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Google Docs Duplicate Document

Google Docs Duplicate Document

Duplicates an entire Google Document with all content and formatting

Node Type

Action

Category

Google Integration

Icon

Google Docs

Overview

The Google Docs Duplicate Document node is an action node that creates a complete copy of a Google Document, preserving all content, formatting, and structure. This powerful integration allows you to duplicate documents directly in your workflows, enabling document templating, backup creation, and automated document management.

Key Features

  • • Complete Document Duplication: Creates an exact copy with all content and formatting
  • • OAuth Authentication: Secure access using user's Google account
  • • Dynamic Document Selection: Browse and select from available documents
  • • Custom Naming: Specify a new title for the duplicated document
  • • Success Tracking: Returns operation status and new document information
  • • Error Handling: Graceful handling of authentication and access issues

Prerequisites

Google Integration

Must have Google integration properly configured

Google integration enabled and configured
User has authorized Google account access
Valid OAuth access token for Google

Required OAuth Scopes

OAuth scopes needed for document duplication

Google Drive File: Access to create and manage files in Google Drive
Google Docs: Access to read and duplicate document content
User Consent: User must grant permission for these scopes

Technical Requirements

Services needed for operation

Google Docs Service: Access to Google Docs API for document operations
Google Drive Service: Access to Google Drive API for file creation
OAuth Service: Access to OAuth service for token management
Workflow Service: Access to workflow service for user identification

Node Configuration

Required Fields

Document ID

Type:dynamic_select
Required:Yes
Value Type:string

The ID of the Google Doc to duplicate. This field provides dynamic selection options, allowing users to browse and select from their available Google Docs. The ID uniquely identifies the specific document in Google's system.

New Document Title

Type:text
Required:Yes
Value Type:string

The title for the newly created duplicated document. This will be the name of the copy as it appears in Google Drive and Google Docs.

Technical Details

Document Duplication Process

How the node creates a complete copy of a Google Document

Input Validation

The node first validates the document ID and new title inputs. Ensures both are provided, returns error if missing, and prevents API calls with invalid inputs.

User Authentication

Retrieves the user ID from the workflow service and obtains their Google OAuth access token for secure API access to Google Drive and Docs.

Google Drive API Integration

How the node interfaces with Google's file services

Document Duplication

Uses the Google Drive API to create a complete copy of the specified document, preserving all content, formatting, and metadata.

File Naming

Sets the new document title as specified in the input, ensuring the duplicated document has a clear, user-defined name.

Response Processing

Extracts the new document ID and constructs the document URL for easy access to the duplicated document.

Dynamic Document Selection

How the node provides dynamic options for document selection

Document Listing

Implements the getDynamicSelectOptions method to fetch available Google Docs and provide them as selectable options in the UI.

User-Specific Access

Only shows documents that the authenticated user has access to, ensuring proper security and access control.

Error Handling

Gracefully handles authentication failures and API errors, returning an empty options list when document fetching fails.

Examples & Use Cases

Basic Document Duplication

Duplicate a Google Doc with a new title

{
  "documentId": "1BxiMVs0XRA5nFMdKvBdBZjgmUUqptlbs74OgvE2upms",
  "newTitle": "Copy of Project Proposal - 2024"
}

This will create a complete copy of the specified Google Doc with the new title and return the new document ID and URL.

Document Template Workflow

Create document templates from existing documents

Workflow Structure

📄 Google Docs Duplicate → ✏️ Customize Content → 📧 Share Document → 📊 Log Activity

Duplicate a template document, customize it with specific content, share with team members, and log the activity for tracking.

Document Backup Workflow

Create automated backups of important documents

Workflow Structure

⏰ Schedule Trigger → 📄 Google Docs Duplicate → 📁 Organize in Drive → 📧 Notification

Automatically create backups of important documents on a schedule, organize them in a backup folder, and notify stakeholders of the backup completion.

Best Practices

Do's

  • • Use the dynamic select for easy document browsing
  • • Handle the success status for proper error management
  • • Use descriptive titles for duplicated documents
  • • Implement proper error handling for authentication failures
  • • Consider document size and complexity when duplicating
  • • Monitor OAuth token expiration and refresh
  • • Use the new document URL for sharing and collaboration

Don'ts

  • • Don't hardcode document IDs when dynamic selection is available
  • • Avoid duplicating very large documents without considering performance
  • • Don't ignore authentication and scope requirements
  • • Avoid duplicating sensitive documents without proper security
  • • Don't forget to handle empty or malformed document content
  • • Avoid making too many API calls in rapid succession
  • • Don't use generic titles that make documents hard to identify
💡
Pro Tip: When duplicating documents, consider using the LLM Prompt node to generate dynamic titles based on the original document content or current date/time. This makes your duplicated documents more organized and easier to manage.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Authentication Errors

Symptoms: Node fails with OAuth or access token errors

Solution: Ensure the user has connected their Google account and granted the required OAuth scopes (Google Drive file access and Google Docs access).

Document Not Found

Symptoms: Node returns success: false or empty result

Solution: Verify the document ID is correct and the user has access to the specified document. Check that the document exists and is not deleted.

Dynamic Select Not Working

Symptoms: Document selection dropdown is empty or shows errors

Solution: Check that the user has Google Docs and that the OAuth integration is working properly. Verify the required scopes are granted.

Duplication Fails

Symptoms: Document duplication returns error or fails silently

Solution: Check that the user has sufficient Google Drive storage space and that the document is not corrupted. Verify that the new title doesn't conflict with existing documents.

Permission Issues

Symptoms: Node fails with permission or access denied errors

Solution: Ensure the user has the necessary permissions to create files in Google Drive and that the source document is accessible. Check Google Drive storage limits.

Related Resources

Google Docs Read Node

Read content from Google Docs before duplication

Google Sheets Create Spreadsheet Node

Create new spreadsheets alongside document duplication

LLM Prompt Node

Generate dynamic titles for duplicated documents

For Each Node

Duplicate multiple documents in batch

Node Library

Explore all available nodes