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It’s now easier to configure and use Cloud Search search filters and facets with multiple enhancements to our existing functionalities. With this launch, you can use the Cloud Search Query API to configure new additional capabilities: 

• Faceting support for integer type fields, such as priority levels for support tickets or the number of pages in a document 
• Out of the box Faceting support for document size, document creation, and custom date fields 
• New default reserved operators for document size and created date fields
• Simplified Query API response with filters being directly provided in the response 

Expanding filter options creates a more user friendly search experience, making it easier and faster to narrow search results to the most relevant documents. 

• Admins and developers: See our developer documentation for more information about using new facet enhancements
• End users: There is no end user action required. You will automatically see new filter options once your admin has configured them 

• This feature is available now for all users. 

• Available to Google Cloud Search Customers

• Developer Documentation: Create a search interface with the Query API

In continuation of our efforts to improve the Google Workspace experience on large screen Android devices, we’re moving collaborator avatars from the overflow menu into the app toolbar at the top of your Android tablets and mobile devices. 

When your Google Doc is set to the pageless format, you can now pin one or more table rows as header rows. When you scroll vertically past the top of the table, the headers will remain visible at the top of the window until you scroll to the bottom of the table. | Learn more. 

Currently, when you share the link to a Google Drive file in Meet chat, you have to ensure the document is shared with those on the call, either proactively or reactively, on a separate screen. Starting this week, when sharing a file in Meet chat, you will now be prompted to update the file sharing permissions to reflect which meeting attendees you’d like to have access to a particular file, all within Meet. | Roll out to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains began December 5, 2022 at an extended pace (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility). | Learn more. 

Previous announcements

The announcements below were published on the Workspace Updates blog earlier this week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details.

In 2020, we released several data exfiltration protections for iOS devices. Today, we’re announcing the next set of enhancements for data exfiltration protections for iOS. We’re expanding these security controls to give admins more ways to protect sensitive company data on iOS devices. | Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Enterprise for Education, and Cloud Identity Premium customers only. | Learn more. 

Starting this week, admins will see a new shared drive setting that can be enabled or disabled to give content managers the ability to share folders in shared drives. In February 2023, all content managers will have the ability to share folders by default. If you’d like this feature to remain off for end users, disable the setting now. | Available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Business customers only. | Learn more. 

We’ve added dropdown chips in Google Sheets, a custom formatting feature that is already available in Docs. They also enable you to easily indicate statuses or various project milestones outlined in your Sheet. | Learn more. 

We’re introducing a new ‘Follow’ feature that allows you to collaborate with colleagues in real-time on Google Slides. Simply, click on a collaborator’s avatar in the Slides toolbar to jump to whatever slide they are on, and continue to move with them as they navigate and make changes to a presentation. | Learn more.

Completed feature rollouts

The features below completed their rollouts to Rapid Release domains, Scheduled Release domains, or both in the past week. Please refer to the original blog post for additional details.

Rapid Release Domains:

• Concentrate or disconnect with scheduled Do Not Disturb on Google Chat (Web)

• The new Gmail user interface is becoming the standard experience

Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains:

• Google for Education transformation reports window open for customers worldwide

• Manage projects & tasks with a new timeline view on Google Sheets

• [Weekly Recap] Use smart chips in Google Sheets as links on mobile

• [Weekly Recap] Offline printing now available for Google Sheets

• Trust rules in Google Drive now generally available

• Use Key Migration to change or add key services for Client-side encryption

• [Weekly Recap] Easily assign Tasks from Google Docs on mobile

• Use Access Approvals to control data access during support or maintenance

• New Consolidated Controls Page for Google Takeout

• Sharing suggestions in Google Drive make collaborating easier

• [Weekly Recap] Improving drag & drop on the Google Drive Android app

• [Weekly Recap] Drag content from Google Slides into other apps on Android

• Concentrate or disconnect with scheduled Do Not Disturb on Google Chat (Mobile)

• [Weekly Recap] Improved search results based on recent search activity in Gmail

• Facet Enhancements for Cloud Search

For a recap of announcements in the past six months, check out What’s new in Google Workspace (recent releases).

• Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
• End users: This feature will be ON by default. To follow a collaborator, click their avatar in the Slides toolbar. If you hover over a followed avatar, a “Following” badge will appear. To stop following a collaborator, click on their avatar again. 
• You will also stop following the collaborator if: 
• The collaborator refreshes or leaves the presentation. 
• You make any edits to the presentation. 
• You click a different slide. 
• You enter Slideshow mode. 
• Visit the Help Center to learn more about following a collaboration on Google Slides. 

• Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 8, 2022 

• Available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers 
• Available to users with personal Google Accounts 

• Google Help: Follow a collaborator on Google Slides 
• Cloud Blog: ​​Introducing innovations in Google Workspace to help your organization thrive in hybrid work

Today we’re adding dropdown chips in Google Sheets. This is the latest smart canvas feature highlighting the next evolution of collaboration for Google Workspace. Dropdown chips are a custom formatting feature that is already available in Docs, and they enable you to easily indicate statuses or various project milestones outlined in your Sheet. 

Additionally, we’ve modified the workflow for creating and managing all data validation rules, including dropdown chips and checkboxes. You can now view and edit all existing rules that have been created in a specific Sheets tab and create additional rules from a new sidebar view. This update improves the consistency of your overall Sheets experience as this now mirrors the workflows for creating conditional formatting, protected ranges, and named ranges rules. 

• Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
• End users: This feature will be ON by default. You can insert a dropdown chip by selecting Insert > Dropdown or by typing “@” followed by “dropdown”.Visit the Help Center to learn more about inserting smart chips in your Google Sheets.

• Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 8, 2022 
• Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 22, 2022 

• Available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers 
• Available to users with personal Google Accounts 

Resources 

• Google Help: Insert smart chips in your Google Sheets
• Google Workspace Updates Blog: Use new table templates and dropdown chips in Google Docs to create highly collaborative documents 
• Cloud Blog: Transforming collaboration in Google Workspace 

Roadmap 

• This feature was listed as an upcoming release.

In 2018, we launched the Content manager role, making it easier to manage files in shared drives. Currently, content managers have the ability to edit, reorganize, and delete shared drive content, but they cannot share folders in shared drives. 

Starting today, admins will see a new shared drive setting that can be enabled or disabled to give content managers the ability to share folders in shared drives. 

In February 2023, all content managers will have the ability to share folders by default. If you’d like this feature to remain off for end users, disable the setting now. 

Admins and end users 

Enabling content managers to share folders is a highly requested feature that will help organizations better manage access to their data. 

We will provide an update in February 2023 with the exact date that all content managers will have the ability to share folders by default. 

• Admins: 
• This setting is currently ON by default. To disable the setting for content managers to share folders, go to the "Sharing settings" in the Drive and Docs section of the Admin Console > scroll to the "Shared drive creation" section > change the "Allow content managers to share folders" setting to OFF. 
• Note: If enabled, Content managers will be able to share folders starting in February 2023. 
• Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing shared drives as an admin. 

• End users: If enabled by your admin, content managers can share folders starting February 2023. Visit the Help Center to learn more about shared drives. 

• Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on December 8, 2022 

End user setting: 

• Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting in February 2023

• Available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Plus, Education Standard, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Nonprofits, as well as legacy G Suite Business customers 
• Not available to Google Workspace Business Starter, Frontline, and legacy G Suite Basic customers 
• Not available to users with personal Google Accounts 

• Google Workspace Admin Help: Manage shared drives as an admin
• Google Help: Set up a shared drive 
• Google Workspace Updates Blog: New Content manager role coming to share drives