Files Connect is the only supported way to surface Google Docs on Salesforce records in a new org. The setup involves an external data source, an authentication provider, and per-user OAuth.
- Create an Authentication Provider
Setup, Auth Providers, New. Pick Google as the provider type. Enter the OAuth client ID and secret from a Google Cloud Platform project the admin owns.
- Register the External Data Source
Setup, External Data Sources, New. Choose Files Connect: Google Drive as the type. Pick the Auth Provider created in step one. Save.
- Grant Files Connect access via permission set
Create or edit a permission set with Files Connect Cloud and Salesforce CRM Content User enabled. Assign to users who need to attach Drive files.
- User completes the OAuth handshake
On first use, the user clicks an external data source link in Setup or in a Files picker; Google's OAuth screen asks for consent. Once approved, the refresh token is stored against the user.
- Search and attach from the Files related list
On any record, click Add Files in the Files related list, switch to External Sources, pick the Drive source, search and select the Doc. The file appears in the related list with a Drive icon.
- The legacy Google Docs related list is gone. New orgs cannot install the old Salesforce for Google Apps package; use Files Connect instead.
- Files Connect respects Drive permissions. A Doc visible in Salesforce search to one user may be invisible to a colleague if the colleague lacks Drive access to the same file.
- Search results from Files Connect can lag Drive indexing by several minutes. Brand-new Docs may not appear in Salesforce global search immediately.
- OAuth consent must be renewed periodically. Users who see a Reauthenticate prompt in the Files picker need to walk through the consent screen again to refresh the token.