Month: January 2022

digital workspace for backoffice team

Top Features of a modern cloud-based file management system

Do you want to familiarise yourself with the essential tools and features that should be included in a cloud storage file management system? If so, read on.

Access Anywhere & Direct Downloads

No matter what device you are using or where you are on the planet, as long as you are connected to the internet, you can upload files directly from your smartphone, tablet, laptop or even smartwatch—keeping you connected while working in remote spaces and while you are on the move is a top benefit of cloud-based storage systems.


Version Control

This feature gives you control over the lifespan of your files; it allows you to see who has made changes and when those changes were made, allowing you to fix mistakes by viewing previous versions of files before errors were made. The ability to rewind and forward changes is essential for any document management system.


Verification and Validation

With the rise of bots and impersonators, data verification and validation are becoming even more critical for file sharers. Verifying an email address gives sharers the confidence that the files they received originated from the person they expected and is authentic.


Drag & drop friendly

Sharing a file online should be intuitive, seamless and straightforward.
You shouldn’t need to rummage around for files sitting in nested folders or execute 100 clicks to simply share a file. Collabow makes file sharing easy, all you have to do is drag and drop your files into our file uploader, and we’ll send your sharer an email or create a shareable URL instantly. No stress, no hassle.


Search, Sort and Filter

Some file transfer systems only provide a simple no-frills sharing mechanism. After a short period, the actual file is deleted, and the content is lost forever. The ability to extend the storage window so that the receivers can have extra time to download the file can be the difference between success and failure.  


Password Protected Files

At Collabow, security is of the utmost importance. All registered users can protect their files with a unique password, ensuring that the right people can only access the content. You can set a password on each file in the workspace within a couple of clicks, so it is easy to secure your content with a minimal amount of effort.

Good transfer speeds and bandwidth

Traditional file management systems introduce restrictive file upload and download speeds. Collabow.io does not limit the speed of our Pro or Business users, and we offer incredible transfer speeds for our free users that greatly exceed 1MB per second.


Alerts and Activity log

Information needs to be accurate and timely to make the right decision. We experience hundreds of distractions every day. However, the most critical alerts are usually drowned out by noise. A great file management system should notify you of significant changes to the files you created or followed. These changes are called events and usually include newly added files, changes, shares, access and deletions, mentions in a chat or when you are assigned a new task. Collabow.io provides a handy alerts dashboard notification panel and sends email notifications in real-time.


Multiple Uploads

This is important for people who work with multiple files at any point in time. Rather than uploading one file at a time, it is helpful to have the ability to upload up to 100 files at the same time or upload a folder that contains multiple files. This feature can save people hundreds of hours and make working with cloud storage systems more user-friendly and convenient.


Chat

Chat conversations are helpful for collaboration. However, content-based discussions are the most effective solution to boost productivity and get work done. Collabow facilitates discussions that are focused on content rather than channels allowing teams to have a laser focus on a task, objective, goal, design, presentation, video or moving a document from draft to a final version.


Recycle bin

The Recycle Bin is essentially a ‘last chance’ area to recover files you or someone in your team has deleted. Imagine working throughout the night on a business proposal then accidentally hitting the delete button before sharing the file with your business partner. The Recycle Bin requires a confirmation step before the files are finally removed from the system to prevent the accidental deletion of critical data. It is hard to believe that many modern-day cloud storage systems don’t have this vital feature. This functionality is enabled by default for Collabow ‘Pro’ and ‘Business’ users, providing peace of mind and ensuring that data is safe even in an accident.


Collabow.io

Collabow.io is a Digital Workspace that provides cloud storage, document management, collaboration and task management tools that help teams create, organise, share, and monitor online content in one place. 
A highly engaged team is the holy grail of business success, so ensure your teams have the information to achieve their goals by using Collabow.io

We like free stuff, so we’ve provided a ‘Starter’ profile that will get you started. The ‘Starter’ profile is free, so you can use it for business, play or personal usage. You can learn more about our packages at https://collabow.io/plans/and more about the available features here.

How to share and transfer file

How to share and transfer a file

Do you want to know how to share a file online? If so, use the guide below.

