Drive Explorer vs ContactsFlow™ for Gmail™

Drive Explorer lets you pick folders/files from your Google Drive™, Shared Drive, or the files shared with you to list in a Google Sheet™ or on the browser. Sheet columns contain metadata of the files like the file's name, containing folder, folder path on your Google drive™, direct download link, download links of files in PDF, CSV, ZIP, DOCX, XLSX formats, image URL if it's an image, etc. The whole list of fields it can pull is given below. Drive Explorer is fast 🚀. It can export up to 1000 files in approximately 16 seconds (Speed is influenced by the nested level of files). Drive Explorer brings your Google Drive™ to Google Sheets™. You can see all your files from different folders in a sheet tab instead of going back and forth on your Google Drive™. You can sort your files by size, name, created date, modified date, last viewed date in ascending or descending order. This makes searching for files easy and saves you a lot of time. You can generate download links for your files and easily share them with anyone for 1-click downloads. You can share files and get a share link or change the existing share settings directly from a Google Sheet™. You can rename, add/edit descriptions to multiple files/folders at a time directly from the sheet. You can add up to 3 different custom metadata to your files. Do you have any folder which has nested series of folders & files? Drive Explorer can also fetch files & folders in nested folders. Just pick the parent folder and tick a checkbox when exporting. You can automatically refresh (you have to enable this config) the sheet when you open it, meaning, your sheet will have details of the files you recently uploaded on Google Drive™. You can also set up a scheduled refresh which will trigger automatically in the background to refresh your file list. These two auto-refresh features help you use Google Drive™ as a data source for dynamic web applications. 🏆 Use cases: ----------------------------- If you use Google Drive™ a lot at work, Drive Explorer can save you a lot of time and increase your productivity. - Create direct download links of files in bulk. - Get image URLs of files to directly display them on the browser or host it on websites. - Know the size of the files and folders. - See the photos you have in your Drive as thumbnails in a Google Sheet™. - Run security audits. - Get download links of files in different formats like PDF, CSV, ZIP, etc., and much more. You can let me know how you're using it at [email protected]. I'll add it here :) 📃 List of fields you can export: ----------------------------- Folder name, Folder Size, Folder Path, Filename, Share Status, File Size, Description, Owner, Viewers, Commenters, Editors, Created At, Last Modified At, Filetype, Width, Height, Video Duration, File Extension, Thumbnail, Thumbnail Link, File Link, Folder Link, Preview Link and types of direct links: PDF, ePub, CSV, ZIP, DOCX, XLSX, three different custom metadata. 🎁 Features: ----------------------------- ➤ Export direct download links of selected files on your Google Drive™ or for all your files. Export download links for different file types like DOCX, XLSX, PDF, CSV, ZIP, ePub for applicable files. ➤ Export files inside the nested folders. ➤ Check folder size. ➤ List only folders. ➤ Provision to sort the files by size, name, last viewed, and last modified. ➤ Add/Edit/Remove permission details of files directly from the sheet. ➤ Share multiple files at once with people. ➤ Update file/folder name & description directly from the Google Sheet™. ➤ Supports Shared drives (Formerly Team drives). ➤ On open, auto-refresh links with an option to disable. ➤ Scheduled auto-refresh to update the file list in the background. ➤ Add custom metadata against any file for your reference. ➤ Format Created at & Last modified at timestamps according to your needs. ➤ Pick and export only the fields that matter to you. ➤ Links to open files & folders on Google Drive™. ➤ Can be used as a Google Drive™ file manager. ➤ Customize the look of fields and add a custom alias to the fields. 🔐 Needed permissions explained: ----------------------------- ➤ See, edit, create and delete Drive files Your files are safe. For sharing files from the sheet & updating the name, description this permission is required. ➤ Add itself to Google Drive™ To list your file details directly from Google Drive™ to a webpage. Right-click any file and select Open with → Drive Explorer. ➤ See, edit, create and delete your spreadsheets in Google Drive As the metrics are exported to a spreadsheet, this permission is needed. Drive Explorer doesn’t delete or create any spreadsheet. ➤ Connect to an external service Drive Explorer makes requests to the developer’s backend to check if you are a premium user. ➤ Allow this application to run when you are not present To set up a scheduled update of sheet data, this permission is required. ➤ Display and run third-party web content in prompts and sidebars inside Google™ applications If you want premium features, you can purchase the premium version within the sheet. To run the payment gateway in the sidebar, this permission is required. 🤔 How to use: ----------------------------- After installing, in a Google Sheet™, select Extensions → Drive Explorer → Start Export. or On the Google Drive™ dashboard, select one or more files, right-click Open with → Drive Explorer. 💫 Premium: ----------------------------- Drive Explorer is absolutely free to use with some limitations in its functionalities. However, you can upgrade to premium to use it without any limitations. For example, you can use the free version of the add-on in only one tab of one sheet etc. Select Extensions → Drive Explorer → Buy Premium to unlock premium features. ℹ️ Resources ----------------------------- Documentation for the product - https://syncwithtech.com/drive-explorer/docs YouTube video - https://youtu.be/0LWtPMfSpAs 🙋 Feature Requests ----------------------------- I constantly work to improve the add-on. If you want any new features, feel free to drop a mail at [email protected].

