How to Share Files and Folders in Google Drive with Google Sheets

In this tutorial, we will walk you through the steps to share files or folders with your colleagues effortlessly. Whether you need to collaborate on a project or simply distribute important documents, FileDrop makes the process straightforward. So, let’s get started!

Video Tutorial

Here is the text version.

Sharing a Single File or Folder:

Step 1: Accessing FileDrop

(if you don’t have FileDrop installed you can install it from here)

First, open Extensions-> FileDrop->Folder Tools menu in your Google Sheets document.

Step 2: Choose Your File or Folder

Go to your Google Drive and copy the folder ID or the file ID and paste in the Option 1 field.

Step 3: Define Permissions

Now, decide who you want to share the selected file or folder with. Enter the email addresses of your colleagues in the provided field.

Choose the appropriate share type:

• • Editor: Allows users to edit the file or folder.
  • Viewer: Grants read-only access.
  • Commenter: Allows users to leave comments.
  • Owner: Provides full control over the file or folder.
  • Anyone: Makes the file or folder accessible to anyone on the internet.

Step 4: Sharing

After specifying the recipients email addressses and their permissions, click the “Share” button.

You will receive a success message indicating that the sharing process was successful. The user will receive an email with a link of the file.

Step 5: Verify Access

Return to your folder or file, you should now see that the intended users have the specified access permissions.

Step 6: Removing Access

If needed, you can revoke access by returning to the sharing settings and removing specific users or changing their permissions.

Sharing Multiple Files

Step 1: List Files in Sheet

To share multiple files efficiently, go back to your chosen folder and copy the folder ID.

Note: It’s recommended to use this method for folders with fewer than 5000 files due to current limitations.

Click on the button List files to share.

Step 2: Prepare the Sharing List

In your Google Sheet it will generate a list of the files that are in the specified folder. Here, you can choose what file to share by adding commands like the email you want to share with and permissions.

For example:

• • File: 7.jpg
  • Email: hello@headwayapps.com
  • Permission: Editor

Step 3: Share Files

• Continue adding more files and their corresponding sharing details as needed.
• You can even use filters to customize the sharing type for each file.

Step 4: Share Files from Sheet

• Once you’ve listed all the files and their sharing information, click the “Share Files from Sheet” button.
• This action will efficiently share all the files based on the details you provided in your Google Sheet.

Step 5: Verification

• To ensure that the sharing process was successful, go back to your demo folder and refresh the view.
• Check that all files have the correct permissions and that any mistakes have been corrected.

Conclusion:

FileDrop’s Folder Tools sidebar simplifies the process of sharing files and folders in Google Sheets. Whether you need to collaborate on projects or distribute important documents, this tool streamlines the process, making it quick and efficient.

Remember to double-check your sharing details to avoid any mistakes, and enjoy the convenience of seamless file and folder sharing with FileDrop.