Verify that you granted the necessary permissions during OAuth setup. August only has access to folders you explicitly selected during the connection process. If you need to add additional folders, disconnect and reconnect the integration, selecting the additional folders you want to sync.
Google Drive Integration
Connect Google Drive to August for seamless document access, folder synchronization, and collaborative workflows across your firm's cloud storage.
What This Integration Does
The Google Drive integration enables bi-directional sync between your Google Workspace storage and the August platform. Key capabilities include:
Document upload: Upload files directly from Drive to August for analysis, review, and drafting workflows.
Folder sync: Connect matter folders to keep documents synchronized as changes occur, with automatic incremental updates based on modification dates.
Collaborative access: Team members can access shared Drive folders through August, maintaining your firm's existing folder structure and permissions.
Assistant integration: Use Drive-connected documents as sources for Assistant queries, analysis, and drafting tasks.
Setup Requirements
Before connecting Google Drive, ensure you have:
Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
Google Workspace subscription | Business tier or higher required |
Google account access | Your individual Google account credentials for OAuth authentication |
Admin consent (optional) | Domain-wide delegation is available but not required for individual user connections |
If your firm wants to connect Drive at the organization level rather than individual accounts, your Google Workspace administrator can enable domain-wide delegation. This allows August to access shared drives across the organization.
How to Connect Google Drive
All integrations use OAuth 2.0 authentication. No passwords are stored by August.
1
Open Integrations
Navigate to Integrations from the left navigation menu in August.
2
Select Google Drive
Click Google Drive from the available integrations list to begin the connection process.
3
Authenticate with Google
A secure Google OAuth 2.0 login page opens. Sign in with your Google account and grant the requested permissions. August requests only the minimum scopes needed for document access and folder synchronization.
4
Select Folders to Sync
Browse your Drive structure and select the specific folders you want connected to August. Only the folders you choose will sync, giving you control over what documents are available in the platform.
5
Complete Setup
Once connected, sync begins automatically. August performs incremental syncs based on file modification dates, keeping your documents up to date without redundant processing.
Searching Google Drive from Assistant
When you ask the Assistant questions about Google Drive content, August can search in two ways:
Search Type | When It's Used | What It Finds |
|---|---|---|
Keyword search | You describe content or file names | Documents matching your search terms, including content inside files |
Folder search | You name a specific folder | All documents inside that folder and its subfolders |
Keyword Search
When you ask about content—such as "Find merger agreements related to healthcare"—August searches Google Drive for documents matching your keywords. This search looks inside file contents and across file names.
Keyword search now includes files from shared drives more comprehensively. If your firm uses shared drives (formerly Team Drives), results will surface files from those locations alongside your personal Drive content.
Shared drives: Keyword search reaches shared-drive content directly. If you previously noticed gaps in shared-drive results, the search coverage is now broader.
Folder Search
When you name a folder—such as "the Grantson merger folder" or "search the Acme diligence folder"—August searches inside that specific folder and all its subfolders. This is useful when you know exactly where relevant documents live.
Folder search works recursively: it enumerates documents in the folder you named and any folders nested inside it. The search results card displays the folder name in its header: Google Drive Search Results in "FOLDER_NAME".
What to Expect
Recursive listing: August traverses subfolders automatically, up to 6 levels deep.
Result limits: If a folder contains many files, August returns up to 500 documents and indicates when results are truncated.
Disambiguation: If multiple folders share the name you provided, August will ask you to clarify which folder you meant.
Folder not found: If no folder matches the name you gave, August will let you know so you can provide a different name or try keyword search instead.
Large folders: When a folder tree exceeds 500 files or reaches the depth limit, August stops early and tells you that results are incomplete. If you need more comprehensive coverage, consider narrowing your query or syncing specific subfolders.
Choosing Between Keyword and Folder Search
Use each search mode for the situation that fits:
Use keyword search when | Use folder search when |
|---|---|
You're looking for content but don't know the folder | You know the exact folder name |
You want to find documents by topic or phrase | You want all documents from a specific matter folder |
You're searching across multiple folders or shared drives | You want a complete listing of a folder's contents |
August chooses the appropriate mode based on how you phrase your request. If you name a folder, August prefers folder search. If you describe content or file names, August uses keyword search.
Common Use Cases
Syncing Matter Folders
Connect client matter folders to automatically keep relevant documents available in August. As team members add or update files in Drive, those changes sync to August for use in analysis and drafting. This is particularly useful for ongoing matters where documents accumulate over time.
Collaborative Document Access
When multiple team members work on the same matter, shared Drive folders provide a single source of truth. Connect those folders to August so everyone can access the latest documents without re-uploading or managing duplicate copies.
Using Drive as a Document Source for Assistant
After connecting folders, reference Drive documents directly in Assistant queries. Ask questions about specific files, compare documents across matters, or use Drive-connected documents as context for drafting and analysis workflows. All outputs include citations that trace back to source documents.
Troubleshooting
I can't see certain folders in August
Documents aren't syncing
Check that the files are in a connected folder and that you have edit permissions in Google Drive. August syncs files based on modification dates—if files haven't changed since the last sync, they won't appear as new. For newly added files, confirm they've been placed in a synced folder.
Folder search can't find my folder
Make sure the folder name you provided matches the actual name in Google Drive. If multiple folders share the same name, August will ask you to clarify. If the folder is nested deeply inside another folder, check that its depth is within 6 levels of the parent you named.
Folder search results are incomplete
Large folder trees may hit the 500-file limit or the depth limit. August will indicate when results are truncated. To get more complete coverage, try syncing specific subfolders separately, or use keyword search to find particular documents.
OAuth authentication fails
Ensure you're using a Google Workspace Business account (not a personal Gmail account). If your organization has security policies restricting third-party app access, your Google Workspace administrator may need to approve the August integration. Contact your IT administrator for domain-level consent.
Permission errors when accessing files
August can only access files within folders you've connected and for which you have Drive permissions. If you've connected a folder but can't access specific files, check the file-level permissions in Google Drive. Shared files may require explicit access grants even when in a connected folder.
Security and Privacy
The Google Drive integration uses industry-standard OAuth 2.0 authentication:
No passwords stored: August never receives or stores your Google password. Authentication tokens are encrypted and managed securely.
Minimum permissions: August requests only the scopes needed for document access and folder sync.
Zero data retention for training: Your documents are not used to train AI models. See Security and Privacy Overview for details.
SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified: August maintains enterprise-grade security certifications.
For complete security details, including encryption standards, access controls, and compliance certifications, see Security and Privacy Overview.
What to Read Next
Assistant Overview — Learn how to work with Drive-connected documents in the Assistant for analysis, drafting, and research.
Platform Search — Search across your entire August workspace, including Drive-connected content.
Security and Privacy Overview — Understand how August protects your firm's data across all integrations.
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