Top 8 New Features in Google's G Suite Apps for November

One key advantage you gain by using Google’s G Suite Apps as a part of your business environment is regular software updates. Aside from increasing program efficiency and security Google also adds new features regularly. By adding onto and improving program features the G Suite platform becomes more useful for both admins and end users. Here are six new features you will find quite useful as a G Suite Apps Admin and two additional features that will prove useful for your end users.

Here are the Six New Features For G Suite Admins in November

1.  Bulk Enrollment Features For Company Owned Android Devices.

The ability to easily manage your company owned Android devices was introduced with Android version 6.0 in October 2015. Bulk enrollment will further enhance your ability to manage company devices. With it you can easily import all of your company's Android devices and attach any needed configuration settings and asset tags for the purposes of organization. Other enhancements include improved filters, an improved overall layout on the Admin console for mobile devices, receive reports about devices that have been inactive for 30 days or more, and enhancements have been made to audit reports which list any admin changes made in the admin audit while end user activity is tracked in the mobile device audit.

2.  Transfer Data Between Users In The Google Admin Android App

 this enhancement further improves the Admin App on the Android mobile platform. The ability to transfer data between users can currently be done via the Admin Console on a computer web browser. This feature is now being brought to the Android mobile app. Data can easily be transferred from the user page or the user detail page. Also just like the web based console the mobile version can also transfer Google Drive Files and profile pages from Google+.

3.  Custom User Attributes in the G Suite Apps Admin Console

Currently you can add a great deal of profile information to your user profiles from the admin control panel. Standard information such as name, email, and job title can easily be edited but for custom user attributes or categories they had to be imported via Admin SDK or GCDS. Upcoming changes allow you to add and edit custom user attributes via the control panel without the need to import information for Admin SDK or GCDS. Custom user attributes can also be whatever you need them to be i.e. words, numbers, email addresses, and so on.

4.  Filtering Enhancements For Password Protected Files

Many businesses (such as healthcare) legally require unencrypted records be kept. However, many files arrive password protected making them unacceptable as per current legal standards. The addition of an attachment compliance filter allows you to configure how Gmail behaves when password protected files are sent as attachments. Options include rejecting the message outright, forwarding it to a specific location, or removing the attachment entirely.

5.  Google Apps Directory Sync Refreshes to Cloud Directory Sync

Formerly known as Google Apps Directory Sync the renamed Google Cloud Directory Sync fixes existing issues and adds several new features. Fixes include password resets on new accounts, groups synced properly when new groups are created, proper error messages when testing SMTP notifications, new password sync fixes, and other fixes. Entirely new features include the latest version of Java JRE v1.8 which includes TLS v1.2, updates to the GCDS EULA to include customers that have contracts under Managed Google Domain Terms, and lastly the GCDS UI has been updated to only display sync features that are available for your specific domain type.

For Apps Admins who manage a Windows Networking environment Google's Cloud Directory Sync is a key integration tool.  Read our full announcement about recent enhancements to the software that syncs Active Directory with Google Apps/G Suite Apps.

Updates To Gmail’s SMTP Relay

Currently SMTP Relay allows you to filter your non Gmail sent email through Google allowing you to take advantage of Google’s security features such as virus and spam prevention. However, if a malicious user gained login information for your internal email system they can by pass these security features. Coming upgrades to the SMTP Relay service detects for malicious end user activity. If a malicious behavior is deleted on a domain account admins will now be notified of affected users and provided further information on how to identify the underlying issue.

Two New Features For All G Suite Apps Users in November

Integrated Searching Across G Suite Apps such as Gmail and Google Drive

Google is implementing a universal search across multiple apps. This long desired feature allows you to search for documents, files, or other useful information no matter what app you are currently using. The search itself is carefully organized with the top results being listed for the currently used app and related results organized and displayed below. Currently integrated search is being implemented across, Google Calendar, Groups, Google Drive, and Gmail on the G Suite Basic and G Suite Business platforms.

Improved Profile Cards for Co-workers On Android Apps

Profiles currently provide useful information about your teammates by just clicking their picture. This feature is being enhanced by adding additional profile information. Additions include job title, location, manager name, and department. These new directory cards pull their information from your company’s domain directory and are automatically created as long as this feature is enabled via the admin console.

Conclusion

The above new features show Google’s commitment to building on and improving their software platforms. As a business customer you need your software to not only be current but also user friendly. With Google you not only save time on business software maintenance but also gain access to a platform that is constantly being improved upon with useful features. The above announced features show why Google is a business software leader.