Two Dropbox triggers start a run from what happens in a folder:

  • Dropbox · New file in a folder — a file is added.
  • Dropbox · File updated — a file already there is changed.

They check the folder every 5 minutes on paid plans and every 15 on Free. Instant triggers, which Dropbox tells about changes within seconds, come later with signing in with Dropbox.

Who can do this

Workspace Admins and Editors, on every plan.

Before you start

A Dropbox connection in this workspace. See Connect Dropbox.

Steps

  1. Open the workflow in the designer and open the trigger picker — Browse all triggers, or Change how it starts on an existing trigger.
  2. Under Dropbox, select New file in a folder or File updated. Or type Dropbox in Search triggers.
  3. In Connection, choose your Dropbox connection.
  4. In Folder, choose the folder to watch — for example /Northwind Logistics/Delivery notes. Empty watches the top folder.
  5. Optional: tick Include subfolders, and choose a Type — PDF, Image, Spreadsheet, Document or Other, by the file's extension. None chosen takes every type.
  6. Optional, for New file in a folder: turn on Download it to bring the file itself into the run, up to 250 MB.
  7. Under Checks, choose Every 5 minutes or Every 15 minutes.
  8. Open the Output tab and select Fetch a sample. The newest file in the folder comes in, and Test run starts with it.
  9. Add the steps, test, then Publish.

What happens next

  • The first check after publishing only notes where things stand. Files already there never start a run.
  • Each new or changed file starts one run, with id, name, path, folder, isFolder, size, modifiedAt, revision and url — {{ trigger.name }} — and the file itself when Download it is on.
  • Up to 100 new or changed files start runs in one check; the rest wait for the next check, in order.
  • A check that finds nothing starts no run and costs nothing.
  • The panel reads Checking every 5 minutes — Last checked 10:45 · next 10:50, with Recent checks — Nothing new, or 2 found · 2 runs.

Good to know

  • Every 5 minutes is for paid plans. On Free the trigger checks every 15 minutes whatever is chosen.
  • A file saved several times between checks starts one run, with its latest version.
  • A file is new the first time the trigger sees it. Dropbox gives no created time, so the trigger remembers the files it has seen — the newest 5,000 — and their versions. A file it has not seen is new; a file it has seen with a new version is updated. Moving a file in from outside the watched folder counts as a new file.
  • When Dropbox limits the account's requests, the trigger waits until Dropbox says to try again, then carries on where it was. Nothing is lost, and the trigger is not marked as failing.
  • Changing the folder, Include subfolders or Type and publishing starts counting again from then.
  • Runs start in Production and count in the month's allowance.

If something goes wrong

What you see Why What to do
Not checking since 10:45 with "Dropbox refused: expired_access_token. …" The token ran out — a generated token lasts at most 4 hours. Generate a new token, replace it on the connection, then Check now. See When an app trigger stops checking.
A file did not start a run It is in a subfolder and Include subfolders is off, or its type is not one chosen under Type. Change the trigger's settings and publish again.