We understand this is a significant change for many customers. We are researching several important questions to support you in this transition. Among the questions we are investigating are:
Q: How is the buffer for Fundamentals licenses calculated?
A: Although you cannot see your current license cap, you will be able to view the total number of available users and licenses under the new licensing model. At least 30 days before your transition to the new licensing model, Google will share the number of licenses you will be provided in an email to the primary administrator of your domain.
Q: What happens to Drive files for Archived Users? Are they accessible by collaborators just as files are for suspended users today?
A: Drive files owned by archived users are preserved and still accessible by collaborators. Archived users cannot access their own files, and those owned by archived users count against your Drive storage.
Q: What happens to Drive files for users who have no license at all?
A: If a user does not have a Fundamentals, Gmail Only, or Archived User license assigned to their account, files owned by that user and shared outside the domain will no longer be accessible to external users. Additionally, these users’ data will not be retained in Vault.
Q: Will the Admin console's automatic licensing be updated to include Fundamentals, Gmail Only, and Archived User?
A: When your domain transitions to the new licensing model, Google will turn on auto-licensing for Fundamentals at the top-level OU, meaning this policy will propagate all the way down your OU structure. Additionally, an auto-licensing for Gmail Only option will be added, but will be off by default.
Q: Will the new best practice be to create an Archived Users OU specifically for those whose accounts must be preserved for long-term data retention? Does this new model change the purpose of suspending a user?
A: The advantage of archiving over suspending users is that by archiving, admins reclaim the Fundamentals license for another user. As Fundamentals licenses will have a cap, admins will likely want to reclaim the license for someone else who needs it. If an admin needs to block a user's access for a short period (a few days to a few months), they may want to suspend the user and leave the Fundamentals license in place.
Q: How can I tell my institution has transitioned to the new licensing model?
A: Once the transition has taken place, you’ll see a minor naming change from Google Apps for Education - Fundamentals to Google Apps for Education Fundamentals on the subscriptions page in your Admin console. In the days following the transition, you’ll also see the availability of Google Workspace for Education Gmail Only User and you will have the ability to archive a user or multiple users from the users page in the Admin console.
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