UTBox is actually a re-branded version of the Box.com cloud file sharing service. UT Austin provides an "enterprise" plan Box.com account to all current faculty, staff, and students free of charge. This Box.com account is tied to a person's UT EID account and offers enhanced features such as greatly increased available file storage space and a more secure file space that complies with the security requirements of most UT Austin Confidential data classifications. Whenever you want to share a file or folder in UTBox with someone currently affiliated with UT Austin you should always do so by sharing to their Box.com account that is tied to their UT EID account. This will ensure the most secure method of collaboration and access to all enterprise plan features. This tutorial will refer to the enterprise plan Box.com account which is tied to a person's EID account as a "UTBox account". |
UT Austin has a contract with the Box.com service that ensures any data stored within a folder created in the file space of a UTBox user complies with UT data security requirements for the types of Confidential data which are approved for use with the service. This contract DOES NOT extend to files stored in folders created in the file space included with a free Box.com account which non-UT affiliates will need to create to collaborate with you. So when collaborating with non-UT affiliates always store confidential files in folders that YOU create in YOUR UTBox file space. Do not store files containing Confidential information in folders created by a non-UT affiliate in their free Box.com file space. Doing so would be a violation of UT data security policies. |
For current UT Austin faculty, staff, or students determine the UT EID username of the person you want to share your folder with. You can do this by searching for the person in the UT Directory for faculty and non-student staff. Students may or may not be in the UT Directory depending upon their privacy restrictions with the registrar's office. If you do not know a person's EID username then you may need to contact the person and ask them what it is. For people that are not currently affiliated with the University you'll need to determine what that person's preferred email address is. When you share a file or folder with someone who isn't currently affiliated with UT Austin, they will receive an automated email informing them of your desire to share a UTBox folder with them along with a link to create a new free Box.com account if they don't already have one. |
Using your web browser go to the UTBox website at http://utbox.utexas.edu and then log in with your UT EID account credentials. | ||
Navigate to the folder you want to share and open it by clicking on it. In the screenshot to the right, a folder named "Test" was opened in order to share it with someone.
| ||
With the folder you want to share open in your browser you should see a Share this Folder button on the right side of your browser window. Click that button.
|
After clicking the Share this Folder button a window will pop up with options to configure whom you want to share the folder with, what permissions you want to give them, and what you want to appear in the automated folder invitation email that is sent out. Specify the following for each field in the popup window:
Invite People
Repeat the process of adding people you want to share the folder with until everyone is listed in this field.
| Specifying a UTBox account EID username: Specifying the email address for someone not currently affiliated with UT Austin: | ||
Invited Permission Specify the level of access you want to give the people you are sharing the folder with. Click here for a more detailed description of the different permission levels.
| |||
Message (Optional) Whatever you type in this field will appear in the invitation notification email the person(s) you are sharing the folder with will receive. |
After you are done filling out the invitation form, press the Send button. | |
At this point everyone you specified in the "Invite" field will receive an automated email notification that you wish to share the folder with them. It may take a few minutes for the emails to get sent out. After a person accepts your invitation they will be able to access the folder you shared with them with the permissions you assigned. The screenshot to the right shows an example of what one of these automated email notifications looks like. For non-UT Austin faculty, staff, or students who do not already have a Box.com account, a link to create a free Box.com account will be in the automated email notification they receive. |