Google Workspace, formerly known as G Suite, is Google’s set of online business productivity and collaboration tools. This platform includes a range of recognisable apps, such as Gmail, Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Meet. Currently, Google is in the process of rebranding the service, also offering new logos for all the apps.
Google’s VP, Javier Soltero, said that the rebrand was a decision made by the company to ensure that the service users choose aligns with their purchase. The new name ‘Google Workplace’ was chosen as a way of enhancing the brand association with Google. Soltero said that the name was significant to the company since these business services are flagship products for Google. Finally, he added that the company wants Google Workspace to be viewed as a centralised product, bringing all necessary business tools into one space.
New Google Workspace Features
Google has also announced the launch of new features for Google Workspace. These include the Meet, Rooms, and Chat integrations which Google announced in the summer of 2020. Now, Google is planning to integrate these collaboration tools across all applications, with Gmail acting as the all-in-one service.
There are a range of new features to help create a seamless experience whilst navigating Google Workspace tools:
- Chat rooms now let users create and collaborate on documents with guests.
- Preview allows users to preview linked files in Sheets, Docs, and Slides, without the need to open them in a separate tab.
- Smart chip is shown when you @ another user in a document. This shows contact details for the tagged user and suggests various actions. For example, you may want to start a chat, video call or send them an email.
- The picture-in-picture mode feature that allows you to have Google Meet video calls using Gmail and Chat is being rolled out to Docs, Sheets, and Slides. This will allow for easier group collaboration on documents.
Google Workspace Plans (formerly G Suite)
Google Workspace is a cloud-based business platform. It gives businesses and employees the flexibility to work anywhere, using any device. Google licencing is a simple process, but if you need assistance with selecting a package, you may want to seek Google Workspace consultancy services first. That’s where an IT support team like totality services can offer trusted advice when choosing the right plan for your business needs.
The business plans include:
Google Workspace Business Starter
Business Email
Gmail a is very popular app for individuals and businesses with millions of users. The most basic Google Workspace plan includes access to this business email system using your company’s business domain. Each user is allowed for up to fifty aliases, meaning you don’t have to create separate inboxes for different functions, such as customer support or sales.
Secure Cloud Storage
Google Workspace creates a centralised cloud storage facility for all company data. As a result, you can access to files from any device with an internet connection, removing the need for physical servers. The basic package includes 30GB of cloud storage per account, plus Google Drive lets you collaborate on documents with other users in real-time.
Integrated Online Calendar
As all apps are closely integrated, your basic Google Workspace plan uses smart scheduling to manage business calendars and appointments. This helps automate events by creating video conferencing and call links, and check participants’ availability. You can also set up organisation-wide shared calendars, to assist with large events scheduling ahead of time.
Business Office Suite
This includes an integrated suite of cloud-native, secure productivity apps. Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms are designed for creating and editing spreadsheets, documents, sites, presentations, and more. Again, these allow for real-time collaboration and editing, so your teams can work together remotely. Tools and features are easily integrated between apps; for example, charts from Sheets can be instantaneously dropped into Slides presentations. Your Google apps also come with clearly customisable security access controls, ensuring only those with permission can access shared files.
Video Conferences and Web Chat
Schedule and start web chats and video conferences with up to 100 people, and benefit from HD video and audio quality. Web features come include useful tools like screen sharing for visual presentations and walkthroughs, as well as automated captioning. As mentioned, Meet links are automatically generated when events are created, helping to simplify the process of remote meetings with new people.
Google Workspace Business Plus
There’s variety of additional features that Google Workplace Business Plus offers:
Additional Secure Cloud Storage
If your business has five or more users, your cloud storage capacity increases to 5TB per user with Business Plus. For businesses with fewer than five users, cloud storage is capped at 1TB. This option is ideal if your business is looking to scale up massively and wants to store all your data on Drive.
App Development
With Business Plus, you have access to Google Apps Script, allowing you to customise and automate processes in your Google apps. IT can be used to build lightweight applications, enabling you to write code, create custom add-ons, and more.
IT Tools
Get access to a range of advanced IT tools to ease your administration and security experience. Firstly, there is Cloud Search, an AI-powered search tool helping you source specific files, conversations or keywords across Google Workspace. e-Discovery is also an important feature used for audit reporting, allowing you to retain and export business data, ensuring regulatory compliance.
Google Workplace Enterprise
The Google Workplace Enterprise plan offers all the features of the Starter and Business Plus plans alongside the most advanced security:
- Log analysis in BigQuery
- Advanced data loss prevention (DLP)
- Security centre
- High-grade email encryption
- Enterprise-grade access control
How we can help
The totality services team are Google Workspace partners, offering unrivalled London IT support to businesses since 2008. Our certified staff provide a range of Google Workspace support services for businesses in the London area.
Some of the services we offer include:
- Google Workspace setup and onboarding
- Employee training
- Data backup
- Email and data migration
- Consultancy
- Google Workspace health checks
- Fully managed Google Workspace services
As a Google Workspace reseller, we also deliver licensing resale services. This allows businesses to benefit from discounted licensing while ensuring they retain full admin console access. Our services help you save on IT costs without sacrificing control or support for your employees.
Choosing the totality services IT support package includes our premium, personalised Google Workplace support to ensure full, comprehensive IT coverage. Your business can also request Google Workspace backup services to provide additional assurance of all business data. This ensures all your data is backed up into our fully monitored, cloud backup platform.
Get in touch today to see how we can help your business get the most from Google Workspace.