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Google Docs Introduces New Embarrassment-Reducing Feature

Google-awareness-feature

If your company regularly relies on the G-Suite to provide your productivity features, then you've probably noticed a host of new updates in recent months. It seems like Google is continuously making investments in its productivity offering, perhaps in an attempt to get ahead of competitors like Microsoft, with its popular Office 365 offering. 

Some of the most recent updates that we've seen in the G-Suite include the introduction of new offline editing modes that allow you to access the files you need without the internet. Google also recently introduced the ability to request approval for certain documents and projects through the G-Suite to streamline the workflow of the modern digital company. We've even seen some changes to the way that Gmail manages things like secure content in your inbox. 

The latest update to the G-Suite environment comes in the form of a solution specifically for Google Docs. This new feature will allow you to more easily keep track of the profiles that you're using when you're commenting on docs and sharing sheets - to reduce your risk of workplace embarrassment.

 

Highlighting User Accounts with Google Docs

One of the most common longstanding complaints that Google has heard when it comes to its G-Suite productivity service is that it can be confusing for users to be able to remain logged in with their personal and professional accounts at the same time. While it's helpful in some respects to be able to switch between accounts at the click of a button, some people will forget to switch back to a business account when they're dealing with professional slides, docs, and sheets. 

If you've ever accidentally sent a comment back on a project using an embarrassing personal account address rather than your professional business account, then you'll know how valuable the new feature could be. Google Docs, Slides and Sheets will now display a prompt about the account that you're signed in with when you start editing shared content. 

Since it's not uncommon to have more than one Google account running at the same time, the last thing you want is to end up sharing your personal details with your coworkers accidentally, just because you forget to switch Google accounts. The new "account awareness" feature from Google will help to avoid any accidental editing with the wrong G-Suite persona.

 

How Does the Google Awareness Feature Work?

The Account Awareness offering from G-Suite will display a dialogue detail in the top right-hand corner of your screen that reminds you which account you're currently signed in with. This dialogue box will appear as soon as you open a document, just underneath your profile avatar. You will be able to see the full address that you're using, and your username displayed underneath that email. 

The new account awareness option will be available on Docs, Slides, and Sheets, and it won't make any difference to the functionality of these tools. However, the switcher that's usually available with your Google accounts will work a little differently. When you click on your profile picture to expand the account switcher function, you won't get a list of accounts with the current one at the top. Instead, you'll only see the existing account you're signed in with, and an option to change your account. 

If you're happy with the account that you're using on G-Suite, you can hit the "Ok" button on the dialogue box and continue editing as usual. On the other hand, if you click on "Change Account,," then you'll be able to switch to a new email address more rapidly than you currently can today. This can save some time if you're trying to avoid letting other people see your personal account details when you accidentally access a shared file. 

According to Google, the new feature will help to reduce the confusion of being signed into multiple G-Suite accounts at once. At the time of writing, this feature has already begun to roll out to Google accounts around the world, and it will be available on all editions of G-Suite, including the free options. If you have a rapid release domain, then you should have the domain switcher by the end of July. 

The improved sign-in experience for the most commonly-used G-Suite tools could be particularly beneficial for businesses and schools that are reliant on G-Suite's productivity apps. 

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