> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.gowindmill.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Linked documents

> Add Google Drive and Notion documents to Company Knowledge without copying them.

Link a Google Drive or Notion document to add it to [Company Knowledge](/company-settings/company-knowledge) without copying it. Your team keeps editing it in the source, and Windy uses the latest version.

Linking works best for documents that change often, like a handbook in Google Docs or a team wiki in Notion.

<Note>
  Linked documents are rolling out gradually. If you don't see **Link a document**, contact your Windmill team.
</Note>

## How linked documents work

* **The source stays the original.** You edit the document in Google Drive or Notion. Windmill reads it when needed and never changes it.
* **Windy uses it like any other knowledge.** Windy sees its title and **When to use** note, reads its content, and finds it in search.
* **The Windmill folder decides who can see it.** See [Who can see a linked document](#who-can-see-a-linked-document).

## Before you start

You need:

* **A connected integration**: [Google Workspace](/integrations/google-workspace) or [Notion](/integrations/notion)
* **Admin or HR Admin access**
* **Edit access to the folder** you're linking into

You can link these documents:

| Source | Documents |
| - | - |
| **Google Drive** | Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings, plus PDF, text, Markdown, and CSV files |
| **Notion** | Pages |

## Linking a document

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the library">
    Go to [Settings → Knowledge](https://app.gowindmill.com/COMPANY/config/knowledge).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a source">
    Click **Add knowledge**, then **Link a document**, then **Google Drive** or **Notion**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick the document">
    Search for it and select it to see a preview. If it's already linked, you'll see where. Click **Next**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Place it">
    Add a **When to use this** note and choose the **Location**. Check **Sharing** to see who will be able to read it, then click **Link**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The document shows **Processing** for a few minutes while Windmill prepares it for Windy.

### Which integration Windmill uses

* **Your company's account connection**, if it can open the document
* **Otherwise, your personal connection**
* **Never another member's personal connection**

The document's details show who linked it and through which connection.

## Who can see a linked document

<Warning>
  A linked document gets the access of the Windmill folder it's in, not its sharing in Google Drive or Notion. Anyone who can see the folder can read it, even if they can't open the original. This includes documents linked through a personal connection.
</Warning>

Linking never changes sharing in Google Drive or Notion. To limit who can read a linked document in Windmill, put it in a folder with narrower access. See [Sharing and access](/company-settings/company-knowledge/organizing-and-sharing#sharing-and-access).

## How changes reach Windmill

Windmill picks up edits automatically:

| Source | Content and title | Windy search |
| - | - | - |
| **Google Drive** | Within an hour | Within two hours |
| **Notion** | Within a few minutes | Within an hour |

The document's details show when it was last edited.

To rename a linked document, rename it in the source. The new title follows the same timing.

## Document status

When Windmill can't read a linked document, the library shows a status and Windy stops using the document until it's fixed.

| Status | Meaning | Fix |
| - | - | - |
| **Processing** | Windmill is preparing the document. | None needed. It takes a few minutes. |
| **Reconnect required** | The connection's sign-in expired. | Reconnect the integration, or click **Relink**. |
| **Can't open in Google Drive** or **Notion** | The connection lost access. | Restore access in the source, or click **Relink**. Once access is back, it works again within an hour. |
| **Deleted in Google Drive** or **Notion** | The original was deleted. | Click **Remove**. |

If you can't edit the folder, ask someone who can.

## Managing linked documents

* **Edit it** in the source. Use **Open in Google Drive** or **Open in Notion**.
* **Change the When to use note** in Windmill at any time.
* **Move it** to another folder. Its access changes to match.
* **Remove it** to take it out of Windmill for everyone. Windy stops using it, and the original stays in the source.

## FAQs

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What does Windmill store for a linked document?">
    Windmill reads the content from the source when needed. It keeps a cache of the content for up to 48 hours, and a search index of the text so Windy can find it. The index updates when the document changes, and Windmill deletes it when you remove the document.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can anyone edit a linked document in Windmill?">
    No. Linked documents are read-only in Windmill. Edit them in Google Drive or Notion.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does Windmill check Google Drive or Notion sharing for each person?">
    No. Windmill checks that the connection can open the document when you link it. After that, the Windmill folder decides who can read it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does Windmill still show an old version?">
    Edits take up to an hour to arrive from Google Drive, and a few minutes from Notion. If it's been longer, check the document for a status like **Reconnect required**. See [Document status](#document-status).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if the person who linked a document leaves?">
    Documents linked through an account connection keep working. A document linked through that person's personal connection stops working when the connection loses access. Click **Relink** to read it through your account or an account connection.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why can't I find a document to link?">
    Windmill only lists supported documents that the integration has synced and that you can open. Check the document type, and check that the integration can access it. See [Limiting Drive access](/integrations/google-workspace#limiting-drive-access) or [How Page Access Works](/integrations/notion#how-page-access-works).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>


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