How to Retrieve Multiple Newly Created Files with Google Drive Trigger in n8n?

Below is some guidance based on the documentation:

Why Only One File Is Returned

When you test the Google Drive Trigger node manually, it is designed to return only the most recent event that matches its search criteria. If multiple files are created within that short polling interval, the manual execution mode may only show one event. This behavior is by design to help with testing.

Options to Retrieve Multiple New Files

1. Activate the Workflow:
   When your workflow is activated (i.e., running continuously), the Google Drive Trigger node regularly polls for changes. In a production setup, it will trigger your workflow for each event found rather than just the last one. This means if multiple files are created over a period (e.g. one minute), you should receive multiple triggers corresponding to each event.

2. Use the Google Drive Node with a Search Operation:
   If you need to capture all file events within a specific interval (for example, if the continuous polling isn’t sufficient), consider building a workflow that:

   • Searches for files using the Google Drive node set to the Search operation.
   • Enables the Return All option.
   • Retrieves all files from the folder, optionally filtering by modification time.
   • Sorts the results (using a Sort node) by modifiedTime in descending order.
   • Uses a Limit node if you want to work with only a subset.

   This approach lets you fetch multiple files based on their modification timestamps and then process them as needed.

Summary

• Manual Mode Limitation: In manual mode, only the most recent event is returned.
• Activated Workflow: Activating your workflow should allow the trigger node to pick up multiple events over time.
• Custom Polling: Alternatively, create a polling workflow using the Google Drive node with search, sort, and limit operations to retrieve all new files within your desired interval.

By choosing the method that best fits your needs, you can overcome the issue of missing file events when multiple files are created in quick succession.