Attaching a doc (instead of a link) from Google Drive?

[Marnie]

I have a PowerPoint deck stored on Google Drive that I want to attach to a card in Trello for my teammates to see. But I don't want the ppt to open in Google Drive when my teammates open it... I want them to be able to open it using PowerPoint on their computers. 

The default Trello "attachment" for something on Google Drive seems really to be what I would describe as a link to the doc on Google Drive. Is there an easy way around this? Is my only option to download the file to my computer first, then attach it to Trello from there? Seems like that extra step should not be necessary...

Thanks in advance

Marnie 

[Michael Pryor · Accepted solution]

"Is my only option to download the file to my computer first, then attach it to Trello from there?"  Maybe?

It sounds like you don't want to use Google Drive (the cloud service to store the file).  The reasons to use Google Drive would be that it uses Google's security/login/permissions.  They could then open it in PowerPoint on their computers after going to Google's site if that's what they wanted to do.

If you put the file into Trello (i.e. not linking to Google Drive) then you are moving the file outside of Google Drive - so it won't be using the permissions & security settings from Google anymore.  

If you just want them to be able to open the file using Powerpoint on their computers - Google Drive will let them do that.

I guess the easiest thing to do would be think about how you want it to act if Trello wasn't in the picture.  If you were going to send them an email with a link to your file, do you want the link to go to Google Drive (probably), or do you want to download the file and attach it to the email (in which case the file is no longer in Google Drive).

[Marnie]

Thanks for your reply, which prompted me to think more about what I'm hoping to do.

I'm thinking of Trello as a source of continuity for this project. I see attaching the file as better than sending by email, because the doc will be easily available to people who join the team and this project in the future. I see truly attaching the file as better than a link to my Google Drive, because it will remain available after I leave the team and delete docs I no longer need from my Google Drive.

[Michael Pryor]

But if you update the Google Drive version then it won't be reflected in the copy you made in Trello... is that what you want as well?

[Marnie]

I hear you. And that's ok in this case -- we're talking about finished docs that will not get further updates.

[Michael Pryor]

ok, then yes, you likely want to download it to your computer and add it to Trello by uploading.  You don't want to use the Google Drive connection.

[Marnie]

Thanks for talking this through with me.

[milynnus]

@Michael Pryor  Thanks for sharing your POV on this subject. It is good to have the founder’s insight on Trello design. 👍