Are you spending too much time managing documents and data entry manually?
Imagine automating your workflow by linking Dropbox with Google Sheets so all your scanned or uploaded documents are automatically processed and recorded.
In this article, we’ll walk you through how to easily set up the integration between Dropbox and Google Sheets, automating document management and reducing manual data entry while improving efficiency.
Meet Yoom: No-Code Automation
Yoom is a next-generation no-code automation that lets you connect and automate tasks between your favorite apps. Connecting different apps can be challenging for non-engineers, but Yoom makes automation accessible to everyone.
🌐 Connect with apps like Dropbox, Google Sheets, and more.
📖 Use automation templates - no technical setup required
📈 Boost productivity and reduce human errors
You don't need to go through a complex setup and IT jargon, you can build your automation workflows with just a few clicks :) It's designed for those who want to streamline their daily work and save hours of time and stress from repetitive work.
In this guide, you'll learn the step-by-step process of how to use Yoom to automatically extract content from Dropbox using OCR and add it to Google Sheets.
✨ Recommended for
Anyone looking to save time on manual data entry and file management in Google Sheets.
Teams that want a streamlined solution for managing and organizing Dropbox data across their teams.
Organizations aiming to reduce paper document management and minimize their environmental footprint.
✔️ For Those Who Want to Try It Now
Yoom offers ready-made templates for easy setup. Click the "Try it" button to get started now!
When a file is uploaded to Dropbox, read the file contents with OCR and add them to a Google Spreadsheet.
🚀 Let’s Set Up a Flowbot to Extract Content from Dropbox Files Using OCR and Add It to Google Sheets
Let's walk through how to set up a flow that automatically extracts content from files uploaded to Dropbox using OCR and adds it to Google Sheets.
⏱️ Setup time: 10 minutes
🔧 What You’ll Need
A free Yoom account
Access to Dropbox and Google Sheets
If you don’t have a Yoom account yet, register now from thisregistration form!
⚠️ Note: OCR (reading text) used in this Flowbot is only available in Yoom's certain plans. If you're using the Free or Plus plan, the Flowbot may face errors due to limited access. But don't worry - all plans have a 2-week free trial! You can try all features without restrictions. For more details, on Yoom and its plans, visit our Yoom Help Center.
Step 1: Register Apps in Yoom
Go to "My Apps" from the left side menu and click "+ Add".
Connect Dropbox
Search for "Dropbox" from the app list and select it.
The Dropbox login screen will pop up. Log in to your Dropbox account and click “Continue” to proceed.
Connect Google Sheets
Search for "Google Sheets" from the app list and select it.
Click "Sign in with Google."
Select the Google account to link with Yoom.
Step 2: Copy the Template
Click the "Try It" button to copy the pre-built template into your project.
When a file is uploaded to Dropbox, read the file contents with OCR and add them to a Google Spreadsheet.
Click "OK" and give the Flowbot a name to recognize.
The template will be copied to your "My Project".
Step 3: Set Up Dropbox Trigger Action
Click on the app trigger action with the Dropbox icon.
The next screen is pre-configured. You can change the title if you want.
Set your trigger interval (how often you want Yoom to check Dropbox for new updates). It can be set to 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or 60 minutes. We recommend setting the trigger to the shortest activation interval available for your plan.
⚠️ Note: The trigger interval varies depending on your Yoom plan. Be sure to check your current plan’s limit.
Enter the folder path and file name for the target folder.
Once set, click “Test”. If the test is successful, click “Save”.
Step 4: Download File
Click "Download File" with the Dropbox icon.
The next screen is pre-configured. You can change the title if you want.
Let’s set up the folder path and file name. Select the desired retrieved value from the previous step.
📚 Reference: For more details on retrieved values and how to set them up, see theguide here.
After entering the necessary information, click “Test” to ensure everything is working properly.
If no errors appear, click “Save” to confirm your settings and complete the setup.
Step 5: Set Up OCR Action
Click on the OCR action.
The title and action are pre-configured. You can change them if needed. For the action, select it based on the file type relevant to your need.
Once selected click “Next”.
Select the file type for testing. Choose between "Use Retrieved Values" or "Upload File." Since we want to use the file retrieved from the Dropbox, we will choose the "Use Retrieved Values" option.
📚 Reference: For more details on retrieved values and how to set them up, see the guide here.
Next, specify which data you want to extract from the Dropbox file.
📚 References: For more details on how to set up the “Extract Text from Images/PDFs” action, you can refer to the full guide here.
Once the input is complete, click "Test”. If no errors occur, click “Save”.
Step 6: Add Record to Google Sheets
Click on the action with the Google Sheets icon.
The next screen is pre-configured. You can change the title if you want.
Select Spreadsheet ID: Choose the Spreadsheet ID from the displayed options.
Select Tab Name: Choose the Tab Name where the data will be stored.
Define Table Range (Optional): You can optionally specify the Table Range where data will be saved.
📚 Reference: For more details on table range settings, check this guide.
Map the Data: Click on each item field and assign the corresponding data from the retrieved value to each field.
Test the Setup: After setting the data, click Test to check if everything is configured correctly.
