When a new file is uploaded to Google Drive, generate alt text in AltText.ai
Each time a new file lands in your Google Drive, this workflow sends it to AltText.ai to generate alt text, so image descriptions are ready before you publish the picture anywhere.
Google Drive
AltText.ai2 steps Setup ~5 min Used on 872 sites Free to import
What this workflow does
Writing alt text by hand is easy to put off, and images often go live without it. If your team already collects photos and graphics in Google Drive, that upload is a natural moment to describe them. This workflow asks AltText.ai for a description as soon as a file appears.
The Google Drive trigger fires when a new file is added, in any folder of the connected Drive. FlowMattic passes the file's details to AltText.ai, whose Generate Alt Text action produces a description for the image. The response comes back into the run as data you can map in later steps.
As imported, the template has only these two steps, so the generated text is not saved or sent anywhere by FlowMattic. Add a step after AltText.ai, such as a Google Sheets row with the file name and its alt text, to keep the result. The trigger also fires for documents, PDFs and other non-image files, so a Filter on the file type is worth adding before you rely on it. Task History shows each run and what AltText.ai returned.
Photo library for a content team
Photographers drop shoots into a shared Drive. Each upload gets a draft description from AltText.ai that editors can review before the image goes into a post.
Product images for an online shop
New product shots saved to Drive get alt text generated on arrival, ready to paste into the product listing when it is built.
Accessibility backlog for a client site
An agency collects a client's new graphics in one Drive and uses the generated text as a starting point for the client's accessibility review.
How this workflow runs
What happens at each step once the workflow is on, and what you need before you import it.
Google Drive New FileRuns when a new file is added anywhere in the connected Google Drive. The file's details are passed on for mapping. Any file type starts a run, not only images.
- AltText.ai Generate Alt Text
Sends the new file to AltText.ai to generate a description of the image. Map the Drive file into this step and connect your AltText.ai account. Run a test after import to confirm the file data AltText.ai expects is mapped.
What you need
- FlowMatticCore
- Google Drive AccountAccount
- AltText.ai AccountAccount
After importing, map your own data. To keep the template universal, not every step is pre-filled. Open each step in the builder and connect your accounts and fields (channels, lists, sheets, recipients) before you switch the workflow on.
Make it yours
Changes worth making after you import it.
- Add a Filter after the trigger that continues only when the file name ends in an image extension such as .jpg or .png (check a test run for the field that holds the name). Documents and spreadsheets then stop before they reach AltText.ai.
- Add a Google Sheets Add New Row step after AltText.ai and map the file name and the generated alt text, so you have a list to copy from when you publish.
- Upload one test image after import and open Task History to see the fields AltText.ai returns, then map the one that holds the description.
Questions about this workflow
Where does the AltText.ai description end up?
As imported, it stays in the run's data in FlowMattic. Add a step after AltText.ai, such as a Google Sheets row or an email, to store or send the description.
Does every Google Drive upload start a run?
Yes. The New File trigger fires for any new file in any folder, including documents and PDFs. Add a Filter on the file name or type if you only want images processed.
Do I need an AltText.ai account to use this template?
Yes. The Generate Alt Text step runs through your AltText.ai account, which you connect after import, alongside your Google account for the Drive trigger.
Will images already in my Google Drive get alt text?
No. Only files added after the workflow is turned on start a run. Older files are left alone.
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