Find Permission

Definition

The Find Permission action in Google Drive retrieves detailed information about a specific permission granted to a user, group, domain, or anyone on a file or folder. Using the permission ID and the corresponding file or folder ID, this action provides insights into who has access to a file, their role, and whether their access is inherited or directly assigned. This action allows users to efficiently retrieve permissions to manage file access, review user roles, and ensure proper file-sharing settings.

Key Capabilities:

• Retrieve permissions by file/folder ID and permission ID.
• Get details on user access roles, email addresses, and profile information.
• View whether permissions are inherited or directly applied.
• Check for expiration and status of deleted or pending accounts.
• Query for file discovery settings, especially for domain or public access.

Example Use Cases

1. Audit File Permissions

   Quickly retrieve the permissions of a specific file to verify who has access, their roles, and ensure compliance with organizational security policies.

2. Review User Access

   Check the access level of a specific user or group by using their permission ID to determine if they should still have access or if adjustments need to be made.

3. Track Permission Expirations

   Monitor the expiration dates of user or group permissions to take action on expiring access, ensuring proper permissions are revoked or extended when needed.

4. Manage Shared File Discovery

   Verify whether the permission allows file discovery for domain users or the public, ensuring that sensitive files aren’t accessible unintentionally.

5. Resolve Access Issues

   Investigate and resolve issues related to file access by reviewing the exact permissions tied to a file, especially when users report problems accessing shared content.

Inputs

1. Connection

   The authenticated connection to your Google Drive account. This is required to interact with the Google Drive API and access your files and permissions.

2. File Folder Id

   The unique identifier of the file or folder in Google Drive. It is used to specify the exact file or folder for which you want to retrieve permissions. You can find this ID by following the instructions provided (e.g., using the "Get Link" or "Share" option).

3. Permission Id

   The unique identifier of the permission you want to retrieve. This ID is tied to a specific permission associated with a file or folder and is used to fetch detailed information about that permission.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Set up the Connection

   Begin by establishing the connection to your Google Drive account using the "Connection" field. This ensures that the action will be performed on your authorized account.

2. Provide the File Folder ID

   Next, enter the File Folder ID for the file or folder you want to retrieve permissions for. You can find this ID in the URL of the file or folder when accessing it through Google Drive (as previously explained).

3. Provide the Permission ID

   In the Permission Id field, input the unique identifier for the permission you want to retrieve. This ID is linked to specific permissions for a file/folder, such as whether a user is a viewer, editor, etc.

4. Execute the Action

   Once you have entered the File Folder ID and Permission Id, trigger the action. The system will then retrieve detailed information about the specified permission for the specified file or folder.

5. Review the Output

   The action will return detailed permission information, including who has access to the file or folder, the permission role, and whether the permission is inherited or not. You can use this information to manage and modify access as necessary.

Outputs

1. Id

   The unique identifier for the permission record that you retrieved. This ID is essential for referencing specific permissions within Google Drive.

2. Display Name

   The human-readable name associated with the permission. For example:

   • For a user: It would be the user’s full name (e.g., "Joe Smith").
   • For a group: It would be the name of the Google Group (e.g., "Marketing Team").
   • For a domain: The domain name (e.g., "thecompany.com").
   • For anyone: There will be no display name provided.

3. Type

   The type of the permission. The possible values are:

   • User: A specific user has the permission.
   • Group: A specific Google Group has the permission.
   • Domain: A domain-wide permission.
   • Anyone: Permission granted to anyone (public access).

4. Photo Link

   If available, this is a link to the user's profile photo associated with the permission (only for user type permissions).

5. Email Address

   The email address associated with the permission. This can be the email of a user, a group, or the domain associated with the permission.

6. Role

   The role granted by the permission. Possible roles are:

   • Owner Full control over the file or folder, including the ability to delete or transfer ownership.
   • Organizer Can manage the folder’s contents and organization but doesn't have full ownership rights.
   • File Organizer Can organize files within shared folders but doesn't have full control over the file or folder.
   • Writer Can edit the file, add comments, and make changes.
   • Commenter Can view and comment on the file, but cannot edit it.
   • Reader Can only view the file without any ability to comment or edit.

7. Domain

   If the permission type is domain, this field specifies the domain that is granted access.

8. Allow File Discovery

   For domain or anyone types, this field indicates whether the file can be discovered through Google Drive search.

9. Expiration Time

   The time at which the permission will expire. This field is applicable only to user or group permissions, and it must be a future time, not exceeding one year from the current date.

10. Deleted

    A boolean field that shows whether the account associated with the permission has been deleted (relevant for user or group permissions).

11. Pending Owner

    A boolean field indicating whether the account associated with the permission is a pending owner. This is specifically relevant for user type permissions on files not in a shared drive.

12. Permission Details

    Includes details about whether the permissions are inherited or directly assigned to the file/folder. This is useful for understanding permission hierarchy.

13. Permission Type

    Indicates whether the permission is for a file or a member. This helps in distinguishing permissions related to file access and shared drive membership.

14. Inherited Form

    If the permission is inherited, this field will display the ID of the item from which the permission is inherited. This is helpful for tracking inherited permissions.

15. Inherited

    Indicates whether the permission is inherited from a parent item, which is particularly useful for permissions in shared drives.

Example: Using the "Find Permission" Action

Scenario:You are managing a shared document in Google Drive and want to retrieve detailed information about the permissions granted to a specific user to ensure they have the correct level of access.

Step-by-Step Process:

1. Identify the File: You have a file stored in your Google Drive, and you need to find out the permissions granted to a user, such as "John Doe".

2. Get the File ID: You follow the steps to get the File ID (e.g., "1234567890abcdef") from the Google Drive interface.

3. Permission ID: You know the Permission ID associated with the user's access (e.g., "user_987654321").

4. Action Setup: You configure the action with the following inputs:

   • Connection: Choose your Google Drive connection.
   • File Folder ID: Enter the File ID ("1234567890abcdef").
   • Permission ID: Enter the Permission ID ("user_987654321").

5. Retrieve Permission Details: The "Find Permission" action is triggered, and the following details are retrieved:

   • Display Name: "John Doe"
   • Role: "Editor"
   • Email Address: "[email protected]"
   • Expiration Time: "2025-12-31T23:59:59Z"
   • Allow File Discovery: "True"
   • Type: "User"
   • Photo Link: URL to John's profile photo.

6. Review Permissions: You can now confirm that John Doe has the correct "Editor" role, and the permission will expire on the specified date. Additionally, the file is set to be discoverable by anyone in the domain.

This action helps you ensure proper access control and allows you to quickly verify permissions for users or groups on specific Google Drive files or folders.