Email Forwarding

Automatically process documents sent to you via email.

Written By Valentin from Filently

Last updated 26 days ago

What is email forwarding?

Email forwarding lets you forward emails with document attachments to a unique Filently email address. The attachments are automatically extracted, processed, and filed to your Google Drive – just like files you upload manually or add to your inbox folder.

This feature is available on Professional plans and above.

How it works

  1. Enable email forwarding on the Sources page.

  2. Copy your unique email address (it looks like [email protected]).

  3. Forward emails with document attachments to that address.

  4. Attachments are extracted and appear on the Sources page.

Manual vs auto mode

Manual mode

Attachments appear as pending files on the Sources page. You review them and click "Approve Documents" to start processing. This is the same approval flow used for inbox folder watching.

Auto mode

Attachments are processed automatically as soon as the email arrives. No manual approval needed.

You can switch between modes at any time on the Sources page. When you switch from manual to auto, any pending files are automatically processed – no need to approve them individually.

Rejected files

In both modes, files that fail validation (unsupported type, too large, duplicate, or malware detected) appear on the Sources page with a clear rejection reason. This lets you see exactly what was filtered out and why.

Supported file types

Email forwarding supports file types with full text analysis only (PDF, images, Office documents, and RTF). Other file types attached to forwarded emails are automatically rejected. See Supported File Types and Limits for the full list.

Attachment size limit

The maximum size per forwarded email is 25 MB (including all attachments). This is separate from the per-file size limits that apply to regular uploads – see @Supported File Types and Limits for those.

Attachment expiry

Attachments from forwarded emails are available for download for 28 days after the email is received. If you are in manual mode and do not approve an attachment within this window, it will be marked as expired and cannot be processed.

In auto mode, attachments are processed immediately, so expiry is not a concern.

Security

Malware scanning

All email attachments are automatically scanned for malware before they are filed to your Google Drive. If a file is found to be infected, it is rejected and never reaches your Drive. Rejected files appear on the Sources page with a clear reason so you can see what was filtered out.

Spam filtering

Emails flagged as spam are automatically ignored and will not create any files in Filently.

Keep your address private

Your Filently email address works like a private link – anyone who has it can send files to your account. To stay safe:

  • Only share your forwarding address with people and services you trust.

  • If you are unsure about the source, use manual mode so you can review every attachment before it is processed.

  • If you notice unauthorized files appearing, disable email forwarding immediately on the Sources page and contact us so we can generate a new address for you.

Your email address

Your Filently email address is generated when you first enable email forwarding. It stays the same even if you disable and re-enable the feature. You can find it on the Sources page.

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