Collaborate with Box
- 1. S4 Secure and Synchronize while Saving your Sanity How to Use Box.com
- 2. The Challenge • A dispersed (editorial) team o Geography o Time zone o Need to work away from primary office • Many documents – many versions each • Constant revisions • Need to share with selected outsiders
- 3. Box.com • Free (5 GB per account) • No software required (App for phone or tablet useful but not necessary) • Works with Windows, Mac, and Linux • Can view and comment with Tablet or phone • All you need is a computer with a o Web browser o Internet connection
- 4. How to use it: Visit www.box.com and create a free account following the on screen instructions In a few minutes you’ll get a confirming email. Return to box.com and log into your new account with the username and password you chose.
- 5. After you login, you’ll see a column on the right with tasks you can perform. If you need to return to root of your account, click on the Files button
- 6. Start by creating a folder. Click the + New button near the top of the browser window In the window which appears give the folder a name. Keep the other options as they are.
- 7. Now that you have a folder, add a file, such as a word document to it. Do this by clicking the Upload button to the left of the + New button and selecting a file on your computer. Note that you can add a description to the file, by clicking on the blue add description link
- 8. Your workspace now has a file and a folder file such as a word document folder Note that files and folders have a small menu. Click the down arrow to reveal more options, which differ depending on whether the object is a file or folder. For folders For files
- 9. If you move your cursor over a file, it will be highlighted and a link titled Tasks will appear. It allows you to send requests to other team members.
- 10. It’s usually easier to keep related files in the same folder or subfolder. To move a file into a folder, simply click on it and drag it into the desired folder. Your folder will change from yellow to blue, indicating it now contains something. (This color change may take a few minutes.) Now that you have content, you can share it. Click the down arrow by your folder. Select Share -> Invite Collaborators
- 11. It’s usually easier to keep related files in the same folder or subfolder. To move a file into a folder, simply click on it and drag it into the desired folder. Your folder now changes color from yellow to blue, indicating it now contains something. Now that you have content, you can share it. Click the down arrow by your folder. Select Share -> Invite Collaborators -> Enter their email addresses - comma separated. You can allow collaborators to edit documents by giving them Editor status or restrict them to viewing documents by inviting them as a Viewer
- 12. Each collaborator needs her own Box account. When a collaborator logs-in, she will see the project folder, and by clicking on it, the file(s) it contains. She can edit a file, by downloading it, changing it and again uploading it. After the file is uploaded, its version number will change as will the record of actions taken on the file and size, if the file has grown.
- 13. When you open a collaboration folder, a list of collaborators will be shown in the right column. All collaborators for all projects will be shown, by visiting Contacts from Box.com's main menu: Managing Your Project: • By default, Box will email you whenever you or a collaborator interacts with a file. This may quickly become tedious. To change notifications for various actions, choose My Account -> Account Settings -> Notifications. From here you may choose what you wish to be emailed about. • You can see the history of changes to project files, by clicking the Updates link. • In addition to using a Mac, Windows PC or Linux computer, you can access documents from a tablet computer or even a smart phone. You do this by visiting m.box.com and logging in. You can get more functionality on a tablet or phone, by installing a free Box app. • Most of the remaining choices should be self-explanatory. Feel free to contact me, if you have questions.
- 14. Why Bother? • The mechanics of Box.com will take a 15 to 30 minutes to learn • Changing your style of collaboration will take longer. It won’t be easy until it becomes a habit. This one is worth acquiring. • Once a project get’s complex with lots of tasks, revisions, and concerns of who is supposed to do what when; it becomes very valuable • When you’re away from your office it’s also very convenient to be able view files from a phone or tablet.