Dropbox & files
Connect Dropbox for client file storage, document management, and automated filing of signed documents.
Overview
OneHQ uses Dropbox as the file storage layer for client documents. Documents are organised in per-client folders, giving your practice a consistent and structured approach to file management.
The integration supports:
- Browsing — navigate your full Dropbox folder tree from within OneHQ
- Uploading — upload documents directly to client folders (up to 150MB per file)
- Downloading — download files to your local machine
- Previewing — PDF files are rendered inline, CSV files display as tables
- Automatic filing — signed documents are saved back to the correct client folder automatically
Connecting Dropbox
Open Settings > Connections
Navigate to Settings (gear icon in the sidebar), then click the Connections tab. You'll see a row for "Dropbox — File Storage".
Click "Connect"
Click the Connect button on the Dropbox row. You'll be redirected to Dropbox's authorisation page. Sign in to your Dropbox account and grant OneHQ access.
Authorise via OAuth
Dropbox will show the permissions OneHQ is requesting. Click "Allow" to authorise. You'll be redirected back to OneHQ automatically.
Configure the base path
Once connected, configure the base path — the root folder in Dropbox where your client folders live. For example, /Clients or /Practice/Client Files. OneHQ will look for client folders within this directory.
{GroupName}/{EntityName} or {EntityName} - {ABN}.
File browser
The Practice Files view and the Entity Documents tab provide a full file browser for navigating your Dropbox folder structure.
Folder tree
The file browser displays a recursive folder tree starting from your configured base path. Click any folder to expand it and see its contents. The tree loads on demand — subfolders are fetched as you navigate into them.
File preview
PDF files are rendered inline using a built-in PDF viewer. You can scroll through pages, zoom in, and review documents without leaving OneHQ. CSV files are displayed as formatted tables for quick review.
Upload
Upload files directly to any folder in your Dropbox. OneHQ supports files up to 150MB. Files larger than 8MB are uploaded using chunked upload sessions for reliability. Simply click the upload button, select your file, and choose the destination folder.
File operations
From the file browser, you can:
- Download — save any file to your local machine
- Rename — rename files and folders directly
- Delete — remove files from Dropbox
Client folder structure
Each entity in OneHQ has a corresponding Dropbox folder. Folder paths follow the format configured in your practice settings.
Folder format
The default format organises files by group and entity name, for example:
{GroupName}/{EntityName}— e.g./Clients/Henderson Group/Henderson Pty Ltd
You can customise this format in Settings > Setup & Menus to match your existing Dropbox structure.
Period subfolders
Within each entity folder, documents are organised into period-based subfolders for compliance periods:
FY2025— annual documents (tax returns, financial statements)Q1 2026— quarterly documents (BAS, IAS)
These subfolders are created automatically when documents are filed — for example, when a signed BAS is saved back to the client folder after e-signing.
Entity linking
Each entity can be linked to a specific Dropbox folder via the dropbox_folder_id field. This ensures the correct folder is used even if the entity or group is renamed. You can set or change the linked folder from the entity's detail view.
To Sign folder
The /To Sign/ folder is a special watched folder in your Dropbox that powers the e-signing pipeline.
How it works
- Place a document (typically a PDF) into the
/To Sign/folder in your Dropbox - OneHQ automatically picks up the document and analyses it — identifying the document type (e.g. BAS, tax return) and extracting the ABN
- The ABN is matched to an entity in your practice, and the signer's email is resolved from the entity's contacts
- The document appears in the To Sign queue in OneHQ, ready to be sent for e-signing
/To Sign/ but you can set it to any folder in your Dropbox.
For full details on the e-signing workflow, see the E-signing support page.
Automatic filing
When a document is signed through Dropbox Sign (via OneHQ's e-signing pipeline), the signed PDF is automatically saved back to the client's Dropbox folder.
Where signed documents go
The signed PDF is filed into the appropriate period subfolder within the entity's Dropbox folder. For example, a signed Q1 2026 BAS would be saved to:
/Clients/Henderson Group/Henderson Pty Ltd/Q1 2026/
What triggers automatic filing
Filing happens automatically when the Dropbox Sign webhook notifies OneHQ that all parties have signed the document. No manual action is required — the signed PDF appears in the correct folder within moments of the last signature being applied.
Job status updates
In addition to filing the document, the webhook also updates the corresponding job's status in OneHQ. For example, a BAS job moves to "Signed" when the signed document is received, keeping your compliance workflow in sync.
Frequently asked questions
Any Dropbox plan works with OneHQ, including Dropbox Basic (free). However, you need enough storage space for your client documents. Most accounting practices use Dropbox Business or Professional for the additional storage and sharing features.
Yes. Connect the Dropbox account that has the client folder structure. All practice staff will access files through OneHQ using the connected account's permissions. You only need to connect one Dropbox account per practice — individual staff members do not need their own Dropbox connections.
All file types can be stored and managed through OneHQ. For preview and viewing:
- PDF files — rendered inline with a built-in PDF viewer (scroll, zoom, multi-page)
- CSV files — displayed as formatted tables for quick data review
- All other files — can be downloaded for viewing in their native application
Need more help with Dropbox & files?
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