Kord is version control for engineering document sets. Point it at a Drive folder and it imports what is there, then watches for changes: every later edit becomes a revision you can compare, review, and approve. Drive stays the system of record - Kord never moves, renames, or deletes a file without someone asking it to.

What the integration does

• See what changed. Side-by-side and overlay diffs for PDF drawings and P&IDs, DWG, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, images, STEP models, and Rockwell PLC projects - and for Google's own Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
• Native Google files just work. A Doc, Sheet, or Slide has no file bytes to diff until it is exported - Kord exports each one (to Word, Excel, or PDF) the moment it changes and diffs the export, so a Google-native document gets the same revision history as a PDF.
• Review before it ships. Changed files are grouped into a review session - the engineering equivalent of a pull request. Reviewers comment, give a verdict, and publishing holds until the required sign-offs land.
• Comments end up in the file. Comments on a Word or Excel export sync both ways with the file's own native comments, so someone working against the Drive copy sees the review without opening Kord.

Connecting Google Drive

1. Each member connects their own Google account from Settings → Connected accounts, or the first time they link a folder in a new project. There is no organization-wide setup step - every member brings their own access.
2. Google's folder picker opens. Choose the folder to track, and Kord imports it in the background. From then on the folder is linked - files keep a live connection back to where they came from, and "Open in Drive" goes straight to the file.
3. Reading a folder's existing files needs a broader Drive scope than the picker grant alone provides, so Google shows a second consent screen the first time - a one-time step, not a recurring prompt.

Every member authenticates as themselves, so Kord can only ever read what that person can already read in Drive. Permissions are yours, enforced by Google.

How sync behaves

Sync runs when someone asks for it. Kord does not poll your Drive in the background, and file content never moves on its own.

• New files apply silently. A file added to the linked folder shows up in Kord marked as new.
• Edits become a review session. A modified file is flagged "Modified in cloud" and staged as a new revision to review against the last published one.
• Deletions are marked, never mirrored. A file deleted in Drive is badged in Kord and stays visible. The deletion only takes effect when a review session containing it is published.

Security

• Two scopes, requested only when you connect Drive. drive.file covers what you pick in the folder picker and anything Kord creates; drive.readonly is what lets Kord read the files already sitting in a folder you link. Neither is requested at sign-in - only when you connect Drive.
• Tokens encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM, scoped to the individual user who granted them, and revocable at any time by disconnecting the account.
• Where the bytes sit. Kord keeps its own version history of the files you track, so it can diff a revision against one deleted upstream months ago. Enterprise plans can keep that history in their own S3 bucket instead.

Requirements

A Google account with access to the folder you want to track, and a Kord account. Setup takes under a minute and doesn't need anything installed on anyone's machine.

Questions, or want a hand connecting your first folder? Email support@withkord.com or book a demo below - we'll walk through it on a real folder of yours.