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 than 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.

3)  Place a request link in your email signature

Create a request link and embed it in your Outlook signature to let your contacts easily send files to you via ShareFile. From the Outlook Plug-in, simply open a new message and click Request a File in the ShareFile toolbar. A request link will be placed in your new message. Copy the link and any associated text. Click Insert in the new message toolbar, and then click Signature. Click the Signatures option and select the signature that you would like to edit. Paste the link and text into the body of your signature and click OK. Your email signature will now include a request link allowing your clients to securely send their files anytime.

*Note: These steps apply to Outlook plug-in version 2.086 and newer. Users with an older version of the plug-in, or who require login to upload via request link, will need to first send a copy of the request link to their own email address and then copy the link to insert into a signature. Older versions of the plug-in insert placeholder links in email messages which are replaced with a working link at the time the email is sent.

Check  out the screenshots below:

Have you found a cool way to use the ShareFile Outlook Plug-in? We’d love to hear from you! Visit the ShareFile Facebook page and let us know how the plug-in works for your business.

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.  You can also select to send files using your Outlook Plug-in by simply right-clicking on them in your Windows Explorer screen or Desktop. Additionally, if you have files attached to your email through the regular Outlook attachment option, ShareFile has a button Convert to ShareFile that will change the attachment to a ShareFile link.

Click on the screen shots below:

Want an easier way to send large files today? Sign up for a free 30-day trial.

Fortunately, there is a solution sending large files to your clients and colleagues which allows you to avoid these problems and make sure your files get to your destination safely and securely. 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.  Once downloaded, this tool can be linked directly to your account by entering your user name, password, and account subdomain in the set up window.  Forget about the hassle of trying to email large files.

Additionally, you can choose for all attachments to be sent via ShareFile rather than your internal e-mail server. This way you can eliminate the worry of exceeded email quotas. If you have files attached to your email through the regular Outlook attachment option, ShareFile has a button (Convert to ShareFile) that will change the attachment to a ShareFile link.

We also have features to help non-Outlook users send large files via email. For more information, contact our support team at 1-800-441-3453 x2 or support@sharefile.com. Our team is happy to help you lessen the burden of large email attachments.

Here are some of the cool things that you can do with the ShareFile Outlook Plug-in:

Send a File – You can use this option to send files that are on your computer through ShareFile. With this option, you can select one file or multiple files to add a link to your email message that will send the files through ShareFile. Files sent through “Send a File” will be uploaded to your “File Box” in the account.

Send From ShareFile – The Send from ShareFile option is for attaching files that already exist in your ShareFile account. A tree view representation of your ShareFile account will pop up for you to browse. Multiple files and folders can be checked off to be attached. This is a great option to use if a file already exists in your account.

Request a File – You can select this option to insert a link that recipients will be able to click on and upload files to you. Uploaded files can go to your File Box or to another folder location of your choosing.

Using ‘Send To’ with your Outlook Plug-in – You can also select to send files using your Outlook Plug-in by simply right-clicking on them in your Windows Explorer screen or desktop. If you choose this ‘Send To’ option for a file, you will be able to select the ‘Mail Recipient with ShareFile’ to open a new message with a link to the file.

Convert Existing Attachments – If you have files attached to your email through the regular Outlook attachment option, ShareFile also has a button that will allow you to “Convert to ShareFile,” which will change the attachment to a ShareFile link. This option is only available if there is an existing outlook attachment on the email.

As always, if you have any questions about any of the above features, please contact our Support team at support@ShareFile.com

If you do not currently have the Outlook Plug-in installed, check out our Knowledge Base article on how to install.

If you’d simply like to learn more about the plug-in and how it fits into your daily workflow, click here to view a video tutorial.

Register for a session now by clicking a date below. Each webinar will last approximately 30 minutes.

Wednesday, December 7th 3:00pm EST

Wednesday, December 14th 3:00pm EST

Wednesday, December 21st 3:00pm EST

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Bulk Client & Folder Setup: Your time is already stretched. So, to save a few extra steps, we can help you create your folder structure and users in bulk. With ShareFile’s Bulk Folder Upload option, you can have all of your client users and their portals setup in a single step. Read more here.

Outlook Plug-in: The Outlook Plug-In is an easy way for all of your employees to communicate directly with clients using Microsoft Outlook. With the Outlook Plug-In, you can send files from your desktop, receive files, and even send files that are already stored in your ShareFile account. Learn more about our plug-in here.

Dynamic Folder Templates: This tool allows you to create a default set of subfolders that may be added to new or existing folders on your account to allow for easy folder structure set up when the same subfolders are frequently used. Click here to read more about this new and exciting feature.

ShareFile Desktop Sync: Like most accountants, you probably have a DMS that you use on a daily basis to manage your files. Wouldn’t it be easy if you could extract that data from your DMS into ShareFile? With ShareFile Desktop Sync, you can simply “Save As”, “Print To”, or “Export” directly from your DMS into the folders on your desktop. Get ahead of the curve and learn more about Sync here.

