Google Drive delete file

Nintex external platform is required for this feature. For details, see Enable Nintex external platform features.

Deletes a file from Google Drive identified by either the file ID or the file name. The file ID can be retrieved from the following actions: Google Drive query files and Google Drive upload file.

Note: If the service encounters multiple folders with the same name, it will only access the most recently modified folder. Likewise, if the service encounters multiple files with the same name, it will only delete the most recently modified file.

Action settings

Following are the fields and options visible in the configuration settings dialog box for this action.

Field Description

Identify file by

Select one of the following options.

  • File name and source folder: Identifies file by its name and (optionally) source folder.

  • File ID: Identifies file by its ID.

    Note: To find a Google Drive file ID, retrieve a link using Get Link and then locate the characters after "id=" as indicated in bold in the following example: 
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=FILE_ID

File ID or name

Specify the ID or the name of the file to delete, according to the option selected for Identify file by. If specifying a file name, include the extension when applicable.

Source folder

Specify the folder containing the file to be deleted. If not specified, the file is assumed to be at the root level.

Example: Crestan\Depts

Note: If multiple folders of the same name exist, only the most recently modified folder is accessed.

Delete permanently

Specify whether or not to make the deletion permanent.

  • Enabled (check box selected): Permanently deletes the file.

  • Disabled (check box cleared): Moves the file to Trash.

    Note: Moving files to Trash does not free up resources.

    Note: The "Last modified" date is changed to the time at which this action was executed for any files moved to Trash. This change is in accordance with the Google Drive API. This change to the "Last modified" date does not occur when the file is manually moved to Trash.

Authorizing user

Specify an email address for the authorization request. External email addresses can be used.

  1. On execution of the action, a message is sent to the email address specified for the authorizing user. The message contains the following details.

    From: notification@nintexlive.com

    Subject: Contains the phrases "Nintex" and "Request authorization"

    Contents: Contains links to authorize or deny the operation

  2. When the authorizing user clicks the link to authorize the operation, the authorizing user is prompted to do the following.
    • Log in to the external service

    • Allow Nintex to access the external service

    • Decide whether to waive future Nintex authorization requests for this external service

  3. When the prompted actions are completed, the action completes.

If the authorization process is not completed, then the workflow suspends. This situation can occur in the following scenarios.

  • The authorizing user explicitly denies the operation, either by clicking the deny link in the email message or not allowing Nintex access to the external service after logging in.

    Error logged for suspended workflow:

    “The service request has been denied.”

  • Seven days pass without completion of the authorization process. Either the authorizing user never clicks the authorize link in the email message or the authorizing user initiates the process but does not complete all steps. For example, the authorizing user logs in to the external service but does not allow Nintex to access the external service.

    Error logged for suspended workflow:

    “The service request has expired.”