Google Workspace Extension not working properly in Gemini Advanced

[ruhailthobhani]

I live in Australia and have recently subscribed to Gemini Advanced.  Despite turning on the Extension of Google Workspace, Gemini fails to and sometimes refuses to access documents in Google Drive or Google Docs.  It's worth mentioning it occassionally responds appropriately while accessing my emails on gmail but only occassionally.  Is anyone else facing this issue? 

[KAM]

@ruhailthobhani I believe those extensions are a consumer product intended for @gmail not Google Workspace users. HTH, KAM

[StephenHind]

@KAM Extensions are coming soon to Workspace

[engagepy]

When ?

[DraztheNerd]

Extensions are sometimes tricky to use due to Chrome browser's frequent updates. I have a rule of thumb when using extensions to be on top of maintaining both OS and browser updates.  Plus I like turning off my extensions until needed to prevent glitches caused by using background resources.

I know my reply doesn't answer the original question but think it is worth sharing when extensions are mentioned.

[StephenHind]

@DraztheNerd Gemini Extensions are not browser extensions, they're extra features for the Gemini chat, nothing to do with your browser.

[DraztheNerd]

Thank you for pointing this out. Kindly note the original poster of this thread mentions extensions and this is what I'm referring to. 

Use extensions in Gemini Apps 

[StephenHind]

Yes I know what they're referring to: you said "Extensions are sometimes tricky to use due to Chrome browser's frequent updates" - Gemini Extensions are not Chrome Browser Extensions: you appear to be unaware of that and I'm making you aware. 

[DraztheNerd]

I'm aware of how to access Gemini Extensions:  https://gemini.google.com/extensions 

and I apologize for using wrong terminology. Either way they still interact with internet browsers and may cause weird glitches due to the background resources they use. Just like the Workspace APPs installed in Google Drive. Technically they aren't installed in the internet browser but do depend on interaction with the internet browser for functionality.

[dhekstro]

I’m having a similar issue. I’m using Gemini Advanced and trying to get it to analyse a pdf file on my Google Drive, after I have enabled Google Workspace Extension which includes “per advertisement” @gmail, @drive and @docs, and should be able to access your emails, drive files and etc.

But all I get from my prompt to “@Google Drive find the file xyz.pdf and resume it” is:

Unfortunately, I can't directly interact with your Google Drive to fulfill this request. Here's why, and how I can still help:

Limitations

• Accessing Files: I'm a language model and don't have the ability to navigate your Google Drive's file structure, locate specific files, or open PDFs.
• PDF Analysis: Analyzing the content of a PDF with suggestions for improvement would involve complex visual understanding and potentially knowledge of specific presentation design principles…
• Blablablabla…

Can we get some support from Google to this issue? 
Thanks in advance! 

[ryanbellotti]

its like Gemini always finds excuses to not use the extensions and will instead give me a synopsis of how he would search my drive or how I can. It worked correctly sometimes when they first released the extensions but now it is frustrating because it doesnt work anymore.

[ryanbellotti]

the extensions seemed to work sometimes when they first released them but now they never work for me and gemini will either give me a breakdown how it would search my drive or steps i can take so search it or wil tell me that it cannot access for privacy or that it cant help. what is the point of the extensions if we annot even used them. is there a trick I should know about to access them?

[leimolavida]

it stopped working today altogether for some reason, but for the record, the experience withe Gemini Extensions have been inconsistent to say the least, and mediocre at best.

[StephenHind]

Just to make sure we're all talking about the same thing are we talking about the "Extensions (coming soon)" features in the Geminin Chat interface https://gemini.google.com/

If that's what you're not referring to please can you elaborate further.

[Rayash1]

This is now available. However, I am experiencing the same issues as the original poster. It used to work, however, it is becoming more and more inefficient, and suddenly this advertised feature has just suddenly stopped working! 

Any pieces of advice on circumnavigating this issue would be appreciated. Thank you in advanced. 

[StephenHind]

@Rayash1 no it's not available to Google Workspace users: the screenshot you have shared is from a personal account paying for Gemini Advanced via Google One - none of that is available to Google Workspace.

[Rayash1]

This is not the case for me. I was able to also interact with Google Drive using my personal account. It IS available and I have been able to access it. 

[StephenHind]

@Rayash1 this is a Google Workspace forum, nothing to do with personal Google Accounts.  No one has suggested that this shouldn't work for personal Google Accounts as it's only available to personal Google Accounts - it's not available to Google Workspace accounts which is the focus of this forum.

[paun]

Will come to Google Workspace in the future?

