Below, you’ll find the latest and greatest updates to Google Workspace (G Suite) as of April 8th, 2021. With a couple significant updates for Google Workspace for Education users specifically, as well as some key changes for Workspace admins and general, there’s something for everyone in this batch of updates from Google.
Updates to the citations tool in Google Docs
Several new citation source types have been added to the embedded citations tool in Google Docs: Film, TV Series, TV Episode, and Miscellaneous. This update will be implemented for all Workspace and G Suite editions, and will be compatible with all supported citation styles (MLA 8th ed., APA 7th ed., and Chicago 17th ed.). Rollout has begun for Rapid Release domains, and the full rollout will complete in the end of April 2021.
Not sure how to access the Google Doc citation tool? Simply open the desired Google Doc, click Tools, and then click Citations. From there, select the appropriate citation style and begin your bibliography.
New beta for Google Workspace for Education
Teachers and Education Admins take note! A new beta for Google Workspace for Education will soon be available. It will automatically save in-progress Form and Quiz responses while logged into a Workspace account, preventing the headache of losing progress part-way through an important test and needing to start over.
Interested Google Workspace for Education Admins should fill out this form to express their desire to participate in the beta.
Updated timeline for Google Workspace storage policy changes
Google previously announced the timeline during which storage policy changes would be made to Google Workspace. However, that timeline has changed somewhat. Here is the updated timeline:
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June 1, 2021: High-quality photos will begin to count towards Drive quotas (no change).
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February 1, 2022: Any newly created Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms, or Jamboard files count toward Drive quotas. Existing files within these products will not count toward storage, modifications are made to them after February 1st.
To better understand data usage at your organization, we recommend that Google Workspace and G Suite Admins periodically take a look at the Apps usage user report.
Restrict third-party API access to your organization’s Workspace data
The Google Workspace team has released a new feature allowing Admins to block all third-party APIs from accessing organizational Workspace data. Once enabled, users will see an error message when they attempt to allow a third-party API to access organizational data. This error message can be customized by a Workspace admin if desired. For more information, see this article from Google.
While this optional setting can add a strong extra layer of security protecting user data, it should also be noted that once it is enabled, users will no longer be able to log into third-party websites and apps using their company Workspace account, and all OAuth 2.0 scopes will be blocked as well.
Questions about any of these updates? As your Google Cloud Premier Partner, we’re ready to support you with any and all things Google Cloud. Contact us.
