Cloud Storage & File Sources

Import files from cloud storage and external sources directly into any PDF tool.

Overview

PDF Hub supports importing files from multiple cloud storage providers and external sources. When enabled, source buttons appear alongside the file upload area on every tool page and in the Workflow Builder execution modal. This lets you process files without downloading them to your computer first.

Source	Best For
Dropbox	Personal and team file sharing
Google Drive	Google Workspace users, Google Docs/Sheets/Slides
OneDrive	Microsoft 365 and SharePoint users
Box	Enterprise content management, regulated industries
URL Import	Any publicly accessible file on the web
AWS S3	Automated workflows, developer integrations

Dropbox

To import a file from Dropbox:

1. Navigate to any PDF tool page.
2. Click the Dropbox button in the upload area.
3. Sign in to your Dropbox account if prompted.
4. Browse or search for the file, select it, and click Choose.
5. The file loads into the tool automatically.

Google Drive

To import a file from Google Drive:

1. Click the Google Drive button.
2. Select or sign in to your Google account. Grant read-only access when prompted (one-time step).
3. The Google Picker shows your Drive files filtered to compatible types.
4. Select a file and click Select.

OneDrive / SharePoint

To import a file from OneDrive or SharePoint:

1. Click the OneDrive button.
2. Sign in to your Microsoft account if prompted.
3. The OneDrive file picker opens showing your files and recent documents.
4. Select a file and confirm. The file downloads and loads automatically.

OneDrive integration uses the Microsoft Graph API and supports both personal OneDrive and organisational SharePoint sites.

Box

To import a file from Box:

1. Click the Box button.
2. Authenticate with your Box account when prompted.
3. Select the file to import.

Box integration is commonly used in regulated industries (legal, healthcare, finance) where Box provides compliance and governance features.

URL Import

To import a file from any public URL:

1. Click the URL button to expand the import panel.
2. Paste the direct link to the file (e.g., https://example.com/report.pdf).
3. Click Fetch. The file is downloaded via the server and loaded into the tool.

AWS S3

For automated and developer workflows, you can import files directly from AWS S3:

1. Click the S3 button to expand the import panel.
2. Enter the bucket name, object key, and region.
3. Alternatively, paste a presigned URL for private objects.
4. Click Fetch from S3.

Enabling / Disabling

You can control which file sources appear on tool pages:

User preferences

1. Log in and open the account menu (top-right).
2. Click Preferences.
3. Toggle each source on or off under its card (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, URL, S3).
4. Click Save Preferences.

Administrator settings

Administrators can enable or disable sources site-wide from Admin → Settings. When a source is disabled by the administrator, it is hidden for all users regardless of their personal preference.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
Buttons are not visible	Check Preferences. If enabled, your administrator may have disabled the source site-wide.
Picker does not open	Ensure pop-ups are not blocked. Cloud pickers open in new windows.
Sign-in fails	Clear cookies for the provider’s domain and retry. Ensure third-party cookies are enabled.
File fails to load	The file may exceed 100 MB or be in an unsupported format. Check the tool page for accepted types.
URL import fails	Ensure the URL is a direct download link, not a web page. Some services require authentication or generate temporary links.
S3 access denied	Use a presigned URL for private objects, or ensure the object has public read access.