Go to Studio

Static File

Embed a data file (CSV, PDF, JSON, Parquet, …) directly in the workflow so downstream nodes can read it without external storage

What does the Static File node do?

The Static File node lets you upload a data file once and pin it to the workflow. Downstream nodes that accept a file input (e.g. CSV Analyzer, PDF parsers, LLM with file context) read the file directly — no need to plug in Google Drive or re-upload at every run.

The file is uploaded to the workflow’s asset storage; the node stores only the asset reference (id, filename, mime type, byte size). Replacing the file deletes the previous asset to keep storage tidy.

Common use cases:

  • Reference data that rarely changes (lookup table, taxonomy, brand glossary)
  • A PDF or DOCX brief embedded in the workflow as canonical input for an LLM
  • A Parquet dataset used by a downstream analytics step
  • A fixed JSON schema or seed file consumed by a custom node

Quick setup

Add the node to the canvas

Open the Node Library, go to Inputs → Static, then drag Static File onto your workspace.

Upload a file

Open the node settings and click the upload area (or drag a file onto it). Accepted extensions: .txt, .log, .md, .markdown, .csv, .tsv, .json, .jsonl, .ndjson, .xml, .html, .htm, .yaml, .yml, .toml, .pdf, .docx, .xlsx, .pptx, .parquet. Max size: 100 MB.

The file uploads automatically and the node persists the reference — no separate “Save” step.

Connect the output

Connect the File output to any downstream node that accepts a file input.

Configuration parameters

Required fields

Name string required default: Static File

Node name — Label shown on the canvas. Rename to something descriptive (“Product catalog CSV”, “Brand brief PDF”) so the workflow reads at a glance.

Description string required default: Embed a data file (CSV, PDF, JSON, Parquet, …) in the workflow

Node description — A short note about the file’s content or its role in the workflow.

File file required

The uploaded file. The settings panel shows the filename, mime type and byte size. Three actions are available on a configured file:

  • Replace — pick a new file; the previous asset is deleted automatically.
  • Download — re-download the current file via a short-lived signed URL.
  • Remove — delete the asset and clear the node.
Info

Limits & storage — Hard limit is 100 MB per file (rejected with a toast otherwise). The asset is stored on the workflow’s GCS bucket; signed download URLs are short-lived (regenerate via the “Download” button each time).

What does the node output?

A single File output anchor.

file file

An asset reference object the downstream node can read from. Carries the asset id, original filename, mime type and byte size — the consuming node uses the id to fetch the bytes from storage on demand (typically through a signed URL).

Concretely, downstream nodes receive a JSON-serialised file descriptor:

{
  "id": "asset_abc123",
  "filename": "product-catalog-2026.csv",
  "file_type": "text/csv",
  "file_size": 2456790
}

Usage examples

Example 1: Reference CSV for a CSV Analyzer pipeline

Pin a product catalogue CSV in the workflow and analyse it the same way every run.

Static File (catalog.csv) → CSV Analyzer → LLM (summary) → Email Sender

Example 2: PDF brief embedded in an LLM workflow

Upload a brand brief PDF; have the LLM read it for context on every run.

Static File (brief.pdf) → LLM (with file context) → Google Docs Writer

Example 3: Lookup table shared across workflows

A Parquet file of internal product mappings, embedded in a reporting workflow so the upstream data team doesn’t have to maintain a separate API.

Google Ads Product Performance → Join with Static File (mapping.parquet) → Google Sheets Writer

Best practices

Tip

Rename the node to the file’s role (“Pricing rules CSV”, “Q1 brief PDF”) — much faster to scan the canvas than a generic “Static File”.

Tip

Replace, don’t add another node. Use the Replace button when the file changes; the old asset is GC’d automatically. Adding a second Static File node just to point at “the new version” leaves dead assets in storage.

Warning

Don’t upload secrets (API keys, customer PII, credentials) into Static File. Use the Static Constants node for short secrets, or the platform’s integrations for credentials. Asset storage is workflow-scoped but not designed for sensitive material.

Common issues

Upload fails with 'too large' toast

Cause: The file exceeds the 100 MB hard limit.

Solution: Compress the file, split it, or move the data to an external store (BigQuery, GCS) and reference it via a credentialed integration instead.

The selected extension isn't accepted

Cause: The file’s extension isn’t in the allowed list. Static File deliberately rejects binary formats that the platform’s downstream readers don’t support (images, video, audio).

Solution: Use Static Image / Static Video for media. For data files, convert to one of the supported formats (.csv, .json, .parquet, etc.).

Download button does nothing or 404s

Cause: The signed URL expired (they’re short-lived) or the asset was deleted out-of-band.

Solution: Reopen the settings panel — the URL is regenerated on each click. If the issue persists, re-upload the file.

Downstream node says 'cannot read file'

Cause: The downstream node’s expected file type doesn’t match what’s pinned. CSV Analyzer wants a CSV; PDF readers want a PDF.

Solution: Check the downstream node’s accepted types in its docs and replace the file with the right format.

Static Constants

Pin a small bag of named string constants (plaintext or encrypted) instead of a whole file.
Static Image

For images that should stay constant across runs.
CSV Analyzer

A frequent consumer — pin a CSV with Static File and analyse it the same way every run.
File

Use File when the file should be chosen by the user at runtime instead of being fixed in the workflow.