Consolidated Notifications: We realize that keeping up with the activity on your account is a must. However, you are far too busy to sift through hundreds of emails each day. There is a feature in the ‘My Settings’ link of your navigation bar that lets you consolidate those email notifications into a more manageable format. To get more information on this feature, visit our Knowledge Base.

Passwords in emails: As a trusted professional of your clients’ personal information, it is important to provide a high level of security. This feature will send an email to your clients with the password stripped from the email and instructing the clients to contact their accountant for their password. Please contact our support team or your account manager for further details!

Reports: With plenty of items demanding your time, we want to make it as simple as possible to monitor the activity of your ShareFile account. Our reporting tools located in the ‘Admin’ section, will keep you up to date on upload, downloads, and various other activity types. To learn more about our Reporting feature, visit our Knowledge Base

As always, we encourage you to contact us with any questions. Thanks again for choosing ShareFile and good luck with the upcoming tax season.

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.

What are the most popular features with your accounts?

Alex: Across all of our accounts, we provide access to the Desktop Widget tool in order to provide easy access to the ShareFile account without having to utilize an internet browser. The Widget allows the user to see the folders and files they have access to in the ShareFile account, while providing a way to upload documents, send files, and create new folders/subfolders.

Many people tell me they like the Widget because of the ability to Drag-and-Drop files in and out of the Widget window. This is a very easy way to move a large number of folders and/or files at once from outside the client portal.

Amanda: The Outlook Plug-in—everyone loves how easy it is to use!

The Reporting page and tracking features are also very popular. All of the users on an account may not be in close proximity with each other. Our notifications, combined with the Activity Log available in each folder, help the Administrator know if their colleagues and clients are getting their work done. Many administrators like being able to check to see how many files have been downloaded and to know right away when that happens. They also like knowing that if there is ever a question about meeting a deadline, they can use the Reporting features to get a time stamp of their work.

What are the best ways to get help when you’re getting started with a new account?

Alex: The Help link in the top right corner of the ShareFile portal menu provides a variety of options to get our clients the help they need as quickly as possible. This page contains a search field for our Knowledge Base (a collection of articles detailing various aspects of our service), a link to chat live with our Support Team, and contact information for both the support team and your account manager. Using these tools, customers can get the answer they need in a variety of different ways.

Amanda: We broadcast a daily webinar, held during the week at 2PM EDT. Each account has a dedicated account manager, who serves as a point of contact for any questions that come up as you start using the service. Customers can also contact their account manager to schedule a free training session for themselves and their colleagues if the webinars are time conflicting or if they would like the ability to ask more questions during training.

Many thanks to Alex and Amanda for the expert advice on getting started with your ShareFile account! If you have any questions or would like any help getting started with your account, please feel free to contact us at support@sharefile.com.

If you don’t have an account yet and would be interested in learning more about our service, check out our 30-day free trial at ShareFile.

A number of updates have been implemented in the past few weeks to the main application:

Enhancements to Send, Requesting, and Notifications

Distribution Group Updates

More information on folder content available

There is also an update to Enterprise Sync which fixes any issues where large jobs could fail to finish reliability in some cases, and also addresses problems when editing jobs that have not yet initially run. This update also adds the ability to exclude file types from the sync, which is useful if you wish to exclude temporary or backup files.

Got Feedback? We take feedback from our customers seriously.

Send your suggestions to suggestions@sharefile.com.

Just this past week, we made an upgrade to our http://www.sharefile.com/about/power-tools-desktop-widget.aspx, which is available to employees and clients in all ShareFile accounts. This Widget upgrade increases stability during downloads and gives more feedback when errors occur. The Widget will also retry downloads if there is a momentary loss in connectivity and will let the user know if they try to download a folder structure that is too deep.

We have also made some changes to our Microsoft Outlook Plug-In. The Outlook Plug-In is available to employees on Professional plans and above. This update includes a “convert attachments” button and support for creating links for our Virtual Data Room accounts. This version also adds the ability to choose a destination folder for “Request a File” links.

Finally, we are excited to announce the release of our new “sticky sort” functionality in ShareFile. By default, all files uploaded to ShareFile folders are ordered by creation date with most recent files appearing at the top of the folder. Thanks to suggestions by our customers, we have introduced the ability to set default sort preferences for the entire account or for individual folders. To set the default sort preferences for your account, you can visit the “Admin” link in the top navigation bar, then choose “Advanced Preferences” on the right hand side of the screen. Within each folder, you can also “Edit Folder Options” and then change the “Sort Order” option.
We are very excited about these upgrades to both our Desktop Tools and web application. All of these should allow for increased ease of use for ShareFile users and management of account by Administrators.

If there are any questions or suggestions on how we can better serve you, please do not hesitate to contact us or email suggestions@sharefile.com.