5 Google Workspace Apps You're Underutilizing in 2026

Introduction: Beyond the Basics of Google Workspace

In the fast-paced world of 2026, businesses are constantly seeking ways to optimize productivity and collaboration. Google Workspace, with its suite of powerful applications, has become a staple for many organizations. However, most teams barely scratch the surface of what these tools can truly offer. Are you truly maximizing your Google Workspace investment? Or are you leaving valuable productivity gains on the table?

This deep dive explores five underutilized Google Workspace apps and features that can revolutionize your team's efficiency. We'll go beyond the basics of email and document sharing, uncovering hidden functionalities and data-driven strategies to help you reclaim wasted time and boost overall performance. Let's dive in and transform the way your team works.

1. Google Chat Spaces: More Than Just Group Messaging

Google Chat often gets pigeonholed as a simple messaging app, but its Spaces feature is a powerful collaboration hub that rivals dedicated project management tools. Spaces allows you to create dedicated areas for specific projects, teams, or topics, fostering focused discussions and streamlined workflows. Instead of endless email chains or scattered messages, Spaces keeps everything organized and easily accessible.

Unlocking the Potential of Spaces

• Threaded Conversations: Keep discussions organized with threaded conversations, ensuring that relevant information stays grouped together.
• File Sharing and Collaboration: Seamlessly share files from Google Drive directly within Spaces, enabling real-time collaboration and feedback. Speaking of sharing, do you know how to share files from google drive with others effectively?
• Task Management: Assign tasks to team members, set deadlines, and track progress directly within Spaces.
• Integration with Other Google Workspace Apps: Integrate Spaces with other Google Workspace apps like Google Calendar and Google Meet for a unified workflow.

By leveraging Spaces, you can reduce email overload, improve communication clarity, and enhance project management efficiency. Instead of relying on multiple tools, Spaces provides a centralized platform for all your team's collaboration needs. If your team is facing digital risks, consider reading Safeguard Productivity: How to Navigate the Rising Tide of Digital Risks in 2026 to learn more about protecting your team.

2. Google Keep: Your Secret Weapon for Capturing and Organizing Ideas

Google Keep is often overlooked as a simple note-taking app, but it's a versatile tool for capturing ideas, organizing information, and boosting personal productivity. Its simplicity and seamless integration with other Google Workspace apps make it an invaluable asset for busy professionals.

Transforming Your Workflow with Keep

• Quick Note Capture: Capture ideas on the fly with text, voice, or image notes.
• Lists and Checklists: Create to-do lists, shopping lists, or project checklists with ease.
• Labels and Colors: Organize your notes with labels and colors for easy retrieval.
• Reminders: Set location-based or time-based reminders to stay on top of your tasks.
• Collaboration: Share your notes with colleagues for collaborative brainstorming or project management.

Imagine capturing a brilliant idea during a meeting and instantly turning it into an actionable task within Keep. Or creating a shared grocery list with your team, ensuring that everyone stays informed. By integrating Keep into your daily workflow, you can streamline your note-taking process, stay organized, and boost your overall productivity.

3. Google Jamboard: Unleash Collaborative Brainstorming

While physical whiteboards are great, Google Jamboard takes brainstorming and collaboration to the next level, especially for remote teams. This digital whiteboard allows teams to collaborate in real-time, regardless of their location. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, Jamboard fosters creativity, encourages participation, and enhances team alignment.

Key Features for Effective Brainstorming

• Real-Time Collaboration: Multiple users can contribute to the Jamboard simultaneously, fostering a dynamic and engaging brainstorming session.
• Sticky Notes and Drawing Tools: Use sticky notes, drawing tools, and shapes to capture ideas and visualize concepts.
• Image and File Integration: Insert images, documents, and other files directly into the Jamboard for a richer collaborative experience. Did you know you can share pdf on google drive directly to the Jamboard?
• Integration with Google Meet: Seamlessly integrate Jamboard with Google Meet for virtual brainstorming sessions.
• Cloud-Based Storage: Access your Jamboards from anywhere, ensuring that your ideas are always readily available.

Jamboard empowers teams to overcome geographical barriers and collaborate effectively on complex projects. Whether you're brainstorming new product ideas, designing a marketing campaign, or planning a team event, Jamboard provides a dynamic and engaging platform for collaborative innovation.

4. Google Forms: Beyond Simple Surveys

Google Forms is often used for basic surveys, but it's a powerful tool for data collection, feedback gathering, and process automation. With its customizable templates, conditional logic, and seamless integration with Google Sheets, Forms can streamline various business processes and provide valuable insights.

Advanced Uses for Google Forms

• Lead Generation: Create lead capture forms to collect contact information and qualify potential customers.
• Customer Feedback: Gather customer feedback on products, services, or experiences to identify areas for improvement.
• Event Registration: Streamline event registration with customizable forms and automated email confirmations.
• Internal Surveys: Conduct employee surveys to gauge morale, gather feedback, or assess training needs.
• Quizzes and Assessments: Create quizzes and assessments for training programs or educational purposes.

By leveraging the advanced features of Google Forms, you can automate data collection, gain valuable insights, and improve decision-making. For example, use Forms to collect employee feedback on new AI tools, helping to Prove AI ROI.

5. Google Tasks: Integrated Task Management

Google Tasks is a simple yet effective task management tool that integrates seamlessly with Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Workspace. While it may not have all the bells and whistles of dedicated project management software, Tasks provides a streamlined way to manage personal and team tasks within your existing workflow.

Streamlining Your Task Management

• Task Creation and Organization: Create tasks, set deadlines, and organize them into lists.
• Integration with Gmail: Turn emails into tasks directly from your inbox.
• Integration with Google Calendar: View and manage your tasks within your Google Calendar.
• Subtasks: Break down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable subtasks.
• Collaboration: Share task lists with colleagues for collaborative task management.

By integrating Google Tasks into your daily routine, you can stay on top of your responsibilities, prioritize your workload, and collaborate effectively with your team. It's a simple yet powerful tool that can significantly improve your personal and team productivity.

Conclusion: Embracing the Full Potential of Google Workspace

Google Workspace offers a wealth of tools and features that can transform the way your team works. By exploring and utilizing these often-overlooked apps, you can unlock hidden productivity gains, streamline workflows, and foster a more collaborative and efficient work environment. It's time to move beyond the basics and embrace the full potential of Google Workspace.