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Best answer

Zap not triggering when a new file is added to Google Drive

  • 11 March 2023
  • 6 replies
  • 517 views
MattMantheMapMan

I’m brand new to Zapier, so hopefully I’ve just done something silly and the solution is simple.

 

I want to create an automation that will do the following;

Every time a new file (png) is added to a Google Drive folder, a link to that image is added the “Image URL” column on a Google Sheets spreadsheet.

It seems to work fine in testing, but once the Zap is published the Zap doesn’t trigger when I add a new file, and when I run the Zap manually, it’s can’t find the new file.

 

Here’s what my Zap currently looks like. Thank you in advance for any and all help!!

 

 

icon

Best answer by SamB 31 May 2024, 13:08

View original
This post has been closed for comments. Please create a new post if you need help or have a question about this topic.

6 replies

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Hi @MattMantheMapMan 

Good question.

The GDrive Zap triggers are scheduled (not instant) and can take from 1-15 minutes to trigger depending on your Zapier plan.

Zap triggers while ON for new data going forward.

Also, Zap triggers have built in deduplication, so you may need to alter the file if it’s already been used to trigger the Zap.

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
MattMantheMapMan

Thanks for the reply @Troy Tessalone!!

The Zap is turned on, I’ve used a brand new file that hasn’t been used before, and I’ve waited hours, and the Zap still doesn’t work. It still says it can’t find any new items in the file 😔

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@MattMantheMapMan 

Not all my files are triggering my new file in folder Zap.

The New File in Folder trigger has some nuance about what it will trigger on:

Google Files (e.g. Google Doc, Google Sheets etc)

  • If a file was created within the folder, the Zap will trigger
  • If a file was modified fewer than 4 days ago and moved to the folder, the Zap will trigger
  • If a file was modified greater than 4 days ago and moved to the folder, the Zap won't trigger

Non-Google files (e.g. pdf or jpg):

  • If a file is directly added to the folder, the Zap will trigger
  • If a file is directly added to the folder but was modified/created greater than 4 days ago, the Zap won't trigger
  • If a file is moved to the folder (even if it was added to Google Drive in the last 4 days), the Zap won't trigger

Also, you can't trigger or act upon a folder shared with you, so files added to folders you don't own will not trigger the Zap. The connected account must be the owner.

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
MattMantheMapMan

Thank you @Troy Tessalone!! The problem was that the file were more than 4 days old. It works perfectly with newer files.

Unfortunately, if Zapier doesn’t work with files more than 4 days old, then my entire workflow isn’t going to work.

Oh well 🤷 Thank you anyway!! 

ken.a
Userlevel 7
Badge +6

Hey @MattMantheMapMan,

I’m glad to hear Troy was able to lead you in the right direction on why the Zap isn’t triggering. That said, we do have an open feature request for the New File in Folder to trigger on any files that are new to that folder, even if the file existed somewhere else previously.

I have added your vote on the open feature request. That does a few things:

  • Bring this to the attention of the integration developers
  • Help track interest in this feature being implemented
  • Allows us to notify you via email if this feature becomes available in the future

While I don't have an ETA on when this feature might be implemented, we will notify you via email if it is!

Thanks! 🤗

SamB
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +11

Hey folks,

I’m happy to announce that a new New File in Folder trigger has been added that’s capable of triggering on any files added/moved into a specific folder, so the feature request has been closed! 🎉

In case you’ve not read the email notification that went out about this yet, here’s the important details from it:

We have re-implemented this trigger to work in a slightly different way, and published it under the same name. Zaps made on the previous version are now on the trigger "New File in Folder (Legacy)" and continue to work as they always have.

The new version of the trigger retreives the 500 most recently created files from the folder you select. It then differentiates the files according to their ID and the ID of the folder, combined. This means that files that were previously created, but are just now moved to the folder, should trigger as expected (where previously they may not have). The new version also ignores trashed files, which wasn't the case previously.

There is however one limitation that remains. Because Google's API gives us no indication of the date a file was moved to a folder, in some cases files may not trigger if their creation date is older than the newest 500 files in the folder you have selected. This could happen if a file was created in the past in a different folder, then later moved into the folder you are monitoring, but in the meantime more than 500 files have been added to the current folder. To avoid this limitation we recommmend putting in place workflows that move files once they are processed, if this scenario seems like it may affect you.


If you’re still experiencing issues with files not triggering your Zap as expected please do start a new topic in the Community here, or contact our Support team directly, to let us know. In the meantime, happy Zapping! ⚡

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