Watches one specific Google Drive file for edits or deletion.
Setup
- Connect your Google account if you haven’t already.
- Choose the file using the Google Drive picker.
Saving takes a snapshot of the file’s current state; the automation starts reacting on the next change.
Triggers
| Trigger | Fires when |
|---|---|
| File modified | The watched file is changed |
| File deleted or removed | The watched file is deleted or trashed |
There’s no “new file” trigger here — you’re already watching one specific file, not a folder.
Conditions
Same file-detail filters as Drive Folder: File name, File type, Owner, Writer, Reader, Modified by, Content text. Since you’re only watching one file, conditions are most useful for things like only reacting when a specific person made the edit, or only when the file’s text now contains something specific.
Actions you can use
Actions built around a Drive file are the most useful here: Copy/move file, Delete file, Convert to Doc. You can also send notifications (Email, Slack, Google Chat, Webhook), forward the file itself (Send file), work with Google Docs (Create folder, Find/create Doc, Append Doc, Replace Doc), log to a spreadsheet (New row), or send a Send invite. See the actions guide for details.
Ideas
- Watch a contract or agreement for edits: File modified trigger, Slack or Google Chat action alerting the responsible team with
{file_url}. - Alert if a tracked file disappears: File deleted trigger, Email action to yourself or a shared inbox.
- Keep a text copy current: File modified trigger, Convert to Doc action, so an editable or searchable copy always reflects the latest version.
- Log every edit: File modified trigger, New row action recording
{modified_by}and{triggered_at}to an audit spreadsheet.