Can't share Google-Docs-files with "edit permission" to external people

So I started a company and bought Professioal Dropbox and G-Suite, to be able to have Google-Docs in my Dropbox, since we work from here with all our files.

If I now create a "Google-Document" in Dropbox for a brainstorming session with a client, I CAN'T GET THIS FILE SHARED, so that the client can write with me in my doc.

Is this supposed to be like this? I pay 2 Services and loose features, that the free ones easily provide?
I suppose I just forgot a little box to be clicked or so.

So please help me with this issue, if anyone knows the answer!

THANK YOU!

Third Party Integrations

Luc-FJ
4 years ago
Hi Walter, Thanks for responding.

For future generations dealing with the same problem, I think we understand the miscommunication and found the solution. 🙂
As Jay mentioned, when you share a Google doc, the other user will need a Google or Dropbox account of their own to edit the file, as it doesn't allow for anonymous editing of files.
Check, as you can see in our screenshots, all of us are using Google or Dropbox accounts to login and open the Dropbox Google Doc link.

To make sure you can edit the file, you or your collaborators will have to make sure that you're using the same email address for both your Google and your Dropbox account(s).
Here is the interesting part: So this would mean, as far as I understand, that IT IS NOT possible to share this gdoc ONLY as a link, but you have to add in the email bar:
When they, for example, your client, are added, Dropbox does a few weird things:
It doesn't give you feedback inside this Dropbox Share menu that they have been added.
They don't receive an e-mail
also nothing inside of Google Drive, 'Shared with me' (which is not that strange).
You have to copy the link yourself from the share menu.
The first time they open the link it gives you an error that they Need Acces.
This error part happens A LOT, even inside of Dropbox itself, needs a fix
BUT, when you reload the page, or do a sign in again, everything works 'magically'. 🎉

So, in the end, it works, quirky, with a lot of signing in. 🙂 Hope you can make the sharing a lot more smooth in the future!

17 Replies

Replies have been turned off for this discussion

Daphne
Dropbox Community Moderator
5 years ago
Thanks for the additional info Allvitende.

Can you just clarify for me exactly what is preventing editing for the files?

For example, is there an error message? Is there no visible option to edit the files?

If you can, please send along any relevant screenshots of this too, as the visual is always helpful. Cheers!
Allvitende
Explorer | Level 4
5 years ago
Hi, I'm running into the same issue as the original thread author (please review the thread for context as he documented it quite clearly). Have you tried replicating the issue on your end? I've had to explain this multiple times to support already and it's getting redundant to be honest.

1. Create a new Google Doc in a shared team folder.
2. Update file permissions to "anyone with link can edit". I've also tried "anyone with the link can view" and the same thing happens.

3. I open the link in an incognito browser and see this screen.
4. I attempt to login with my personal Google Account (to simulate a client experience that is not part of my organization) and receive this message.

5. Can't access the file at all whatsoever.

Basically, it appears that Dropbox is only letting us share links to Google Docs, Sheets, Slides with people that have the same domain as our organization (even if the file permissions are set to "anyone with link can view"). This makes it impossible to share with external clients/stakeholders.

I've been testing Box and they do not have this issue. If this is not able to be resolved, unfortunately, we're going to have to switch providers. This seems like a bug that should have been fixed a long time ago when you rolled out this feature. We would prefer to stay with Dropbox but if this is how the integration is going to work, it's not helpful to us.
Daphne
Dropbox Community Moderator
5 years ago
Thanks for all the additional details Allvitende!

It would be best to look into this alongside some account specific info too, and I see that you mentioned you've already reached out to Support previously.

Can you let me know the ticket number (eg. #1234567) for your case with the team, so I can check this from my side?
Luc-FJ
Helpful | Level 7
4 years ago
Hi! having the same issue, hitting a wall for external links from Dropbox / Google Docs. Glad you made the option available to use Docs powerful features inside DB but would help a lot if you could fix this like Box, because if you advertise this sharing feature it should work as easily as GDrive. Step 2 and beyond were all done inside a separate (private) browser tab with no Dropbox login.

1. Share Gdoc inside Dropbox (nice)

2. Sign in using a Google account.
3. Login

4. Hitting a wall (Dutch: cannot open file at the moment, check the adres and try again.)

Hope you could figure this one out, it's also a hurdle for me and my team and making the switch difficult. Thanks!
Walter
Dropbox Community Moderator
4 years ago
Hey Luc-FJ - thanks for joining the discussion.

As Jay mentioned, when you share a Google doc, the other user will need a Google or Dropbox account of their own to edit the file, as it doesn't allow for anonymous editing of files.

To make sure you can edit the file, you or your collaborators will have to make sure that you're using the same email address for both your Google and your Dropbox account(s).

For more information, you can have a look here.

I hope this helps!
Luc-FJ
Helpful | Level 7
4 years ago
Hi Walter, Thanks for responding.

For future generations dealing with the same problem, I think we understand the miscommunication and found the solution. 🙂
As Jay mentioned, when you share a Google doc, the other user will need a Google or Dropbox account of their own to edit the file, as it doesn't allow for anonymous editing of files.
Check, as you can see in our screenshots, all of us are using Google or Dropbox accounts to login and open the Dropbox Google Doc link.

To make sure you can edit the file, you or your collaborators will have to make sure that you're using the same email address for both your Google and your Dropbox account(s).
Here is the interesting part: So this would mean, as far as I understand, that IT IS NOT possible to share this gdoc ONLY as a link, but you have to add in the email bar:
When they, for example, your client, are added, Dropbox does a few weird things:
It doesn't give you feedback inside this Dropbox Share menu that they have been added.
They don't receive an e-mail
also nothing inside of Google Drive, 'Shared with me' (which is not that strange).
You have to copy the link yourself from the share menu.
The first time they open the link it gives you an error that they Need Acces.
This error part happens A LOT, even inside of Dropbox itself, needs a fix
BUT, when you reload the page, or do a sign in again, everything works 'magically'. 🎉

So, in the end, it works, quirky, with a lot of signing in. 🙂 Hope you can make the sharing a lot more smooth in the future!
tunahan
New member | Level 2
4 years ago
You have to allow the cookies on your browser setting for third party apps. Incognito mode is the problem.