Once you confirm the test is successful, click "Save".
Step 7: Activate the Flowbot
Toggle the "Trigger On" button to activate your flow! Check if the Flowbot you set up is working properly.
That’s it! 🎉 The Flowbot is now complete!
When a file is uploaded to Dropbox, read the file contents with OCR and add them to a Google Spreadsheet.
💡 Other Automation Examples Using Dropbox and Google Sheets
By using Dropbox, Google Sheets, and the OCRfeature, you can unlock a wide range of automation possibilities that simplify your workflows. Here are some examples you can explore for your next automation!
Automation Examples Integrating Dropbox and Google Sheets
When a Google Spreadsheet is created in Google Drive, upload the file to Dropbox in PDF format.
■Overview The "Transcribe audio files from Dropbox, summarize with OpenAI, and add to Google Sheets" workflow is a business workflow that streamlines the management and utilization of audio data. Audio files uploaded to Dropbox are automatically transcribed, summarized using OpenAI's AI summarization feature, and automatically added to Google Sheets. This eliminates the need for manual data organization and allows for smooth information management on spreadsheets.
■Recommended for - Those who store many audio files in Dropbox and want to efficiently transcribe and summarize them - Business professionals who want to automate information organization and analysis using OpenAI's AI summarization feature - Those who manage data using Google Sheets and want to automate their workflow - Team leaders or managers who spend time on manual transcription and data entry - Company personnel who want to streamline report creation and analysis tasks using audio data
■Notes - Please integrate Yoom with Dropbox, OpenAI, and Google Sheets. - To execute ChatGPT (OpenAI) actions, a paid plan for OpenAI's API is required. (Payment must be possible when the API is used) https://openai.com/ja-JP/api/pricing/ - The use of ChatGPT's API is provided by OpenAI for a fee, and it is a pay-as-you-go system based on tokens during API communication. Therefore, if payment cannot be made when using the API, an error will occur, so please be careful. - Triggers can be set to activate at intervals of 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or 60 minutes. - Please note that the shortest activation interval varies depending on the plan.
■Overview Are you manually saving attachments such as invoices and reports received in Outlook to Dropbox each time? This simple task can become a significant burden as the volume increases and may lead to mistakes such as missed saves. This workflow automatically uploads attachments to Dropbox when a specific email is received in Outlook, streamlining manual file management and facilitating the handling of important documents.
■Who we recommend this template for ・Those who use Outlook and Dropbox on a daily basis and feel challenged by manual file management ・Those who want to consolidate files shared by the team into a specific folder to improve management efficiency ・General affairs and accounting staff who want to prevent missed saves of important documents such as invoices and strengthen their backup structure
■Notes ・Please connect Yoom with both Outlook and Dropbox. ・Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) has consumer plans and general business plans (Microsoft 365 Business). If you are not subscribed to a business plan, authentication may fail. ・You can select the trigger interval from 5, 10, 15, 30, or 60 minutes. The shortest interval varies by plan, so please be aware. ・Branching is a feature (operation) available on the Mini plan or higher. On the Free plan, operations set in the flow bot will result in errors, so please be careful. ・Paid plans such as the Mini plan offer a 2-week free trial. During the free trial, you can use apps and features (operations) that are otherwise restricted.
■Overview The "Notify Slack when a file is uploaded to Dropbox" workflow leverages the integration between Dropbox and Slack to automate file sharing and team communication. Whenever a new file is added to Dropbox, a notification is sent to Slack, allowing all team members to quickly grasp the latest information. This eliminates information sharing time lags, strengthens team collaboration, and improves work efficiency.
■Who this template is recommended for: ・Those who use Dropbox on a daily basis and want to streamline file sharing ・Administrators and team leaders who want to enhance team communication using Slack ・Project managers who want to receive immediate notifications when files are uploaded ・IT personnel who want to automate work by integrating various SaaS applications ・Business professionals who spend time on manual notifications
■Notes ・Please integrate both Dropbox and Slack with Yoom.
■Overview The "Notify Microsoft Teams when a new file is added to a specified Dropbox folder" flow integrates Dropbox and Microsoft Teams to quickly share file additions with the team. It is important to inform the entire team when the latest files are added for file sharing and information sharing, but manually notifying is cumbersome. With this workflow, you can automatically send notifications to Microsoft Teams when a new file is added to a specified Dropbox folder, enabling smooth information sharing.
■Recommended for ・Teams or project managers who use Dropbox regularly ・Those who want to grasp the sharing status of new files in real-time ・Those who want to enhance team communication using Microsoft Teams ・Those who want to reduce manual notification tasks and improve work efficiency
■Notes ・Please link both Dropbox and Microsoft Teams with Yoom. ・Microsoft365 (formerly Office365) has a home plan and a general corporate plan (Microsoft365 Business), and if you are not subscribed to the general corporate plan, authentication may fail. ・You can select the trigger interval from 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 60 minutes. ・Please note that the shortest trigger interval varies depending on the plan.
