Tag Archives: API

New device management API now generally available

Quick launch summary 

Earlier this year, we announced that a new API to manage company-owned and personal mobile devices and desktop devices was available in beta. Now, we’re making that API generally available. There are no changes to the new API since we launched the beta. 

The new Devices API enables you to manage mobile and desktop devices within your organization. It is intended to fully replace the existing Mobiledevices endpoint of the Admin SDK Directory API, and provides some significant additional functionality as described below. The Mobiledevices endpoint (aka “old API”) will continue to be supported. 

The device management API implements the following new functionality not found in the Mobiledevices endpoint of the Directory API: 
  • Support for desktop devices 
  • Add company owned devices to the device inventory 
  • Manage company-owned devices inventory 
  • Manage desktop device inventory 
  • Ability to manage devices under all management modes (Fundamental, Basic or Advanced) 
  • Create and manage custom state with each user account on a device. This custom state can be used in making context-aware access decisions. 

In addition, the following main functionality from the older API is also available in the new API: 
  • Manage BYOD inventory for Android and iOS devices 
  • Manage organizational user accounts on devices 
  • Devices under Basic or Advanced management can be managed 
  • Perform actions such as wipe on devices and organizational user accounts on devices 
  • Search devices and organizational user accounts on devices 



Getting started 

Rollout pace 

Availability 

  • Available to all G Suite customers 

Resources 

Use service accounts with Google Groups APIs without domain-wide delegation

What’s changing 

Service accounts can now have direct access to Groups APIs without needing domain-wide delegation and admin impersonation. This means you can: 

Who’s impacted 

Admins and developers 


Why it’s important 

Using service accounts with Groups can help provide sufficient data access for business apps and enable the automation of various admin tasks. 

Previously, you had to use domain-wide delegation and admin impersonation to provide service accounts with sufficient data access. This was a cumbersome process, which could result in overly broad privileges for the service account and audit logs that were hard to interpret. 

By enabling direct API access, we’re making it easier to use service accounts to enable critical business apps and processes while making it easier to maintain a strong security and compliance posture. 


Getting started 

Rollout pace 

  • API role assignments: This feature is available now for all users 
  • Admin console roles page updates: Rapid and Scheduled release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on August 26, 2020 Service account 
  • API access: This feature is available now for all users 

Availability 

  • Available to all G Suite customers 

Resources 

Adding support for service accounts in Google Groups

What’s changing 

We’re adding full support for service accounts in Groups in beta. This builds on our recent announcements of a new Cloud Identity Groups API beta and the ability to use service accounts with Groups APIs without domain-wide delegation. With this launch, you can now: 
  • Add service accounts from primary and secondary domains without turning the “Allow external members in the group” setting on. 
  • See the service account member type on the Groups page and audit logs in the Admin console. 
  • Add, remove, and manage service account membership via the Admin console and Cloud Identity Groups API. 


Who’s impacted 

Admins and developers 


Why it’s important 

Groups are a critical tool for customers to manage their G Suite deployment. Many customers use service accounts with Groups to automate user management, manage migrations, and integrate G Suite with other apps, tools, and services. 

Until now, it was difficult to use service accounts in groups due to limitations in the functionality. This launch fixes many challenges and makes it easier to use service accounts with groups while increasing security and transparency. 



Additional details 

The feature does not affect Admin SDK Group APIs. 



Getting started 



Rollout pace 

  • This feature is available now for all users. 

Availability 

  • Available to all G Suite customers 

Resources 

Automate and expand Connected Sheets updates with new APIs, connections, and capabilities

What’s changing 

We recently launched Connected Sheets, which connects Google Sheets and BigQuery to help you analyze large datasets using familiar spreadsheet tools. We’re now adding support for macros and APIs to help you automate tasks, as well as providing mobile access. Specifically, you can now use Connected Sheets with: 

Who’s impacted 

Developers and end users 


Why you’d use it 


Sheets Macro recorder 
You can use the macro recorder to record when to create, edit, delete, and refresh Connected Sheets objects. This generates macros which you can then directly run in Sheets to refresh the data. This can automate common tasks, saving time and reducing errors. 

Apps Script and Sheets API 
You can use these APIs to write scripts and applications that automate tasks. For example, you can automate CRUD functions for Connected Sheets objects, including sheets, formulas, pivot tables, and extracts. Additionally, you can use the APIs to refresh these objects, as well as to refresh charts. 

Mobile app support 
You can now view Connected Sheets on mobile devices. You can also copy and paste data from Connected Sheets using the mobile apps. At this stage, you can’t create, edit, or refresh data in Connected Sheets on mobile. 


Getting started 

Rollout pace 

  • Rapid and Scheduled Release domains: 
    • Sheets Macro recorder: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on August 26, 2020. 
    • Apps Script: Available now for all users. 
    • Sheets API: Available in September. 
    • Android app: Gradual rollout (up top 15 days for feature visibility) starting on August 17, 2020. To get access, update to the latest version of the Sheets Android app. 
    • iOS app: Gradual rollout (up top 15 days for feature visibility) starting on August 24, 2020. To get access, update to the latest version of the Sheets iOS app. 

