The System settings admin page (select System admin in your Profile drop-down) includes a number of fields related to a user's right to add files to, and share files from, Collaborate:
The ON for all system users option in Enable My files sharing is not available by default. If you need to share file with external users please contact HighQ Support.
My files
External attachments added by a user to group messages are stored here and can be managed. Also, internal users can add files directly to their My files tab.
If My files is disabled, then the My files section of the User Profile (or of My Site) will no longer be visible and external attachments to group messages can no longer be managed by users. If My files is enabled and later disabled, the existing files still exist but are hidden. Re-enabling My Files will bring back all pre-existing files.
On overall My files storage quota for all users can be set from the System settings admin page:
Clicking on the Configure My files storage quota link displays this page:
The System Administrator can:
- Change the overall storage quota associated with My files. (The number entered here should be based on the licensing arrangement between each firm and HighQ. Exceeding the contractually agreed to storage limit may result in extra charges.) This section of the page also shows the total My files storage currently in use.
- Change the default quota for every individual user with access to My files. Each individual will be subject to the same limit on the amount of storage they can use in My files.
When the overall quota has been reached, no one will be able to add more content to My files until (a) the quota is increased or (b) content currently stored in a user's My files is permanently deleted. When an individual user reaches their own quota, they will not be able to add more content until (a) the individual quota is increased or (b) content currently stored in that user's My files is permanently deleted. In each user's My files tab, the user's current storage usage is displayed:
When the overall storage usage has almost reached the overall quota (at 70%, 80%, 90% and 95% of the overall quota), every System Administrator for the instance will receive a warning email, like this:
In addition, the System Admin landing page contains information about overall My files storage usage:
My files storage usage is also included in the Total Instance storage figure.
My Files Sharing (aka Secure File Transfer)
This setting must be enabled by HighQ. (Please contact your Account Manager or HighQ Support to have this feature enabled.) If this setting is not enabled by HighQ, then these secure file sharing settings will not be displayed.
Who has access to File Sharing?
The Enable My Files sharing field has four possible settings:
- Off (the default setting)
- On for all system users - this will include all internal users and external users
- On for all internal users - this will include only internal users (and all of them)
- On for selected users only - this can include any internal or external users, as the System Administrator deems appropriate
When file sharing is enabled for selected users, the System Administrator will be responsible for determining which users will have access. This additional field is available; Users or groups with access to My files sharing:
To add users, a System Administrator can simply type the names of those users, adding them one by one. Any users - internal and external - can be selected.
It is also possible to give System Groups, instead of individual users, access to secure file transfer:
Best practice for secure file transfer and groups
Create a System Group that is intended to include all of the users who should have secure file transfer rights, that add that group to this field. Then the membership of that group can be managed from the System Group administrative page.
If there are any external users in a System Group that have been added to this page, they will not be given secure file transfer rights.
If users are added when the ON for selected users only option is selected and the setting is later changed to OFF or ON for all internal users, any users or groups previously added to the list of permitted users or groups will be removed. If the setting is later changed back to ON for selected internal users only, none of those previously permitted users or groups will be listed.
Default Quick Share Expiration Period
This setting configures the expiration period for files shared via the Quick Share method:
The default is 30 days, deselect the checkbox to unlock the drop-drop list and select a different value.
Click Save at the bottom of the page to apply these changes.
There is no option for a file shared via Quick Share to never expire.
My Files Sharing
My files sharing (aka Secure File Transfer), includes permission and DRM settings:
Default "Share via email" permission
This allows a System Administrator to determine the permission that will be selected by default when a file is shared via email (although this can be changed when a file is shared, unless this setting is restricted to a single value):
The available values are:
- Anyone with the link - This means that nothing more than a link to the file is needed to access the shared file, permitting that link to be shared with anyone and the file accessed anonymously.
- Anyone with the password - This means that nothing more than a link to the file and a password is needed to access the shared file, permitting that link to be shared with some security and the file accessed anonymously.
- Recipients must register - Anonymous access to the file is not permitted. If the file is shared with users who do not have Collaborate accounts, they will need to register first. In addition, only those users with whom the file has been shared may access it.
- Specified system users only - This means that the file can only be shared with the full system users that are listed in the share form.