ContactsFlow™(formerly Shared Contacts for Gmail™) is an AI-powered contact management solution for Google Workspace™ that lets teams share, manage, and sync Google Contacts™ across their entire organization instantly and at scale. Create a single source of truth for your contacts, automate contact updates, and ensure everyone has access to accurate, up-to-date information across Gmail™, Google Contacts™, Calendar™, mobile devices, and integrated business tools.Whether you’re in HR, IT, Sales, or Marketing, this powerful contact-sharing tool helps unify your company’s address book, streamline communication, and make contact management simple and efficient. ✅ What You Can Do with ContactsFlow™ App -Unify Google™ LDAP Directories Across Domains Combine the LDAP directories of multiple Google Workspace™ domains in just one click. All employees regardless of which domain they belong to can access and sync the latest contact info of their colleagues across Gmail™, Calendar™, Drive™, mobile devices, and all connected apps. -Access Your Company Directory from Any Device Instantly sync your company’s Google™ LDAP directory to your phone and communication apps. No more scrambling to find a colleague’s number while on the go, all contact details are accessible anytime, anywhere, even on iPhone, Android, and Google Pixel devices. -Create a Shared Address Book for Your Teams Keep your entire team updated with the latest lead details, client information, or vendor contacts. As statuses or roles change, ContactsFlow™ ensures everyone sees the latest updates automatically — no more double-entry or outdated information. -Make External Collaboration Simple Easily share Google Contacts™ with agencies, contractors, or freelancers — even if they’re outside your domain. Give them instant access to only the contacts they need, with permission controls for added security. Key Features of ContactsFlow™ ✅Share your Google Contacts™ with anyone, inside or outside your organization Easily share contact labels with teammates, departments, or even Gmail™ users outside your domain. Enable real-time collaboration with external partners, contractors, or agencies by giving them access to the contacts they need. ✅Centralize your company-wide contacts in one place Build a unified address book that includes all internal and external contacts. Keep everyone on your team aligned with access to the most accurate, updated contact information. ✅Instantly sync Google Contacts™ across all devices and apps Contacts automatically sync to iPhones, Android devices, tablets, Google Contacts™, Gmail™, Calendar™, Drive™, and more. No need for manual exports or third-party tools — syncing happens automatically in real time. ✅Integrate with the tools your team already uses Connect ContactsFlow™ with CRM and thousands of other apps. Use Zapier or our Public API to automate workflows and contact updates across your business stack. ✅Manage and sync your Google™ LDAP Directory across all platforms Keep your company directory synced with users’ mobile phones, Google apps, and IP phone systems. Let employees edit and manage their own profiles — no IT request needed. ✅Hidden Fields to hide sensitive contact fields from unauthorized users Control visibility by restricting access to specific fields like personal phone numbers or internal notes. Enforce privacy policies and ensure data protection compliance. ✅Custom Fields to personalize your contact cards Set custom fields like “Customer ID,” “Plan Type,” “Onboarding Date,” “Birthday” or anything your team needs You can define custom contact fields using free text input or dropdown menus with preset options Then when your contacts are created or updated by your users or the AI, custom fields can be filled out manually or selected from predefined dropdown menus Structure contacts based on your workflow or industry - set custom fields like “Customer Type,” “Sales Region,” or “Project Name” to organize your contacts in a way that fits your industry — whether you’re in sales, education, healthcare, or real estate. This makes your contact lists more useful and easier to manage Improve searchability and categorization of shared contacts - categories like "Millennials”, “Buyer Priority,” “Renewal Due,” or “Favourite colour - Blue” so your team can quickly find the right contacts. This improves search results and helps everyone stay organized. ✅Use powerful search and