[icrew]

You might want to have a look in the NDAed product roadmaps to see if there’s anything there about this. See

https://www.googlecloudcommunity.com/gc/custom/page/page-id/Workspace-Roadmap-FAQ

for how to request access.

Note: This section of GCC is public, so items that you may see on the roadmap should not be discussed here, as that would violate the NDA.

Hope that helps,

Ian

[ZoTaR]

it is NOT clear and confusing what is available (google' s habit of constantly changing  naming is also NOT helping)

https://support.google.com/gemini/answer/13695044

this link as of today contains the two following statements at the same time 

1. Sign in with your personal Google Account that you manage on your own. Extensions, including the Google Workspace extension, are currently not available to work or school accounts. Extensions for users with the Gemini for Google Workspace add-on will be available soon.

........

Connect Google Workspace apps & services in Extensions setting

1. On your computer, go to gemini.google.com.
2. Make sure you’re signed in to the same account you use with Google Workspace.
3. At the top, click Extensions .
4. Turn on Google Workspace.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions.

https://youtu.be/VqTjJubt0kE?si=4rWm7dDWzuG8Xb2Z

this  you tube video, 3 months old,  use clearly enabling workspace under extensions 

[StephenHind]

@ZoTaR you're confusing what's available to personal Google Accounts and Google Workspace accounts:

1. Google Workspace Accounts - Gemini Extensions are NOT available, but are "coming soon"
2. Personal Google Accounts - Gemini Extensions ARE available right now.

The help centre article you mentioned is the Google Workspace Accounts current situation (not available but "coming soon") and the video you provided a link to is not from Google and features a Personal Google Account, NOT a Google Workspace Account.

Always keep in mind that when Google says "coming soon" it quite often means 6 months or more away.

[TimL]

Given they are personal accounts, why has Google chosen to call it:
Google Workspace

The page says: 

Connect Google Workspace to find information and get quick answers about your content in apps and services like Gmail, Docs, and Drive directly in Gemini Apps. Learn how to connect Google Workspace apps & services to Gemini Apps.

I will submit some feedback as maybe it is just a mistake as further down the page they just refer to extensions.

I think a better term would be Connect Google One and Google One apps, after all it's not a workspace account they are referring to.

[Nishkar]

Hi All,

StepenHind is correct, there is confusion as whats in personal Workspace (@gmail.com) and whats available in paid Workspace (@yourdomainname.com).

What we do is release features in the public domain first and after a period testing we then release this into Beta and then general availability.  The content you are looking for was covered and is available on our last roadmap session. Please head over there, signup and  get up to speed. 

[ryanbellotti]

All I know is that any other form of Gemini that is integrated into apps or basically is not the Gemini website (the app works better than others but not better than website) then it often doesn't work at all or the answers are not so great. Overall, with Gemini, and it doesn't matter that I'm on Advanced, it seems to be getting more.. I don't know the right word.. more like not wanting to help. Over time it's gotten more limited on its responses and many times it finds reasons to not help with something. Is this something programmed into it or is it doing this by itself? I can definitely tell the difference because I would get annoyed when it would not answer something and I felt it was making excuses why it wouldn't help. Now, this is very frequent. Sometimes I feel like I am arguing with it. What's going on?

[engagepyz]

I agree, its a horrible AI overall. Especially considering the standard of responses we are already used to with OpenAI and Perplexity. Even the #opensource Llama3 is consistently better. 

[asger]

I have just bought a license to Gemini Workspace from the Google ad pop-up I saw in my Gmail.

But I can't access it in any of my workspace apps (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, etc). I have assigned the license to my account via Google Suite, so everything looks good, but it is still not working.

Any ideas of how to activate it?

If not, how do I request a refund?

[KAM]

@asger Are you in the 14-day trial for your Gemini for Workspace?  If so just cancel during that time. 

Otherwise, in Billing as a superadmin, You might have assign the license you bought to a user and they you will see items like the "Help me Write" start to show up.  LMK if that helps! 

-KAM

[PabloSa]

Just to bring this up to speed, Extensions are now available to GWS users on Alpha and only for Gmail, Drive and Docs.

[zBlairq]

still only can read documents, not write, and cannot even send an email 

[TimL]

On the personal help page, https://support.google.com/gemini/answer/13695044?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&oco=1, it has the following:

• Connect Google Workspace to find information and get quick answers about your content in apps and services like Gmail, Docs, and Drive directly in Gemini Apps. Learn how to connect Google Workspace apps & services to Gemini Apps.

Now given it is a page about Google One users, aka personal accounts, it really shouldn't be confusing people by referring to Google workspace.

A better solution would be to use the term Google One rather than Google Workspace, as they are only confusing people.

I will submit some feedback and if I'm lucky, Google might improve it.