Set up the template New Dropbox file shared in Slack

Templates · updated 28 October · 3 min read

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Who can do this Before you start Steps What happens next Good to know If something goes wrong Related

New Dropbox file shared in Slack starts a run when a file is added to a Dropbox folder, makes a share link for it and posts the link in a Slack channel. It runs on every plan, Free included. This article shows how to install it and fill in each step.

Who can do this

Workspace Admins and Editors. Templates are on every plan, and this one uses no premium connection.

Before you start

A Dropbox connection. See Connect Dropbox.
A Slack connection. See Connect Slack.

Steps

Install it

On Workflows, select the arrow beside + New workflow, then From a template.
In Search templates, type Dropbox.
On New Dropbox file shared in Slack, select Use this template.
In Install into, choose the workspace or project, then select Install as a draft.
The toast says Installed as a draft, for example New Dropbox file shared in Slack is in Consulace. Connect Dropbox and Slack, then publish. An app it doesn't name had one connection in the workspace, and the template has chosen it. Select Open it. The workflow opens in the designer with three steps.

Fill in the steps

Select When a file arrives (Dropbox · New file in a folder).
- Choose the Dropbox Connection, then the Folder, such as /Invoices.
- Turn on Include subfolders to watch the folders inside it too.
- In Type, choose kinds of file, such as PDFs, to start runs for those only.
Select Make a link (Dropbox · Create a share link). File or folder is already the new file. Who can open it is empty, which follows your own Dropbox settings. Choose another audience only if you mean to.
Select Post the link (Slack · Post a message). Choose the Slack Connection and the Channel.
Select the trigger, open Output and select Fetch a sample. The newest file in the folder comes in, and Test run starts with it. Then select Test run. See Testing a workflow before you publish it. Making a share link while testing really makes it, and the message is really posted.
Publish the workflow and switch it on.

What happens next

The folder is checked every 5 minutes on a paid plan, and every 15 on Free. Each new file found starts one run.
The first check after publishing only notes what's there. Files already in the folder never start a run.
Dropbox makes the link, or gives back the one the file already has.

Good to know

The link is only as open as your Dropbox settings allow. The template never makes a file public by itself.
A file that's changed, not added, doesn't start a run. For that, use Dropbox · File updated as the trigger.

If something goes wrong

What you see	Why	What to do
Steps marked Needs setup	A connection, folder or channel isn't chosen yet	Open each one and fill it in. See Fix steps marked Needs setup.
People in Slack can't open the link	Your Dropbox settings keep links inside your team	Choose an audience in Who can open it, if your Dropbox allows it.

Was this helpful?

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