filter tools to find any contact fast Search by name, company, title, tags, or custom fields. Filter contacts by team, location, client type, or any other relevant criteria. ✅Share your Google™ LDAP Directory with anyone using Gmail™ or Google Workspace™ Grant access to users or groups from other domains who need visibility into your organization’s directory. Make collaboration seamless across multi-domain or multi-company environments. ✅Assign access permissions to every user Choose from “View Only,” “Can Edit,” “Can Share,” or “Can Delete” for each shared contact list. Control who can do what with your organization’s contacts. ✅Add internal comments and tag teammates Leave notes or context directly on contact profiles. Use @mentions to notify colleagues about updates or next steps — right from the contact card. ✅Create unlimited contact lists and categories Organize contacts by project, department, region, or client type. No restrictions on how many contact groups you can create or share. ✅Enjoy unlimited sharing capacity Share with as many users, groups, and collaborators as needed — no limits. Perfect for growing teams or organizations with complex structures. ✅Restore deleted contacts with no time limit Roll back accidental deletions with our unlimited restore feature. Keep your team’s contact database safe from human error or sync issues. Why choose ContactsFlow™ (formerly Shared Contacts for Gmail™)? ContactsFlow™ (formerly Shared Contacts for Gmail™) is one of the top-rated solutions for sharing and managing Google Contacts™ across your team or organization. Whether you’re using Gmail™ or Google Workspace™ (formerly G Suite), you can easily create and share contact labels (also known as contact groups) with internal and external users including free Gmail™ accounts. It’s trusted by thousands of teams as a better alternative to tools like Shared Contacts Manager, ContactBook, CoContacts, Shared Groups, Voyzu, and others. Contacts are auto-captured from emails, calls, forms, and files. With just a few clicks, you can assign flexible permissions like View Only, Can Edit, Can Share, or Can Delete. You don’t need to leave Gmail™ — you can view, edit, and share contacts directly from your inbox or Google™ Contacts. Contacts sync everywhere and no more duplicate entry or update work needed. Every member of your team gets the right contact instantly, with full context and notes. The app also supports contact backups, making it easy to restore lost data and keep your contact database secure and up to date across all devices. Designed for easy contact management, ContactsFlow™ (formerly Shared Contacts for Gmail™) makes contact sharing effortless for businesses of any size. Install it in seconds and start collaborating instantly. Try it for free and see how it transforms the way your team shares and manages contacts, without complex setups or high costs. Start sharing smarter. Let AI do the busywork. 🔗 Visit www.contactsflow.ai for support, pricing, FAQs, and integrations. 🔍 F.A.Q 1. How does the Contacts AI Auto-Updater work inside Gmail™? It scans your incoming emails for contact info like names, emails, phone numbers, and job titles. When it finds new or updated data, it automatically updates or creates the contact directly inside Gmail™—no copy-pasting needed. 2. Can Gmail™ automatically create contacts from email signatures? Yes. The AI detects signatures in emails and auto-creates a contact card with details like name, phone number, and company, which you can edit or share instantly. 3. What happens when a contact changes their phone number or job title? The AI Auto-Updater detects changes in email signatures or headers and updates the contact across your Google Contacts™, Gmail™, and synced devices automatically. 4. Can I stop duplicate contacts in Google Contacts™ with this tool? Yes. The AI identifies duplicate entries and merges or updates them, helping you maintain a clean, accurate Google Contacts™ database. 5. Can I share contact labels with my team in Google Workspace™? Absolutely. You can share any Google Contacts™ label with users or Google Groups™ and manage permissions like View Only, Can Edit, or Can Share. 6. How do I update Google Contacts™ without leaving Gmail™? The Gmail™ add-on allows you to view, edit, and share contact cards directly from your Gmail™ sidebar—no need to switch tabs or open Google Contacts™. 