Dropbox Basic Functions and Navigation

The primary way to access the UH Enterprise Dropbox is via the Dropbox website. Here is an example of what you may see when you initially login to https://dropbox.com :

Within Dropbox, there are various types of folders that are represented by different icons to help you identify if a folder belongs to you or is being shared to you. By default, all content that is created by you or is shared with you will be located under a folder designated by your name.

Depending on your department or unit, a special type of shared folder called a Team Folder may be shared with you. A Team Folder is a shared folder that is not linked to an individual’s account (For more information, see https://www.hawaii.edu/infosec/dropbox/team-folders/. Team Folders will always appear as separate folders outside of your named folder.

The chart below is a breakdown of the various folder icons in Dropbox:

Folders in Dropbox will always inherit the permissions of their parent folder. In other words, if you share a folder with others, all content within the folder including sub-folders will also be shared. To ensure that files are not overshared, it is important to periodically review who has access to your folders and files.

Uploading Files

To upload files in Dropbox web, simply drag-and-drop files from your computer into a folder on the web. Alternatively, you may select “Upload files” to choose files from your computer.

Deleting Files

When a file is deleted in Dropbox web, the file will be appear under the “Deleted files” tab where you will have the option to restore or permanently delete a file. Files may be restored at any time up to 365 days. Permanently deleted files cannot be restored. When deleting files using Dropbox Desktop, deleting local synced files will also delete files in the web and place them under the deleted files tab. You must empty your recycle bin on your desktop to permanently delete any local copies of data.

Editing Files with Microsoft Online Integration

Dropbox web features built-in collaborative editing via a Microsoft Office online integration. The integration keeps files within Dropbox and facilitates simultaneous editing with multiple participants. To edit documents, click on the three dots, click “Open in,” then select “Word, Excel, or PowerPoint for the web”. Please note that editing with Google is no longer available.

Dropbox Desktop

Dropbox Desktop is software used to access and sync files from Dropbox on your UH-issued computer (not personal). With Dropbox Desktop, files are synced live between the web and your Desktop so files are always available to you. When files are saved or deleted within Dropbox Desktop, the synced files will also be saved or deleted on the web. Since files are available locally on your computer when using Dropbox Desktop, additional considerations should be taken to ensure that your data is secured:

• Secure your device following the ITS Minimum Security Standards: https://www.hawaii.edu/infosec/minimum-standards/
• Minimize the number of places that Sensitive/Regulated data is stored
• Changes in Dropbox Desktop also affect the web. For example, deleting a file from Dropbox Desktop will also delete the file from the web.
• Remember that Dropbox Desktop creates local copies on your computer.

Dropbox Desktop is available to download at the following site: https://help.dropbox.com/installs/download-dropbox .

Due to the risk of exposure of Personally Identifiable Information and other forms of Regulated data, it is recommended that the Dropbox Desktop be used for Sensitive data only.

Sharing and Groups

Files and folders that you own or have edit access to may be shared with other Dropbox users for collaborative purposes. To access shared files, a UH Enterprise Dropbox account is required. To share files with non-UH participants, it is recommended that Dropbox Transfer be used instead.

To share a file or folder with others, click on the “…” ellipses icon next to the file/folder you want to share, then click on “share”. The following window will appear:

Enter the email of the individual that you would like to share the files to or the name of a group to share files with multiple people. You may also select between granting edit access or view-only access. Click on the gear icon in the top right of the box to access additional settings. When sharing folders, it is recommended that the default settings be changed to restrict who can access or share a folder:

• Under “Folder settings”, folder membership should be restricted to team members only.
• Under Manage access, if you do not want sharing participants to share files further, select “Only the owner”.
• If link sharing will not be used, link restrictions should be enabled.
• Viewer info should be turned “on” to see who views files.

To manage the permissions of a shared file or folder, click on the “…” ellipses icon next to the file/folder, then click on “Manage permissions”. The users/groups will be shown including the level of access granted to the file/folder as shown below:

Considerations when sharing files in Dropbox

• Files can be shared with view-only or edit permissions.
• Files can be shared directly via email or via a link. Link sharing is not recommended due to the risk of oversharing.
• The owner of a file can manage sharing permissions at any time and see who files are shared with.
• Users with edit access to files have access to share the files with other Dropbox users.

Groups

Groups in Dropbox allow you to share files with multiple individuals that require the same level of permission. By sharing via a group, you can track and manage who has access to folders and files based on their group membership. By default, team folders utilize groups to facilitate sharing. To create a group, click on the profile icon in the top right of the Dropbox webpage, then click “View team and groups”. From there, you will be able to access all of your existing group memberships or create a new group. There are two roles in a group: Manager and member. A group manager has permission to add or remove others from the group while members are not able to do so.

When creating your own group, it is recommended to follow the naming convention: [Campus abbreviation]-[Department]-Group-[Subgroup name]. For example, MAN-MATH-Group-HR for the Manoa math department HR.