Search Users’ Google Drive files

Do you know how to manage Google Drive files as a Google Workspace administrator? You’re often asked to locate files belonging to users who may be on vacation, or on extended leave in order to share these files with colleagues within the business. Typically you would need to reset the users’ password, log in as them and search their Google Drive in order to locate the necessary files and share them with others so that a proposal or project can continue.

This may require internal escalation to HR or a line manager for approval. Due to the extra levels of security within Google Workspace, you may also need to temporarily remove levels of protection in order to gain access. All this can take time, while your colleagues are unproductive and frustrated as they are unable to perform their job while others are on leave.

Patronum helps manage Google Drive files

Within Patronum you can directly access a user’s Google Drive and manage the permissions. It’s important to note that Patronum does not give you access to view the files, but only to manage them. From the Patronum user page, you can search for files based on File Type, Owner, Name and even File Id. Quickly allowing you to locate the correct file and giving you the ability to share that file with others so that they can get on with their day.

Search all Google Drive Files

In addition to providing Google Workspace administrators with the ability to access a specific user’s Google Drive, Patronum also gives you access and the ability to manage the whole Google Drive environment.

This feature within Patronum makes it super easy for an administrator to locate files by Name, Owner and even File Id.

Imagine the scenario, one of your internal customers (users) receives a forward email from a colleague with a link to an important presentation they need to update. Only when they click on the presentation link, they get the message that they have to request access from the owner.

Frustrated they contact support as they don’t know who the owner is, as the request seems to just go into a black hole. Without Patronum you’d have to search the Google Audit logs and hope that it was recently accessed or attempt to write a script using the Google API.

However, within Patronum, it’s a few clicks away. Simply enter the File Id within our Drive Search feature and you can quickly locate and manage the file all from the Patronum interface.