10/25/2021

If it’s been a while since you evaluated Google for your company’s operations, it may be time for another look. In the last year alone, Google has added dozens of new features that make collaborating among colleagues easier and more efficient than ever before.

“When Google launched its Sheets and Docs products 25 years ago, the company transformed work documents from digital pieces of paper to collaborative content that allows multiple users to work together and view changes and updates in real-time,” explained Greg Callen, Vice President of The Daston Corporation. Now, new features have made Google Workspace even more interactive, intelligent, and flexible.

“Many of our BPO clients who previously used other collaboration tools have found that moving to Google Workspace has provided enhanced collaboration opportunities, which has been a gamechanger as they work on projects such as proposals that require various users or companies to contribute information,” he said.

Here are 12 new features to help make collaboration even more seamless:

  • Work in Google Meet Directly from a Google Doc, Sheet, or Slide

You now can present content to a Google Meet call on the web, directly from the Doc, Sheet, or Slide on which you and your team are collaborating. Jumping between a live conversation and collaborating in a document without skipping a beat helps your team stay focused and the project stays on track. Google Meet soon will be added directly to Docs, Sheets, and Slides on the web, so colleagues can see and hear each other while they are collaborating.

  • @ Mention Colleagues

When you @-mention someone in a document, a smart chip displays additional information, such as the person’s job title, location, and contact information. These new smart chips already have been added to Google Docs for recommended files and meetings, and they will be added to Google Sheets soon. To insert smart chips, just type “@” to view a list of recommended people, files, and meetings. Teammates can skim associated meetings and people or preview linked documents, all without changing tabs or contexts.

  • Pageless Docs

With a new pageless format in Google Docs, the surface expands to whatever screen you’re using, making it easier to work with large images, wide tables, or detailed comments. If you want to print or convert to a PDF, you’ll be able to switch to a paginated view easily.

  • Smarter Meetings Notes Template in Docs

This new Docs template will automatically import relevant information from a Calendar meeting invite, including attached files and smart chips for attendees.

  • Connected Checklists in Docs

Checklists now are available on the web and mobile, and soon you’ll be able to assign responsibilities to teammates and view them in Google Tasks.

  • Table Templates in Docs

Topic-voting tables will allow you to gather feedback from users, while project-tracker tables help you capture milestones and statuses.

  • Live Captions and Translations in Google Meet

Google currently offers live captions in five languages, with more coming, and the company will introduce live translations of captions later this year

  • Timeline View in Google Sheets

You’ll soon be able to toggle between new views in Google Sheets to better manage your data. Google’s first launch will be a timeline view that makes tracking tasks faster and easier. This flexible view will allow you to organize your data by category, owner, campaign, or whichever attribute fits best. Using an interactive timeline strengthens your ability to manage things like marketing campaigns, schedules, project milestones, and cross-team collaborations.

  • More Assisted Analysis Functionality in Sheets

Enhanced assisted analysis functionality in Google Sheets – with formula suggestions that make it easier for everyone to gain insights – helps you troubleshoot formulas and reduce errors.

  • Create and Edit Sheets, Docs, and Slides Directly from Google Chat Rooms

Teams can now jump from a discussion in Google Chat directly to building content together. Creating and editing Sheets and Docs from Google Chat rooms is already live, and soon will be enabled for Slides.

  • Emoji Reactions

To gauge people’s reactions as you collaborate in Docs, Google will introduce emoji reactions in the next few months.

  • Inclusive Language Recommendations and Other Assisted Writing Features

Assisted writing features will offer inclusive language recommendations when they make sense – such as the word “chairperson” instead of “chairman.” It also will make stylistic suggestions, for example how to avoid passive voice or offensive language.

You already know Daston for our DCAA-compliant BPO Bundle for GovCon Accounting, but we also help companies migrate their systems from on-premises storage to the Google Cloud.

To learn more about how Daston can help migrate your operations to the Google Cloud, reach out today to book a consultation.