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Google Drive Connection

Tella allows users to sign in to their Google account directly from Tella and to upload files directly to Google Drive.

Similarly to other server connections (like Tella Web, Uwazi, Dropbox, Nextcloud or Open Data Kit), connecting to a Google Drive server enhances the security of data collected on Tella by:

  1. Allowing users to collect data directly inside Tella's encrypted container.
  2. Ensuring that data is sent directly from Tella to Google Drive, without needing to install the Google Drive app on the device or sending the data through a third-party app.
  3. Allowing users to back up their data on a remote location, to lower the risk that data is discovered on their mobile device.
  4. Ensuring that organizations can preserve important information even in the event of device seizure or destruction, and can organize it for research, advocacy, or accountability processes.

The Google Drive connection is a an option to collect photos, videos and audios from users in the ground, when there is no technical capacity to install a self-hosted server(like Tella Web server) and there is no risk on using a commercial tool like Google.

Submissions to Google Drive take the form of "reports" which include a title, a text description, and files like photos, videos and audio recordings.

When to Use Google Drive​

The Google Drive connection may be particularly well-suited for:

  • Organizations that already use Google Drive or Google Workspace's Shared Drive functionality.
  • Users who already have a Google account.
  • Projects where the privacy needs do not preclude the use of a tool like Google Drive.
  • Organizations that cannot or don't want to self-host an app (like Tella Web server) on a server.
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If you need help figuring out if Google Drive is best for your use-case, read our guide or contact us!

Connect to Google Drive​

In order to connect to a Google Drive:

  • Navigate to Settings ⚙️ > Connections > +
  • Select "Google Drive" from the list of available server types.
  • Login to your Google account using the Google login flow on the web view.
  • For now, Google hasn't verified Tella yet, so you'll need to press the "Advanced" button and "Proceed to Tella" in order to connect.
  • Grant Tella permissions to modify your Google Drive (we need this permission to be able to upload files to your drive and create folders in your behalf).
  • Select "Personal Drive" or "Shared Drive": Shared drives are only available to organizational accounts with a Google Workspace. If shared drives are available to you, you will see a list of all the Shared Drives you have access to. Select the Shared Drive you want to submit your data to.
  • Choose a name for the folder where all your Tella submissions will be saved.

Manage the Google Drive connection​

  • In Settings ⚙️ > Connections > Google Drive > 3-dots, you can:
    • Delete the connection

For now, it is not possible to sign in to multiple Google accounts at the same time. If you want to sign-in to your Google Drive using a different email, delete your Google Drive connection and create a new one.

Submit to Google Drive​

  • Once connected, a "Google Drive" card will appear in the "Connections" section of the homescreen. Tap on this card to start submitting to Google Drive.
  • The main Google Drive screen allows navigation between the Drafts, Outbox, and Submitted tabs.
  • Tap the "New report" button at the bottom of the screen to create a new report to Google Drive.
    • On the "New report" screen you can fill in the report's details, including title, description, and optional attachments of photos, videos and audio recordings.
  • Use the "Save draft" button (on the top right of the screen) to save the report as a draft without leaving the "New report" screen.
    • In order to be able to save as a draft, you need to at least enter the report’s title.
    • A message will appear on the screen to confirm the draft was saved.
  • The "Submit later" button saves the report to the Outbox for manual submission.
    • The outbox tab is often used when data collectors don’t have access to the internet or if the connection is not stable.
  • The “Submit” button sends the report to Google Drive immediately.
    • If submission fails due to connectivity issues, the report goes to the “Outbox" tab.
    • If the report is submitted correctly, it goes to the “Submitted” tab and a new folder will be created in Gooogle Drive with the title you selected and the description you entered. All attachments will be added to the folder.

Draft Reports​

  • On the "New report" screen, tap the "Save draft" button to save the report as a draft.
    • A message confirmation will be displayed, and you can continue working on the report or exit to come back to it later.
  • If you try to exit a report without saving, you will be asked to confirm whether you are sure to exit without saving the report.
  • In the Draft tab, you can view and manage draft reports. Open a draft report to continue working on it and submit it.
  • You can delete a draft report by tapping on the three dots > Delete or by entering the report and tapping the Delete button.

Submit a Report to Google Drive​

  • In a report, tap "Submit" to start the submission of the report.
  • You will be redirected to a summary screen displaying the upload progress for each file attachment.
  • A "Delete" button is available to stop the upload and delete the report.
  • If the report is actively uploading, a "Pause" button allows you to temporarily halt the upload, which can be resumed later using the "Resume" button.
  • Exiting a report doesn’t affect the upload status. If the report is actively uploading, the process continues.
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After a report has been uploaded to Google Drive, it is not possible to delete it on Google Drive from the Tella mobile app. Deleting a submitted report will only delete the local version of it, not the report on the server.

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Deleting a report in the middle of submission will cancel the upload of the files that haven’t been uploaded yet, but submitted files and partially submitted files that are already on Google Drive won’t be deleted.

Outbox​

The Outbox contains reports that have been saved for submission. This could be:

  • Paused submissions
  • Report submissions that were interrupted due to connectivity issues.
  • Reports that were marked as "Submit later"

Submitted Reports​

  • The Submitted tab displays reports that have been successfully submitted to Google Drive.
  • In the Submitted tab, you can view and review the submitted reports.
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If the internet connection is interrupted, reports will go to the outbox tab and you will need to manually resume the submission.