Managing Content

Note:  Although future versions of Sync plan to include some of the following features which will allow you to control them from your desktop, currently you are required to log into UTBox to manage these settings via the online interface.  The changes will then apply to folders/files synced to your desktop.

Collaborating vs. Sharing

A sometimes confusing although important distinction exists between "sharing" and "collaborating" in Box:

Sharing is a simple way to allow just about anyone to see files you have stored in Box.  They do not need to log in via an existing Box account, although you can optionally password protect your documents with this method.  Collaborating, by contrast, is how you grant access to people with a Box account (UTBox or external) for not only viewing, but changing or adding content to the folders or files to which you grant them permission.

Various Collaborator roles have different privileges to change and create new content within a folder or upload revisions to a file. To add someone as a Collaborator, they must already have a Box account, either through UTBox or via a personal Box account.

"Sharing" will allow a person who has permission to access a file or folder to view and, if their role permits it, download contents of a folder or a specific a file. However, they will not be able to make changes to the contents of the folder, nor will they be able to upload new or revised content unless they are granted "Collaborator" access.

You can share folder contents or specific files with people by sending a link via an email directly from Box, pasting it into a separate email message or calendar invitation, or by embedding the link code within a website.  Collaborators can access appropriate files through their Box web interface, in addition to any links you send them.

See Sharing Files and Working with Collaborators for details on settings for each.

Deleting Files

When you delete a synced folder or file from your desktop, this will only deactivate the sync.  It will still be available online! 

When you delete a file in your Box account through the web interface, you have 30 days to restore it from your Trash.

To restore a file, click Trash on the right. Click the down arrow to the right of the file you wish to restore, and select Restore. This restores the file to its original location in your Box account. In collaboration situations, a deleted file goes to both the trash of the person who deleted it and the trash of the owner of the collaboration folder. Either can recover it.

File Locking

While working on a file in a collaborative space on Box, lock the file so that collaborators cannot download or edit it, thereby preventing out-of-date files or conflicting versions.

Click the down arrow to the right of a file, and select Lock File. You also have the option to lock files when opening them via the Box Edit app, or by right-clicking the file in your My Box Documents sync folder and choosing lock file (Windows only).

You can choose whether collaborators can download a locked file. If you wish, set an expiration time for the file to automatically become unlocked, which can be helpful in cases where you forget to unlock the file when you are finished with it.

After you have set your lock preferences, clicking Continue will lock the file. A padlock icon will appear to the left of locked files.

Saving Bookmarks

If someone sends you a link to a Box file (or any URL), you can save that URL as a bookmark within your Box account; this can be a handy way to add links to useful external resources related to a particular folder.

To save a bookmark, copy the web address, and then navigate to the folder in Box where you wish to save the bookmark. Once there, from the New... drop-down list at the top of the screen, select New Bookmark. Paste the address in the "Address of page/content" field, and enter a name and description if you wish. Select Okay.

Tagging Content

To make it easier to sort or filter your Box content, assign tags to your files and folders. Your tags are not visible to others.

To assign tags, select the down arrow to the right of a file or folder, and click Add/Edit Tags. Assign a new tag, or choose an existing one. Filter by specific tags by clicking the tag icon in the toolbar (to the left of the "Sort by" link), and a list of your tags will appear. Make your selections and click Apply.

Version Control

Often, several versions of collaborative files will be created; all are saved and accessible through Box's version control.

To view or recover a previous file version:

• If viewing a list of files in a folder, click the V  followed by a version number (e.g., V4) under the file name.
• If previewing a file, click Version followed by a number in the right side bar.

The file's version history will display, and you can download previous versions or replace the current version with a previous one.

Note: If more than ten versions are available, use the [#] versions removed link at the bottom to find the one you need.