Upgrade to New Hangouts Chat!

Upgrade to New Hangouts Chat!

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. The Challenges of Changes
3. What's New with Hangouts Chat
   • Direct Messages
   • Rooms
   • Bots
4. Exciting Features and Updates
   • External Chat
   • Chat in Gmail
   • Standalone App
5. Simplifications for Administrators
   • Google Vault
   • Chat for Classic Users
   • Admin Console Simplification
6. Migration Process and FAQs
   • Common Questions and Answers
   • Six-Step Deployment Checklist
   • Accelerated Transition Program
7. Conclusion

The Transition from Hangouts Classic to Hangouts Chat: Enhancing Communication and Collaboration

The transition from Hangouts Classic to Hangouts Chat brings exciting improvements and updates to enhance the way teams communicate and collaborate. Although change can be challenging for both IT administrators and users, it is essential to adapt to these large-Scale changes to ensure efficient and seamless workflow. In this article, we will explore the new features and updates introduced in Hangouts Chat, simplify the migration process for administrators, and address common questions and concerns.

Challenges of Changes

Implementing large-scale changes, such as transitioning from Hangouts Classic to Hangouts Chat, presents several challenges for IT professionals and users alike. IT administrators face the daunting task of figuring out how these changes will affect their organization, how to inform users and the help desk, and how to manage the transition seamlessly. For users, this transition means adapting to a new interface and features, which can be initially confusing and lead to complaints. However, it is crucial to recognize that these changes are necessary to enhance communication and collaboration within organizations. Google understands the responsibility of making these transitions as seamless as possible for both administrators and users.

What's New with Hangouts Chat

Hangouts Chat introduces three Core features: Direct Messages, Rooms, and Bots. Direct Messages allow users to communicate individually, similar to the old Hangouts Classic experience. Rooms, on the other HAND, provide a centralized space for team conversations, projects, or events. These rooms are threaded, creating separate channels for various topics and ensuring better organization and Context. Rooms are deeply integrated into G Suite, enabling seamless file sharing, collaboration, and easy access for group members through Google Groups integration. Bots serve as a powerful tool to Blend chat with other third-party and custom tools, automating workflows and streamlining communication for improved productivity.

Exciting Features and Updates

Hangouts Chat introduces several exciting features and updates, making communication more accessible and efficient. One such feature is External Chat, allowing users to send messages to individuals outside their organization or Create external rooms, ensuring seamless communication without the need for additional licenses or management overhead. Chat in Gmail brings the Chat experience directly into Gmail, replacing Hangouts Classic. Users can Continue direct messaging, while also having access to rooms and bots without switching applications. Moreover, a new standalone app provides a secure, up-to-date, and easily deployable experience for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android users.

Simplifications for Administrators

To simplify the administration process, Google has made significant changes to Google Vault, ensuring that retention and eDiscovery rules Apply to both Classic and Chat messages. This flexibility allows administrators to set different retention policies for emails, rooms, and direct messages. Additionally, Chat will be turned on for all Classic users, while still giving them the option to use the Classic experience within Gmail, mobile apps, and Chrome extension. Furthermore, the Admin console has undergone simplification, merging settings for Chat and Classic, ensuring easier management for administrators.

Migration Process and FAQs

Understandably, there might be several questions and concerns regarding the migration process. To address these, let's answer some common questions. Firstly, older messages will still be available, with recent one-on-one conversations transitioning to Chat seamlessly, while older messages remain in Gmail and Classic. Group conversations will continue in Classic, providing an opportunity for gradual migration to rooms. To avoid missing notifications from Classic group conversations, the Classic Hangouts bot will notify users in Chat, simplifying the transition process.

The migration process involves a six-step checklist for administrators. Step one is to create a plan and set a migration date, considering your organization's culture and the need for gradual user adoption. Step two entails turning on Chat and familiarizing yourself with the new features. Spreading the word is essential, ensuring proper communication to all users about the migration and preparing your support team for questions. Step four emphasizes deploying Chat ahead of time, ensuring users have the app installed to avoid missing notifications. The checklist also covers video and voice capabilities, encouraging users to access voice and video calling functionalities. Finally, the migration day involves enabling the "Chat preferred" setting in the Admin console, redirecting users from Classic to Chat interfaces.

Conclusion

The transition from Hangouts Classic to Hangouts Chat introduces significant enhancements and updates to streamline communication and collaboration within organizations. While challenges may arise during this transition, it is crucial to recognize the value and benefits of these changes. Hangouts Chat's new features, Simplified administration, and streamlined migration process contribute to a seamless and efficient workflow. Applying the six-step checklist and taking AdVantage of Google's accelerated transition program will empower organizations to embrace Chat and unlock its full potential for improved productivity and collaboration.

Highlights:

• Transitioning from Hangouts Classic to Hangouts Chat enhances communication and collaboration.
• Challenges include informing users, managing the transition, and addressing user concerns.
• Hangouts Chat introduces Direct Messages, Rooms, and Bots as core features.
• Exciting updates include External Chat, Chat in Gmail, and a standalone app.
• Simplifications for administrators in Google Vault, Hangouts Chat availability, and the Admin console.
• The migration process involves a six-step checklist for administrators to ensure a smooth transition.
• Common questions and FAQs address concerns about message history, video, and voice calling.
• The accelerated transition program offers early access to new features and a head start on migration.
• Embracing Hangouts Chat improves communication, collaboration, and productivity within organizations.

FAQ:

Q: Can users access their old messages after the migration? A: Yes, users can access their old messages in Gmail and Classic Hangouts. Hangouts Chat retains recent one-on-one conversations, while group conversations can still be accessed through hangouts.google.com.

Q: Can users still make phone calls and video calls after migrating to Hangouts Chat? A: Absolutely. Phone calls and SMS are accessible via Google Voice, while video calls can be made using Hangouts Meet. The integration between Chat and Meet makes it easy to move from chat to video communication seamlessly.

Q: How can administrators ensure a smooth transition during the migration process? A: Administrators can follow a six-step checklist, including creating a plan, turning on Chat, spreading the word, deploying Chat ahead of time, and enabling the "Chat preferred" setting in the Admin console. Early access to new features is also available through the accelerated transition program.

Q: What support does Google provide during the migration process? A: Google provides a deployment guide, email templates, learning articles, videos, and ongoing support to assist administrators and users throughout the migration process. The support aims to ensure a successful and hassle-free transition.

Q: How does Hangouts Chat enhance collaboration within organizations? A: Hangouts Chat introduces features such as rooms and bots that enable teams to collaborate effectively. Rooms provide a centralized space for discussions and projects, while bots integrate with third-party tools, automating workflows and streamlining communication.

Q: Can administrators set different retention policies for email, rooms, and direct messages? A: Yes, Hangouts Chat simplifies retention and eDiscovery processes by allowing administrators to set different retention policies for email, rooms, and direct messages. This flexibility ensures compliance and enables efficient data management.