Connect Dropbox to Rig

    Rig reads the files in a Dropbox folder. Each tabular file becomes its own table, and PDFs, Word and text files go into a versioned documents table. You authorise with your Dropbox account, so there is no key to create.

    Availability
    Rig enables this connection on request. Contact us and we will turn it on for your workspace.

    Before you start

    • You need a Dropbox account that can open the folder you want to sync.
    • Know the folder path, such as /exports. Leave it blank to scan the account root.

    Connect it in Rig

    Adding a source needs a workspace owner, or a role with the Manage connections permission, on a workspace where you manage your own connections. If the Connectors tab says “Data ingestion for this workspace is managed by Rig”, ask an owner or Rig support to add the source.

    1. In Rig, open Connections, choose the Connectors tab and go to Sources & actions.
    2. Search for Dropbox, open the card and click Connect.
    3. Folder path (optional): a Dropbox folder path such as /exports. Leave it blank to scan the account root.
    4. Click Authorize with Dropbox, sign in and approve the consent screen, then choose the streams you want.
    5. The source then syncs on its schedule, which is nightly unless you change it. To load data straight away, click Sync on its row; Test pulls a small sample first if you want to check the connection.

    What Rig pulls in

    Dropbox lands in its own dropbox schema in your warehouse:

    • Tabular files: CSV, Parquet and JSONL files each land as their own table.
    • Documents: PDFs, Word (.docx) and Markdown or text files land in one versioned documents table, with one row per PDF page and one row per Word or text file.

    Streams are the files Rig finds, so there is no stream list to choose from.

    Good to know

    • Rig reads the one folder you name. For files you only share by link, the Public file link card loads a single file from its address.
    • When a document changes, Rig appends a new version rather than overwriting the old one.
    • Rig asks Dropbox for permission to read file metadata and file content only.
    • To disconnect Dropbox, click the bin icon on the source's row under Sources & actions. Only whoever connected the source or a workspace owner can do this, and data already synced stays in the warehouse.

    What people use this for

    • Ingest data files from Dropbox
    • Centralise partner and vendor file drops

    More ideas for using Dropbox

    Dropbox documentation

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