The Google Drive preview feature is a way to quickly preview files you’d typically open in Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, or photo editors. Available in Gmail, Inbox, and Google Drive, previewing a file is a useful and fast experience and works across a wide range of files. Starting this week, we’re rolling out some improvements to the preview feature to make it simpler and easier to use:

Earlier this year, we launched contact importing from a wide variety of supported mail and contact sources in the new Google Contacts preview. A popular request from Google Apps users has been the ability to import mail in addition to contacts from additional sources. Today, we’re happy to announce that we’re adding two more: Gmail and Rediffmail.

These secure user-initiated migrations can now be enabled from the Admin console and are powered by ShuttleCloud.  If you have already enabled User email uploads from the Admin console, then this feature is already available for your end-users.

Once enabled, the user will see a new section in their Gmail settings to Import mail and contacts. Users will then follow the prompts to migrate their email and contacts.

Check out the latest "What's New in Google Apps" newsletter [pdf] for a roundup of all Apps launches from July 2016.


Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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We are pleased to announce that we are adding new Hangouts metrics to the Reports API (part of the Admin SDK). These new metrics can be used to track video calls by platform. The new metrics that are being added are listed below:

• gplus.num_video_calls_android
• gplus.num_video_calls_cfm
• gplus.num_video_calls_ios
• gplus.num_video_calls_web
• gplus.total_video_call_minutes_android
• gplus.total_video_call_minutes_cfm
• gplus.total_video_call_minutes_ios
• gplus.total_video_call_minutes_web
• gplus.num_video_conferences_android
• gplus.num_video_conferences_cfm
• gplus.num_video_conferences_ios
• gplus.num_video_conferences_mobile
• gplus.num_video_conferences_web

In addition, Apps admins may notice a change in numbers for Google+ active users. A number of Google+ components and integrations (Hangouts, YouTube Comments, and Photos, for example) have been unbundled from the core Google+ product. The new metrics reflect users of Google+ only. Google+ activity metrics that are impacted with this change are below:

• gplus.num_1day_active_users
• gplus.num_7day_active_users
• gplus.num_30day_active_users

The above changes will be rolled out starting today to all Google Apps domains. To find out more on these new metrics, check our updated developer documentation.


Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
Google Apps Admin SDK
Updated Developer Documentation

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Google offers useful and simple-to-use security features such as 2-Step Verification and Single Sign-On in order to protect users who connect to their accounts on multiple devices. One equally important component in keeping users secure is educating them on what’s happening with their accounts in real-time.

That’s why today, we’re pleased to release a new feature that notifies Android users of security events on their account: Android notifications for newly added devices.

Here’s how it works

When users add a new device to their account, native Android notifications will tell the user about the newly added device or security event.

If the activity looks suspicious, the user can choose to “Review Account Activity,” and find out what device was added, from what location, and other important information. If the activity is expected, the user can dismiss it as any other notification.

(Cross-posted on the Google for Work blog)

We know many of you consider your mobile device as your primary tool to consume business information, but what if you could use it to get more work done, from anywhere?

We’re excited to introduce Android add-ons for Docs and Sheets, a new way for you to do just that—whether it’s readying a contract you have for e-signature from your phone, or pulling in CRM data on your tablet for some quick analysis while waiting for your morning coffee, Android add-ons can help you accomplish more.

Get more done with your favorite third-party apps, no matter where you are

We’ve worked with eight integration partners who have created seamless integrations for Docs and Sheets. Here’s a preview of just a few of them:

• DocuSign - Trigger or complete a signing process from Docs or Sheets, and save the executed document to Drive. Read more here.

DocuSign lets you easily create signature envelopes right from Google Docs

• ProsperWorks - Import your CRM data to create and update advanced dashboards, reports, and graphs on Sheets, right from your device. Read more here.

• AppSheet - Create powerful mobile apps directly from your data in Sheets instantly—no coding required. Read more here.

• Scanbot - Scan your business documents using built-in OCR, and insert their contents into Docs as editable text. Read more here.

You can find these add-ons and many more, including PandaDoc, ZohoCRM, Teacher Aide, EasyBib, and Classroom in our Google Play collection, as well as directly from the add-on menus in Docs or Sheets.


Try them out today, and see how much more you can do.

Please note that Android add-ons will the respect same administrative controls as web add-ons. For more information on enabling and deploying add-ons within your organization, check out the Help Center.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (potentially longer than 3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Enable add-ons in Google Docs editors
Help Center: Use add-ons & Apps Script

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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With the recent release of Chrome OS 52 stable, the Chrome for Work team is excited to announce the following updates:

Timed reboot 
We have improved the scheduled reboot feature in the Admin console to allow domain administrators to set a more specific schedule for rebooting their devices. Until now it was only possible to apply a general schedule that allowed you to specify the number of days before a reboot.

Promoting the present short link feature on CfM home screen 
Presenting wirelessly without a cable is a great Hangouts feature, but many users are not aware that it exists. We are featuring a promotion that highlights the g.co/present short link functionality on the home screen of Chrome devices for meetings.

Launch Details 
Release track: 
All features launched to both Rapid release and Scheduled release

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI


Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Share your group chats with short links

Group chat participants can now share a link to invite others to join the chat. This is particularly useful for onboarding new team members to a project, or to reach everyone in a mailing list. Rather than adding everyone at once, people can opt-in to the group chat.


Search for groups from your Google Hangouts contacts list

In order to make it easier to get to your group chats, you can also easily find your group conversations by searching for the group name or participant name.
Additional controls to manage group chat access

When team members leave a project, it may be necessary to remove them from group chats. Now, anyone who is directly invited to a chat will be able to remove others from the group chat, removing that person’s access to the chat history and notifying the group participants. Only by being directly invited back by someone already in the group, can the former member rejoin the chat.
Note for Administrators

These Google Hangouts changes to group chats will continue to follow the administrative controls you’ve set in the Admin console. You can learn more in this Help Center article.

Link sharing and removing from groups on Google Hangouts is now available on all platforms. Group search is already available on Android and will be coming to the web and iOS soon. Finally, we’re looking at additional ways to make group conversations even better in the future, so please stay tuned.


Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release

Many Google Apps customers use Drive shared folders to collaborate on projects, keep historical records, or complete tasks with their team. Starting today, we’re rolling out several improvements to Google Drive’s shared folders to make them more actionable and useful to the recipients they’re being sent to.

Shared content now behaves like the content that you own

Signed-in recipients of Google Drive shared folders will now be able to access the contents in Drive (without having to add to My Drive) and will see the full functionality of Drive when receiving shared folders. This includes adding and modifying files, creating new folders, changing your notification subscriptions, and more. Just like how you’re used to in My Drive, you have the ability to modify the files directly from the landing page.

We’re also looking to further improve shared folder collaboration in the future. We hope this starting point makes collaborating with others simpler for you and your teams.


Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to Rapid release, with Scheduled release coming in 2 weeks

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center


Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Launch detail categories
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