StaffGuide: Information Systems and Technology

About Cloud Storage

Why Use Cloud Storage

Storing your files online, rather than on specific workstations, laptops, USB drives, or external hard drives, may make sense if

  • You move between several computers (home and work, for example).
  • You want access to your files when away from your computer.
  • You are concerned about timely backups.
  • You need to share files with collaborators and do not want to worry about multiple versions being created.

University Cloud Storage Options

The University of Arkansas offers faculty and staff two solutions for storing and sharing files.

  • Box
    • unlimited storage
    • all file types
    • versioning
    • sharing
  • OneDrive
    • 250GB maximum
    • Optimized for sharing Office files

Read more at the  ITS website.

For working remotely, backing up your files, and syncing your files across multiple devices, Library IT recommends the Box solution.

Box Options

You can Use Box in several ways; all require Internet connectivity.

  • Box Online
    Work through your web browser at all times. This is the default, required platform.
  • Box Drive
    An optional view of your Box Files and Folders. Use the native file browser on your Windows or Mac computer to navigate to your Box files and folders.
  • Box iOS app
    An optional view your Box files and folders on your iPhone or iPad. Less useful for editing.

Need more help? Contact Library IT at libhelp@uark.edu.

Using Box Online

Your Box Account

  • Login at https://box.uark.edu with your UARK email and password to get started.
  • Be mindful of our data restrictions regarding sensitive information.
  • Decide on a naming convention for your folders. For example, you may wish to have one folder hierarchy for your personal files, "My Files on Box" for example to distinguish them from shared files.
  • Think about managing departmental assets and succession planning. A Departmental Box account is an option ask Library IT at libhelp@uark.edu for more information.
  • Individual file uploads are limited to 15GB at one time.
  • To use Box for cloud storage, you must have internet connectivity (you cannot work offline).
    • While there is a Box Sync app for working with files offline, we don't recommend this as it is easy to end up with multiple versions of a file.
  • Want a lot of notifications from Box? Nah, we didn't think so. View your profile and update your notifications settings to limit the type and number of messages you receive.
  • More Box FAQs at the ITS website.

Navigating Box Online

  • The default Box view shows a Recent file browse on top. (A)
  • Add files to your Favorites list by dragging them here. (B)
  • Below the recent file browser is a file / folder browser (C)
    • Note that folders shared to you or shared by you are blue while your personal folders are yellow.

Box web view showing recent, favorite, and folder lists.

Want to change your default view? You can choose Favorites instead of All Files or Recents by

  1. At the right end of the red tool bar, click your image (or your initials in a circle).
  2. Select Account Settings.
  3. Under Home Page, select Favorites.
  4. Click Save Changes.

Uploading Files and Folders to Box Online

Decide which files you want to store in the Box Cloud. This may be all your working files, "My Documents," or only a subset.

Then choose the "Upload" button in the upper right of the screen.

Tip: you can also add files and folders to Box with the Box Drive, below.

 

Editing Files in Box Online

  • Click on a file to view or edit it.
  • Files are automatically saved as you work. This is also true if you open an Office document in its Office 365 app. You can "save as" with a different name or to a different location but you do not have to use "Save" if you are updating the original document.


Box save as prompt

  • If you chose to Download a file you will be creating a copy and need to re-save it to Box.

 

Add Box Tools For Powerful Editing Features

Box Tools is an add-on utility that simplifies editing most file types in Box Online so that you don't have to download files to edit them.

Read more about working with files using Box Tools.

Working with Shared Files and Folders in Box Online

To Share your Items to Others

Shared Links

Shared links are great for quickly sharing a document or file for a one-time task. You can also use a Shared Link to make an item available to anyone with the link. Depending on the permissions selected, a person may not need a Box account to access a shared link. To share an item with a link, click the Share button to the right of the item and then Copy LInk, choosing the view settings that you wish to apply.

Shared Link options in Box

Collaboration

Inviting collaborators to join your folder allows a group team to revise one version of a file, rather than creating multiple versions. This option is best for long-term or complex projects. There are seven permission levels, and each collaborator needs to have a Box account.

To collaborate with other Box account holders on a file or folder, choose a file or folder and click the Share button to the right.

Share button in Box

Share options range from Viewer to Editor to Co-owner. Co-owners (and some editors) can reshare and delete files and folders.

Working with Files and Folders Shared to You

Items shared to you will appear in your Box list.

If you are a co-owner, you will have the power to delete items shared to you.

Unfortunately, depending on share permissions, it can be difficult to organize / move  the folders and files shared to you. If you simply no longer wish to view or work with Box items shared to you. click the three dots to the right of the item, then then More Actions, then End Collaboration. If, later, you find you need access, you'll need to ask the owner to share with you again.

