How to Attach or Insert a PDF File to a Google Sheets Cell

Attaching or inserting files to your Google Sheets spredsheet cells automatically is easy with the right tools. You can do it manually by:

1. Go to Google Drive, click New, go to upload and select the file
2. Wait for the file to upload
3. Click to open the file
4. Click the share button
5. Click copy link button
6. Go back to your Google Sheets file and write the name of the file to the cell
7. Add the link to the name

If you have more than one file or you are doing this every day it takes a lot of time as there are many steps.

Although automatically inserting files in cells it’s not supported by default you can add this functionality with FileDrop, a free Google Sheets add-on.

FileDrop allows you to insert any type of file to your Google Sheets cells.

How to attach PDF File to a Google Sheets cell the easy way

Step 1

Install the FileDrop add-on from the Google WorkSpace marketplace. Add-ons are simple apps that enhance the functionalities of Google Sheets or other Workspace apps like Google Docs, Google Forms and Google Slides. Follow our guide for a detailed installation.

Step 2

Start the FileDrop add-on by clicking the Extension menu, click on FileDrop and then Start. If you don’t see the start link, refresh the page.

Step 3

The FileDrop sidebar will appear. Select the Google Sheet cell where you want to insert your file and then click on the upload area of FileDrop. You can also drag and drop files in the upload area.

Once you’ve selected the PDF file it will upload automatially to your Google Drive in the FileDrop folder created when you’ve installed the add-on.

The cell will have the PDF file name you’ve uploaded and it will be linked to the file in Google Drive. If you want to share the files with your team or colleagues please set the right permissions in the settings tab before uploading the files.

That’s it, simple and easy.

Attach a PDF file to a Google Sheets cell video tutorial

Here is a quick video on how to attach a PDF file to a Google Sheets cell.

Conclusion

Adding files to Google Sheets it’s easy with the right tools. It works the same way with uploading PDF files in bulk or any other files.

Frequently asked questions

What file types can I upload in Sheets?

You can upload any type of files that Google Drive supports. In Google Sheets you can upload PDFs, images, zips, videos or other types.

Where are the files saved?

The files are saved in the FileDrop folder created when installing the addon. You can select another folder if you wish.