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Google Drive Integration

Eugenia Gueorguieva
  • Updated

Clarra’s Google Drive Integration allows your firm to securely store, organize, and manage documents in Google Drive while working seamlessly inside Clarra. 

With this integration, you can:

  • Automatically create structured matter folders in Google Drive, using either Google Workspace - Shared Drives, or My Drive (user-owned folders).
  • Link existing Google Drive folders to Matters
  • Upload, edit, preview, and share files directly within Clarra
  • Maintain real-time collaboration using Google’s native tools
  • Keep file links intact even when files are moved within Drive

There are two options to select from when setting up the Integration — Automatic Google Drive Folder creation for New Matters, and Manual linkage of New Matters with existing Google Drive Folders. With the Automatic option, when you create a New Matter in Clarra, a Matter-specific Folder as well as optional Subfolders will be automatically created in your Google Drive and contain your documents related to that Matter. The Manual option allows you to enter the link to a Folder already in your Google Drive when creating a New Matter, and places all Matter-related documents in that Folder.

Regardless of which option you choose, Clarra makes it easy to utilize the file management features of Google Drive from directly within Clarra. The Google Drive Integration includes two embeds that allow you to access and navigate within your Google Drive without leaving Clarra. These embeds are located in a selected Matter’s Documents tab, with the folders and files associated with that Matter, as well as in the Google Drive Tab in the main Documents Section, where you can access your connected Google Drive in full.

The Integration also implements a shortcut to Google Drive actions via a Google Drive button placed throughout Clarra, offering a quick way to open, view, move, download, and upload documents.

Setup is simple, requiring first an Administrator to enable the Integration in Account Settings, before Users who want to access the Integration connect it in their User Settings.

Only one DMS Integration can be enabled at a time. If you’ve already enabled another document management system, such as iManage or NetDocuments, enabling Google Drive will disconnect the current integration. Files going forward will be saved in the newly enabled DMS and users will no longer have access via Clarra to files and features associated with the previously connected system. You can re-enable the previous DMS later but that requires manual folder re-linking for the existing Matters.

If you do want to switch DMS systems, contact our support team to help you migrate your documents. 

Enabling Google Drive for Admin

To use the Google Drive Integration, your company’s Admin must first enable it. 

To enable the Google Drive Integration as an Admin:

  1. Click on your Profile Icon
  2. Select “Account Settings”
  3. Select the “Integrations” tab
  4. Scroll to “Google Drive” in the Document Management Section
  5. Click “Enable”
  6. Sign in to your Google Account and grant the required permissions
  7. Select Automatic or Manual Folder Setup
    1. Automatically Create New Google Drive Folders for Matters — This option creates Folder Structures in Google Drive for New Matters based on preselected Naming Conventions and Folder Templates you choose. It offers a convenient way to automatically structure your document workflow.
    2. Manually Link Existing Google Drive Folders to Matters — This option allows you to link a New Matter with an existing Folder already in your Google Drive. Once you enter the Folder’s URL, documents associated with the Matter will be placed there.

Automatic Folder Setup

When a new Matter is created in Clarra, Clarra automatically creates a structured folder in Google Drive.

  1. Select a Matter Naming Convention
    1. Choose how you would like the Matter’s Folder Names to be generated
  2. Select your Base Google Drive Folder(s) that Matters will populate in
    1. You may connect multiple Base Folders 
  3. (Optional) Create Folder Templates
    1. Allows you to create multi-level folder trees within the Base Folders. If selected, follow the next two steps as well.
    2. Assign Templates to the Base Folders.  These Templates will then be available to be applied when creating new Matters within that Base Folder.
  4. (Optional) Map Clarra Sections to Template Folders
    1. Specify where files uploaded to different Clarra Sections will be stored. Example: Contacts -> “Contacts” folder. If you don’t select a specific folder for a Section, that Section’s files will be stored in the main Matter’s folder.
  5. Connect Google Drive Folders to Non-Matter Sections of Clarra
    1. Select where to store non-matter related files for given Clarra Sections. 
  6. Press “Save”

Once complete, you’ll see: “You’re All Set! Google Drive Integration is Enabled.”

Manual Folder Setup 

Instead of automatic folder creation, users will manually link an existing Google Drive folder when creating each Matter.

