See how to create a Google Drive file upload form in WordPress. All it takes is a simple workflow.
Setting up forms that upload files to WordPress from the front end is easy. However, if you're working with limited storage space, you may run into issues.
The solution is to upload those files to a third-party platform such as Google Drive. This is something that you can easily accomplish using a Google Drive file upload form.
In this post, we'll show you how to send files from a form to Google Drive. Let's get started!
? Need your plugin to handle other Google services?
Formidable Forms is also one of the best WordPress Google Sheets plugins!
Step 1: Set up a Google Drive file upload form in WordPress
Before you start, be sure to create a file upload form. You'll use this form to receive files from users and upload files to Google Drive for storage.
This could be a contact form, payment form, request a quote form... Whatever you'd like to create is perfect.
Once you're ready, you can continue this tutorial.
Step 2: Get an API key in Formidable Forms
For this tutorial, we're going to connect Formidable Forms with Google Drive using Zapier. This means Zapier will need to access both the Formidable Forms plugin for WordPress and your Google Drive account.
To get started, you'll need to generate an API key in Formidable Forms using the API Webhooks add-on. This is available with the Formidable Business plan and higher. Once you install the add-on, navigate to Formidable ā Global Settings ā API and copy the key inside:
This is the key you'll need to use if you want to connect Formidable Forms with external services. Save it to your clipboard or keep that tab open, as you'll need it in a minute.
Step 3: Set up a Formidable Forms + Zapier workflow
Formidable Forms requires you to use the Zapier add-on to connect to the platform. Simply install the add-on and you'll be able to connect the plugin with Zapier.
By connecting your WordPress website with Zapier, you can set up forms that trigger specific actions on other platforms. One such example is creating a WordPress file upload to Google Drive.
To do this, you'll need to set up a Zapier "workflow". This means you'll configure Zapier so that when you execute an action using Formidable Forms, it'll generate an automatic response in Google Drive.
To get started, go to the Zapier homepage and create an account (or log into an existing one). The platform will then show you an option to create a new workflow by selecting which apps you want to connect.
Choose Formidable Forms under Connect this app... and Google Drive under with this one!:
Now Zapier will ask you to specify an action in the first app that will trigger a response in the second. The first app, in this case, is Formidable Forms. Select the New entry option under When this happens... and Upload file under then do this!:
Once you configure the workflow, Zapier will show you an overview of how it'll work. Click on Try it and move on to the next step.
Step 4: Connect Zapier and Google Drive with Formidable Forms
On the next page, Zapier will ask you to log into both your Formidable Forms and Google accounts so it can configure both platforms to execute the workflow. Start by clicking on the Sign in to Formidable Forms button:
Zapier will ask you to enter your Formidable Forms API key (from step one) and your website's URL:
Click on Yes, Continue and let Zapier work its magic. It will then take you back to your workflow's page, where you can repeat the signing process with Google Drive:
This part is simple as Google will just ask you what account you want to connect with Zapier. You'll see a screen that confirms the permissions that Zapier requires. Click on Yes and that's it.
Step 5: Configure how the Google Drive file upload will work
After you connect both your Formidable Forms and Google Drive accounts with Zapier, you'll need to configure how the file upload process will work. Return to the workflow page on Zapier and scroll down to the Google Drive section.
Here, you can configure what drive to upload the Formidable Forms files to, which Google Drive folder to store them in, what files Zapier should process, and whether to convert them into different formats:
Once you're done, save the changes to the workflow and enable it using the on/off switch at the top of the screen. Now it's time to return to WordPress to set up your Google Drive file upload form.
Conclusion
Once your file upload form for Google Drive is set up and starts receiving submissions, Zapier will automatically take the form responses and send them over to Google Drive. You'll now have a safe backup of those files.
This method also works great for Google Sheets integration as a Google Forms alternative.
Setting up a Google Drive file upload form is simple. You can connect Formidable Forms with Google Drive, and files submitted by users will be automatically uploaded to your cloud storage.
Let's recap what you need to do to connect Formidable Forms with Google Drive:
- Generate an API key in Formidable Forms.
- Set up a Formidable Forms + Zapier workflow.
- Connect Zapier and Google Drive with Formidable Forms.
- Configure how the Google Drive file upload option will work.
- Set up a Google Drive file upload form in WordPress
Read more about file upload forms in WordPress
You can build your own Google Drive file upload form in Formidable Forms in a matter of minutes. Check out the Formidable Forms plans and get started today!
Prabesh Subedi says
Informative!!
Varun says
This is fantastic, exactly what I was looking for
Randy R says
Very handy API
Chris Hirst says
This doesn't actually work to reduce the storage space - it simply copies the file over to Google Drive.
"However, if you're working with limited storage space, you may run into issues.
The solution is to upload those files to a third-party platform such as Google Drive. This is something that you can easily accomplish using a Google Drive file upload form."
So this doesn't make sense - as the file still exists on the server.
Sure, you can delete the entry - and associated file with it - but it's not actually a "server bypass" it's billed as.