In a world of constant content creation and remote workspaces, the ability to quickly share a document with someone either across the room or across the globe is imperative for success.
Rapid and reliable information sharing allows us to make informed business decisions and efficiently communicate our ideas which helps us gain a competitive advantage.

During the first half of 2022, we observed a significant increase in information sharing and online business activity. People are sharing and consuming documents in large quantities daily. Those documents range from business proposals, training material, research documents, project plans, to-do lists, design documents, meeting notes, analytical reports and customer information packs.
Documents play a critical role in facilitating any business’s proper functioning and success. Collabow helps companies get work done by allowing people to seamlessly share files of all sizes to contacts in any location using our cloud-based file management system and C-Share app. This free app is designed specifically for rapid file sharing with minimum fuss. This post is focused on the best and most efficient way to share a file over the internet (without registering) in a few simple steps.

Users that opt to register with Collabow can utilise additional file-sharing features and storage. Click here to watch a useful How-To video.


Step 1 – Open C-Share App

The first step is to open the C-Share web app. You can access it here: app.collabow.io/c-share


Step 2 – Select file or folder to share

The next step is to select the file that you want to share. The c-share app supports drag and drop, so drop your file in the box and hey presto.
To make things easy, we’ve recently added a feature that allows you to share the contents of a folder without creating .zip files or doing anything complicated.


Step 3 – Share using an Email or URL Transfer-Link

Here, you can share the file directly to a user by email or sharing a ‘Transfer Link’.

  • ‘Email’ is where the system sends the receiver an email with the details and a friendly message
  • ‘Transfer-Link’ is where the app uploads the file to the cloud then generates a URL link that allows anyone with the secure link to view the file. This is an excellent option if you want to share the file with a broad audience or post it in a channel for the team to access, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Facetime, Zoom, Slack, Skype, Asana, emails, blogs etc. The options are endless.

Step 4 – Enter the sharers contact email

Time to enter the sharer details. First, enter the address you want to send the file to; this is called the ‘receiver’, then enter your email address to validate the transfer; this person is called the ‘sharer’. You can personalise the share by typing a short message such as “Hi Pete, here is the file I promised you”.


Share 5 – Boring part

Confirm that you’ve read the legal jargon to understand the standard Collabow c-share terms and conditions. Your uploaded files are stored for a short period before they are recycled. We also need you to prove that you are not an evil robot sent to destroy the internet by clicking the reCaptcha checkbox then clicking the big ‘Share’ button.


Step 6 – Verify your file share

The system must validate everyone who uses the site for security reasons, so before sharing the file, we will send you a six-digit code to validate the transfer. Check your email, enter the code then your file will be sent.

If you are using C-Share for the first time, remember to check your spam and add us to your allowed list for future shares.


Step 7 – Congratulations on sharing your first file

As a final step, we like to confirm that your file was sent successfully, so we usually send you a notification email confirming the details on the screen and the receiver will be sent an email link to access the file.


All done – Collabow.io

Collabow.io is a Digital Workspace that provides cloud storage, document management, collaboration and task management tools that help teams create, organise, share, and monitor online content in one place. 
A highly engaged team is the holy grail of business success, so ensure your teams have the information to achieve their goals by using Collabow.io

We like free stuff, so we’ve provided a ‘Starter’ profile that will get you started. The ‘Starter’ profile is free, so you can use it for business, play or personal usage. You can learn more about our packages at https://collabow.io/plans/and more about the available features here.

We like free stuff, so we’ve provided a ‘Starter’ profile that will get you started. The ‘Starter’ profile is free, so you can use it to play or until you run out of storage. Read more about the Collabow.io workspace features here: collabow.io/features-list/


 

cloud storage background

Best alternatives to WeTransfer

Are you looking for a quick and easy way to send a file to a friend, team, company or transfer data between devices? If so, look no further.

WeTransfer is one of the world’s most popular file-sharing apps used across the creative industry. WeTransfer was founded over a decade ago and provide a simple way to send big files. They initially focused on file-sharing and have since developed several productivity tools. As the WeTransfer brand has grown and their price plans have increased to reflect the corporation’s growing size, we are aware that users are constantly seeking innovative alternative products that can adapt quickly to changing environments. As a result, we compiled a list of our favourite alternative products. These apps offer slightly different methods so you can transfer files as fast as possible.

