Google Drive Connection
Connect Google Drive to sync linked documents and enable scoped file and folder lookup for your AI agent
Google Drive Connection#
Connect Google Drive to sync linked files for knowledge and enable scoped file lookup during conversations. Your agent can search within the Drive scope you configure and return existing Google Drive links for files or folders.
Why Connect Google Drive?#
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto-sync | Changes in Drive automatically update your AI's knowledge |
| No re-uploads | Edit files in Drive, AI stays current |
| Collaboration | Team members can contribute to knowledge |
| Organization | Use Drive's folder structure |
| Spreadsheet sources | Link Google Sheets or Excel files as knowledge or structured data |
Connecting Your Account#
Step 1: Navigate to Connections#
- Go to your agent dashboard
- Click Settings > Connections
- Find Google Drive in the list
Step 2: Authorize Access#
- Click Connect
- Sign in with your Google account
- Review permissions requested
- Click Allow
Permissions Needed#
- Read Drive files and metadata
- Browse your Drive structure
- Keep the connection active with refresh access
This connection is read-only.
For knowledge syncing, only files you explicitly link are processed.
For Drive actions, you can limit access to a root folder in Drive settings.
Selecting Files#
After connecting:
- Go to Sources > Google Drive
- Browse your Drive folders
- Click checkboxes to select files
- Click Link Selected Files
Supported File Types#
| Type | Extensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | Google Docs, .docx, .pdf | Text extracted automatically |
| Spreadsheets | Google Sheets, .xlsx | Can be linked as knowledge or imported as structured data |
| Presentations | Google Slides, .pptx | Supported when available in your Drive source workflow |
| Text | .txt, .md, .csv | Imported as-is |
Syncing Behavior#
Automatic Sync#
- Files check for updates every 4 hours
- Modified files are re-processed automatically
- Deleted files are removed from knowledge base
Manual Sync#
- Go to Sources > Google Drive
- Click Sync Now button
- Wait for processing to complete
Spreadsheet Configuration#
For Google Sheets and Excel files, configure:
Header Row#
Select which row contains column headers.
Sheet Selection#
Choose which sheets to include.
Column Mapping#
Map columns to data types:
- Question columns
- Answer columns
- Category columns
- Metadata columns
Chunk Format#
Choose how rows are processed:
- Key-Value -- Each row as Q&A pair
- CSV -- Preserve full structure
- JSON -- Structured data format
Managing Connection#
View Connected Files#
- Go to Sources > Google Drive
- See all linked files with status
- Click any file for details
Disconnect a File#
- Select the file(s)
- Click Unlink
- Confirm removal
Disconnect Entirely#
- Go to Settings > Connections
- Find Google Drive
- Click Disconnect
- Confirm (this removes all linked files)
Sharing and Permissions#
Drive Actions#
Google Drive actions return existing links. They do not create new sharing permissions or invite people by email.
Personal Drive Files#
Your own files are accessible immediately.
Shared Drive Files#
- You must have "Viewer" access minimum
- AlonChat inherits your access level
- If your access changes, sync may fail
Organizational Drives#
Check with your IT admin -- some organizations restrict API access.
Troubleshooting#
"Access denied" error#
- Re-authorize the connection
- Check file sharing permissions
- Ensure file still exists
Files not syncing#
- Click Sync Now to force update
- Check last sync time
- Verify file hasn't been moved/deleted
"Token expired" message#
- Disconnect and reconnect Google Drive
- Re-authorize with fresh login
Best Practices#
- Use dedicated folders -- Organize AI knowledge in specific folders
- Name files clearly -- Descriptive names help management
- Version control -- Drive's history helps track changes
- Review regularly -- Check sync status weekly
- Clean up -- Unlink files no longer needed