Automation & Scheduling
Set up automatic exports to keep your Drive data always up-to-date
Automation & Scheduling
Keep your Drive exports automatically updated without lifting a finger. Automation runs exports in the background on your chosen schedule.
What is Automation?
Automation lets Drive Browser export your files automatically on a schedule you choose:
- Daily - Fresh data every morning
- Twice Daily - Updates at 9 AM and 5 PM
- Hourly - Always current data
- Weekly - Perfect for weekly reports
Your exports run in the background, even when the spreadsheet is closed. You'll get email notifications when exports complete.
Requirements
Automation is a Pro feature. You'll need:
- ✓ Pro subscription (any billing cycle)
- ✓ Google Sheets with Drive Browser installed
- ✓ At least one successful manual export
Trial users: Automation isn't available during the 7-day trial. Upgrade to Pro to unlock scheduling.
Setting Up Automation
Step 1: Open Settings
In Google Sheets:
- Click Extensions → 🔂 Drive Browser → ⚙️ Settings
- Or open the sidebar and look for automation options
Step 2: Choose Your Schedule
You'll see four schedule options: Schedule Options: ⏰ Hourly Export updates every hour Best for: Real-time dashboards ⏰ Twice Daily Export at 9 AM and 5 PM Best for: Business hours tracking ⏰ Daily Export once per day at 9 AM Best for: Daily reports ⏰ Weekly Export every Monday at 9 AM Best for: Weekly summaries
Click your preferred schedule to select it.
Step 3: Configure Settings
After selecting a schedule, configure these options:
Target Sheet
Export to: ○ Create new sheet each time ● Update existing sheet: [Sheet1 ▼]
Choose:
- Create new sheet - New tab for each export (keeps history)
- Update existing - Overwrites the same sheet (always current)
Tip: For dashboards, use "Update existing" so your charts stay connected.
Email Notifications
✓ Send email when export completes Notify: [email protected]
Turn this on to get confirmation emails after each automated export.
Export Configuration
What to export: ✓ Include subfolders ✓ Generate download links ☐ Calculate folder sizes (slower) Fields to include: [7 selected ▼]
These are the same settings from manual exports. The automation will use your saved configuration.
Step 4: Enable Automation
Once configured, click Enable Automation.
You'll see a confirmation: ✓ Automation Enabled! Schedule: Daily at 9 AM Next export: Tomorrow, Jan 21 at 9:00 AM Email notifications: On
That's it! Your exports will now run automatically.
Managing Automation
Check Automation Status
To see if automation is running:
- Open Drive Browser sidebar
- Look for the automation indicator at the bottom: ⚡ Automation: Daily Last run: 2 hours ago Next: Tomorrow 9 AM
Or check Settings to see full details.
View Last Export
After an automated export completes:
- Check your email for the notification
- Open your Google Sheet
- Look for the updated sheet tab
- Review the "Last Updated" timestamp in the header
Email notification includes:
- Export completion time
- Number of files exported
- Link to the spreadsheet
- Any errors encountered
Pause or Disable Automation
Need to temporarily stop automation?
To pause:
- Open Settings
- Click Disable Automation
- Your schedule is saved but won't run
To resume:
- Open Settings
- Click Enable Automation
- Automation resumes with your saved schedule
Tip: Disabling automation won't delete your configuration. You can re-enable it anytime with the same settings.
Schedule Options Explained
Understanding when each schedule runs:
Hourly
- Runs: Every hour on the hour (1:00, 2:00, 3:00...)
- Best for: Live dashboards, real-time monitoring
- Considerations: Uses more quota (24 exports/day)
Twice Daily
- Runs: 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM (your timezone)
- Best for: Start-of-day and end-of-day reports
- Considerations: Good balance of freshness and quota usage
Daily
- Runs: 9:00 AM every day (your timezone)
- Best for: Morning reports, daily summaries
- Considerations: Most popular choice, minimal quota impact
Weekly
- Runs: Every Monday at 9:00 AM (your timezone)
- Best for: Weekly status reports, trend analysis
- Considerations: Lowest quota usage, weekly snapshots
Your timezone is automatically detected from your Google account settings.
