Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - July 12, 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.

Shared drives can now have up to 100 levels of nested folders and 500,000 items 
Prior to this month, a folder in a shared drive could have up to 20 levels of nested folders and could contain a maximum of 400,000 items. Today, we're excited to announce that we've increased the nested folder limit to 100 levels and the maximum number of items to 500,000. | Rollout to Rapid and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available to Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Learn more about shared drive limits in Google Drive. 
eSignature is now available for select Google Workspace customers 
The previously announcedStarting July 15, 2024, we will begin rolling out eSignature for Google Docs to end users on select Google Workspace editions. eSignature offers a variety of features to help you streamline requesting and capturing signatures, helping you stay organised and keep your work moving along. Specifically, you can: 
Request eSignatures, including signatures from more than one user and from non-Gmail users. View the status of pending signatures and find completed contracts. Keep contract templates to initiate multiple eSignature requests. View an audit trail of completed contracts.Use custom text fields to request additional information from signers, such as job titles, email addresses and more. Sign contracts from both mobile devices and PCs. Rollout to Rapid and Scheduled Release domains starts July 15, 2024 at a gradual pace (up to 15 days for feature visibility). | Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus, and Education Plus customers. | Learn more about sending signature requests & sign documents with eSignature.

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.

Introducing a new experience for data regions reporting
We've introduced several new enhancements to Google Workspace data regions. | Learn more about data regions reporting. 
Access Management is now generally available in the European Union 
Access Management is now also generally available in the European Union - these controls allow customers to select the physical location from which Google support teams can access organisational data during support activities. | Learn more about Access Management. 
Manage your compliance and data controls from a single source in the Admin console 
We've centralised relevant features and information into a single location in the admin console: Data. | Learn more about compliance and data controls. 
Enhancing the Google Calendar appointment scheduling experience with additional features 
We're updating appointment schedules by adding new features to enhance the overall experience. | Learn more about appointment scheduling updates. 
Pre-configure meeting notes, recordings, and transcripts from the Calendar invite 
Meeting hosts can now pre-configure meeting notes, meeting recordings, and meeting transcripts from the Calendar invite. | Learn more about meeting host capabilities. 
Use the Apple Volume Purchasing Programme (VPP) to distribute apps for device enrollment and company owned devices 
In November 2023, we announced the ability to purchase and distribute iOS apps to user-enrolled devices through Apple's Volume Purchase Programme. Beginning this week, we're expanding this functionality to include device enrollment and company-owned iOS devices. | Learn more about the Apple Volume Purchasing Programme. 
Google Meet and Zoom interoperability now includes presented content via a wired HDMI connection 
We're expanding the interoperability between Google Meet and Zoom to include the ability to present content via a wired HDMI connection. | Learn more about Google Meet and Zoom interoperability.
Rollout Update: setting the default camera framing option for Google Meet hardware devices
We recently announced several updates related to framing options on Google Hardware devices. This included the ability for admins to configure the default camera framing option for their hardware devices. After pausing rollout to optimise performance, we are pleased to announce that this feature is now fully available. | Learn more about default camera framing options for Meet hardware devices.
Access Google Meet artifacts with a new Google Drive API scope
We're introducing a new OAuth scope for the Drive API: drive.meet.readonly. The new scope grants app access to read and download files from a user's drive that were created or edited by Google Meet - this includes meeting transcripts, notes, recordings, and more. | Learn more about accessing Meet artifacts.

Completed rollouts

The features below completed their rollouts to Rapid Release domains, Scheduled Release domains, or both. Please refer to the original blog posts for additional details.

Scheduled Release Domains: 
Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains: 
Available in beta: automatically log Google Voice calls made to Salesforce contacts (beta application is now closed)Set the default camera framing option for Google Meet hardware devices, and other framing updates (Admin setting). Also mentioned here: Rollout Update: setting the default camera framing option for Google Meet hardware devicesMake a space discoverable to a target audience using the Google Chat APIManage access to eSignature in Google Workspace (Admin setting)Add up to 500,000 members to spaces in Google ChatYour users can now express interest in Gemini for Google Workspace (admin and end user settings)Updates for Gemini for Workspace usage reports in the Admin consoleGemini in the side panel of Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, and Google Drive is rolling out nowGemini in the side panel of Gmail is rolling out now

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

Enhancing the Google Calendar appointment scheduling experience with additional features

What's changing

Following our recent announcement of the appointment slots feature in Google Calendar being replaced by appointment schedules in July 2024, we're updating appointment schedules by adding new features to enhance the overall experience. 
First, we're adding the option to designate a custom weekly recurrence when creating an appointment schedule in Calendar. This will allow users to make the schedule repeat on more flexible recurrences, such as bi-weekly. 
Second, bookers (and co-hosts) can now add other guests or rooms to booked events. This feature is only available if the user creating the appointment schedule selects the "Guests can invite others" option during setup or edit of the schedule. 
Lastly, the appointment schedule creator can now add Google Groups as co-hosts during the setup process so users can more easily host appointments with others. 

Getting started 

Admins: There is no admin control for these features. End users: Visit the Help Centre to learn more about creating an appointment schedule and customising your appointment availability.

