domain.

Rollout pace

This feature is available now 

Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 
Business Standard, Plus Enterprise Standard, Plus Essentials Starter, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus Education Standard, Plus Frontline Starter, Standard

Resources 

Reduce live-stream bandwidth consumption to a fraction of the traffic volume with eCDN for Google Meet

What’s changing 

In September 2023, we introduced ultra-low latency livestreaming and since then we’ve introduced several improvements for the overall experience. Today, we’re excited to introduce the latest enhancement for ultra-low latency live streaming: Enterprise Content Delivery Network (eCDN) support for Google Meet. 
When configured by admins, eCDN has the potential to reduce bandwidth consumption to a fraction of the traffic volume. This applies to all live streams, including those originating from outside of your own domain. This is achieved through peer-assisted media delivery — whereby live streamed content is automatically shared between nearby peers, reducing the need to retrieve content from Google servers and minimizing bottleneck. There is no additional software, hardware, or end user action required to use eCDN — it works automatically in the background.
With eCDN turned on, live streamed content is shared between peers (as seen on the right), reducing the need to retrieve content from Google servers (as seen on the left).

Who’s impacted

Admins and end users

Why it’s important

Live streaming is a key tool for presenting information to large audiences such as town-hall meetings, weekly broadcasts or other kinds of events with large audiences. As such, video quality of live streamed content is critical. Using eCDN can significantly reduce the strain on internet gateways while delivering a high-quality viewing experience with consistently low latency. Without eCDN, each viewer is sent their own individual feed. With eCDN turned on for a private network, the backend will send media to a significantly lower number of clients in that network. Those clients will then use the eCDN technology to take over and redistribute media to ensure that all viewers in that network receive the media they need, with high quality and preserved ultra-low latency. 

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be OFF by default and can be enabled at the group level in the Admin console under Apps > Workspace > Meet > eCDN settings. The peering behavior of eCDN clients can be configured at granular levels if needed, including down to the subnet level.Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning live streaming on or off for Meet, as well as turning eCDN for Meet on for your organization. eCDN can also provide traffic savings for live streams originating from outside your domain. Visit the Help Center to learn more about trusted domains for live streaming.You can monitor eCDN analytics using the Meet Quality Tool.
End users: There is no end user action required — make sure you’re using Chrome 121 or later on a laptop or desktop computer to ensure the highest quality ultra-low latency live streaming experience.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on July 23, 2024
Note: eCDN is available for those customers who have received the ultra-low latency live streaming experience. For some customers, that update is rolling out at a slower rate and they may not receive these updates for several months.


A Trace é agora parceiro Zoho

A Trace é agora parceiro Zoho

AdobeStock 453200549 Editorial Use OnlyA Trace, já estabelecida como revendedora do Google Workspace, ampliou recentemente a sua oferta ao se tornar revendedora autorizada do Zoho Workplace.

Esta decisão estratégica visa diversificar as soluções de produtividade e colaboração na cloud oferecidas aos seus clientes. Com a inclusão do Zoho Workplace, a Trace pode agora atender a um público mais amplo, oferecendo uma alternativa económica que mantém a alta qualidade e as funcionalidades essenciais para o ambiente de trabalho moderno, incluindo e-mails, documentos, folhas de cálculo, chat e armazenamento na nuvem.

Ao adicionar o Zoho Workplace ao seu portefólio, a Trace está a responder à crescente procura por opções mais acessíveis sem comprometer a eficácia. O Zoho Workplace é reconhecido por ser uma solução de menor custo em comparação com o Google Workspace, tornando-se uma escolha atrativa para pequenas e médias empresas que procuram otimizar os seus custos operacionais. A Trace, com a sua experiência e expertise, está preparada para fornecer suporte técnico especializado e orientação personalizada na implementação desta plataforma, garantindo que os clientes maximizem os benefícios da ferramenta.

Esta diversificação não só fortalece a posição da Trace no mercado de tecnologia da informação, mas também aumenta a sua competitividade ao oferecer uma gama mais ampla de soluções adaptáveis às diversas necessidades dos seus clientes. Com um portefólio enriquecido, a Trace está numa posição privilegiada para atrair novos clientes e fidelizar os existentes, oferecendo soluções de colaboração e produtividade que se ajustam tanto às necessidades empresariais como às restrições orçamentais, garantindo uma experiência de utilizador eficiente e custo-efetiva.

