How Guest Can Upload Files to Your Google Docs

How do you let other people upload files directly to your Google Docs account?

One option is that you create a shared folder (or collection) in Google Docs and invite all the other people, who you want to collaborate with, as “editors” (i.e., set the sharing setting for them as “Can Edit”). Now these editors can easily add new files to your Google Docs folder but a drawback is that they can also view (and even remove) files that have been uploaded by others in the folder.

In some cases you may want to provide uploading facility to a large group of people without having to invite them all individually. For instance, a school teacher may create a shared Google Docs folder where her students may upload assignments. Or if you are someone like Wikileaks, you may create a public form for guests to upload files to your Google Docs anonymously.

That’s where GoDropBox fits in (no connection with the DropBox service except for a similar name). This is a Google Apps add-on that, once enabled, will let you receive files directly to your Google Docs account.

[*] If you aren’t a Google Apps user, you can still request files through Dropbox.

GoDropbox create a unique link for your Google Docs account and anyone who has knowledge of that link, will be able to upload files to your Google Docs using the browser. You don’t have to share folders with anyone and the sender won’t be required to log-in anywhere to upload the files.

Once they have uploaded a file, you’ll get an email notification with a link that points directly to the recently uploaded file in Google Docs.

GoDropBox is a free but the total upload usage per user in Google Apps is limited to 50 MB. You can increase that limit to 2 GB for small monthly fee of $5.