Before you perform a search of Gmail messages in Google Vault, you can see the number of results that your search criteria will return—helping you plan next steps and establish resources for review. Going forward, in addition to the total number of results, you’ll also see the number of accounts with matches. You can then download a list of those accounts and the number of messages that match each. This can help you determine the key custodians involved in an investigation. (Note that this feature is only available when searching Gmail messages.)



Programmatically save your search queries with the Vault Matters API

In addition to the feature above, we’re making it possible for admins to programmatically read, create, and delete saved search queries with the Vault Matters API. This will allow you to quickly and easily copy search parameters from one matter to another, saving you valuable time.

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

Editions:
Available to G Suite Business, Enterprise, and Enterprise for Education editions, as well as G Suite users with the Vault add-on license

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: How does the count feature work?

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We’re making it easier to copy formatting from one object (like a block of text or a shape) to multiple others in Google Slides. Previously, you could use the paint format tool to copy formatting from one object to another, but you’d need to reclick it every time you wanted to apply it to a new object. Now, you can simply double-click the tool icon to enter “persistent” mode and apply that formatting to multiple objects in a slide. Just re-click the icon or tap Escape on your keyboard to stop.



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

Editions: 
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace: 
Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action: 
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Copy and paste text and images

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Over the next few months, we’ll completely replace old Google Contacts with new Google Contacts (also known as Contacts preview).

We launched new Contacts in 2015 to provide a modern, smart, and quick contact management experience. We’ve added many features since then and, with the recent launch of contacts delegation, new Contacts now has many comparable features from old Contacts, and more.

As a result, new Contacts will replace the older version, and it will be the only Google Contacts version after February 12, 2019. The replacement process will take place in three stages:

Stage 1: New admin-controlled defaults and user options

On November 28, 2018, we’ll change the Admin console setting that controls new Contacts. Currently, there’s a checkbox to enable new Contacts for your users. If you enable it, your users are moved to new Contacts but can opt out. On November 28, this setting will change to formally define a default version of Contacts for your organization. Your current setting will determine the impact of this change:

• If you currently have new Contacts preview enabled, new Contacts will be the default and there will be no change for your users. Your users will stay using new Contacts with the option to revert back to old Contacts. If they previously opted out of new Contacts preview, they’ll remain opted out until stage 2 (see below).
• If you don’t currently have new Contacts preview enabled, old Contacts will be the default but users will get a new option to try new Contacts. None of your users will be automatically upgraded to new Contacts, but all users will be able to opt in to new Contacts individually if they choose.

You can find and change the setting in the Admin console at Apps > G Suite > Directory > Sharing settings > Contacts Preview.

Stage 2: All users upgraded to new Contacts, with the option to opt out

On January 15, 2019, new Contacts will automatically become the default version in your domain and we will remove the Admin console setting. When this happens, all users still using old Contacts will be moved to new Contacts. You won’t be able to change this for your organization, but individual users will still be able to revert back to old Contacts if they want until stage 3 (see below).

Stage 3: All users upgraded to new Contacts, old Contacts turned off

On February 12, 2019, old Contacts will be turned off completely, and any remaining users will be moved to new Contacts. There will be no option to use the old version.

Launch Details
Release track:
All stages launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) for all stages

Impact:
Admins and end users

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI


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We’re adding the ability to delegate contact management to someone else in new Google Contacts (aka Contacts preview). When you delegate contact management, you give someone else the ability to edit or delete information in your personal contacts folder on your behalf. Any changes they make to those contacts will update in your Contacts. Customers will often use delegated contacts so administrative assistants can manage contacts for executives.

This feature was previously available in old Contacts, but not in new Contacts (see below for more). If you use delegation in old Contacts, the delegation will still be active if you move to new Contacts. Contacts and contact delegation are no longer available through Gmail.

Delegate access to your contacts 

You can invite someone else within your organization to manage your contacts through the new Contacts website at contacts.google.com. Once you’ve delegated access, the person you delegated to will be notified by email and will be able to add, edit, and delete contacts on your behalf.

To see and change delegate access to your contacts, click on the Delegate access button in the product’s main navigation menu. See our Help Center to learn more about how to delegate your contacts.



Accept delegation invitation and manage someone else’s contacts

When someone delegates their contacts to you, you’ll get an email asking if you want to accept the request. If you accept, the contacts will appear in a new “Delegated contacts” section of the Contacts menu. You can add, edit, and delete someone else’s contacts the same way you can with your other contacts. If you want to stop managing these contacts, click Remove delegated contacts at the top of the page.

See our Help Center to learn more about managing delegated contacts.

Delegated contacts appear in a separate section of Contacts

Use the new Google Contacts 

If you haven’t already, you can launch new Contacts for your users. New Contacts (aka Contacts preview) was launched in 2015 and has many comparable features from old Contacts, with an updated interface and additional features that increase efficiency. If you’ve previously enabled new Contacts and a user has opted out, they can opt back in by looking for the link to “Try Contacts preview” in the left hand menu at contacts.google.com.

A comparison of the old and new Google Contacts interface

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

Editions: 
Available to all G Suite editions

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

Impact: 
All end users

Action: 
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information 
Help Center: Delegate contacts to an assistant 


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Launch release calendar
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You can view email from multiple accounts, be it your work or personal, G Suite or non-G Suite (even third-party IMAP accounts), in the Gmail iOS app. But you’ve traditionally needed to toggle between different inboxes to do so. To save you time, we’re now making it possible to view emails from multiple accounts in a single inbox on an iOS device—the same way you can with the Gmail Android app.


To see emails from different accounts at one time, simply select the “All Inboxes” view from the left-hand side drawer. This will show all your emails in a single list, but don’t worry—no emails will be shared between your accounts.

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

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Check emails from other accounts


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When auto-provisioning is enabled for a supported third-party application, any users created, modified, or deleted in G Suite are automatically added, edited, or deleted in the third-party application as well. This feature is highly popular with admins, as it removes the overhead of managing users across multiple third-party SaaS applications.

We’ve heard continued positive feedback from admins, so we’re adding auto-provisioning support for two new applications:

• Bonusly
• Klipfolio

Customers with G Suite Business, Enterprise, and Education editions, as well as Cloud Identity Premium, can enable user auto-provisioning in all supported applications. Customers with G Suite Basic, Government, and Nonprofit editions can configure auto-provisioning for up to three applications from the supported list.

For more information on how to set up auto-provisioning, check out the Help Center.

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

Editions:

• G Suite Business, Enterprise, and Education customers, as well as Cloud Identity Premium, can enable auto-provisioning for all supported applications
• G Suite Basic, Government, and Nonprofit customers can enable auto-provisioning for up to three applications

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Automated user provisioning
Help Center: Using SAML to set up federated SSO


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We’re updating the interface of Activity dashboard in the Google Docs editors. The options and settings available won’t change, but we hope the new interface makes it easier to find data and collaborate more effectively.

See the new Activity dashboard UI 

“View time” in the new Activity dashboard interface

“Viewer trend” in the new Activity dashboard interface

A comparison of the old and new Activity dashboard interfaces

See our Help Center for more information on how to see the view history of your Google Docs, Sheets and Slides.

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

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions 

Rollout pace: 
Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact: 
All end users

Action: 
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information 
Help Center: See the view history of your Google Docs, Sheets & Slides 
G Suite Updates blog: Improve collaboration in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides with Activity dashboard


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Last year, we introduced a new resource for admins: What’s new in G Suite? Don’t forget to visit the page regularly for a list of the most recent launches across G Suite.

Feedback? Let us know.