Google Inc. has forged a partnership with enterprise cloud storage company Box Inc. to let users of the search giant’s apps such as Google Docs to edit and collaborate on documents within Box.

That was the highlight of several announcements made Wednesday at the BoxWorks conference in San Francisco. Here’s a look at all the new features unveiled on Day 1 of BoxWorks that the company has planned for its 66,000 customers, including the likes of General Electric Co. and Procter & Gamble Co.:

All new Box

At BoxWorks, the company’s co-founder and CEO Aaron Levie (above right, with Diane Greene, senior vice president of Google’s enterprise and cloud businesses) announced the complete redesign of Box’s web interface, in what Levie terms the “all new Box.”

Five times faster, easier search, and additional file types

Faster uploads and load times: The overhauled web experience now loads pages 30 percent faster while uploading files to Box is five times faster.

Easier search functionality: A new search feature makes finding documents easier with users able to select a few parameters to describe their document without remembering the exact name. While the new Recents tab is where users will find the content they use most frequently.

Support for more file types: Box is now compatible with 120 different file types, which now includes 3D and 360-degree images as well as 360-degree and HD videos. The new file types are displayed as thumbnails in Box.  

Annotations feature: The feature, arriving soon, will allow for instant in-line feedback with team members.

Box users can try out the new Box experience by heading to www.box.com/on/allnewbox. Administrators can enable it for their organization in the admin console.

Offline Box Notes

Box Notes, the company’s new annotation and comments desktop app, will also be upgraded in a future release that will allow the app to continue to work while offline. When the app reconnects, any changes will save to Box automatically.

Box Relay

On Tuesday ahead of its BoxWorks conference, the company, together with IBM introduced Box Relay, which was also highlighted at the conference. The software enables enterprises to automate and streamline their document-heavy workflow processes. The simplified workflow product ensures anyone in the organization has the ability to build and track workflows in real time.

Integration with Google Docs and Springboard

The biggest news from the conference, however, was Box’s partnership with Google. The two companies are working on “several initiatives to transform work in the cloud,” according to Box’s blog post.

First up is the integration of both Google Docs and Google Springboard. Integration with Google Docs, including Sheets and Slides will allow Box users to open, edit and collaborate on Google Docs within Box. Box users can make use of the editing and real-time collaboration capabilities offered by Google Docs while documents stay secure with Box’s security controls and reporting. Any changes made to documents are saved in Box in real time.

Google Springboard, launched in June, uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to search for information in documents stored across Google’s apps, including Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Contacts and more. With Box’s integration with Springboard, users can now search across Google apps directly in Box.  

Most of the Box features will be available this fall with others are rolling out in the first half of 2017.

Image via Box; Facebook