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The Upload Files node downloads files from URLs and uploads them directly to specified Google Drive folders. Perfect for automating file transfers, content archiving, and workflow automation. This is an AI-powered node that can understand natural language instructions.

When to Use It

  • Upload files from web URLs to Google Drive
  • Archive web content and resources
  • Transfer files between different platforms
  • Batch upload multiple files automatically
  • Create backup copies of online files
  • Integrate file uploads into automated workflows
  • Move files from temporary locations to permanent storage

Inputs

FieldTypeRequiredDescription
Folder IDTextYesGoogle Drive folder ID where files will be uploaded
Upload TypeDropdownYesSingle file or multiple files upload
File URLURLConditionalURL of file to upload (for single upload)
File NameTextNoCustom filename for single upload
File URLsListConditionalList of URLs for multiple upload

Upload Type Options

TypeDescriptionUse Case
SingleUpload one fileIndividual file processing
MultipleUpload multiple filesBatch file processing

Folder ID Format

Google Drive Folder ID:
1BxiMVs0XRA5nFMdKvBdBZjgmUUqptlbs74OgvE2upms
How to get Folder ID:
  1. Open the folder in Google Drive
  2. Copy the ID from the URL: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/[FOLDER_ID]
  3. Or use the “Select Files” node to browse and get folder IDs

Supported File Types

The node supports all file types that can be downloaded from URLs:
CategoryExamplesNotes
DocumentsPDF, DOC, TXT, CSVDocument files
ImagesJPG, PNG, GIF, WebPImage files
VideosMP4, MOV, AVIVideo files
AudioMP3, WAV, AACAudio files
ArchivesZIP, RAR, TARCompressed files
DataJSON, XML, ExcelData files

Output

Returns information about successfully uploaded files:
{
  "uploaded_files": [
    {
      "file_id": "1BxiMVs0XRA5nFMdKvBdBZjgmUUqptlbs74OgvE2upms",
      "name": "annual_report_2024.pdf",
      "folder_id": "1Cv4hJk2Lp9QrTfVbNmKoPlWxYzAaBcDe",
      "folder_name": "Company Reports",
      "source_url": "https://example.com/files/annual_report_2024.pdf",
      "file_size": "2.4 MB",
      "mime_type": "application/pdf",
      "upload_time": "2024-03-15T10:30:00Z"
    },
    {
      "file_id": "1Fg7hNm3Op4RrVgYcPqLkStXzBcDeFgHi",
      "name": "product_image_001.jpg",
      "folder_id": "1Cv4hJk2Lp9QrTfVbNmKoPlWxYzAaBcDe",
      "folder_name": "Company Reports",
      "source_url": "https://example.com/images/product_001.jpg",
      "file_size": "1.2 MB",
      "mime_type": "image/jpeg",
      "upload_time": "2024-03-15T10:30:15Z"
    }
  ],
  "summary": {
    "total_uploaded": 2,
    "total_size": "3.6 MB",
    "upload_duration": "45 seconds",
    "folder_info": {
      "folder_id": "1Cv4hJk2Lp9QrTfVbNmKoPlWxYzAaBcDe",
      "folder_name": "Company Reports"
    }
  }
}

Output Fields:

FieldDescription
file_idUnique Google Drive file ID
nameFilename in Google Drive
folder_idDestination folder ID
folder_nameDestination folder name
source_urlOriginal URL where file was downloaded from
file_sizeSize of uploaded file
mime_typeFile type detected during upload
upload_timeWhen the file was uploaded

Credit Cost

  • Cost per file: 1 credit per successfully uploaded file
  • Failed uploads: No credits charged for failed uploads
  • Example: Uploading 5 files = 5 credits (if all successful)

Common Workflows

Content Archiving:
[Web Scrape URLs] → [Extract File Links] → [Upload Files] → [Organize in Drive] → [Share Links]
Automated Backup:
[Monitor File Sources] → [Detect New Files] → [Upload Files] → [Update Inventory] → [Send Notifications]
Multi-Platform Transfer:
[Export from Platform A] → [Get Download URLs] → [Upload Files] → [Import to Platform B]
Batch Processing:
[List File URLs] → [Filter by Type] → [Upload Files] → [Process in Drive] → [Generate Reports]

