Archive for the ‘Enterprise File Sharing’ Category

Top Content Management Software List: G2 Names FileCloud

Recently, we at FileCloud were delighted to win badges in the Enterprise Content Management and Cloud Content Collaboration categories of the G2 Winter 2022  Grid® Reports. Recognition from G2 is particularly welcome due to the proven and trustworthy methodology used by the peer-to-peer review website in authenticating its customer reviews.

Now we’re further honored to be named in the G2 list of the top 50 Best Content Management Products for 2023. Like their quarterly badge lists, this distinction is based purely on validated reviews from customers, who recount their honest experiences of FileCloud on the reputable and authoritative G2 website. However, unlike the quarterly badges, the Best Content Management Products list is based on customer feedback for all of 2022.

G2 Definition of Content Management Products

As defined by G2, content management software products are used for content management, creation, storage, tracking, and publishing. They assist in various ways in the refinement of organizations’ content management life cycles.

The “Best Content Management Products” list represents the substantiated reviews submitted throughout 2022. It reflects the real-world experiences of bona fide users of the product. Given the comprehensive vetting of reviewers done by G2, and multiple levels of identity verification, this vote of confidence from those who use FileCloud in their daily work is significant. It further consolidates FileCloud’s market position as an ever-growing, enterprise-grade Content Collaboration Platform (CCP).

This latest honor from G2 is reflective of the fact that at FileCloud, we believe that listening to our customers’ content collaboration needs and addressing their real-world pain points is vital. Based on their feedback, we are constantly adding features to our CCP to provide our customers with the best user experience and protection against security threats. Two of our most recently integrated features are completely unique to FileCloud. You cannot find them as an integrated part of any other CCP currently available on the market. These are our Zero Trust File SharingSM and Resumable Uploads offerings.

 Hyper-Security with Zero Trust File SharingSM

Zero Trust File SharingSM is an innovation currently unique to FileCloud, and allows you to protect highly confidential data, even in the event of a cyber-attack. It represents a form of data encryption that is easy to use, yet completely controlled by the user. This feature is ideal for those requiring highly granular security precautions in their content management software.

This form of file sharing consists of a password-protected Zip file that acts as a container for your secure file-sharing activity. The Zip file provides a way to encrypt your highly sensitive, business-critical data, so that even your FileCloud administrator is unable to view it.

With this feature, you have the option to create a strong password, and FileCloud derives a cryptographic key from this. The FileCloud database does not retain the password and key. This means that even FileCloud administrators cannot access the contents of the Zip file. Instead, the user who creates the file can choose to share the password only with trusted parties. Additionally, if malicious actors gain access to the user’s account, they will be unable to open the encrypted Zip container.

Resumable Uploads for Large Files

Another innovation recently added to our CCP, similarly unique to FileCloud, is Resumable Uploads. Specifically, this feature is ideal for businesses with geographically distributed workforces that regularly handle large files. It’s reassuring also to enterprises using content management software in unstable or inhospitable conditions. If you lose connectivity during a large upload, FileCloud preserves the data already uploaded. It is possible only to lose 20MB of data, as the uploads occur in incremental chunks of this size.

On restoration of connectivity, your upload will continue as normal, without the need to begin your upload operation from scratch. This means that with sufficient storage, you can upload many terabytes of data. Furthermore, you can avoid concerns about the possibility of a lost connection or outage while your upload is in progress.

Customer Perspectives on FileCloud

At FileCloud, we have a strong commitment to listening carefully to our customers’ requirements. We respond by constantly integrating new, original content management features and enhancements to our product. In fact, our customers’ reviews on the G2 website certainly reflect this ongoing continuous improvement philosophy at FileCloud. Here is a sample of some of the sentiments that these authenticated reviewers have expressed about our content management software product and support:

FileCloud is one of the best enterprise file sharing solutions, which provides features like file storage, security, and good API access. The authorization also supports MFA and SSO, which helps in marking extra layers of security on infrastructure. Another good feature is its integration with Microsoft and Salesforce-based apps. – Developer.

The whole experience from first contact to setup was seamless. – Director of Information Technology

FileCloud is a straightforward and customizable solution to share files with students and set up folders so they can submit their work.

Students can access or submit files without being required to log in, making the whole process fast and easy for them.

Organizing work submissions with FileCloud helped us to save time. – Verified user in Education Management

FileCloud allows us to implement both secure email solutions, as well as secure website file transfers. It does it with no real burden on the customers because they don’t have to deal with any encryption settings themselves. It is approved by our regulators for both of these purposes, and that makes our examinations much less difficult. It has also significantly reduced issues with receiving sensitive documents from customers. – CIO

Try FileCloud’s Content Management Software for Free

While customer testimonials are hugely reliable, at FileCloud, we believe enterprises should decide for themselves if FileCloud meets their content management requirements. To find out if FileCloud is suitable for your needs, schedule a free demo.

You can also start a free trial of FileCloud (with all features included) at any time. Sign up for a 15-day trial for FileCloud Online. Alternatively, if you want to try FileCloud on your own infrastructure, you can try a 30-day trial of FileCloud Server.