Most users already have cloud storage services like Box, Dropbox and Google Drive, but they can often be overkill for a simple use-case.


C-Share (by Collabow.io)

C-Share was designed from the ground up to be a quick and easy file cloud-based sharing service that allows users to share digital content (files, documents, attachments, images, music, video – and more) in real-time, at any time and to any location across the globe.
Documents are stored in the cloud for seven days at no cost, and shareable URLs are immediately available and accessible. Collabow offers maximum useability, transfer speeds and maximum performance. The shareable file service is free of charge, and you don’t need to log in or register to send files. Shareable links are validated using an authentication code to ensure that you receive the proper documents from your contacts. Users who need a longer-term solution can create a Collabow account and store their files permanently in the cloud-storage file management workspace. Collabow has a free popular ‘Starter’ profile and provides the option to upgrade to professional packages to unlock 10GB of storage.

https://app.collabow.io/c-share


UploadFiles.io

UploadFiles.io is a file-sharing service that allows users to upload files without constraints, safely & anonymously. Documents are encrypted & stored safely in the cloud, for 30 days at no cost, and permanently for expert users: UploadFiles support documents, images, music & video.
As a guest user, your file upload(s) will be hosted for a maximum of 30 days. Using the service, you’ll be aware that they fund the service using advertisements and promotions such as VPN services and other similar products. Similar to Collabow, you have the option to upgrade and unlock the complete set of file sharing features which include 10GB of Storage space.

https://uploadfiles.io/


SHAREit

We’ve thrown a slightly different solution into the mix for consideration. SHAREit is an application that needs to be installed on a compatible device rather than a cloud web app. It isn’t for everyone but allows users to send pictures and music without using an active internet or Bluetooth connection. SHAREit is a technology company founded in April 2015. The business created an app that can be used with various smartphone programs to enable users to share files between devices directly. The free program uses a private hotspot to share between up to five devices. You can send data of all shapes and sizes. Be aware that this is a Windows application, so you’ll need a Windows PC or compatible device. If you have Mac or iPhone, we recommend avoiding this option until they have developed a more compatible solution.


Send-Anywhere

A file-sharing application that takes an easy, quick, and unlimited approach to file sharing. Similar to SHAREit, this is a file-based sharing application and peer-to-peer. You’ll need to download the application then register to utilise the bundle. Some cloud sharing or storage services often promise unlimited file storing and sharing, but their speeds and usability are compromised. Send Anywhere is for anyone wanting to share quality content quickly, from any device to anyone worldwide. Send Anywhere utilises p2p media and your local area network to bypass cloud storage, thereby making the transfer process more secure and quicker, and it doesn’t require a login or registration.


Collabow.io

Collabow.io is a new cloud storage, document management, collaboration and task management system that helps teams create, organise, share, and monitor online content in one place. A highly engaged team is the holy grail of business success, so ensure that your teams have the information to achieve their goals. We recommend using Collabow.io workspace for teams and companies that need extra features, including permission management, file tracking, collaboration, and business functions.

We like free stuff, so we’ve provided a ‘Starter’ profile that will get you started. The ‘Starter’ profile is free, so you can use it to play or until you run out of storage. Read more about the Collabow.io workspace features here: collabow.io/features-list/

sales team digital workspace

2024 Best Free 5 File Sharing Sites to Upload, Store and Transfer Files

Are you looking for free file sharing sites? Here is our list of the top five

The number of files that are shared across the internet has exploded. People are sharing and collaborating on more content than ever before. This figure is driven higher by the large number of people that continue to work from home, operate in modern remote workspaces, community communication, increased awareness of carbon footprints, and friends or families who enjoy sharing memories.
The combination of the internet, people embracing new ways of working and innovation has resulted in technology companies developing new tools that allow anyone to share files quickly and seamlessly over the internet.

Here we look at the best free file sharing sites. To help with your journey, we’ve highlighted their best features and showed how they compare against one another.

