A few weeks after Google Drive was officially rebranded to G Suite, the more technical elements of the overhaul are starting to fall into place.

Google Inc. today launched an early access program for Drive Teams, a new version of its file locker that was unveiled in September to provide an environment where workers can directly share documents with one another. The service is underpinned by security controls that make it possible to regulate the activity of each user based on the specific requirements of their role.

When employees are invited to a shared folder in Drive Teams, they can view all the files in the dashboard but by default are only given read-only access to colleagues’ content. The administrators in charge of maintaining the deployment have the ability to provide additional permissions as needed.

According to Google, the mechanism is designed to prevent users from accidentally modifying or deleting something they’re not supposed to. It also ensures that an employee’s documents remain in place if they’re moved off the team.

Drive Teams could make G Suite more competitive against rival services such as Box Inc.’s that were built from the outset with collaborative work in mind. However, the tool currently has several limitations that early adopters will have to overlook if they wish to take advantage of its capabilities. Among the missing features are integration with the desktop version of Google Drive and the ability to onboard users without a G Suite account linked to a company’s main domain.

The latter capability is essential for firms that wish to collaborate with partners or have subsidiaries that operate under their own brands. Interested organizations with active G Suite Business and Education subscriptions can apply for early access here.

Image courtesy of Google