G Suite's First Month: Google Streamlines Productivity Apps

Google recently announced a plethora of changes aimed at ushering in a new era for its ten-year old Apps for Work suite.  The tech giant christened the service G Suite to match its primary mission – helping businesses boost productivity through smarter collaboration. Previously known as Google Apps for Work, the suite also introduces wide-ranging features designed to make it easier to innovate and work as teams. Google is using the catchphrase 'All Together Now' to reflect this premise.

As part of broader changes, the technology provider also renamed its cloud division. The rebranded unit - Google Cloud encompasses a wide range of cloud-based services, including data analytics tools, artificial intelligence, cloud hosting facilities, machine learning, file sharing, data storage and more.

G Suite Apps - The New Google Apps for Work

G Suite is a key component in the Google Cloud apparatus. It consists of more than ten productivity apps designed for business and educational use. They serve three main purposes: communication, storage and collaboration.

• Communication tools – Gmail, Google+, Calendar and Hangouts

• Collaboration – Docs, Sheets, Forms, Slides and Sites

• Storage – Drive

The office productivity suite includes the following applications in addition to Google's Signature App: GMail:

Google Calendar

This app offers integrated online calendars designed for teams. It allows your team to reduce time spent on planning. Google Calendar works seamlessly with Hangouts, Sites, Gmail, Drive and Contacts to deliver equal parts versatility and convenience. It keeps team members well-informed about planned activities.

As part of the changes, Calendar now employs machine intelligence to improve efficiency by automating scheduling of meetings. The tool can even help you select the ideal venue for the meeting. Its new feature 'Find A Time' is designed to prevent scheduling issues by taking into account everyone’s work schedule.

The application allows you to share important events with partners, customers and staff via the internet. It also provides a viable way to notify colleagues about your availability. Calendar is easy to migrate from legacy systems, such as iCal, Exchange and Outlook. Also you can transfer directly through .ics and .csv files.

Google Sheets

Sheets now leverages the power of artificial intelligence to convert simple requests into formulas. The spreadsheet solution uses its Explore feature to deliver the formulas. The tool's natural language processing capabilities help save time.

Advantages of using Google Sheets include:

• Simplifies data crunching
• Provides access to advanced, quick, cloud-based spreadsheets
• No download required (works in your browser)
• Automates calculations
• Accessible from any device
• Makes file conversion easier and faster

Google Docs

Docs now integrates the Explore feature to enhance its word processing functions. The app has the capacity to recommend images, topics and other content. This is aimed at improving your current document in addition to providing a convenient way to discover related documents in Google Drive.

One of Doc's key strengths is the capacity to track unlimited document revision history. Previous versions are not deleted and there is no need to worry about storage. The revised versions are stored indefinitely without compromising storage capacity.

Google Drive

Team Drives is a notable new product introduced by Google. The feature harnesses the principle of collaboration by allowing users to manage file sharing and access at team level. The changes also streamline content ownership and control by introducing new roles. Individuals no longer own and manage drive accounts. Instead, the whole team has access to the Drive files.

It now boasts a feature known as Quick Access. The new addition allows Android device users to find files much faster. Google eliminated the need to use the search function. Drive employs machine learning to determine the file you want even before you type. It displays files matching its predictive criteria.

The file sharing and storage app is compatible with over 40 file formats, offers unlimited storage capacity and syncs files with your desktop device automatically.

Google Meetings (Formerly Hangouts)

Google has ushered in new collaboration experience to boost your team's productivity. The Hangouts tool will be Google Meetings and can handle up to 50 video conference participants on its interface at a time. The changes also make it possible to invite users without accounts. All you need to invite participants is a dial-in phone number or short link. In addition, Hangouts does not require plugins or downloads and it comes with built-in screen sharing capabilities.

Google Cloud's G Suite provides fantastic apps that help your team work smarter. It makes it possible to generate ideas faster regardless of location. The suite's productivity apps integrate seamlessly to add new functionality. They now take advantage of artificial intelligence to handle everyday tasks. This frees up more of your time. From converting queries to formulas and scheduling meetings to formatting slides, G Suite undoubtedly eliminates barriers to efficient workflow.

The suite is supported by the world-class security that is audited and certified by ISO as well as other standards. The platform also supports HIPAA and other regulatory requirements.