There is also a Restrict to this option only checkbox to the right. This permits a System Administrator to lock down the permission settings in the instance, for example, to require that any time a file is shared, that the recipient must register or must have a Collaborate account.
Users who registered only to receive files are not full system users and cannot receive files shared this way.
Changing this setting from a less restrictive to more restrictive setting after files have been shared will not impact the previously shared files. The changes will only apply to files shared in the future.
Registering for file access
You may require that any recipient first register before they can access a file, even if the recipient does not have a Collaborate account. The method for inviting such users and how they can register is described here.
Default "Share via link" permission
This allows a System Administrator to determine the permissions that will be selected by default when a file is shared via a link:
The available values are:
- Can be accessed by anyone who has the link - This means that nothing more than a link to the file is needed to access the shared file, permitting that link to be shared with anyone.
- Restrict access to users in my organisation only - Anonymous access to the file is not permitted. The file can only be accessed by users in the same Collaborate organisation as the user who is sharing the file.
- Restrict access to system users - This means that the file can only be shared with the full system users that are listed in the share form. (Users who registered only to receive files are not full system users and cannot receive files shared this way.)
As with the setting for sharing via email, a System Admin can select Restrict to this option only to restrict this setting to a single option. This could be done to prohibit anonymous sharing entirely.
Changing this setting from a less restrictive to more restrictive setting after files have been shared will not impact the previously shared files. The changes will only apply to files shared in the future.
Default DRM Setting
This sets the default DRM (digital rights management) setting when files are shared. In other words, the access rights a recipient will have to the shared file:
The options are either to (a) download, view and print the file, or (b) only view the file. A System Administrator can restrict this setting to one of these two options.
Installation Links
HighQ Drive allows file syncing between Collaborate and user's computer, the HighQ Outlook plugin allows email attachments to be replaced with links to files stored in My files, and the Doc Auto Word plugin allows dynamic to be inserted into existing legal documents.
- If My files is enabled, then HighQ Drive can be used to sync files
- If My Files sharing is enabled, then the Outlook plugin can be used
- If iSheets is enabled, then Doc Auto can be used to create documents
However, if use of those tools is not desirable, a System Admin can hide the links for downloading on or more applications on the System settings page:
Even if those links are hidden, a System Admin can still access the links to download those applications from this page, and therefore a System Admin can test these applications before making them available.
Managing Shared Files
A page in the System Admin Console (System Admin > System audits/reports) provides the ability to manage files that have been shared through My files or Quick Share.
This report lists every file and folder that has been shared, in reverse chronological order of sharing date. This page shows the shared file or folder name, file type, size, last modified date, user shared by and last shared date:
This page lists all files and folders even if the file or folder was deleted or the file and folder is no longer being shared.
Use the search box at the top of the page to filter the list of files and folders. The search box includes a filter by file type for the files shown on the page.
It is not possible to perform a full-text search on the files and folders that have been shared.
Next to every file and folder listed on this page is an actions menu:
The menu actions are the same for both files and folders, except folders do not have the View option:
- Download - Downloads the file or folder (the contents of a shared folder are downloaded as a ZIP file). If the share has expired or the file or folder deleted, this option will be greyed out.
- Share Info - Lists information about how the file or folder has been shared (the same information is available from the Shared Items tab in My files).
- Audit History - Displays information about who has accessed the file (the same information is available from the Shared Items tab in My files).
- Remove Share - Removes all shares associated with the file or folder (the System Admin must confirm this option). In the case of files shared via Quick Share, this will also permanently delete the file.
In addition to these menu actions, click on the name of a file or folder to open the share page for that item, even if the share has expired.
If the file or folder has been deleted, the item can no longer be accessed directly and it will not be displayed as a link.
A System Admin can also proxy log in as another user to see the files they have shared and their individual storage usage.
Adding users for My Files file sharing
Internal users who have been added to Collaborate sites can be added to the list of users with access to secure file sharing.
Users who do not have a Collaborate account and also no access to a site may be given access to My files and secure file sharing. A System Administrator can invite users from the System Admin > User admin > Add user page. Use the Invite action of the user search page to find users without a Collaborate account and send invitations.
The ON for all system users option in Enable My files sharing is not available by default. If you need to share file with external users please contact HighQ Support