Common Automation Scenarios
Scenario 1: Daily Dashboard Update
Goal: Keep a dashboard current with yesterday's files
Setup:
- Schedule: Daily at 9 AM
- Target: Update existing sheet "Dashboard Data"
- Settings: Include subfolders, Generate links
- Notifications: On
Result: Your dashboard charts update automatically every morning.
Scenario 2: Weekly Team Report
Goal: Generate a weekly summary every Monday
Setup:
- Schedule: Weekly
- Target: Create new sheet each time
- Settings: Include all folders, Calculate sizes
- Notifications: On (sends report link to you)
Result: New sheet every Monday with the week's filename pattern "Weekly_Export_Jan_21"
Scenario 3: Real-Time Project Tracking
Goal: Monitor active project folder hourly
Setup:
- Schedule: Hourly
- Target: Update existing sheet "Project Files"
- Settings: Single folder, Include subfolders
- Notifications: Off (too frequent)
Result: Always-current view of project files, updated every hour.
Troubleshooting Automation
Automation Not Running
Problem: Expected export didn't happen
Check:
- Is automation enabled? (Settings → Check status)
- Is your Pro subscription active? (Footer shows plan status)
- Has the scheduled time passed? (Check "Next export" time)
- Any error emails received?
Solution: Re-enable automation in Settings. If problem persists, contact support.
Exports Are Empty
Problem: Automated exports have no data
Possible causes:
- Source folder was moved/deleted
- Permissions changed (lost access to files)
- Filter settings exclude all files
Solution:
- Run a manual export to test
- Check folder permissions in Google Drive
- Review export configuration in Settings
Not Receiving Email Notifications
Problem: Automation runs but no emails arrive
Check:
- Email notifications turned on? (Settings → Email notifications)
- Check spam/junk folder
- Verify email address in Settings
Solution: Update email preferences in Settings and test with a manual export.
"Quota Exceeded" Error
Problem: Automation stopped with quota error
Cause: Google Apps Script has daily execution quotas
Solution:
- Reduce schedule frequency (Hourly → Daily)
- Export fewer files per run
- Wait 24 hours for quota reset
- Quota resets at midnight Pacific Time
Best Practices
1. Start with Daily Schedule
Don't jump straight to hourly. Start with daily exports and increase frequency only if needed.
2. Use "Update Existing" for Dashboards
If you have charts or formulas referencing the sheet, use "Update existing sheet" so connections don't break.
3. Keep Email Notifications On
Even if emails seem annoying, they're valuable for catching errors early.
4. Test Before Enabling
Run a manual export with your desired settings first. Once it works, enable automation with the same configuration.
5. Monitor First Week
Check your exports daily for the first week to ensure automation runs as expected.
Automation Limits
Pro plan automation limits:
| Limit | Value | |-------|-------| | Schedules per sheet | 1 active schedule | | Minimum frequency | Hourly | | Maximum file size | No limit (unlimited files) | | Email notifications | Unlimited | | Schedule changes | Unlimited |
Note: Only one automation schedule is active per spreadsheet. To automate multiple sheets, set up automation separately in each.
FAQ
Q: Can I have different schedules for different folders?
A: Not in the same sheet. Set up automation in separate spreadsheets for different schedules.
Q: What happens if I close the spreadsheet?
A: Automation continues running! Exports happen in the background.
Q: Can I manually export while automation is enabled?
A: Yes! Manual and automated exports work independently.
Q: Does automation count against my file limit?
A: No limits on Pro plan. Automation can export unlimited files.
Q: What if automation fails?
A: You'll receive an email with the error. Automation will retry at the next scheduled time.
Upgrading to Pro
If you're on the trial and want automation:
- Click the 💳 Upgrade button in the sidebar footer
- Choose your billing cycle (Annual recommended - save $120/year)
- Complete checkout
- Automation unlocks immediately
What's Next?
- Learn about Field Selection to customize exported metadata
- Check Common Issues if something goes wrong
- Explore Advanced Features for power users
Need Help?
Questions about automation?
- 📧 Email: [email protected]
- 📚 Help Center: https://appenso.com/help/drive-browser/automation
- 🎥 Video: https://appenso.com/videos/automation-setup
Pro Tip: Set up automation before leaving for vacation. You'll return to fully updated reports without any manual work!