Patronum introduces Google Chat Spaces management

Building on the release of the Google Chat API, Patronum has introduced Google Chat Spaces Management – a new feature that empowers administrators to provision users directly into organizational chat spaces during onboarding. With this enhancement, Patronum becomes one of the first Google Workspace management platforms that allow administrators to dynamically enroll users into designated chat spaces within the organization.

What are Google Chat Spaces?

Google Chat is Google’s instant messaging and collaboration tool, designed for both individual conversations and group projects. Part of Google Chat is Google Chat Spaces (formerly known as Rooms) a dedicated place for topic-based collaboration within Google Chat. It allows teams to have focused discussions, share files, and manage tasks, all within a persistent space.

Here are some key features of Google Chat Spaces:

• Topic-based Organization: Spaces are designed for organized, topic-driven conversations, making it easy to follow threads and find information.  
• File Sharing and Task Management: You can easily share files and assign tasks directly within a Space, keeping everything related to a project in one place.  
• Threaded Conversations: Discussions are organized into threads, making it easier to follow different aspects of a topic.  
• Membership Control: Space managers can control who has access, ensuring that only relevant people are involved in the discussions.  
• External Collaboration: Depending on the administrator’s settings, you may be able to invite external users to join a Space, facilitating collaboration with clients or partners.  

Essentially, Google Chat Spaces provide a structured and collaborative environment within Google Chat, enhancing productivity and communication within teams.

Google Chat Spaces Management

Until recently, users had to add themselves to Google Chat Spaces, they could not be automatically enrolled as part of an onboarding process. With the release of the Google Chat API, Patronum is one of the first Google Workspace management platforms that gives administrators the ability to automatically provision users into Google Chat Spaces. No longer will employees be left out of important communication channels. Simply add the desired Google Chat Spaces to a policy, and users will be dynamically enrolled.

How to add Google Chat Spaces support to Patronum?

To manage Google Chat Spaces a Google Chat Application needs to be manually added to the Google Workspace Admin Console.

To configure Google Chat management, follow the steps below:-

Log in to the Google Workspace Admin panel, open the Security → Access and data control → API controls tab, and go to the Manage Domain Wide Delegation section.

Click on the Add new button to add the provided Patronum Google Chats application client ID and OAuth scopes to the API clients list.

Client ID: 115683890100386573286

List of OAuth scopes (you can copy and paste it as is):

https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.spaces,https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.admin.spaces,https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.spaces.create,https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.admin.delete,https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.admin.memberships,https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.admin.spaces

The same OAuth scopes are listed below in a more readable format. The application requests these scopes to query and manage Google Spaces.

• https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.spaces
• https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.admin.spaces
• https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.spaces.create
• https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.admin.delete
• https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.admin.memberships
• https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.admin.spaces

After the new Client ID has been added you can use Patronum to Manage your Google Chat Spaces.

Resources

Admin features for space management via the Chat API are now generally available

Manage spaces at scale with new Chat API functionality

How to configure Google Chat Management API access

How to Add Users automatically to Google Chat Spaces

How to manage Google Chat Spaces

How to backup Google Chats

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why do I need Patronum for Google Chat Spaces management?

Patronum’s Google Chat Space management feature automates the process of adding users to Google Chat Spaces based on the policies you define. This ensures that all team members have access to the necessary communication channels without manual intervention.

2. Is it secure to grant Patronum access to Google Chat Spaces?

Yes, Patronum uses OAuth 2.0 for authorization, adhering to Google’s security standards. The permissions granted are strictly for managing Google Chat Spaces as specified.

3. Can Patronum manage external users in Google Chat Spaces?

Patronum’s Google Chat Spaces management feature can manage memberships during the onboarding of users. However, adding external users depends on your organization’s Google Workspace settings and policies regarding external collaboration.

4. Do I need technical expertise to set up Patronum?

Setting up Patronum requires administrative access to the Google Workspace Admin Console, but the process is straightforward and guided. If you need any assistance, please feel free to reach out to Patronum Support.

5. Can I customize which users are added to specific Spaces?

Yes, you can create detailed policies within Patronum to specify which users are added to which Spaces based on various criteria.