Ossian Madisson This workflow corresponds to n8n.io template #9209 — we link there as the canonical source.
This workflow follows the Execute Workflow Trigger → Google Drive recipe pattern — see all workflows that pair these two integrations.
The workflow JSON
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{
"id": "qOAgdqA9CYJiMqJl",
"meta": {
"templateCredsSetupCompleted": true
},
"name": "TEMPLATE Nested folder recursion",
"tags": [],
"nodes": [
{
"id": "8fb482bf-81df-48de-b4c0-a04c3a31891d",
"name": "Sticky Note",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-416,
-592
],
"parameters": {
"color": 6,
"width": 1040,
"height": 496,
"content": "### Sets root folder to monitor and trigger recursive workflow"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "7657a4a5-9d4c-4c15-83f6-2edf8a40cca3",
"name": "Sticky Note1",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-416,
-80
],
"parameters": {
"color": 6,
"width": 1040,
"height": 448,
"content": "### Recursively iterates through all nested folders and list their files"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "02300ebf-8389-4a7b-ba79-1977202327ba",
"name": "Loop all subfolders",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.splitInBatches",
"position": [
-96,
128
],
"parameters": {
"options": {}
},
"typeVersion": 3
},
{
"id": "3f55820c-f4f0-40fb-ac32-4e62b43ea196",
"name": "List folders",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive",
"position": [
128,
128
],
"parameters": {
"filter": {
"folderId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $json.id }}"
},
"whatToSearch": "folders"
},
"options": {},
"resource": "fileFolder",
"returnAll": true
},
"typeVersion": 3,
"alwaysOutputData": true
},
{
"id": "572e0740-0bec-469d-8f4f-9eec8edb9439",
"name": "If subfolders exist",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.if",
"position": [
272,
128
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"conditions": {
"options": {
"version": 2,
"leftValue": "",
"caseSensitive": true,
"typeValidation": "strict"
},
"combinator": "and",
"conditions": [
{
"id": "e6a6144c-5c3d-4c15-92e7-147787ece96c",
"operator": {
"type": "object",
"operation": "notEmpty",
"singleValue": true
},
"leftValue": "={{ $json }}",
"rightValue": ""
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 2.2
},
{
"id": "9620aee5-78dc-424c-a68e-78c66e67cd51",
"name": "Trigger recursion to next level",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.executeWorkflow",
"position": [
464,
128
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"workflowId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $workflow.id }}"
},
"workflowInputs": {
"value": {},
"schema": [
{
"id": "folder_name",
"type": "string",
"display": true,
"removed": true,
"required": false,
"displayName": "folder_name",
"defaultMatch": false,
"canBeUsedToMatch": true
}
],
"mappingMode": "defineBelow",
"matchingColumns": [
"folder_name"
],
"attemptToConvertTypes": false,
"convertFieldsToString": true
}
},
"typeVersion": 1.2
},
{
"id": "e1f951c5-8abd-4f08-ae78-49f20f12c811",
"name": "List folders in root",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive",
"position": [
-64,
-464
],
"parameters": {
"filter": {
"folderId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "list"
},
"whatToSearch": "folders"
},
"options": {},
"resource": "fileFolder",
"returnAll": true
},
"typeVersion": 3,
"alwaysOutputData": true
},
{
"id": "77e0374f-38cf-4788-9ed6-8af4ad672294",
"name": "List all files in root",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive",
"position": [
-64,
-272
],
"parameters": {
"filter": {
"folderId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "list"
},
"whatToSearch": "files"
},
"options": {
"fields": [
"*"
]
},
"resource": "fileFolder",
"returnAll": true
},
"executeOnce": true,
"typeVersion": 3,
"alwaysOutputData": true
},
{
"id": "4c07501b-6989-42c5-82ff-f15793e56f84",
"name": "Sticky Note2",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-112,
-544
],
"parameters": {
"color": 3,
"width": 288,
"height": 432,
"content": "## Instruction: \n### Define root folder in both of these"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "6e141c99-9142-4480-9b31-c5eafcb387ec",
"name": "Start recursion",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.executeWorkflowTrigger",
"position": [
-368,
-16
],
"parameters": {
"inputSource": "passthrough"
},
"typeVersion": 1.1
},
{
"id": "a1d1343a-b0a4-417c-8442-eabec70cb71d",
"name": "Trigger recursion of first level",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.executeWorkflow",
"position": [
224,
-464
],
"parameters": {
"options": {
"waitForSubWorkflow": true
},
"workflowId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $workflow.id }}"
},
"workflowInputs": {
"value": {},
"schema": [
{
"id": "folder_name",
"type": "string",
"display": true,
"removed": true,
"required": false,
"displayName": "folder_name",
"defaultMatch": false,
"canBeUsedToMatch": true
}
],
"mappingMode": "defineBelow",
"matchingColumns": [
"folder_name"
],
"attemptToConvertTypes": false,
"convertFieldsToString": true
}
},
"executeOnce": false,
"typeVersion": 1.2
},
{
"id": "5b229c5c-5662-460e-a221-19a02efd8863",
"name": "List all files",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive",
"position": [
272,
-32
],
"parameters": {
"filter": {
"folderId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $json.id }}"
},
"whatToSearch": "files"
},
"options": {
"fields": [
"*"
]
},
"resource": "fileFolder",
"returnAll": true
},
"typeVersion": 3
},
{
"id": "f6099368-fe4a-4360-9bf6-f7654b1c6a60",
"name": "Sticky Note3",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
640,
-592
],
"parameters": {
"width": 384,
"height": 496,
"content": "### Outputs batches of files created or updated since the last PRODUCTION execution\n*Outputs all files of all nested folders on the first execution*"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "26a7b645-fac2-4f56-94da-d3f447b91d6a",
"name": "Schedule Trigger",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger",
"position": [
-368,
-384
],
"parameters": {
"rule": {
"interval": [
{
"field": "minutes",
"minutesInterval": 60
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1.2
},
{
"id": "f0e363fe-c83c-47ff-bffd-7368ac9874b5",
"name": "SetStartTime",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
"position": [
416,
-272
],
"parameters": {
