File management is a constant struggle. Not only do you have to download email attachments, create files across multiple apps, and share them with colleagues, you also have to remember to back everything up.
Cloud storage apps like Dropbox make it easier to store and collaborate on files, but you still need a solid file management system. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck trying to find the proverbial needle in a haystack anytime to need to find that document or contract.
Thankfully, Zapier’s automated workflows—called Zaps—automate the tedious tasks that come with file organization. Here are some of the best ways to streamline your file storage—and save yourself time—with Dropbox automation.
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To get started with a Zap template—what we call our pre-made workflows—just click on the button next to the name of a Zap you’d like to try. It only takes a few minutes to set it up. You can read more about setting up Zaps here.
Save files to Dropbox automatically
If you’ve ever searched your inbox hoping you hadn’t deleted that document you need, you know firsthand how easy it is to forget to save attachments. And even if you never forget, the few minutes it takes to save each file to Dropbox add up fast.
Automation can save files the moment you receive them—making your file management more consistent and ensuring you always find a file when you need it.
For example, you can set up an automated workflow that watches for new emails, email attachments, or emails matching a specific search term. These Zaps will save those emails or their attachments as files in Dropbox automatically.
But your important files probably come from a variety of sources, not just email. Maybe new clients upload signed contracts to an eSignature app or you use forms to collect important documents from customers and internal stakeholders.
Uploading signed documents to Dropbox ensures the safe storage of important business records. And saving forms as text files in Dropbox makes it easier to share results in a more universal format.
Clean up your file storage
Organizing and cleaning up your files regularly is good computer hygiene. But like flossing your teeth, it’s easy to avoid…until a painful dental visit (or server crash) catches up with you.
While there’s no way to floss your teeth automatically, you can use Zapier to automatically clean up your files and keep your Dropbox account manageable. For example, if you’re working with multiple file storage services and accounts, you can use these Zaps to automatically back up files between accounts.
You can also use Zapier to delete files and folders, helping you comply with your workplace’s security and data retention policies. Do things like automatically deleting files after a certain time period or copying them to an archive folder and deleting the originals.
Manage your social media files
Any content creator or business owner understands the work that goes into curating a social media presence—and it’s not just about the aesthetics. For example, it’s important to back up your Instagram photos so you can use them in other materials later. And any video creator would love it if uploading to YouTube took less time.
Thankfully, Zapier can handle Dropbox files up to 500MB, so you can upload high-resolution images and videos to and from your social platforms automatically. Give your social media managers some time back in their day with these automatic workflows.
Send notifications for new files in Dropbox
If your team works in a shared Dropbox folder or you use a shared drive to collaborate with clients, it’s important to have clear communication when someone makes an update. But when there are a lot of tasks on your plate, it’s easy to forget to let your teammate or client know a file is ready for review.
These Zaps send notifications by email or Slack as soon as a new file appears in your chosen Dropbox folder. That way, the right people are notified at the right time.
If you want to get more specific in your notifications, you can even add a lookup table to find the right recipient or add a filter step to only send a notification for files with a specific keyword.
Create tasks and database items
When your team uses Dropbox to store project-related documents, it makes sense to connect those files to your databases and project management tools.
These Zaps create new items in apps like Asana, Notion, and Google Sheets whenever a new file is detected in your specified Dropbox folder. That way, you can easily access a copy of the file from your most-used apps. And if your team needs to take action on new files, you can also use the Zap to create action items whenever a new file appears in Dropbox.
How will you automate Dropbox?
This is just the start of all you can do with Dropbox and Zapier. Zapier supports thousands of apps, so you can automate almost any task at work. Start building your Zap now and see what you can create.
This article was originally published in August 2020, written by Krystina Martinez. It was most recently updated in September 2024 by Nicole Replogle.