Start the timer when the work begins
Move from creating the work document to tracking the work with one instruction to Notis.
Trigger
File Created
Triggers when a new file is created in Google Drive.
Action
Start Project Task
Tool to start tracking time for a specified project and optional task. use when you need to begin timing work on a project and optionally tag a task.
Why this helps
The timer is easy to forget when you jump straight into a new document.
- Promptly start tracking when a new work file appears.
- Reduce forgotten time entries at the start of a task.
- Keep the action tied to the project context you provide.
Setup
Build it in a few focused steps.
- 1Connect Google Drive and DeskTime once in the Notis portal.
- 2Create an automation in Automations, New Automation, and name it.
- 3Tell Notis which new work files should start a DeskTime project task and how to identify that project from available context.
- 4Pick the Google Drive File Created trigger and choose a report channel.
- 5Test with one real work file and confirm the intended timer starts.
Questions about this workflow
Can a Drive file identify the DeskTime project automatically?
Not always. Include in your instruction how Notis should identify the project, and supply any project details that are not available from the event.
Will every new file start a timer?
The trigger fires for new files. State in your instruction which files should start tracking and what to do when the project is unclear.
When this happens · Trigger
Do this · Action
Supported Triggers and Actions
Notis builds workflows that link Google Drive to Desktime. A trigger fires from one place; an action lands in another.
Google Drive triggers
Desktime actions
Recurring trigger
Notis starts this workflow on a schedule, such as daily, weekly, or during business hours.
Create Project with Optional Task
Tool to create a new project with an optional initial task. use when you need to set up a new desktime project programmatically.
Webhook trigger
Notis starts this workflow when an external tool or custom backend sends an HTTP request.
Get Account Details
Tool to retrieve detailed information about the authenticated user's company account. use after confirming the api key is valid to fetch company name, work settings, account timezone, and timestamp.
Comment Added (Docs/Sheets/Slides)
Triggers when a new comment is added to Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides.
Get All Company Employees
Tool to list all employees in the company, including their roles and statuses. use after confirming valid credentials to fetch the organization’s roster.
File Created
Triggers when a new file is created in Google Drive.
Get Employee Data
Tool to fetch data for all employees within the company. use after verifying the api key is valid.
File Deleted or Trashed
Triggers when a file is moved to trash or permanently deleted in Drive.
Get Employee Projects
Tool to retrieve information about projects assigned to employees, including project names, durations, and statuses. use when you need to fetch per-employee project tracking data for a specific date.
File Shared (Permissions Added)
Triggers when new sharing permissions are granted to a file or folder. Uses Drive's `changes.list` endpoint with inline `permissions` in the `fields` mask so each change carries the file's current permission set provider-atomically. We diff that against `seen_permission_keys` to identify newly added grants. Drive page tokens are the primary cursor; if Drive rejects a stored token, the trigger raises `PollingTriggerError` without clearing state rather than silently re-baselining and dropping events. Limitation: truly ephemeral permissions (added and revoked between two polls without any other file modification in between) are not detected. Drive Activity API would catch those but requires an additional OAuth scope and a different payload contract.
Get Employee Projects and Apps
Tool to retrieve an employee's tracked projects and application usage. use when you need combined project/app time data for a given employee and date (defaults to current user and today). example: "get projects and apps for employee 711867 on 2025-07-28."
File Updated
Triggers when a file's metadata or content changes in Google Drive.
Get Projects List
Tool to retrieve all active projects for the company, including related tasks. use when you need projects overview after authentication.
Google Drive Changes
Triggers when changes are detected in a Google Drive.
Ping DeskTime API
Tool to check the api's availability and confirm the service is operational. use when you need to verify that the desktime api is reachable and responsive.
Connect any two apps with Notis in the middle.
Google Drive and Desktime, or any other combination from 1,000+ integrations.
When this happens · Trigger
Do this · Action
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