Since introducing tables in Google Sheets, we’ve made numerous improvements to ensure users are equipped with the tools they need to accelerate spreadsheet building. Table references, a way to refer to a table or parts of a table in a formula, are just one example of how tables reduce time spent manually formatting data. 

Today, we’re excited to announce updates to table references that enhance discoverability and usability. Specifically, users will now see: 

• Improved table reference availability, which allows users to reference the items below across both single (e.g., =Table2[[#ALL],[Column 1]]) and multiple columns (e.g., =Table2[[#ALL],[Column 1]:[Column 2]] ): 
• Full table columns, including column headers, data, and footers (#ALL) 
• Table headers (#HEADERS) 
• Table footers (#TOTALS) 
• Table data, excluding headers and footers (#DATA) 
  

• Formula suggestions, which help you identify formulas that could be more robust. For example, if a user types a working formula that overlaps with a table range, a table reference suggestion will show. 

• Formula corrections for table references, which show a formula correction with a proper table reference when a formula is written incorrectly. 

Getting started 

• Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
• End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about using table references in Google Sheets. 

Rollout pace 

• Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on November 19, 2024 
• Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 10, 2024 

Availability

• Available to all Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts

Resources 

• Google Help: Use table references in Google Sheets 
• Google Help: Use tables in Google Sheets

In continuing our effort to make Google Chat your home for team collaboration, we’re excited to introduce a fast and flexible way to connect: huddles. 

Powered by Google Meet, huddles let you start an audio-first meeting, making real-time collaboration easier than ever. Once the huddle has started, you can resize or drag the window, add video, or share your screen for a fuller meeting experience while multitasking in Chat. 

Huddles provide a seamless collaboration experience across Chat and Meet, and can be useful in a variety of scenarios, such as two colleagues syncing quickly to discuss a project they’ve been messaging about in their Chat stream. 

End users 

Huddles help to reduce meeting fatigue for hybrid workers, and eliminates the need for lengthy discussions over email or in Chat. Instead of jumping out of the conversation and into a meeting, huddles integrates directly and smoothly into the Chat experience. The format of huddles also supports multi-tasking while in Chat as you can easily resize or share your screen. 

The Meet video button that’s currently in the compose bar of Chat is moving to the Chat header, giving you multiple options such as the ability to call, start a huddle, or share a Meet link through a single entry point. 

• Admins: If Meet is turned OFF for users in your domain, they will not be able to create Huddles, but they can join Huddles. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning on Meet meetings and calls for your organization. 
• End users:
• Huddles are available in direct messages, group messages and spaces. 
• To start a huddle in Chat, click the Video icon in the top right corner of your chat message > select Start a huddle. 
• Huddles start audio only as default but you can turn video on at any moment. 
• When you’re requested to join a huddle, you will see a chat chip in your message thread that says [user] has started a huddle, click “Join” to enter the huddle. You will also see the huddles toggle in the Chat header for that conversation. 
• Visit the Help Center to learn more about huddles in Google Chat. 

• Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on November 27, 2024, with expected completion by December 20, 2025 
• Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on January 6, 2025 

Available for Google Workspace: 

• Business Starter, Standard, and Plus 
• Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus 
• Frontline Starter and Standard 
• Essentials, Enterprise Essentials, and Enterprise Essentials Plus 
• Nonprofits 

Resources 

• Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn on Meet meetings and calls for your organization 
• Google Help: Learn about huddles in Google Chat

Starting this week, the previously introduced Google Drive Chat app will be automatically installed and send you notifications about recent activity in Google Drive documents, such as new comments and share requests. Directly in Chat, you can now: 

• Reply to or resolve comments in Docs, Sheets and Slides, which includes the ability to mention your colleagues easily while replying. 
• Choose the appropriate access level (e.g. viewer, commenter, editor) for share requests. 
• See when you’ve been mentioned in Docs, Sheets or Slides using Chat’s “Mentions” shortcut. 
• Easily block a sender or report abuse from the Drive Chat app’s notifications when they come from a user outside of your organization. 

While this new app will be automatically installed, you can easily manage notifications, mute or uninstall the app at any time by going to the three dot overflow menu. 

• Admins: This feature will be ON by default and can be disabled via the Workspace Marketplace app allowlist at the domain, OU or group level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing the Workspace Marketplace app allowlist for your organization. 
• End users: This feature will be ON by default and can be disabled by the user. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing the Google Drive app for your account. 

• Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on November 18, 2024, with expected completion by January 15, 2025

• Available to all Google Workspace customers and Workspace Individual Subscribers 

• Google Workspace Admin Help: Manage Marketplace apps on your allowlist 
• Google Help: Google Drive app for Google Chat

Users can now ask Gemini in Gmail to perform calendar related actions or answer questions about their calendars. | Learn more about using Gemini in Gmail to reference Calendar.

Completed rollouts

Following our introduction of uploading full-bleed cover images in Google Docs and AI-generated images in Google Slides with help me visualize, we’re launching the ability to create unique inline images and full bleed cover images using Gemini in Docs. 

These new image generation capabilities benefit from our latest image generation model, Imagen 3, our highest quality, text-to-image model. Now you can create photorealistic images of people, landscapes, and more with even better detail than before.

To create inline images for numerous use cases (e.g. a restaurant menu, marketing campaign brief, or promotional flier), simply type your prompt into Create an image, and Gemini in Docs will generate the image based on your instruction. Plus, you can decide the aspect ratio you want the image to be and choose a style like photography, water color and more. 

You can further customize your document by creating a unique cover image using Gemini in Docs, which can add flavor to a résumé, stylize an invitation, or personalize a client pitch. 

End users 

The ability to generate unique images with Gemini in Docs empowers everyone, regardless of artistic skill, to create differentiated and visually compelling content. Now you can communicate ideas more effectively, without having to tirelessly search for the perfect image. 

Cover images can only be added to documents set to pageless mode, allowing the image to span the entire width of the document. To set up the more immersive experience of pageless mode, go to File > Page setup > Pageless or Format > Switch to Pageless format. 

• Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
• End users: 
• To create a cover image, you can either go to Insert > Cover image > Help me create an image, or Type “@” followed by Cover image > Help me create an image. 
• To add an image, go to Insert > Image > Help me create an image > type in an image description (optionally select a style for your image) > click Create > then, you will see generated options > select the one you like and it will be added to your document. 
• Visit the Help Center to learn more about creating images with Gemini in Google Docs and adding a cover image to your document. 

• Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on November 15, 2024
• Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 16, 2024

Availability 

Available for Google Workspace customers with these add-ons: 

• Gemini Business 
• Gemini Enterprise 
• Gemini Education 
• Gemini Education Premium 
• Google One AI Premium 

Resources

• Google Help: Create images with Gemini in Google Docs