Skip to content

7 Google Apps Updates That You Might Have Missed During June

3 minute read

academy bg2

The summer has been very active in terms of Google Apps updates, with many changes centered around Google I/O. There has actually been more than a dozen updates in June alone!

It can be tough to keep up with all the updates throughout the month, so here are 7 of our favorites that you might’ve missed.

1. Deleting files became much easier in Google Drive

Deleting files in Google Drive

Previously, the only way to move a file to the Trash was inside of Google Drive, rather than inside the actual file. Now you can easily move a file to the trash directly inside the file itself, which is probably something you should have been able to do all along. As you can see from the screenshot above, the new ‘Move to trash’ option is available inside the ‘File’ drop-down inside your Google Docs, Sheets and Slides.

2. Improved reporting comes to the Google Apps Admin Console

Google Apps Admin Console Reporting

With so many features available in Google Apps, it’s important for Admins to get some insight into what their users are taking advantage of. The new version of Reports in the Admin Console provides a really good look at a glance of what users are doing, particularly through Apps Usage Activity and 2-factor verification enrollment.

3. Google Apps Unlimited helps bring Drive to Work

Google Apps Unlimited

Amongst many other major announcements, Google announced at I/O 2014 the arrival of Google Apps Unlimited, a brand-new option for Google Apps for Business customers. This premium version of Google Apps offers plenty of new features for Google Apps at $10 per user per month, making it an extremely attractive option for enterprise customers. The features included in Google Apps Unlimited are unlimited storage, Google Vault, and advanced Drive controls, auditing, and reporting features, in addition to everything else included in Google Apps for Business.

4. Redesigned interface coming to Google Drive

YouTube video

From the video above, you can see that the Google Drive interface is completely different than before. Google touts this redesign as even “easier to take some of the most common actions simply click once on a file to see recent activity, share with friends, or enable offline access.” The new Google Drive for web interface will be made available over the coming weeks, but you can access all the new mobile features in the Google Play Store or the App Store.

5. Redline editing comes to Google Docs with Suggested Edits

YouTube video

The lack of redline editing in Docs has been a major issue for many users, especially those attempting the switch from Microsoft. Also known as tracked changes, redline editing is one of the best ways to collaborate while also making sure that all changes are accounted for. With Suggested Edits, users have access to a very similar feature, making it even easier to get off of Word.

6. Improved integration with Microsoft Office for Google Drive

Microsoft Office and Google Drive

Previously when working with Microsoft Office files in Google Drive, you needed to worry about converting the file back and forth between the correct formats before you sent it to someone. With this update to Drive, Google does the work for you. So if someone sends you over a Word file, you can edit it in Google Drive and send it back to them as a Word attachment, all without having to worry about conversions.

7. Premium Google+ features make their way to Google Apps

Google+ in the Admin Console

There’s always been some concern over the way Google+ is integrated into an organization. With new premium features, Admins have a lot more control, like restricting posts to their domain by default. There is also improved integration with Google Hangouts and Calendars.

Sign up for our newsletter