Upload Scenarios

Single File Upload

Upload one specific file:
Upload Type: Single
File URL: https://example.com/document.pdf
File Name: important_document.pdf (optional)
Folder ID: 1BxiMVs0XRA5nFMdKvBdBZjgmUUqptlbs74OgvE2upms

Multiple File Upload

Upload several files at once:
Upload Type: Multiple
File URLs: [
  "https://example.com/file1.pdf",
  "https://example.com/file2.jpg",
  "https://example.com/file3.docx"
]
Folder ID: 1BxiMVs0XRA5nFMdKvBdBZjgmUUqptlbs74OgvE2upms

Custom Naming

Upload with custom filename:
Upload Type: Single
File URL: https://example.com/temp/abc123.pdf
File Name: Q4_Financial_Report.pdf
Result: File saved as "Q4_Financial_Report.pdf" in Drive

Use Cases

Website Content Archiving

Archive important web resources:
- Collect URLs of important documents
- Upload files to organized Drive folders
- Create permanent backup of web content
- Share archived content with team

Product Media Management

Manage product images and videos:
- Get product media URLs from suppliers
- Upload to product-specific Drive folders
- Organize by product categories
- Use in marketing materials and catalogs

Report Distribution

Distribute generated reports:
- Generate reports in external systems
- Upload report files to shared Drive folders
- Notify stakeholders of new reports
- Maintain organized report archive

Data Pipeline Integration

Integrate file uploads in data workflows:
- Export data files from databases
- Upload processed files to Drive
- Make files available for further processing
- Track file processing status

File Handling

Supported URL Formats

✅ Direct file URLs: https://example.com/file.pdf
✅ CDN URLs: https://cdn.example.com/images/photo.jpg
✅ Temporary URLs: https://temp.example.com/download/abc123
✅ API endpoints: https://api.example.com/files/download?id=123

Automatic File Detection

  • MIME type: Automatically detected from server response
  • File extension: Preserved from original URL when possible
  • File size: Calculated during download
  • Content validation: Basic validation to ensure file integrity

Custom Naming Rules

  • Single upload: Use custom filename if provided
  • Multiple upload: Use original filenames from URLs
  • Conflict handling: Google Drive handles duplicate names automatically
  • Invalid characters: Automatically cleaned from filenames

Error Handling

Common Issues and Solutions

Invalid Folder ID:
Error: "Folder not found or not accessible"
Solution: Verify folder ID and ensure proper permissions
Invalid URL:
Error: "Failed to download file from URL"
Solution: Check URL accessibility and format
File Too Large:
Error: "File exceeds size limits"
Solution: Use smaller files or split large files
Network Issues:
Error: "Connection timeout"
Solution: Retry upload or check network connectivity

Partial Upload Handling

  • Mixed results: Some files upload successfully, others fail
  • Detailed error reporting: Specific error for each failed file
  • Credit charging: Only successful uploads are charged
  • Retry capability: Can retry failed uploads separately

Tips

URL Management:
  • Test URLs manually before bulk uploads to ensure accessibility
  • Use direct file URLs when possible for better reliability
  • Check URL expiration for temporary download links
  • Verify file permissions on source servers
Folder Organization:
  • Create organized folder structure before uploading
  • Use descriptive folder names for easy identification
  • Set appropriate permissions on destination folders
  • Consider folder hierarchy for large file collections
Performance Optimization:
  • Batch similar files in single upload operations
  • Avoid very large files (>100MB) for better performance
  • Use multiple uploads for very large batches (>50 files)
  • Monitor upload progress for long-running operations
Workflow Integration:
  • Combine with file selection to organize uploads dynamically
  • Use with folder creation to create structured storage
  • Connect to notification systems for upload confirmations
  • Feed file IDs to subsequent operations for further processing
Error Prevention:
  • Validate URLs before starting uploads
  • Check available storage in Google Drive
  • Test with small batches before large uploads
  • Set up error handling for production workflows
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