Google Drive Will Open Now Office Files Directly in Editing Mode, Adds Enhanced Support for Workspace

Google Drive on the web will now open Microsoft Office files directly in the editing mode. Until now, double-clicking would open a preview of the document, after which users had to choose whether to open in Office editing mode or download the file. Now, users will be able to directly edit, comment, and collaborate on Office files using the interface of Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Google Workspace has also introduced an Enhanced Support service for enterprise users, which offers accelerated response time, advanced product knowledge, and third-party technology support.

Office editing support has started rolling out and will be available to all users from November end. In a blog post by Google, the company said this will make opening and editing documents easier. Changes will automatically get saved to the file in its existing Office format.

This change will apply to all compatible Office file types, including .docx, .doc, .ppt, .pptx, .xls, .xlsx, and .xlsm files. Password protected files, however, will not open directly in the Office editing mode.

This feature will be on by default, but users can still chose to preview the files by right clicking the file and clicking Preview, or by pressing P on the keyboard while double clicking the file. If users already have a Chrome extension for office editing for Docs, Sheets, and Slides installed, Google will redirect to the extension and not to Docs, Sheets, or Slides.

Enhanced Support, according to Google, is designed for customers who need fast, advanced, and complete support. Enhanced Support level comes between Standard and Premium Support. It is included with Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus editions. Business Standard and Business Plus users can also purchase it as an upgrade.

This new level would provide a 24/7 available support experience. Customers will receive a first meaningful response within one hour for Priority 1 cases, while for Priority 2 cases, they will receive a response in four hours.

Enhanced Support will have intelligent triaging, explained Google, which would ensure that cases are routed directly to technical experts who have advanced product knowledge and training. It will also include additional tools to provide complete support. Customers can also make use of the third-party integrations available on Google Workspace, including assistant with application set-up, configuration, and troubleshooting.

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