Box - end collaboration on shared items

 

Box Drive for Windows

Do You Need Box Drive?

No. You will still need Internet connectivity to work with Box Drive.

However, you might wish to add Box Drive if you like to use the Windows File Explorer to browse your Box files and folders as you do with files on your hard drive.

Add the Box Drive App

Add the Box Drive app to allow you to easily navigate your Box folders and files as you do with files on your workstation.

  1. Navigate to the Box downloads page.
  2. Download the Windows installer for Box Drive (usually the 64 bit version)
  3. Run the installer.
  4. As part of the install process, you will be asked to Sign in to your Box account (you may already be signed in if you have used Outlook or other Office products already today).
    Box sign in prompt
  5. That's it! You should now have a new Box folder on your C:\ drive. The default location is C:\Users\[username]\box

 

Box Drive on wirkstation C: drive

You can now browse, open and edit your Box items just as you do online; they will automatically be synced.

Accessing Your Box Drive

Box Drive will create a shortcut on your desktop. If you wish, you can pin your Box Drive to the Quick Access list in Windows. Simply right-click and Pin to Quick Access.Pin Box Drive to Quick Access

Adding Files and Folders to Your Box Drive

You can add files or folders to your local Box Drive and they will be automatically synced online.

Decide which files and folders you wish to store in Box and MOVE them to the Box Drive folder,  They will automatically upload to the Box cloud. You can move all your documents, or only selected folders.  

Changing Default File Locations

You may wish to tell various programs, such as Microsoft Office Apps, to automatically save files to your Box Drive. To do so, for instance, in Word,

  1. Choose File then Options in the left menu.
  2. Choose Save
  3. Change the Default Local File Location to your Box location by browsing to C:\Users\[your username]\Box\[subfolder if desired]

Changing default file save to BoxDrive

 

Box Drive for Mac

Do You Need Box Drive?

No. You will still need Internet connectivity to work with Box Drive.

However, you might wish to add Box Drive if you like to use the Mac Finder to browse your Box files and folders as you do with files on your hard drive.

Add the Box Drive App

Add the Box Drive app to allow you to easily navigate your Box folders and files as you do with files on your workstation.

  1. Navigate to the Box downloads page.
  2. Download the Mac installer for Box Drive
  3. Run the installer.
  4. As part of the install process, you will be asked to Sign in to your Box account (you may already be signed in if you have used Outlook or other Office products already today).
    Box sign in prompt
  5. That's it! You should now have a new Box Drive on your Mac computer.
    By default this will show under "Favorites."  If you do not see the Box Drive, the app may not be running. Navigate to Applications and re-open it.

Box Drive on Mac

You can now browse, open and edit your Box items just as you do online; they will automatically be synced.

Adding Files and Folders to Your Box Drive

You can add files or folders to your local Box Drive and they will be automatically synced online.

Decide which files and folders you wish to store in Box and MOVE them to the Box Drive folder,  They will automatically upload to the Box cloud. You can move all your documents, or only selected folders.  

Box Drive for IOS Mobile

Use the Box app to view your Box files and folders on your iPhone or iPad or to save new documents to your Box account. This is really more a read / view solution than a full-fledged Box Drive solution.

Installing the Box iOS App

  1. Get the Box app and install it.
  2. Login to your account using your  uark.edu email address. You will be passed through the familiar U of A login screens.
  3. After login, you should see Box files and folders.

Working Offline

The Box app offers the ability to make files available offline. Tap the three dots and "Make Available Offline" to read an item when you will be without  connectivity (for example on a plane). Use the "Remove from Offline" command to place a document back into the normal Box cloud.

Editing Offline documents can be tricky. For instance, in our testing the Word app can get stuck in an authentication loop. We don't recommend offline editing for the faint-hearted.

 

Leaving Box

Leaving the University

Access to Box at the University of Arkansas is revoked when a UARK account is closed. When leaving the university, make sure to transfer ownership of files, download personal items to an alternate storage option, or switch your Box account to a personal email address.

Transferring Files to Another U of A Box User

You may wish to transfer files to a colleague or colleagues. To do so, Share the items to them and make them a co-owner of the file or folder

Moving Out of Box

When leaving the University, or if you decide Box is not for you, you will want to migrate content out of Box an into an alternate storage solution.

Select the files or folders you wish to save and download them to the alternate location.

Download option in Box

Changing Your Box to a Personal Account

You can choose to retain your personal Box files by creating a personal Box account not tied to the U of A. Wwitch your Box account to a personal email address. Charges may apply.