Zapier connects Files.com to 2,000+ other web services. Automated connections called Zaps, set up in minutes with no coding, automate your day-to-day tasks and build workflows between apps that otherwise wouldn't be possible.

Each Zap has one app as the Trigger, where your information comes from and which causes one or more Actions in other apps, where your data gets sent automatically.

Getting Started with Zapier

Navigate to My Apps from the top menu bar, click Connect a new account, and search for "Files".

Use your Files.com API Key to connect your Files.com account to Zapier. Create a site-wide API key for full access to all folders on your site without requiring a user account. Create an API key for a specific user to restrict access to certain folders. See the documentation for creating API keys.

Once connected, you can start creating an automation. Use a pre-made Zap or create your own with the Zap Editor. Creating a Zap requires no coding knowledge, and the setup walks you through each step.

Specifying Target Folder and File Names

When using a Zap to create a folder, or upload a file, Zapier provides input fields that allow you to specify the name of the folder or file. In these input fields, you can enter text or choose from the available data fields that are available in the Zap.

For example, if your Zap trigger creates a data field named Timestamp then you can use this data field in the Create Folder in Files.com action to dynamically specify the folder name to be created.

You can also use the available data fields in the Upload File in Files.com action as either part of the file name or part of the folder path to the file name.

For example, you can use the data field named Timestamp in the following ways:

As part of the file name, by specifying MyFile_<Timestamp>.txt
As part of the folder path, by specifying /myfolder/<Timestamp>/subfolder/MyFile.txt
In both the folder path and the file name, by specifying /myfolder/<Timestamp>/subfolder/MyFile_<Timestamp>.txt

You can use multiple data fields together to construct dynamic folder and file names.

For example, if your Zap creates data fields named Timestamp, Language, UserName and CompanyName then you could configure the Upload File in Files.com action to upload the file to /somefolder/<CompanyName>/<UserName>/SomeFile_<Timestamp>_<Language>.txt

Troubleshooting Zapier Issues

Creating a new Zap is straightforward, but errors can occur under certain circumstances.

Testing the Trigger Fails

Make sure that a file already exists in the folder where you are looking for uploads, even if the trigger is "upload". Zapier's test involves looking for a file and then running it through the action.

Currently, Zapier is limited to checking only the most recent 10000 trigger items. This is unlikely to affect your triggers for Group Created or User Created. If more than 10000 files or folders have been added to your site since your Zap was run, only the most recent 10000 items will be seen by the New File Uploaded and New File or Folder Created triggers.

As an alternative to using the New File Uploaded and New File or Folder Created triggers to start your Zap, you can use Zapier's Catch Hook trigger and use the Files.com Webhooks feature to send a notification whenever a file or folder action occurs on Files.com.

Testing the Action Fails

If you are using a site-wide API key, reload the page in order to refresh the folder list. If that does not resolve the issue, delete the action step and add the action again. If the API key is for a specific user, verify that the user has full permissions for the folder you want to connect to.

You may see HTTP error codes when testing the action. A 404 error means that the location that you have selected no longer exists. Verify that you or one of your users has not renamed or deleted the folder. A 403 error means that the user does not have the correct permissions for that folder.

Using Zapier for Download Notifications

Files.com includes a Notifications feature that administrators can use to automatically send email notifications to users when files are uploaded to a specific folder on your site.

The Files.com Zapier integration extends this with more flexibility. Trigger notifications on other events such as file downloads, moves, or deletions, or customize the content of the notification emails.

The following tutorial will guide you through an example of creating a custom email notification to be sent through Gmail when any files are downloaded from a specific folder on your site.

Log in to your Zapier account and click the Make a Zap button. Enter a title for your Zap and you are ready to begin configuring this webhook integration.

Setting the Trigger

By default, a grid of Zapier integrated apps appears in the panel on the right side of the screen, prioritized by your most frequently used apps. For this Zap, use the Webhooks by Zapier app. Type that name in the Search Hundreds of Apps field and click the entry in the filtered dropdown.

Select the Catch Hook option since this zap will trigger as soon as Files.com sends the notification to Zapier (via this webhook) of the file download.

The next screen displays that your custom webhook URL has been created and is ready to be added in the Files.com platform. First, click the Copy button to transfer the webhook URL to your clipboard. In a separate tab, open the Files.com site and login as an administrator.

Once logged in, click the Files icon and navigate to the folder you want to enable download notifications for and open the folder settings by clicking the gear icon. To receive notifications for all site downloads, configure the webhook in your root folder settings.

From the settings list, click the Webhooks option and then click the Add new webhook button. Paste the Zapier webhook URL in the Primary URL field and click Save.

Once saved, switch back to the Zapier tab in your web browser and click the Ok, I did this button to continue. The box now shows the sample webhook request sent from Files.com when testing the validity of the webhook. Clicking on the hook entry will expand the request and show all details pushed from the Files.com platform. For additional testing, upload a file into the Files.com directory then click Get More Samples. The pane will refresh and an entry will display for the notification. Once satisfied the webhook is receiving data from Files.com, click Continue.

The final step in configuring the webhook is to limit which file actions trigger the Zap. Files.com sends a webhook for every file action that occurs within the designated folders. To trigger the Zap on any action, skip to the next section. To trigger it on specific file actions only, click Edit Options.

In the blank configuration field, enter {"action": "read"} and click Continue. On the test screen, click Continue once again to pass through.

At this point, the Zapier trigger has been configured and the Zap is ready for the action to be created.

Configuring the Action

This section describes the actions Zapier takes once alerted by the webhook configured above. The example sends an email from a Gmail account in response to the trigger. Zaps can be configured with thousands of other actions.

To begin, click the Add a Step button and then click Action/Search to view the grid of integrated applications. Begin typing Gmail in the Search Hundreds of Apps field and then click the entry once displayed in the filtered dropdown box.

To connect your Gmail account, begin by clicking Connect an Account. A new window will open with a Google Sign In dialog. Continue through entering your Gmail credentials. Finally, click the Allow button granting Zapier access to Manage drafts and send emails and View and modify but not delete your email.

Once added, you are able to test the connection, or click the Save + Continue button to move to the next screen.

After connecting an account, or selecting one already connected, it is time to begin configuring the message to be sent.

Enter the email address that you would like email notifications sent to in the To field. This address could be a single person, a group address, or a list of email addresses. To send to multiple addresses, add each individually using the Plus button between each address.

Configure your message header information including the From Address (typically your connected Gmail account), a custom From name, and the email address for replies.

Next, configure the subject and body of the message you would like to send. Both fields allow the option to include custom data supplied via the webhook.

Finally, save your template by clicking the Continue button at the bottom of the Action panel.

Enable and Test Your Zap

The last step in the process of creating your download email notification is to enable the Zap and perform a live test. Click the toggle to turn on your Zap and then download a file from the Files.com selected folder. Within a few minutes your download notification will arrive.

Customers commonly use this Zap to customize the email notifications that get sent out, often creating HTML messages with their logos and additional formatting.

Webhooks can be created for any folder, and multiple hooks can be associated with a folder. See the Webhooks documentation for the Files.com Webhook API and the tasks it can accomplish. Zapier's app-specific documentation covers additional integrations.

Older BrickFTP Zapier App

An older Zapier app called BrickFTP was published by Files.com years ago. Zapier no longer allows updates or fixes for applications built on their legacy platform, so the BrickFTP app is no longer supported or updated. Use the Files.com app on Zapier to receive updates.