[Tutorial] How do you share your files securely?

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

Let's take a concrete example with Carl, who manages a sales team, and Aurore, a customer. Carl is often away on business. Every day, he receives a large number of emails 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 should follow in this tutorial to share files securely. For this demonstration, we'll be using the NumSync solution, a file storage, synchronisation 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 customer 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 give his sales staff access to the project linked to the Aurore customer. They will have editing rights to this folder, which is shared between users. Carl therefore creates the share and authorises 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 customer. In this way, he creates a "data-room" in the private cloud, which allows him to control the exchange of data and automatically receive the files that Aurore shares with him, saving time!

When Carl selects to share by public link, a new window opens, offering him a range of parameters.

Choosing to share by public link

Best practice no. 4: Define permissions

Sharing files does not necessarily imply the same collaboration mode each time. By clicking on the collaboration option, Carl can choose whether or not to allow his client Aurore to add files to the folder.

However, under no circumstances will she be able to delete files. Carl remains "master" of the data-room.

Defining collaboration options with the customer

Best practice no. 5: Reinforce the security of shared files

Since exchanges with Aurore involve sensitive data, it is important to make access to the shared foldermore difficult. This is why, in this specific 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 no. 6: Choose 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 this link. To do this, he clicks on "Send this link by email" and adds the email address of his client Aurore. This way, Carl will know that it was Aurore who opened the link when he receives notification that it has been opened.

Defining the external users with whom to share the public link

Best practice no. 7: Encourage collaboration with external partners

Make it easier to upload files

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

Aurore no longer needs to send large files by email or restrict the number and weight of files.

External user interface

Import of files into the folder by the client

Simplify viewing files without downloading them

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 the contents of the shared folder

Leave the option of downloading files according to her needs

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

File upload

Alert by email when a new file is uploaded

Aurore can subscribe to the email alert. She will receive an email notification when new files arrive in the folder. The list of files will appear in the email.

No matter who uploaded them, she will know that new items have arrived in the folder. To activate the email alert, simply click on the little clock!

Creating an e-mail alert

Best practice no. 8: Stay informed about the activity of shared links

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

Receiving an alert for access to the shared folder

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

History of actions taken on the shared file

See all software File Sharing

Conclusion

By choosing a solution like NumSync, Carl can be sure that his internal exchanges with his employees, and his external exchanges with Aurore or his other customers, are secure . His company data is all grouped together in a single cloud. He can work collaboratively while complying with current regulations. They can work efficiently and save time every day.

Collaborative working on the move and remotely is optimised! Carl and his sales staff can synchronise and access their files on all their terminals at all times. When Carl switches on a device and is connected to the Internet, synchronisation 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!