Google Drive Folder Reader

This document outlines the functionality and characteristics of the Google Drive Folder Reader node, which enables automated content extraction from multiple files in a Google Drive folder.

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Node Inputs

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Folder Selection (Choose one method)

• Select Folder: Choose a folder directly from Google Drive
• Use Link: Option to use a direct Google Drive folder URL

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Supported File Types

• Google Docs/Sheets
• PDF
• JSON
• CSV
• TXT
• HTML

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Node Output

• Files: List of file objects from the folder. Each file object can be:
  • Passed directly to file operation nodes (PDF Reader, File Reader, etc.)
  • Sent to communication nodes (Slack, Gmail, etc.)
  • Used with AI nodes for analysis

Note: While the output shows file names for easy reference, each item is actually a complete file object that can be processed by other nodes.

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Working with File Outputs

The node’s output can be connected directly to various other nodes:

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File Operations

• PDF Reader: Process PDF files directly
• File Reader: Extract content from text files

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Communication

• Slack Message Sender: Share files in Slack channels
• Gmail Sender: Send files as email attachments
• Discord Message Sender: Share files in Discord

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AI Processing

Note: For text-based AI processing, files must first be processed by appropriate reader nodes:

• Text files → File Reader
• PDFs → PDF Reader

Only Analyze Image and Analyze Video nodes can process the relvant media file objects directly.

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Node Functionality

The Google Drive Folder Reader node provides automated batch access to contents of all files within a specified folder.

Key features include:

• Support for multiple file formats
• Extracts data from all the files
• Loop mode to process multiple folders
• Secure authentication with Gumloop

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Trigger Functionality

This node can also function as a trigger to start your flow when your drive folder receives a new file upload. Learn more about triggers here: https://docs.gumloop.com/core-concepts/triggers

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Example Workflows

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1. Document Analysis Pipeline

Google Drive Folder Reader → File Reader/PDF Reader (based on file type) → Ask AI → Notion Page Writer
Purpose: Analyze and summarize document contents
Note: File content must be extracted before AI processing

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2. File Distribution

Google Drive Folder Reader → Slack Message Sender
Purpose: Share new documents with team members

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3. Data Analysis

Google Drive Folder Reader → File Reader → Extract Data → Airtable Writer
Purpose: Process and store data from multiple CSV/XLSX files

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When to Use

The Google Drive Folder Reader node is particularly valuable in scenarios requiring processing of multiple files. Common use cases include:

• Document Analysis: Extract and analyze text from multiple student essays or research papers
• Invoice Processing: Batch process invoices stored as PDFs to extract payment information
• Report Compilation: Combine daily sales reports from multiple store locations into a single dataset
• Dataset Processing: Extract and combine data from multiple CSV files containing customer feedback

Some specific examples:

• Reading monthly financial statements to aggregate spending patterns
• Processing student assignments to check for plagiarism
• Extracting product information from multiple specification sheets
• Combining daily log files for system performance analysis

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Important Considerations

1. Requires Authentication with Google - Set up in the Credentials page
2. You must have access to the folder
3. Large folders or files may take longer to process
4. File objects can be passed directly to file operation nodes and communication nodes, but text-based AI nodes require content extraction first

In summary, the Google Drive Folder Reader node simplifies batch processing of files in Google Drive folders, automatically handling multiple file formats and providing organized access to both file names and contents. Its output can be seamlessly integrated with other nodes for comprehensive file processing workflows.