If you use the ShareFile Outlook Plug-in, we hope it makes sending files a little easier. Here are three ways that you can use ShareFile and Outlook together and save even more time every day.

1) Right-click to send: Did you know the plug-in can send files right from your desktop? In the desktop or Windows Explorer, right-click a file title. In the menu that opens, hover the cursor over Send to and click Mail Recipient with ShareFile. An Outlook new message window will open, including a link to the file or files that you selected to send with ShareFile. Enter your recipient and email content, and then send.

2) Create an automatic attachment policy: If you use ShareFile to send large files, let the plug-in help you automatically. To enable this capability, open Outlook and click the Plug-in Options button in your inbox toolbar. Click Attachment Policy in the left sidebar, and then mark the Automatic option on the screen. ShareFile will automatically convert any attachments larger than the size you determine to a secure ShareFile link. Files smaller your threshold will still be sent as normal attachments unless you choose to send them via ShareFile manually. Click OK or Apply to save your setting.

Forget about wasting your time with traditional FTP services. ShareFile for Legal offers a way to send large files directly from your email. The ShareFile Outlook Plug-in allows you to insert links to your files, upload and send new files, and request files directly from Microsoft Outlook. You can also choose for all attachments to be sent via ShareFile rather than your internal email server.

When composing email messages using the Outlook Plug-in, you will be given three new buttons: Send a File, Request a File and Send from ShareFile.

We have all encountered it. Trying to send a large file through email only to be disappointed later when you find out that your client did not receive your email. It may have bounced, or triggered the dreaded file size limitation error. Now you have to figure out how to get the document to its destination — by tomorrow. So, you may have to resort to forking out extra money for overnight delivery to ensure it arrives. If you’re lucky enough to send the email, there may still be other consequences for sending large files as email attachments. What if your email put your recipient’s mailbox over quota, preventing them from receiving other messages? Or what about yourself? Your email might put your own mailbox over quota.

Do you use Microsoft Outlook? The Outlook Plug-in is a great tool for our ShareFile customers who use Outlook to easily send and receive files directly using their Outlook email instead of using the web application. The Outlook Plug-in is available with our Professional plans and above and can also be added to our Basic plan for an additional charge as part of our Power Tools package.

Over the next few weeks, we will host three webinars highlighting features specific to the accounting profession. Join us for an exciting overview of features of your ShareFile account including the client portal, Outlook Plug-in, Folder Templates, and various other tools. Tax season is right around the corner, and we want to make sure you are ready for it.

Tax season is right around the corner and we want to make sure your ShareFile account is as seamlessly integrated into your workflow as possible. There is no time to waste, so please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have to get your tax season off to a good start. In addition to some of the features that made us an Inc 500 company, as well as a Sleeter Group Awesome Add-on winner, we have introduced a few new features specific to the accounting industry.

Our Account Services team was created in January, 2011 by Nick Woerner, who has been working with ShareFile since the spring of 2008. Nick saw an opportunity to raise the bar for service and developed Account Services to improve the availability and quality of training and ongoing, proactive support for ShareFile users.

Account Services representatives conduct daily training webinars and also one-on-one sessions for customers. The team has the opportunity to work with new our accounts and learn the reasons our customers chose ShareFile as a solution for their business. I recently asked two Account Services representatives, Alex Hofford and Amanda Rogers, about the features and benefits of a ShareFile account that are most helpful to people who are just getting started or looking to learn more. Below are some of the tips they shared.

What are the most common questions that you hear from new accounts?

Alex:
FAQ- One of the most common questions I get from clients is “What is my client going to be able to see when they log in?”

Answer- While the specific answer to this question will be different with each account, the fundamental answer lies within our Folder Access permissions. With these options, the account administrator can control not only which folders each client user can see in the system, but also any download/upload capability and email notifications. These options create a level of customization so that you and your clients can get the most appropriate use out of our system.

Amanda:
FAQ- “How is the transfer secure if we send out an email with a link to download a file? What if the email gets intercepted?”

Answer- I often get asked this question, especially when going over the ‘Require user to login’ option within ‘Send a File’. I point out that if the user isn’t already created as a user on the account, the system will assign them a password. I get a lot of concern over the password coming out in the same email as the link to the file. There are measures that the administrator(s) can put into place within their account to add additional security. Our first recommendation is to create the person as user in the system and then grant them access to a folder in the account that has the material you would be sending to them. If the user is created in this way, then they will be required to log-in each time before they can access the folder. They will be sent a temporary system-generated password in an initial email and will be prompted to change that password as soon as they log-in the first time. Email notifications can be turned on, so that notification will be provided as soon as new files have been uploaded to the folder.

I’ve also helped accounts with their email templates so that a new user’s password won’t go out in an email. Some accounts even change the passwords for all users to the last four digits of their SSN (for those in Accounting and Financial industries) and then only say in the welcome email that their password is the last four digits of their SSN. I also refer those who ask these questions to the Reporting feature in their account and let them know that they can trace downloads to an IP address and location to determine who is doing the downloading/uploading of a file.

In addition to working really hard on our new mobile applications, our busy development team has updated and expanded on several existing features of our service recently. These updates are guided by customer suggestions, which help us work towards our …