  1. Connect Google Drive Folders to Non-Matter Sections of Clarra
    1. Select where to store files for given Clarra Sections. These storage locations are for files not related to a specified Matter.
    2. When creating a Matter, users must enter the Matter’s existing Google Drive folder URL, review and map Clarrra’s sections to the Google Drive folders
  2. Press “Save”

After completing either the Automatic or Manual setup paths as an Admin, users must connect their own accounts to Google Drive under “User Settings”.  Each user authenticates individually, and permissions mirror their Google Drive access rights.

Connecting Google Drive for Each User

  1. Click on your Profile Icon
  2. Select “User Settings”
  3. Select the “Integrations” tab
  4. Scroll to “Google Drive” in the Document Management Section
  5. Click “Connect”
  6. Sign in to your Google Account and grant permissions

Upon successful completion, the Status changes to “Connected”.

Creating a Matter with Google Drive Integration Enabled

Automatic Folder Creation

When creating a New Matter, follow these steps to include documents related to that Matter in an assigned Google Drive Folder that Clarra creates.

  • On the New Matter Creation Page, in the Matter Information Section, select a Base Folder for the Google Drive Matter Location
    • If you have only one drive connected, the Base Folder is prepopulated
  • If you’ve created Folder Templates, select which Folder Template you would like to apply to the Base Folder
    • Only Folder Templates assigned to Base Folders will appear as options, not Folder Templates assigned to Non-Matter Sections of Clarra
    • If you do not apply a Template, Clarra will create only the main Matter Folder, and all files uploaded to Clarra for this Matter will be saved in this Folder

To add a Google Drive Folder for an already created Matter, go to the Matter Info tab and press “Edit” at the bottom of the page. From there, follow the steps listed above to assign a Google Drive Folder. You can also change the Folder Setup at any time by clicking “Review Folder Setup”. Remember to press “Save” at the bottom of the page after making changes.

Manual Folder Linking

When creating a New Matter, follow these steps to include documents related to that Matter in an existing Google Drive Folder.

  • On the New Matter Creation Page, in the Matter Information Section, go to the Field named Google Drive Matter Location
  • Enter the URL for the Google Drive Folder where you would like to save files related to this Matter
  • Click Review Folder Setup, and select your desired Google Drive Folder locations for various Sections of the Matter on Clarra
    • If you do not select a Folder location for a Clarra Section, files uploaded to that Section will be stored in the main Matter Folder
  • Press Save to confirm the Folder Setup

To manually add a Google Drive Folder for an already created Matter or change the Folder assigned to a Matter, go to the Matter Info tab and press “Edit” at the bottom of the page. From there, follow the steps listed above to link a Google Drive Folder. You can also change the Folder Setup at any time by clicking “Review Folder Setup”. Remember to press “Save” at the bottom of the page after making changes.

Google Drive Tab

With the Google Drive Integration enabled, you can not only sync files between Clarra and your Google Drive, but access your Google Drive directly from Clarra itself. You can access the native Google Drive experience embedded at two points in Clarra:

  • Via the Google Drive Tab in a selected Matter’s Documents Tab
    • By selecting the Google Drive Tab within a Matter’s Documents Tab, the Matter’s main folder automatically displays, and you can navigate through that Matter’s Folder Structure. This is a useful and convenient shortcut to Matter-Specific Folders.
  • Via the Google Drive Tab in the Documents Section
    • By clicking the Documents Section on the left sidebar, you can select the Google Drive Tab to access your linked Google Drive in full directly from Clarra.

Some examples of the actions you can perform on files in the Google Drive Tab include the following:

  • Open in Google Drive
  • Share
  • Send to ClarraDocs
  • Download
  • Move
  • Rename
  • Delete (if you have permission in the Google Drive)

Your last viewed location in the Google Drive Tab is even remembered, allowing you to quickly return to where you left off.

Key Capabilities

Throughout Clarra, you’ll find a Google Drive button that allows you to perform many Google Drive actions directly from various Clarra Sections. These actions include:

  • Open in Google Drive
    • Opens the file in a new tab
  • Open with Google Docs/Sheets/Slides
  • View Properties
  • Show in Documents
    • Shows the file in the Google Drive Tab in the Documents Section
  • Send to ClarraDocs
    • Opens the Add New ClarraDocs page, prepopulated with information from the file

You can also download and upload files from/to Google Drive throughout Clarra, in the same places where you can download and upload local files from your computer — including ClarraDocs, Events, Contacts, Plaintiffs, and more.

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