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Attaching a PDF to Outlook Outgoing Email

  • September 11, 2020
  • 7 replies
  • 3505 views

Hi All,

I created a Zap to send an email from my outlook, but I can’t seem to attach the PDF to the email.  I tried dragging and dropping the PDF where it says Attachment, but that just resulted in gibberish.txt.

Any help would be appreciated!

Edit: Screenshots of step and email attachment added.

 

Best answer by Ryan Castle NZ

Hi Team,

 

I also struggled with this and the problem turned out to be how the likes of Google Drive and Onedrive create shareable links. The links that they create are built for viewing files on their platform, not for hosting public files that Zapier can use to attach to an email. I solved this following the following steps:
 

  • Log into https://drive.google.com 
  • Upload the PDF you want to share
  • Right click the file and select “Get Link” Make sure you select “anyone with the link”
  • Copy the link
  • !!! Now the tricky bit. You need to convert this link to a link that is a direct download, rather than a viewer on Google Drive
  • Go to https://sites.google.com/site/gdocs2direct/
  • Paste the link from Google Drive and convert to a direct link
  • Copy the new link
  • Paste link into your Zapier email Zap step in the “Attachment” box.
  • Test 😊

 

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7 replies

Troy Tessalone
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  • Zapier Expert
  • 31047 replies
  • September 11, 2020

Please provide screenshots of how your Zap step is configured, thanks.


  • Author
  • Beginner
  • 3 replies
  • September 11, 2020

I’ve attached a screenshot of the Step and the email sent.  Thanks!


Troy Tessalone
Forum|alt.badge.img+14
  • Zapier Expert
  • 31047 replies
  • September 11, 2020

The Attachment field expects a value to be piped thru from a previous step.

Click the icon next to Attachment for more info about the values accepted for this field.

Article: https://zapier.com/help/create/basics/different-field-types-in-zaps#step-4

 


  • Author
  • Beginner
  • 3 replies
  • September 12, 2020

That made completing this a lot more work than I hoped, but I was able to get it done.  Thank!


  • Beginner
  • 3 replies
  • September 17, 2020

@DonScott Can you tell me how you managed to get it to work? Did you add in a step using onedrive or anything like that?

 


  • Author
  • Beginner
  • 3 replies
  • September 17, 2020

@emmawhite I ended up searching for a publicly available copy of the PDF I was looking for.  It was a regulatory filing, so I was able to find a copy.  My back up plan was to try using a step with some sort of file storage system.  Sorry I can’t be of more help.  You would think there would be a simple guide somewhere about this.  It must be a common issue.


Forum|alt.badge.img

Hi Team,

 

I also struggled with this and the problem turned out to be how the likes of Google Drive and Onedrive create shareable links. The links that they create are built for viewing files on their platform, not for hosting public files that Zapier can use to attach to an email. I solved this following the following steps:
 

  • Log into https://drive.google.com 
  • Upload the PDF you want to share
  • Right click the file and select “Get Link” Make sure you select “anyone with the link”
  • Copy the link
  • !!! Now the tricky bit. You need to convert this link to a link that is a direct download, rather than a viewer on Google Drive
  • Go to https://sites.google.com/site/gdocs2direct/
  • Paste the link from Google Drive and convert to a direct link
  • Copy the new link
  • Paste link into your Zapier email Zap step in the “Attachment” box.
  • Test 😊