Clique aqui para aceder a zoho.trace.pt onde poderá ver em detalhe todas as informações sobre o produto Zoho Workplace

Formação e serviço de pós-venda

Formação e serviço de pós-venda

A Trace tem o prazer de anunciar a chegada de um novo elemento à sua equipa, Sérgio Evangelista, que ficará responsável pela formação sobre o Google Workspace e Zoho Workplace, bem como pela prestação de serviços de acompanhamento de pós-venda. Esta nova adição reflete o compromisso contínuo da Trace em fornecer um suporte de excelência e garantir que os seus clientes tirem o máximo proveito das soluções de produtividade e colaboração na cloud que a empresa oferece.

Sérgio Evangelista traz consigo uma vasta experiência em formação e suporte técnico, sendo um especialista reconhecido nas plataformas Google Workspace e Zoho Workplace. A sua missão na Trace será assegurar que os clientes recebem uma formação detalhada e eficaz, permitindo uma adoção rápida e eficiente das ferramentas. Além disso, Sérgio irá liderar iniciativas para garantir que as empresas utilizem todas as funcionalidades disponíveis, maximizando assim a produtividade e eficiência operacionais.

Além da formação, Sérgio Evangelista também será responsável pelo acompanhamento de pós-venda, oferecendo um suporte contínuo e personalizado. Este acompanhamento inclui a resolução de questões técnicas, a assistência na integração de novas funcionalidades e a personalização das plataformas para atender às necessidades específicas de cada cliente. O objetivo é assegurar que os clientes da Trace sintam um apoio constante, permitindo-lhes focar-se nos seus objetivos de negócio sem preocupações tecnológicas.

Com a chegada de Sérgio Evangelista, a Trace reforça o seu compromisso em proporcionar um serviço de excelência e em manter uma relação próxima e de confiança com os seus clientes. A combinação da sua experiência e conhecimento com as soluções robustas e flexíveis do Google Workspace e Zoho Workplace, garante que os clientes da Trace não só terão acesso às melhores ferramentas do mercado, mas também ao melhor suporte técnico e formativo. A Trace está entusiasmada com esta nova fase e confiante de que a presença de Sérgio Evangelista trará benefícios significativos para todos os seus clientes.

Enable guardians to preview assigned classwork within Google Classroom

What’s changing 

Currently, a teacher or school administrator can invite a guardian, typically a parent, to receive email summaries about their student’s work in class. These email summaries include a rundown of missing work, upcoming work and class activities, such as recently posted announcements or assignments in Google Classroom. 
Going forward, guardian email summaries will now include links that let guardians preview their student’s Classwork pages, including assigned work and attachments provided by the teacher. With this update, guardians can stay up-to-date with what their students are learning. Guardians will not be able to see their student’s grades or submissions, class communication, or other students’ work. Guardians can easily access this page directly from the Classroom email summaries or from the link shared by teachers. 

Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 

Why it matters 

This feature keeps guardians informed about their student’s assignments in class. 

Additional details 

Teachers with the Google Workspace Education Plus edition who already send guardian email summaries will notice those emails automatically start including guardian previewing links. No action is needed to get started. 

Getting started 

Admins: Admins can turn Guardian Access ON or OFF for their domain and determine whether only admins, or admins and verified teachers, can control guardians accounts and per-class access. If admins choose the latter, verified teachers are able to add or remove guardian accounts for students in their class and determine whether each class will be available for guardian access. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing guardians in your domain. End users: In classes where you have guardian summaries turned ON, guardians can now preview your classwork page and any classwork assigned to their student(s). You can turn this setting OFF at any time in your Class Settings page.Guardians: You have guardian preview capabilities to your student’s Classwork page through direct links in the email summary. Visit the Help Cenet to learn more about guardian email summaries

Rollout pace 

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on July 19, 2024 

Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 
Education Plus 

Resources 

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – July 19, 2024

2 New updates

Unless otherwise indicated, the features below are available to all Google Workspace customers, and are fully launched or in the process of rolling out. Rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete if launching to both Rapid and Scheduled Release at the same time. If not, each stage of rollout should take no more than 15 business days to complete.

All new appointments need to be booked through appointment schedules in Google Calendar 
Earlier this year, we announced that the appointment slots feature will be replaced by appointment schedules in Google Calendar. Starting this week, only appointment schedules can be created. In a couple of weeks, the appointment slots booking pages will no longer be available. At that time, all new appointments will need to be booked through appointment schedules. | Appointment schedules are available to Google Workspace Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Education Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Nonprofits, Google Workspace Individual customers and Google One Premium users. | Visit the Help Center for detailed information about appointment schedules. 
Available in beta: migrate sensitive files to Google Drive with client-side encryption 
We are making it easier to programmatically import sensitive files to Google Drive with client-side encryption by providing code samples on Github. Eligible admins can apply for beta access to this Drive API feature using this form. | Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus; Education Standard and Education Plus.