  • Collabow.io
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • Microsoft OneDrive
  • Box

Collabow.io

Collabow is a new file storage service based in the UK and is the most ground-breaking company in the group.
The workspace has an intuitive, user-friendly and straightforward design that makes it easy for users to get on board, collaborate and be productive. Managing, sharing, transferring and storing files is streamlined using the file management platform. It comes packed with productivity features, including to-do lists, task management, chat, and timelines.

Collabow has a starter profile with 100MB of reusable storage, and you can transfer files that are up to 2GB in size. This should be sufficient to get started, and you can easily upgrade to a professional or business plan for more storage options and enterprise features.

The platform has hundreds of useful features, and the product team continue to innovate and regularly introduce new enhancements as requested by the user community. The platform has a nifty filesharing web app called C-Share that can be used for rapid one-off file sharing. An added benefit is that you don’t need a Collabow account to receive files or use C-Share. Win-Win.

https://collabow.io


Google Drive

We will start with the most comprehensive file sharing service on the internet. Google Drive is powered by Google’s cloud storage and allows anyone to store documents, files, audio, video and everything else in between. Google Drive comes equipped with a suite of cloud-native applications at your disposal if you need them.
You can access your files via their website or mobile apps to access content from anywhere, anytime and on any device. Google offers tons of free space, and you can always upgrade your storage if you need more.
In our experience, users will typically use Google to share a folder that contains multiple files and then use a more specialist tool such as weTransfer to share individual files.

https://drive.google.com/


Dropbox

Dropbox was founded in 2007 and are headquartered in San Francisco. Since they launched as a start-up, they have delivered various cloud storage and synchronisation solutions.

They have grown to be a giant in the file-sharing space and offers desktop clients and mobile apps to keep files accessible. Dropbox has grown because they have managed to keep hold of their early adopters with intuitive functionality that allows users to store, share and collaborate with teams and clients.

The Basic plan can be used for casual users and provides 2 GB of space for free. The Work, Plus, and Family plans have more room for storing photos and video and good integration options.

https://www.dropbox.com/


Microsoft OneDrive

Microsoft is, without a doubt, one of the largest software companies on the planet. They continue to reinvent themselves and produce enterprise-ready products that integrate well with existing solutions. To ensure they keep up with the competition, Microsoft created OneDrive, which is their safe and secure cloud storage service and answer to Google Drive.

As with most Microsoft products, you can access your files on any device and anywhere. Microsoft provides secure ways to share and collaborate on content with co-workers, colleagues, and business to business. They have a good platform. However, we find that the solution is not suitable for everyone because of the size of the ecosystem. On the plus side, their collaboration features are awe-inspiring, and if you are a Microsoft fan, you will experience good productivity by using their entire suite of tools.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-365/onedrive/online-cloud-storage


Box

Box has a solution that empowers teams by making it easier to work with people inside and outside organisations while protecting content and connecting business applications. This solution is geared towards the professional and business user and is often compared with Dropbox and One Drive for business. In our experience, the difference between the solutions is that Box is designed for the IT sector, Dropbox caters for creatives, and OneDrive is suitable for businesses that are tapped into the eco-system.
The security and privacy features of Box are fully functional. Box is used by some of the largest organisations that utilise workflow functionality and integrations. Box allows seamless transfer of data from your PC to the Box cloud. You can invite teammates to collaborate, join in on any conversation, or edit files together for better results and understanding.
The Business plan starts at £16 per user per month, and Enterprise plans cost £37.50. This is the top end pricing for cloud storage solutions so businesses willing to pay this amount would be expected to get the maximum benefits from the tools within the platform such as content management and data protection.

https://www.box.com/


Collabow.io

Collabow.io is a Digital Workspace that provides cloud storage, document management, collaboration and task management tools that help teams create, organise, share, and monitor online content in one place. 
A highly engaged team is the holy grail of business success, so ensure your teams have the information to achieve their goals by using Collabow.io

We like free stuff, so we’ve provided a ‘Starter’ profile that will get you started. The ‘Starter’ profile is free, so you can use it for business, play or personal usage. You can learn more about our packages at https://collabow.io/plans/and more about the available features here.

We like free stuff, so we’ve provided a ‘Starter’ profile that will get you started. The ‘Starter’ profile is free, so you can use it to play or until you run out of storage. Read more about the Collabow.io workspace features here: collabow.io/features-list/

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