■Overview When receiving files with Google Forms, checking each file and manually saving it to Dropbox is time-consuming and may lead to mistakes such as forgetting to save. By using this workflow, when a response is submitted to Google Forms, the attached file is automatically uploaded to a specified folder in Dropbox, eliminating such manual tasks and improving the accuracy and speed of file management.
■Recommended for ・Those who manually manage files received via Google Forms ・Those who want to prevent missed saves and errors caused by manual work ・Those who want to automate and streamline routine tasks between Google Forms and Dropbox
■Notes ・Please connect Google Forms, Google Drive, and Dropbox with Yoom. ・For how to retrieve the response contents when using Google Forms as a trigger, please refer to the link below. https://intercom.help/yoom/en/articles/6807133 ・You can choose trigger intervals of 5, 10, 15, 30, or 60 minutes. ・Please note that the minimum trigger interval varies by plan. ・The maximum downloadable file size is 300 MB. Depending on the app specifications, it may be less than 300 MB. ・For details on the file size limits handled by the trigger and each operation, please refer to the link below. https://intercom.help/yoom/en/articles/9413924
■Overview This is a flow to send an approval request and store it in Dropbox when a file is submitted via the form. You can automate the management of submitted files and the approval process.
■Recommended for ・Teams that frequently use forms ・Those who receive many files from inquiry forms or application forms and find it cumbersome to manage them ・Administrators who want to streamline the approval process ・Those who find sending approval requests manually cumbersome and want to automate the process to make it smoother ・Companies utilizing Dropbox ・Those who manage files centrally with Dropbox and want to streamline operations by integrating with other apps ・Those interested in automating operations ・Those aiming to automate business workflows using Yoom to improve the efficiency of daily operations
■Notes ・Please integrate each of Dropbox and Yoom.
■Overview This workflow allows you to automatically create a corresponding record in Notion just by adding a new row in Google Sheets. This automation eliminates the need for manual data entry and double management, maintaining consistency of information. With Yoom, you can easily connect apps without programming.
■Recommended for ・Those who use Google Sheets and Notion regularly and spend time on manual data entry ・Project managers who want to streamline team information sharing and update data without omissions ・Business owners who want to prevent errors from double data management and improve work accuracy ・IT personnel in companies interested in business automation through IT tool integration and considering implementation ・Freelancers or sole proprietors who need to regularly reflect data in Notion and want to save effort ・All business professionals looking to review and streamline their current workflow
■Notes ・You need to connect Google Sheets and Notion to Yoom. ・You can select the trigger interval from 5, 10, 15, 30, or 60 minutes. ・Please note that the shortest trigger interval varies depending on the plan.
■Overview The 'When a row is added in Google Sheets, create an Airtable record' flow is a business workflow that streamlines daily data management tasks. For example, when the sales team adds new customer information to a spreadsheet, that data is automatically reflected in Airtable. This integration reduces the effort and errors of manual data entry and enables accurate information sharing. As a result, it automates the data flow between Google Sheets and Airtable, significantly improving operational efficiency.
■Recommended for ・Teams or individuals who regularly use Google Sheets and Airtable ・Business professionals who want to reduce data entry effort and improve work efficiency ・Administrators who want to prevent human errors associated with manual data integration ・Those who want to centrally manage information across multiple tools and automate business processes ・Those interested in leveraging Yoom to automate business workflows ■Notes ・Please connect both Google Sheets and Airtable with Yoom. ・For the trigger, you can choose a polling interval of 5, 10, 15, 30, or 60 minutes. ・Please note that the minimum polling interval varies by plan.
👏 Benefits and Examples of Integrating Dropbox and OCR Functionality
Benefit 1: Boosting Work Efficiency with Automated Data Entry
Integrating Dropbox with Google Sheets streamlines data entry tasks by automating the process. When a document is uploaded to Dropbox, the OCR (Optical Character Recognition) functionality scans and reads its contents, automatically transferring them into Google Sheets. This can be useful when processing invoices and receipts, simply scanning and uploading paper documents to Dropbox instantly organizes details such as client names, amounts, and dates into Google Sheets automatically.
Benefit 2: Centralized and Efficient Data Management
Dropbox and Google Sheets integration brings all your data into one central hub. By consolidating data from various departments into Google Sheets, the integration creates a unified platform for managing information. This not only simplifies data organization but also allows seamless information sharing and collaboration across teams. For example, when sales upload customer details and transaction records to Dropbox, the data is automatically populated in Google Sheets, keeping it up to date in real time. This centralized database makes it easy to track customer interactions, ensuring smooth handovers and effective follow-ups.
Benefit 3: Paperless Operations
The Dropbox and Google Sheets integration can transition to paperless operations. For example, in HR, scanning and saving applicant information after interviews to Dropbox will automatically sync the data into Google Sheets. Transitioning to paperless workflows helps improve both security and efficiency while maintaining an organized and accessible data system.
📖 Summary
Using Dropbox, Google Sheets, and AI-OCR offers a range of benefits, including automated data entry, centralized information, and paperless operations. These can lead to enhanced work efficiency, smoother team collaboration, and improved data management across various business functions.
Best of all, no technical expertise is needed, and anyone can easily set it up! Ready to simplify your workflows? Sign up for Yoom and try it today!
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