Availability 

  • Connected Sheets is available to G Suite Enterprise, G Suite Enterprise for Education, and G Suite Enterprise Essentials customers 
  • Connected Sheets is not available to G Suite Basic, G Suite Business, G Suite for Education, G Suite for Nonprofits, and G Suite Essentials customers 

Resources 

Manage groups programmatically with the Cloud Identity Groups API beta

What’s changing 

We’re launching a new Cloud Identity Groups API. This will enable you to create and manage Google Groups and their memberships for your domain via API. Previously, API support for group management was available only via the Admin SDK and therefore was accessible only to domain admins. With this launch, the APIs can be accessed by admins as well as non-admins. Once you create groups via the API, you can view and manage them through the Google Groups web UI (groups.google.com), through the Admin console, or via the API. 

Using the new API you can: 
  • Create and delete groups 
  • See and update group metadata 
  • Add members to and remove members from a group 
  • Modify member roles within a group 
See our developer documentation for more details on how to use the Cloud Identity Groups API. 


Who’s impacted 

Admins, developers, and end users 


Why you’d use it 

Groups are an important tool to manage communication, access, and security for organizations. Adding the ability to create and manage groups via an API can help make group management more scalable and efficient. 


Additional details 

Available to admins, developers, and end users 
Business teams can create and manage groups they own without being granted admin permissions, preventing them from managing additional, unnecessary groups and saving the admin team time. This allows teams to manage their work more efficiently without creating any security risks from assigning admin permissions when they are only needed for this specific task. 


Getting started 

Rollout pace 

  • This feature is available now for all users in beta. 

Availability 

  • Available to all G Suite customers 

Resources 

New device management API available in beta

What’s changing 

We’re launching a beta for a new API to manage company-owned and personal mobile devices and desktop devices. It will work for devices managed via fundamental management, endpoint verification, Drive File Steam, and enhanced desktop security for Windows. Find out more about device management in G Suite. 

The new API is part of the Cloud Identity API, and will eventually replace the Admin SDK Directory API used to manage mobile devices. 


Who’s impacted 

Admins and developers 


Why you’d use it 

The new API includes all the capabilities of the Admin SDK Directory API it will replace. In addition, it adds these new features over and above the Admin SDK: 
  • Ability to create and manage company owned devices 
  • Ability to manage Windows devices registered with the Google Credential Provider for Windows 
  • Ability to manage desktop services such as those with the “Endpoint Verification” extension or those with Drive File Stream installed on them 

Getting started 

Rollout pace 

Availability 

  • The beta is open to all G Suite customers. 

Resources 

New device management API available in beta

What’s changing 

We’re launching a beta for a new API to manage company-owned and personal mobile devices and desktop devices. It will work for devices managed via fundamental management, endpoint verification, Drive File Steam, and enhanced desktop security for Windows. Find out more about device management in G Suite. 

The new API is part of the Cloud Identity API, and will eventually replace the Admin SDK Directory API used to manage mobile devices. 


Who’s impacted 

Admins and developers 


Why you’d use it 

The new API includes all the capabilities of the Admin SDK Directory API it will replace. In addition, it adds these new features over and above the Admin SDK: 
  • Ability to create and manage company owned devices 
  • Ability to manage Windows devices registered with the Google Credential Provider for Windows 
  • Ability to manage desktop services such as those with the “Endpoint Verification” extension or those with Drive File Stream installed on them 

Getting started 

Rollout pace 

Availability 

  • The beta is open to all G Suite customers. 

Resources 

Update to Sheets API v4 migration timeline

Quick launch summary 

Earlier this year, we announced the retirement of the Sheets v3 API. At that time, we stated that you’d need to migrate any applications built on the v3 API to the v4 API by March 3, 2020 to ensure they continue working properly.

We’re extending our timeline to allow developers additional time to migrate their applications: 
  • Starting on April 9, 2020, the spreadsheet and spreadsheets.readonly scopes can no longer be used to list a user’s spreadsheets in the v3 API. 
  • On September 30, 2020, the remainder of the v3 API will be turned down.

For information on transitioning your apps, check out our migration guide.

View Cloud Search usage reports in the Admin console and the Stats API

What’s changing

Admins can now view Cloud Search usage information via charts in the Admin console and using the Stats API.

Who’s impacted

Admins only

Why it’s important

Previously, admins only had limited visibility into the usage of Cloud Search within their domains. Now, they have greater insight into things like how often applications are being used and whether all the content they need indexed is accessible.

How to get started



Additional details

Specifically, you’ll be able to view Cloud Search data around active users, query volume, and number of searches. Note: these stats will be available immediately through the Stats API. Rollout details for the Admin console can be found below in the Availability section.

Helpful links



Availability

Rollout details


G Suite editions

  • Available to G Suite Enterprise and G Suite Enterprise for Education, as well as standalone Cloud Search Platform customers
  • Not available to G Suite Basic, G Suite Business, G Suite for Education, and G Suite for Nonprofits


On/off by default?

  • This feature will be ON by default.


Stay up to date with G Suite launches

Migrate your apps to the latest Sheets API by March 2020

Quick launch summary 

We’re retiring the Sheets v3 API on March 3, 2020. To ensure that projects that were originally built on the v3 API continue to work, migrate your apps to the Sheets v4 API before that date. To learn more about this change, see our post on the Cloud blog. For information on transitioning your apps, check out our migration guide.

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