7. Does this Gmail™ add-on work on mobile Gmail™ apps? Yes. It works on both Gmail™ for desktop and Gmail™ mobile apps. Contacts created or updated via the add-on sync across all your devices, including iPhones and Android. 8. Can I sync contacts between Google Workspace™ and my CRM? Yes. The add-on supports contact synchronization from external CRM systems through our API or automation workflows. 9. How do I share contacts between departments or Google Groups™? Create a Shared Contact Label and share it with specific users or entire Google Groups™. Everyone gets synced access in real time. 10. How can I use Gmail™ to manage client or vendor contact lists? Use the add-on to tag contacts (e.g., “Clients” or “Vendors”) and manage shared access, notes, and updates without leaving Gmail™. 11. Does this Gmail™ add-on use AI to manage contacts? Yes. The AI automatically detects contact data in emails and updates or creates contacts in your Google account without manual input. 12. Can AI update contacts automatically from Gmail™ threads? Yes. It detects contact changes, like new emails or phone numbers, and updates your shared contact lists instantly. 13. What kind of information can the AI extract from emails? The AI extracts names, job titles, phone numbers, email addresses, company names, and more—from email signatures and message bodies. 14. Can AI add notes to contacts based on email conversations? Yes. It summarizes key points from your email threads (e.g., "Requested demo," "Interested in upgrade") and adds them to the contact’s notes. 15. Is the contact data updated in real-time across all Google™ apps? Yes. Updates are synced instantly across Gmail™, Google Contacts™, Calendar™, Drive™, and mobile devices. 16. Can I control who sees which contacts in my organization? Yes. You can assign permission levels (View Only, Can Edit, Can Share, Can Delete) to control who sees and manages each contact. 17. Is it possible to hide private fields like notes or phone numbers? Absolutely. Admins can choose to hide sensitive fields like personal numbers or notes from specific users or groups. 18. How do I assign contact sharing permissions in Google Contacts™? From the ContactsFlow™ Dashboard or Gmail™ sidebar, assign permissions per user or group when sharing a label. 19. Is this tool secure for enterprise use? Yes. It’s GDPR-compliant, secure, and used by enterprise customers worldwide to manage contact data across teams. 20. Can I restrict access to certain contact fields per user role? Yes. You can control field-level visibility so only authorized users can view or edit sensitive information. 21. What are Shared Contact Lists and how do they work? Shared Contact Lists are Google Contacts™ labels that you can share with your team. When a contact is added or updated in the label, all users get real-time access. 22. Can I add custom fields to Google Contacts™? Yes. You can create and manage custom fields like “Customer ID” or “Contract End Date” to better organize your contacts. 23. Does this tool support backup and recovery of deleted contacts? Yes. You have unlimited backups and can restore any deleted contact, even months later. 24. Can I filter contacts by role, region, or status in Gmail™? Yes. Use advanced search filters on custom fields, job titles, company names, and more. 25. How do I tag teammates or leave internal notes on contact cards? You can add notes directly from Gmail™ and mention teammates using @tags, which sends them notifications. 26. Can I import contacts from my ERP or Active Directory into Google Contacts™? Yes. You can sync contacts from ERPs or Active Directory into ContactsFlow™, then share and manage them across Google Workspace™. 27. How do I sync contacts between multiple Google Workspace™ domains? You can set up directory synchronization between different domains, so all users share a unified address book. 28. Can this add-on make my contacts visible in other communication or productivity apps? Yes. Once contacts are synced with Google Contacts™, they automatically appear in any application that uses your device’s contact list. 29. Do I need to install anything on mobile devices to sync contacts? No. Once the app is installed and contacts are shared, they sync automatically to mobile devices without extra installation. There is also a mobile app, where you can create AI powered contacts by scanning a business card or with voice notes/audio or manually.