Just got used to G-suite? Well, Google is rebranding and is becoming Workspace. It will still have familiar tools like Gmail, Calendar, Slides, Docs and Sheets, but they will move from their Google Apps descriptors. A new in-document feature, Google Chat will make it easier for real time collaboration on documents from inside the messaging app itself. Also new improvements to help home working promised.
The announcement was made by Google’s parent, Alphabet, in October 2020. It looks like it will put it even more head to head with Microsoft 365’s options.
Business Starter and Business Standard Plans will come in to replace the lower end of the market offer. But a new Essentials Tier will help some smaller businesses or NGO teams. For those wanting more advanced features, there will be a Business Plus offer.
Many non G-suite clients have seen messages from Google in their Gmail and Drive products advising them that items in their trash will be deleted by a set date. This has been combined with a greater push on Google drive extra storage options.
More security and privacy plans
Google Workspace will have improved security and privacy according to this October’s announcement.
New security features will ‘help facilitate safe communication and give admins increased visibility and control for their organizations’, according to Google. Features will include safety features for Meet and Chat, and to reduce the spammers disrupting meetings.
In coming weeks, administrators will be able to view logs related to Chat, Meet, Groups, Calendar and Voice in the Security Center’s Investigation Tool.
New measures are coming in on data and helping administrators to know which apps meet Google’s privacy and security verification requirements for access to Google Workspace data. It says it will give them the ‘power to decide how much access they should get’. Its security post says: “Apps often require access to Google Workspace data to help your users get work done. We work with app developers to make sure that third-party apps comply with Google privacy and security requirements. If an app meets specific requirements, they are considered “Google verified. Using App access control, you can now choose which apps can access Google Workspace data, restricting or allowing the data access for unverified apps.”
New tools for education
The Google announcement says it will bring Google Workspace to education and non-profit customers ‘in the coming months’. They will still be able to access tools via G Suite for Education, which includes Classroom, Assignments, Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Meet. G Suite for Nonprofits will continue to be available to eligible organizations through the Google for Nonprofits program.”
Training and support
If you want to learn how to use Google Workspace when it comes in and its various tools, you can book with Non Stop Business Support and our computer shop partners for one-to-one or group training via Zoom, Google Meet video conferencing technology.