Filter Automate

Filter Automate streamlines Google Drive audits by automatically identifying and reporting files with excessive sharing permissions daily. It creates a new Google Sheet for each audit, aggregates data on recently modified documents, and sends a comprehensive email report, enhancing security and ensuring timely access control management.

7/8/2025
19 nodes
Complex
schedulecomplexfiltergooglesheetssplitinbatchesnoopsplitoutaggregategmailgoogle drivesticky noteschedule triggerautomationadvancedcron
Categories:
Communication & MessagingSchedule TriggeredComplex WorkflowData Processing & Analysis
Integrations:
FilterGoogleSheetsSplitInBatchesNoOpSplitOutAggregateGmailGoogle DriveSticky NoteSchedule Trigger

Target Audience

This workflow is ideal for:
- IT Security Teams: To regularly audit and manage file permissions in Google Drive.
- Compliance Officers: To ensure adherence to data protection policies by identifying overly permissive file sharing settings.
- Project Managers: To monitor access to project-related documents and maintain control over sensitive information.
- Small Business Owners: To keep track of shared documents and prevent unauthorized access to critical business data.

Problem Solved

This workflow addresses the challenge of managing file permissions in Google Drive by automating the process of auditing recently modified documents. It identifies files that are shared publicly or with external users, which could pose security risks. By generating a daily report, it helps organizations maintain better control over who has access to their documents, reducing the likelihood of data breaches and ensuring compliance with internal policies.

Workflow Steps

  • Scheduled Trigger: The workflow is set to run daily at 6 AM, automatically initiating the audit process.
    2. Create New Sheet: A new Google Sheet titled audit-YYYYMMDD is created to store the results of the audit.
    3. Get Recently Active Documents: The workflow retrieves documents modified in the last 24 hours from Google Drive, including their permissions settings.
    4. Filter Documents: It filters out documents shared with anyone or external users, focusing on those that may require review.
    5. Normalize Fields: Relevant fields such as file_id, file_name, user, and role are extracted and organized for reporting.
    6. Aggregate Results: The workflow aggregates the filtered data into rows for easy insertion into the Google Sheet.
    7. Append to New Sheet: The aggregated results are appended to the newly created Google Sheet.
    8. Send Email Report: Finally, an email report is generated and sent to a designated recipient, summarizing the findings and including links to the audited files for review.

    • Customization Guide

    To customize this workflow:
    - Adjust the Schedule: Modify the scheduled trigger to run at a different time or frequency based on your organization's needs.
    - Change the Document Types: Update the filter in the Get Recently Active Documents node to include or exclude specific file types based on your requirements.
    - Modify Email Recipients: Change the email address in the Send Email Report node to send the report to different stakeholders.
    - Add Additional Filters: Introduce more filtering conditions in the Has Shared with External Users node to refine the audit results further.
    - Integrate with Other Tools: Consider connecting this workflow with other applications such as Microsoft SharePoint or Dropbox if you're using those platforms instead of Google Drive.