Google Apps Updates - February/March

For our inaugural LC Google Apps update, we'll summarize the Apps Updates of the past couple months, as well as one notable late-2015 update. These updates do not cover every Google Apps Update (you can find those here), but rather those that are relevant to our users and currently active on our Apps for Education domain. Click on the heading link for more information regarding a particular update.

Google Apps Status Updates

While this is not necessarily an apps update, it may prove useful in a pinch. Running into a lag trying to access Google Drive? Gmail acting up? There might be a known issue. Visit www.google.com/appsstatus for Apps Updates.



Keep in mind, however, that if the issue is recent enough, it may not yet appear on Google Apps updates, as they only update once the existing issue has been confirmed on Google's end. For even more up-to-the-minute results, consider searching Twitter to see if anyone else is experiencing the same issue.

Google Hangouts may now be attended by external users without Google Accounts - (11/19/2015)

This late-2015 update added the ability to invite non-Google users to join Google Hangouts. By adding a Google Hangout to a calendar invitation, external users may join a hangout as a guest by clicking the hangout link. Note: Hangout organizers must have a Google Account to create a hangouts session.

New People Icon for Quick Sharing Info - (2/16/2016)

When you open a shared Google Drive folder the "people icon" appears to the right of the name, which provides a quick glimpse others who have share access to the folder.

Text-to-Columns in Google Sheets - (3/01/2016)

Found under Data > Split text to columns, you can now split delimited data across columns with a single click.


Image via Google Apps Update Blog

Google Apps Templates - (3/02/2016)

Google has added several new templates to Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

Export as EPUB - (3/07/2016)

Are you publishing a document to Kindle, Nook, or another form of eReader? Google Docs may now be exported in EPUB format, the preferred eReader format. This is found under File > Download as > EPUB Publication (.epub)

The new outline tool in Google Docs - 3/09/2016

The outline tool displays a document outline in the left panel. The tool will attempt to create an outline from existing headers, and may apply headings (which can be changed later) if none exist to create an outline.

Set expiration dates for access to Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides - 3/15/2016

As of Tuesday, April 5th, users may now set expiration dates for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. This will prove to be an extremely useful feature for those who need more flexible control of access permissions in Google Drive.


Image courtesy of Google Apps Updates blog

Google Apps for Mobile Updates

Google has launched a number of updates to its apps on Android & iOS platforms. We won't go into each one in great detail, but here's a quick recap:

• Improved Trash support and folder colors in the Google Drive for iOS app - 3/9/2016
• Create better presentations and collaborate more easily on documents with the latest Google Slides and Docs apps for Android - 3/10/2016
• Swipe to preview, reverse sort, and instant-edit w/3rd-party apps Google Drive for Android - 3/21/2016
• Support for more file formats in the Google Sheets and Slides Android App - 3/23/2016
• Change your filters, themes, and layouts in the Google Sheets and Slides iOS app - 3/24/2016