[Tutorial] How to share your files securely?

Whether internal or external, document sharing within companies is growing rapidly. Beyond the problems of overloading file servers or sending large files, companies are increasingly faced with the issues of controlling and securing these data flows.

Let's take a concrete example with Carl, manager of a sales team, and Aurore, a customer. Carl is often away on business. Every day, he receives numerous e-mails and shares files with his colleagues and customers. He needs to be able to access and share his files from all his terminals, wherever he may be.

Let's take a look at the best practices that Carl, his sales team and Aurore need to follow in order to share files securely. For this demonstration, we'll be using NumSync, a file storage, synchronization and sharing tool.

See all software File Sharing

Best practice no. 1: host your data securely

To comply with RGPD laws on data confidentiality, Carl uses a secure French cloud.

To exchange large files with Aurore, his client who works from home, Carl creates a sharing folder on the Numync platform in which he will store the files.

NumSync user interface

Importing files into the customer folder

Best practice no. 2: Share cloud folders internally

Once the files are online, Carl wants to open access to the project linked with the Aurore customer to his sales team. They will have editing rights to this shared folder. Carl therefore creates the share and authorizes them to modify the files, adding or deleting them, etc.

Sharing customer files with other NumSync users

Define customer file access rights

Best practice no. 3: Share via a data-room to save time

Carl can select the folder (or sub-folder) and choose to share it via a public link with his client. In this way, he creates a "data-room" in the private cloud, enabling him to control the exchange of data and automatically receive the files that Aurore shares with him - a guaranteed time-saver!

When Carl selects public link sharing, a new window opens, offering him various parameters.

Choosing to share by public link

Best practice no. 4: Define permissions

Sharing files doesn't necessarily imply the same collaboration mode every time. By clicking on the collaboration option, Carl can choose whether or not to authorize his client Aurore to add files to the folder.

However, under no circumstances can she delete files. Carl remains "master" of the data-room.

Defining collaboration options with the customer

Best practice no. 5: Reinforce sharing security

Since exchanges with Aurore involve sensitive data, it is important to reinforce the difficulty of accessing the shared file. That's why, in this particular case, Carl chooses to secure the link with a password and defines a validity period for the link in the security options.

Defining security options

Best practice 6: Select by name the external people with whom to share a data-room

Once the security options have been set, Carl can enter the users to whom he wishes to send the link. To do so, he clicks on "Send this link by e-mail" and adds the e-mail address of his client Aurore. In this way, Carl will know that it was Aurore who opened the link when he receives the opening notification.

Defining external users with whom to share the public link

Best practice no. 7: Encourage collaboration with external partners

Facilitating file uploads

Aurore has received the files sent by Carl and can now exchange files with him in the same folder, even if she doesn't have a NumSync account. All she has to do is select her files and upload them to the folder.

This eliminates the need for Aurore to send heavy files by e-mail, or to restrict the quantity and weight of her files.

External user interface

Files imported into the folder by the client

Simplify file viewing without downloading

Aurore doesn't need to download image files (jpeg, png, mp4, pdf) from the shared folder to view them. She can open them directly from the cloud and view the documents in their entirety.

Preview contents of shared folder

Leave the option of downloading files as needed

Depending on what she really needs, Aurore can download all or just some of the files contained in Carl's shared folder. She selects the files she wants, then clicks on the "Download" icon in the right-hand menu.

File upload

Alert by e-mail when a new file is uploaded

Aurore can subscribe to the e-mail alert. She will receive an e-mail notification when new files are added to the folder. The list of files will appear in the e-mail.

No matter who uploaded them, she'll know that new items have arrived in the folder. To activate the e-mail alert, simply click on the little clock!

Creating an e-mail alert

Best practice no. 8: Stay informed of shared link activity

Once his file has been shared with Aurore, Carl can follow its sharing. He receives an e-mail notification when Aurore opens the link. If she uploads files, Carl is immediately alerted by e-mail and receives a list of the files concerned.

Receive shared folder access alert

All external (link access, deposits, downloads) and internal (renaming, moving, deleting, etc.) "events" are listed and easily accessible in Carl's web interface.

History of actions carried out on the shared file

See all software File Sharing

Conclusion

By choosing a solution like NumSync, Carl is sure to secure his internal exchanges with his colleagues, as well as external exchanges with Aurore or his other customers. His corporate data are all grouped together in a single cloud. He can work collaboratively while complying with current regulations. They work efficiently and save time on a daily basis.

Collaborative working on the move and remotely is optimized! Carl and his sales team can synchronize and access their files on all their terminals at all times. When Carl switches on a device and is connected to the Internet, synchronization is automatic and all files are updated. He and his team are always working on the right file, at the right version, stored in the same place, in a French cloud!

We invite you to take a look at the use case in pictures!