"jsCode": "// Get the last execution timestamp from static data\nconst workflowStaticData = $getWorkflowStaticData('global');\nconst executionStart = $('Schedule Trigger').first().json.timestamp;\n\n// At the end of successful execution, update the timestamp for future comparison\nworkflowStaticData.lastScheduleExecutionStarted = new Date(executionStart).getTime();\n\nreturn [{ json: { lastScheduleExecutionStarted: workflowStaticData.lastScheduleExecutionStarted } }];"
},
"typeVersion": 2
},
{
"id": "d53c8060-c97f-4577-a151-4690030cb23f",
"name": "Outputs new or updated files",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
"position": [
800,
-432
],
"parameters": {
"jsCode": "const recentlyChanged = [];\nconst workflowStaticData = $getWorkflowStaticData('global');\nlet lastScheduleExecutionStarted = workflowStaticData.lastScheduleExecutionStarted;\n\n// Set fallback in case this is the first execution that should return all files found\nif (!lastScheduleExecutionStarted) {\n lastScheduleExecutionStarted = new Date('2010-01-01').getTime();\n}\n\n// Compare created and update timestamps of each file to see if it's later than the last workflow execution\nfor (const item of $input.all()) {\n if ( (new Date(item.json.modifiedTime).getTime() > lastScheduleExecutionStarted ) || ( new Date(item.json.createdTime).getTime() > lastScheduleExecutionStarted ) ){\n recentlyChanged.push(item);\n }\n}\n\nreturn recentlyChanged;"
},
"typeVersion": 2
},
{
"id": "80b1a63f-dfac-4422-8778-d0624b6a5fac",
"name": "Sticky Note4",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
640,
-80
],
"parameters": {
"color": 5,
"width": 384,
"height": 448,
"content": "## Information\nTemplate created by Smultron Studio (https://smultronstudio.com/en) - feel free to reach out at hello@smultronstudio.com\n\n### Instructions:\n* Set schedule interval in the Schedule Trigger node\n* Connect the Google Drive nodes with your credentials\n* Set your root folder in the two Google Drive nodes in the red box\n\nPlease note that upon the first execution and any manual executions prior to the first **production execution** this will output all files in all folders. \n\nThis workflow will request both a *file listing* and a *folder listing* in the root folder and **ALL** subfolders, may have performance issues when used on huge folder structures. Keep in mind when setting the trigger time."
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "728dce31-efc1-44ee-b626-7674c86aaea4",
"name": "If folders exist",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.if",
"position": [
-224,
-16
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"conditions": {
"options": {
"version": 2,
"leftValue": "",
"caseSensitive": true,
"typeValidation": "strict"
},
"combinator": "and",
"conditions": [
{
"id": "5803397c-7522-4d2c-8118-a8d3da9500df",
"operator": {
"type": "object",
"operation": "notEmpty",
"singleValue": true
},
"leftValue": "={{ $json }}",
"rightValue": ""
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 2.2,
"alwaysOutputData": false
},
{
"id": "17c0b075-9784-4bba-9f5d-d0f00f851271",
"name": "Exit sub workflow",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
"position": [
-48,
-32
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"assignments": {
"assignments": [
{
"id": "7dbc41c8-9e5b-4def-bfc4-8fe9e024d70d",
"name": "status",
"type": "string",
"value": "No folders found"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 3.4
},
{
"id": "f2123228-8530-4dc6-8cbb-264bfd7efa3c",
"name": "Wait for file comparison to complete",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.wait",
"position": [
256,
-240
],
"parameters": {},
"typeVersion": 1.1
}
],
"active": false,
"settings": {
"executionOrder": "v1"
},
"versionId": "93075173-0789-47dd-8b14-bf6fccfa097d",
"connections": {
"List folders": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "If subfolders exist",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"SetStartTime": {
"main": [
[]
]
},
"List all files": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Outputs new or updated files",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Start recursion": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "If folders exist",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"If folders exist": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Loop all subfolders",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
],
[
{
"node": "Exit sub workflow",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Schedule Trigger": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "List folders in root",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"If subfolders exist": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Trigger recursion to next level",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
],
[
{
"node": "Loop all subfolders",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Loop all subfolders": {
"main": [
[],
[
{
"node": "List folders",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
},
{
"node": "List all files",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"List folders in root": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Trigger recursion of first level",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"List all files in root": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Outputs new or updated files",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
},
{
"node": "Wait for file comparison to complete",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Outputs new or updated files": {
"main": [
[]
]
},
"Trigger recursion to next level": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Loop all subfolders",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Trigger recursion of first level": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "List all files in root",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Wait for file comparison to complete": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "SetStartTime",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
}
}
}
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About this workflow
While Google Drive is accessible and easy to use, file listings via API are limited to either all files in the entire Drive or all files in a specific folder. This also means that the n8n triggers for Google Drive are limited to changes to a specific file or folder.
Source: https://n8n.io/workflows/9209/ — original creator credit. Request a take-down →
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