Egnyte for Google Workspace enables customers to collaborate on files stored in Egnyte using Google applications. The existing version offers a wide range of capabilities and features, such as creating and editing Google docs, slides, sheets, and saving them directly on Egnyte. Collaborating and co-editing Microsoft documents using Google workspace, permissions management, and real-time collaboration are some of the many other features that currently exist.
Egnyte is now proactively adapting to Google's strategic shifts, prioritizing uninterrupted functionality and an enriched user experience for our customers. In response to Google's announcement to phase out third-party cookies and sunset decoupled doc APIs from Chrome by the end of 2024, we're upgrading our existing Google Integration.
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Why are we Upgrading?
Who is Impacted?
Onboarding and Migration Plan
Admin Guidelines and Action Items
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Pre-requisite
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Steps for Editing Existing Configuration
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File Sync
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Recommendation For Authorization Account
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Limitations for Users with Lifetime (Personal) Accounts
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Shared Drive Creation Permissions
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Administrative Control of Shared Drive Settings
User-Centric Benefits And Key Impacts
Why are we Upgrading?
- Egnyte is required to adopt the new APIs for integrating with Google, aligning with the latest changes in Google's infrastructure
- Upgrading the current Google integration ensures a seamless and consistent user experience
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The new version comes with an additional set of capabilities above what we currently offer. Some of these include:
- Suite of capabilities under Smart Canvas, making task assignments, progress tracking, and collaboration more intuitive
- The integration of Duet AI, a GenAI feature introduced by Google. Duet AI operates behind the scenes in refining existing work or starting new projects, with specific features tailored for various Google applications
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Who is Impacted?
All Egnyte customers utilizing Google integration are impacted by this transition.
Onboarding and Migration Plan
New Customers
- New customers will be onboarded onto the upgraded integration by default.
Existing Customers
- Existing customers will be migrated to the new version in a phased manner. Contact support to migrate to the latest version now.
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Admin Guidelines and Action Items
Pre-requisite
- The upgrade should be scheduled at non-business hours. This is to avoid data inconsistency issues.
- Egnyte strongly recommends that customers create or use a service account to authorize the latest version of Google Integration, rather than relying on personal accounts. It is equally crucial to ensure these credentials are kept secure to prevent any unauthorized access.
- Organizational users must have shared drive creation rights enabled. Administrators may restrict these permissions to specific organizational units or groups as required.
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Supported plans:
- Google Workspace Editions: Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise, Enterprise for Education, and Nonprofits Legacy
- G Suite Editions: Business, Education, and Enterprise
Steps for Editing Existing Configuration
- Log in to the Egnyte domain and navigate to Apps & Integrations.
- Click Google Workspace -> Settings.
- Click Edit Configuration.
- Click Authorize.
Click here for more details regarding Google Shared Drives. - Click Allow Access.
- Sign in with admin credentials. Click Continue in Google Authorization pop-up and provide necessary access permissions.
- An Authorization Successful message will be displayed on setup completion.
File Sync
- The existing files from Egnyte are synced to the Shared Drive when opened.
- After the switch to the new version, all existing user sessions will expire due to token expiration. As Google can take up to a maximum of 5 minutes to invoke the API calls, users may lose changes made within this 5-minute window. Users will receive a warning message to reload the page, which will open in the upgraded version.
Recommendation For Authorization Account
It is recommended that customers create or use a service account to authorize the latest version of Google Integration, rather than relying on personal accounts. This approach helps safeguard access to stored content in case the owner of a personal account leaves the company or if credentials are lost, reducing the risk of permanent data loss.
Limitations for Users with Lifetime (Personal) Accounts
Users with personal, independent, or free Google accounts (not associated with Google Workspace) cannot use the latest version of Google integration. This is expected due to limitations associated with individual accounts. Personal accounts do not have access to the shared drive creation feature, which is exclusive to certain Google Workspace editions.
Shared drive creation is supported only in specific Google Workspace editions as follows:
- Google Workspace Editions: Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise, Enterprise for Education, and Nonprofits
- Legacy G Suite Editions: Business, Education, and Enterprise
Shared Drive Creation Permissions
Not all users within the eligible editions can create shared drives. This ability depends on permissions managed by the Google Workspace administrator within the organization. By default, organizational users have shared drive creation rights, though administrators can restrict this to certain organizational units or groups as needed.
For individual users with personal Google accounts (e.g., @gmail.com) or those on Google Workspace Basic, Business Starter, or Free editions the shared drives cannot be created, but users can be invited for co-editing.
Administrative Control of Shared Drive Settings
The management of shared drive settings and permissions is exclusively available to Google Workspace administrators. Administrators have the authority to set policies governing shared drive access and creation within the organization. For further details, refer to the Google support article here.
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User-Centric Benefits And Key Impacts
Create a New File in Egnyte
In the current version, users can create Google files through the Create menu, with files stored directly in Egnyte. The functionality remains intact in the upgraded version but with an enhancement - files are now stored in Egnyte, accompanied by a copy in GDrive for Google files.
Collaborate Or Co-edit Google Files
The collaborative experience for Google files remains supported in both versions. However, in the upgraded version, Google files are opened directly in Google's editor. Users can also leverage Google’s Smart Canvas feature now.
Collaborate/Co-edit Microsoft Files
The collaboration and co-editing support for Microsoft files remain consistent across both versions.
File Management: Rename, Move, Copy, Delete
File management capabilities such as renaming, moving, copying, and deleting are supported in both versions.
In the upgraded version,
- Renaming process works bidirectionally between GDrive and Egnyte.
- Copying a file creates a duplicate in Google Drive to retain advanced Google Canvas features.
- Deleting a file sends it to the Trash in Egnyte and revokes user permission in GDrive. Deleting it from the Trash removes the file from Google Drive as well, ensuring data integrity.
File Preview
Previewing the file is available in the upgraded version as currently offered.
File Sharing
Sharing file capabilities as offered currently undergo positive changes in the upgraded version. Sharing files is now supported from Google's editor as well. The share request is forwarded to admin instead to approve/deny.
'New File' Or 'Make a Copy' Via Google Editor
The options to create a 'New File' or 'Make a Copy' via Google Editor are consistent between the two versions.
Additional Features
The upgraded version includes Smart Canvas for intuitive task management and collaboration, along with Duet AI integration for enhanced workflow efficiency.
We recommend staying with the upgraded version for optimal performance. However, if you wish to roll back, Contact Support for assistance.