The idea is:
Enhance the Google Drive trigger nodes to support recursive monitoring of folders and all their subfolders. Currently, the Google Drive trigger can only watch a specific file or a single folder, but cannot detect changes in any subfolders within the specified folder. The enhancement would add an option like “Include subfolders” or “Monitor recursively” to the existing Google Drive trigger configuration.
My use case:
I’m building a RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) chat system for a law firm using n8n workflows. The system needs to:
- Monitor a main “Client Data” folder in Google Drive
- Each client has their own subfolder within “Client Data” (e.g., /Client Data/Client A/, /Client Data/Client B/)
I think it would be beneficial to add this because:
- Scalability: Organizations often use hierarchical folder structures. Without recursive monitoring, users must create multiple workflows or trigger nodes for each subfolder, making maintenance difficult.
- Common Use Pattern: Many businesses organize data in nested folder structures (departments > projects > subprojects, or clients > matters > documents).
- Reduced Complexity: Currently requires workarounds like scheduled polling with custom code or external services, adding unnecessary complexity.
- Competitive Feature: Other automation platforms and Google Drive’s own API support recursive folder monitoring through push notifications.
- Enterprise Use Cases: Essential for document management systems, legal document processing, HR file monitoring, and any multi-tenant application where folder hierarchy represents organizational structure.