G Suite Updates: Better offline admin controls for Docs, Email Log Search improvements, more

In today’s G Suite updates, Google has launched improved admin controls for offline access to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides files on the web, improved email log search in Gmail, and more…

Better admin controls for Docs offline access

First up, Google is making it easier for G Suite administrators to control users’ access to offline Docs, Sheets, and Slides files.

Today, we’re making it easier for admins to balance those interests by introducing settings in the Admin console for managing users’ access to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides files offline.

Admins will have two options to pick from: controlling offline access using device policies (which requires a bit more work to set up), or allowing users to enable offline access. In the latter case, which is the method Google recommends, users will have to manually activate offline access and confirm that the device they’re using is not a public or shared device.

“These settings only apply to Docs, Sheets, and Slides in a Chrome browser on a desktop computer,” Google says. If you previously allowed users to enable offline access for themselves, that setting will remain selected when these features launch. Alternatively, if you did not, you’ll have to take the additional steps mentioned above to get things up and running for your users.

Email Log Search improvements

Also announced today, Google is launching some changes to Email Log Search in G Suite. Now, Google says email admins can search subject, and has changed email policies so that they are now linked in the email log.

“You will be able to know which of your email policies triggered which action and make modifications to your policies by clicking on a link to the relevant policy,” the blog post says.

Both of these updates are scheduled for a full rollout within the next few days.