This month, Google Chat delivered two key updates that change how your teams will interact a dedicated, faster web address and the long requested ability to schedule messages.
These changes require more than just an email announcement. They demands a quick administrative review and a push for better, more respectful communication habits across the organization.
Here is your quick start guide to rolling out these changes.
1. The New Home: chat.google.com
Google Chat is moving away from the old URL structure that tied it to Gmail. It now lives at chat.google.com. This move is purely about performance, designed to reduce loading time and provide a more reliable, focused experience.
Actionable Steps for Admins:
Communicate the New URL: Send a simple internal announcement. While existing links and bookmarks (like the one that accesses Chat through Gmail) still work, encourage users to update their primary bookmark to the new, faster chat.google.com.
Check Network Controls: If you use URL blocklists, content filters, or website specific browser policies (controlling camera or microphone access) to manage security, you must add chat.google.com to your allowlists. Failing to do so could break Chat access across your domain.
Developer Review: If your team or a third party vendor has built Chrome extensions or custom Chat apps, developers need to confirm compatibility with the new dedicated domain. This prevents any third party workflows from breaking.
2. The Productivity Win: Scheduled Messages
Users can now schedule a message to be sent up to 120 days in the future, bringing Chat in line with the scheduling feature already popular in Gmail. This is not just about setting reminders; it is a tool for asynchronous, respectful communication across time zones.
Actionable Steps for Teams:
Promote Time Zone Respect: This is the highest value benefit. Encourage employees working late or early to draft their message and schedule it to arrive during the recipient’s local business hours. This sets a better boundary and prevents urgent messages from hitting a colleague’s phone at 2:00 AM.
Automate Check Ins: Show team leads how to batch schedule recurring reminders, weekly status updates, or onboarding nudges for new team members. This removes the need for third party bots or manual “copy-paste later” workflows.
User Training: The process is simple: when composing a message, click the down arrow icon next to the send button to select the date and time. Users can manage all queued messages in the new Drafts shortcut in the left hand menu.
3. Monitoring for Seamless Integration
The goal is a smooth transition with no disruption.
Check Existing Integrations: Ensure your essential Chat apps and webhooks (like those connected to your ticketing system or monitoring dashboards) continue to function. Since the user interface remains the same, most integrations that rely on the Chat API should be unaffected, but a quick spot check prevents chaos.
Watch Adoption: Monitor engagement reports to see which teams are embracing the new features. High adoption of scheduled messages is a strong indicator that teams are adopting better, more organized communication habits.
We want faster tools, but more importantly, we want smarter habits. These two updates deliver on both fronts.