Google Drive Overview | Alephant Documentation

Use the Google Drive connector to index approved Drive content into document sets. An Admin creates and maintains the Google credential and selects or associates it when configuring the connector. Limit the connector to authorized content and verify each index attempt before attaching the results to an Agent.

How it works

The connector authenticates to Google Drive with its saved credential, discovers content within the selected scope, and creates an index attempt. After a successful attempt, organize the indexed content into document sets for the Agents that need it.

The connector’s access is limited by both its selected scope and the permissions granted to its credential. A document set does not bypass Google Drive permissions or grant an Agent direct access to Drive.

Supported content

Index content that the selected credential can read within the chosen scope. Before expanding the scope, confirm the content owner approves indexing it and that the content is appropriate for the Agents that will use the resulting document set.

Content type	Common supported formats
Google-native files	Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
Common uploaded files	PDF, DOCX, PPTX, XLSX/XLSM, CSV/TSV, TXT/Markdown, and JSON/XML/YAML.
Images	JPG/JPEG, PNG, and WebP when image processing is enabled for the deployment.

This is not an exhaustive format list. Google Drive availability, source-side permissions, and file parsing can affect an index attempt; files that cannot be parsed, are unsupported, or exceed size limits can be skipped. Review the index attempt result and any reported errors instead of assuming every selected item was indexed.

Choose an authentication method

Method	Use it when	Administration boundary
OAuth App	An authorized person can complete browser-based consent for the Drive content being indexed.	An Admin uploads and maintains the OAuth credential and selects or associates it with the connector.
Service Account	Your organization manages Google Workspace access through an approved service identity and required delegation.	A Workspace administrator and OpenCore Admin configure the credential; the OpenCore Admin selects or associates it with the connector.

Choose the method that matches your organization’s Google Drive administration model. Use a separate credential when ownership, environment, or access boundaries differ.

Choose an indexing scope

Scope	Use it for
My Drive	Content owned by or available in the authenticated user’s My Drive.
Shared Drives	Content in Shared Drives the credential is permitted to access.
Shared with me	Content shared with the authenticated user that is appropriate to index.
Drive URL	One specified Drive identified by its approved URL.
Folder URL	One specified folder and the content selected from that folder by the connector.

Start with the narrowest approved scope. Verify the initial index attempt, then widen the scope only after the content owner and deployment policy approve it.

Multiple credentials and connectors

Admins can create multiple credentials and associate them with multiple connectors when content owners, Google environments, or access boundaries differ. Keep each connector’s credential and scope easy to review, and use distinct document sets when the indexed content should be available to different Agents or audiences.

Changing or revoking one credential can affect only the connectors that use it. Recheck the affected connectors and run a new index attempt after a credential, permission, or scope changes.

Next steps

Google Drive OAuth guides browser-based authorization with an OAuth App.
Google Drive Service Account covers organization-managed service identity setup.
Connectors & Indexing explains document sets, index attempts, and Standard mode requirements.