Previous announcements

The announcements below were published on the Workspace Updates blog earlier this week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details.

Google Classroom now supports exporting grades and importing rosters and grade settings with PowerSchool SIS 
Google Classroom teachers can now export and import select information via the new integration with PowerSchool SIS. | Learn more about the integration with Classroom and PowerSchool SIS. 
Teachers will soon be able to create a new class in Google Classroom using Student Information System (SIS) data 
In the coming weeks, we will be introducing a new feature that allows teachers to set up a Google Classroom class using information directly imported from an SIS, including co-teachers, student rosters and class lists, grading categories and grading periods. Please note this feature is only available with our current SIS partners. | Learn more about creating new classes in Classroom using SIS data. 
Google Workspace extensions for Gmail, Google Drive and Google Docs are now available in open beta for Gemini (gemini.google.com) 
We’re pleased to announce Google Workspace extensions for Gmail, Google Drive and Google Docs are available for Gemini (gemini.google.com). When enabled, Gemini will be able to cross reference these apps as data sources to better inform its responses. | Learn more about the beta for Gemini (gemini.google.com). 
Import and export Markdown in Google Docs 
We’re introducing highly-requested features that enhance Docs’ interoperability with other Markdown supporting tools. | Learn more about markdown in Docs
Clearer re-enrollment for Google Meet hardware devices 
We’re updating the way Google Meet hardware devices are re-enrolled to provide a more intuitive experience for administrators. | Learn more about re-enrollment for Meet hardware devices. 
Available in beta: Policy Visualization across Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive 
Users who are interacting with policy-protected content, such as those with data loss prevention (DLP) rules or trust rules, will now be proactively informed about what actions are prevented by those policies. | Learn more about policy visualization.

Completed rollouts

For a recap of announcements in the past six months, check out What’s new in Google Workspace (recent releases).  

Available in beta: Policy Visualization across Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive

What’s changing 

Currently, when there are security policies applied to documents, spreadsheets, presentations or files, users are given no central explanation of which actions, like downloading, making a copy, or external sharing are restricted. 
To improve upon this experience, users who are interacting with policy-protected content, such as those with data loss prevention (DLP) rules or trust rules, will now be proactively informed about what actions are prevented by those policies. 
For example, if a user is interacting with a document affected by DLP-enforced information rights management (IRM) and a Trust Rule, they will see a shield icon, banner, and side panel that informs them of the restricted actions.

Who’s impacted 

End users 

Why it matters 

With this update, users will be made aware of which actions they are taking that are disabled on a document, spreadsheet, slide or file due to data protection controls.

Getting started 

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. End users: Any user will be able to see policy visualization if it’s active on a document, but the owner of the document is used to determine if it’s turned ON. A shield icon, banner, and side panel will automatically appear when security controls are present. Visit the Help Center to learn more about the policies that enable Policy Visualization: Drive DLPDrive Sharing Settings Trust Rules Shared Drives 

Rollout pace 

During the Open Beta period, this feature will be opt-in only. Customers who fill out this form will see the feature enabled in their specified domains within 7 days of sign-up. Customers may submit feedback here or email it to policy-visualization-open-beta@google.com. 

Availability

Policy visualization is enabled when the document, spreadsheet, slides or file owner belongs to the following Google Workspace editions: 
Business Starter, Standard, Plus Enterprise Starter, Standard, Plus Essentials Starter, Enterprise Essentials, Essentials Enterprise Plus Frontline Starter, Standard Education Fundamentals, Standard, Plus, the Teaching & Learning Upgrade Workspace Individual Subscribers 

Resources 

Clearer re-enrollment for Google Meet hardware devices

What’s changing

We’re updating the way Google Meet hardware devices are re-enrolled to provide a more intuitive experience for administrators.

Previously, if a device was re-enrolled without first being deprovisioned, the Admin console would reuse its existing record and device ID — this is changing: 

Starting July 17, 2024, if you re-enroll a device without first deprovisioning it, the Admin console will create a completely new record with a new device ID. The old record will still be there, and you’ll need to deprovision it to free up its license. Settings from the old record won’t automatically carry over to the new one.

Getting started

Admins: Visit the Help Center to familiarize yourself with the process for re-enrolling a device, as well as our developer documentation.End users: There is no end user impact or action required.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on July 17, 2024

Availability

This update impacts all Google Workspace customers with Meet Hardware devices.

Resources