Rollout pace 

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on July 9, 2024 Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on July 23, 2024 

Availability 

The custom recurrence option & allowing guests to invite others on Appointment Schedules are available for Google Workspace: 
Business Starter, Standard, Plus Enterprise Standard, Plus Education Fundamentals, Standard, Plus, the Teaching & Learning Upgrade Nonprofits Workspace Individual Subscribers Google One Premium users Users with personal Google accounts 
Adding groups as co-hosts on Appointment Schedules is available for Google Workspace: 
Business Standard, Plus Enterprise Standard, Plus Education Fundamentals, Standard, Plus, the Teaching & Learning Upgrade Nonprofits 

Resources 

Access Management is now generally available in the European Union

What's changing 

Access Management is now also generally available in the European Union - these controls allow customers to select the physical location from which Google support teams can access organisational data during support activities. Customers can now restrict support personnel to EU Google staff in EU locations. If necessary, non-EU Google staff may access data through virtual desktops that are located in EU locations.

Who's impacted

Admins

Why it's important

Google Workspace Assured Controls enables customers to meet strict regulatory information governance requirements. With Access ManagementIn addition, customers can limit the Google staff who can take support actions related to their data. Additionally, since Assured Controls is available on Google Workspace's native platform, you don't need to move to a separate GovCloud environment for access to these capabilities. This update gives our customers another way to configure how and where their data is accessed by Google staff.

Getting started

Admins: Visit the Help Centre to learn more about Assured Controls and Access ManagementEnd 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 8, 2024

Availability

Assured controls are available as a paid-add on for Google Workspace Enterprise Plus. For more information, contact your Google account representative.

Manage your compliance and data controls from a single source in the Admin console

What's changing 

We know that compliance and data controls are paramount for our customers, both in understanding Google Workspace's policies and configuring compliance-relevant features according to the needs of their business sector and geographical region. To help our customers navigate these complexities, we've centralised some of these relevant features and information into a single location in the admin console: Data.
Within this section, admins can:
Find a centralised hub containing all data and compliance-related features such as data regions, access transparency, and more.Access Approvals, Access Management, Access Transparency, Client Side Encryption, Data Regions can now be found under Data > Compliance. Please note that Access Transparency can still be found under Menu > Reporting.

Data Export, Data migration, and Google Takeout can now be found under Data > Data import & export.

Find a dedicated compliance node containing guides and resources to help them configure their settings within various regulations and standards such as IL4, CJIS, and FedRAMP High.

Data > Overview
Data > Compliance > Guides and Resources

Getting started

Admins: You can access the new Data node compliance centre in the Admin console by navigating to Menu > Data. From here, you will find the Overview page, as well as the Compliance and Data Import & Export categories. 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 8, 2024

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Data regions: Choose a geographic location for your dataGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Gmail only: Set up and manage hardware key encryptionGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Add and manage key services for client-side encryptionGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Connect to your identity provider for client-side encryptionGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Turn client-side encryption on or offGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Access Approvals: Require Google staff to request approval before viewing support dataGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Access Management: Limit the Google staff who can take support actions related to your dataGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Export all your organisation's dataGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Export data by organisational unit, group, or userGoogle Workspace Admin Help: How to export a single user dataGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Allow or block Google Takeout

Introducing a new experience for data regions reporting

What's changing 

We're pleased to announce several new enhancements to Google Workspace data regions: 
For the first time, admins will be able to specify not only the region (EU or US) where their data is stored, but also the region in which it is processed, with granular controls to allow administrators to easily refine the region and level of compliance needed as appropriate for their organisational groups. Workspace customers have the flexibility to select multiple geographies to suit their needs, versus being restricted to one region mandated by billing address.
Also, based on customer feedback, we have re-architected our reporting dashboard to both deliver new functionality and simplify the experience for administrators. These include:
A simplified experience that focuses on the status of your data region's posture. Streamlined reporting for Google Workspace Enterprise Plus customers.Advanced reporting for Assured Controls customers.

Who's impacted

Admins

Why it's important

Assign data processing to the United States or Europe
Although customers are not required to use the sovereignty offerings within Workspace in order to comply with the GDPR, we make advanced data residency controls available so that customers can proactively leverage digital sovereignty best practices and keep pace with regulatory legislation. 
Putting the emphasis on status
We've heard from our customers that it's critical to quickly determine whether their data is being stored in the proper location. Based on this feedback, we've simplified the dashboard to consolidate parameters like "application" and "data type", which were not useful to customers into a single status indicator.  
Also, admins can now access two new reporting cards: Versions and Policies. The Versions card will tell admins how many users have each edition of data regions, while the Policies card will tell you how many users have their storage and processing settings assigned to the US or Europe.

It's important to note that if you're subject to partial domain licensing, you may see a mix of users spread across different editions. A user's feature set may vary based on their assigned Workspace editions - we recommend using our Help Centre to learn more about the difference between editions.
Advanced reporting for Assured Controls customers
For those Google Workspace customers using Assured Controls, you can leverage more advanced reporting which will help you determine that data is being both stored and processed properly. You can also drill down into this information on an app-by-app basis.

Getting started

Admins: Visit the Help Centre to learn more about Data Regions, choosing a geographic location for your data, setting up advanced settings for Data Regions, what data is covered by the Data Regions and viewing Data Regions status.

End users: There is no end user impact or action required.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on July 8, 2024 with anticipated completion by the end of July 2024.

Availability

Enterprise Data Regions are included with Enterprise Plus, Education Standard, Education Plus, and Enterprise Essentials Plus.Fundamental Data Regions are included with Frontline Starter, Frontline Standard, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Essentials. Reporting is not included with fundamental data regions - you can purchase Enterprise data regions as a paid add-on with any of these editions. Assured Controls are available as a paid-add on for Google Workspace Enterprise Plus.