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Use cases → Reporting and data

Monitor total Drive storage usage across the organisation

Track and report aggregate Drive usage per user and group, so you see quota risks before they hit.

Who it is forWorkspace admins responsible for storage planning and cost control.
APIsDrive API, Admin SDK
Typical scopesdrive.readonly, admin.directory.user.readonly

The problem

Google's admin dashboard shows only headline numbers, so you can't break down usage by group, unit or user without scripting. Unexpected overages mean scrambling for deletions, and you miss trends until they're a problem.

How it works

  1. List all users with the Admin SDK.
  2. For each user, impersonate them using the service account and query their Drive quota with the Drive API.
  3. Aggregate the usage by user, group, or OU as needed.
  4. Alert or report when approaching thresholds.

What changes

You have a granular, up-to-date picture of storage usage across the entire organisation, enabling proactive management.

The trap in this one. Drive API's storageQuota fields can lag behind reality by several hours, especially after large deletions or file ownership transfers. Automated reporting that assumes real-time accuracy will mislead during cleanups or migrations, causing false alarms or missed capacity warnings.

Questions people ask

Can I get shared drive usage the same way?

Shared drives require separate enumeration, and their quotas are not attributed to individual users. Use the Drive API's drives.list and track usage at the shared drive level.

How do I handle suspended or deprovisioned users?

The Admin SDK can list suspended users, but if their Drive data hasn't been transferred or deleted, their storage still counts. Always include them in quota checks.

Want this built?

This is a pattern we run in production. We will set up the delegation and build this on top of it — $500 per hour, most of it working the same day.

Talk to us Or read the setup guide

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Generate usage reports for Shared Drives via API

Automate reporting on file counts, storage, and activity within Shared Drives to satisfy audit, billing, or capacity planning requirements.

Report Google Drive usage across the whole organisation

Pull storage and activity data for every user’s Drive to audit quotas, flag outliers, or feed billing models.

Report Drive storage usage per organisational unit

Aggregate and report Google Drive storage usage for each organisational unit using a delegated service account with Admin SDK access.