SCHEDULE A FREE DEMO

START YOUR FREE TRIAL

Written by Deirdre Clancy, Technical Content and Communication Manager

Data Privacy Week 2023: 5 Ways to Support Your DPO all Year Round

In the 1960s, privacy pioneer Dr. Alan Westin defined the concept of data privacy as:

…the claim of individuals, groups, or institutions to determine for themselves when, how, and to what extent information about them is communicated to others.

By the 1990s, much of the world had adopted this definition, and Westin is considered as the father of modern privacy legislation. However, the scope of the data requiring protection has changed beyond recognition since that time.

Why Has Data Changed?

Several factors have influenced the changes in the data environment, including:

  • Massive Increases in Data Volumes

    The volume of digital data stored globally is doubling every 2 years. By 2019, 45 trillion GB of data existed worldwide, with 1GB equating to approximately 60,000 pages of email. In the last decade, companies have invested around $5 trillion in data storage alone. Digitization means that 98% of data is never put into paper format. Digital data storage and retention is hugely expensive.

  • Rapid Technological Innovation

    This has made data privacy increasingly complicated. Basically, governments struggle to understand fast-paced developments in technology and legislate accordingly. For example, the Metaverse interacts with HIPAA requirements, given the existence of telemedicine. AI and machine learning may create a whole further set of data privacy challenges.

  • A Complex, Stringent Regulatory Landscape

    For example, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), enacted in 2018, requires compliance from all organizations handling the personal data of EU data subjects. Hefty penalties, often highly publicized, are imposed for noncompliance. The US has no uniform equivalent to the GDPR and has traditionally relied on a patchwork of industry-specific regulations designed to protect consumers. However, many US states are now enacting data privacy legislation that resembles the GDPR. For example, California, Connecticut, Utah, and Virginia are enforcing legislation in 2023, while Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania did so in 2022. In due time, other states have indicated that they will follow suit.

  • Data Privacy as a Human Rights Issue

    In the EU, data privacy is approached from a human rights perspective, while consumer protection has been the main approach in the US. New regulatory frameworks are now coming into play across the US and globally that take the same stringent, rights-based approach to protecting data subjects as the EU takes with the GDPR. This extends to the MENA region, with Saudi Arabia and UAE just two examples of countries that have brought in a Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) in recent years.

Why Do I Need a Data Protection Officer?

All organizations that process data related to individuals residing within the EU must comply with the GDPR. In summary, the main stated goals of the GDPR regulation include:

  • Protecting EU citizens’ personal data.
  • Providing control to individuals (data subjects) over their data.
  • Streamlining data collection and processing activities.

A DPO, or Data Protection Officer, is a mandatory role defined in the GDPR. Under the GDPR, organizations must appoint a DPO if they fall into any of the following categories:

  • They are a public authority or body.
  • Their central activity involves processing large-scale volumes of personal data, requiring proper, systematic monitoring.
  • Their central activity involves processing large-scale volumes of data within special categories.

If you fall into any of these categories and fail to appoint a DPO, you can face penalties of up to €10 million, or 2% of your annual turnover. Occasionally, these huge fines make headlines and can cause much reputational damage to an organization. For example, in 2021, Amazon was fined $887 million (the largest GDPR fine ever) and WhatsApp was fined $227 million for breaches of the GDPR. Meta kicked off 2023 with a $400 million fine from the Irish Data Protection Commissioner in relation to ad targeting and data handling practices that were judged to be in breach of the GDPR. In the longer term, hiring a qualified DPO can result in substantial long-term savings for businesses.

What Exactly Does a DPO Do?

A DPO monitors compliance, provides information and advice, coordinates with the supervisory authority, and serves as a privacy consultant. In our current regulatory landscape, it’s no longer enough to have a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to oversee the technical aspects of data security. Unquestionably, DPOs (sometimes called Chief Data Officers) are also necessary to take the lead on data governance and strategy. Basically, DPOs advocate for the customer whose data is being processed.

A DPO acts like a regulator within your organization. In order to fulfill their roles effectively, DPOs must be entirely free from conflicts of interest. This means that they cannot:

  • Hold any post that would result in them determining how data is processed within the organization employing them.
  • Report to the Chief Privacy Officer or CISO, or to anyone within a business division responsible for processing personal data.

A DPO can, however, report to a C-suite executive or to the Board of the organization that employs them. However, an employer cannot instruct their DPO on any aspect of how to investigate a complaint, the desired result of an investigation, or whether or not to consult the Supervisory Authority. The GDPR also prohibits employers from encouraging their DPO to follow any specific interpretation of data protection law. Additionally, an employer cannot fire a DPO for making an unfavorable decision.

While the concept of an independent DPO with no conflicts of interest is relatively new to the US, it has existed in Europe for quite some time. Although the role of DPO is specific to the GDPR, it is increasingly relevant across the world, with legislation similar to the GDPR increasingly coming into effect.

What are My Responsibilities as a Business?

If you are an enterprise, you are ultimately responsible for compliance under the GDPR, not your DPO. Furthermore, you must provide your DPO with certain supports. These supports include:

  • Active support from senior management
  • Access to relevant stakeholders
  • Sufficient time to fulfill duties
  • Adequate financial and infrastructure resources
  • Official communication about the DPO appointment to all employees
  • Continuous training
  • A team, if the size and structure of your organization merits one

Additionally, you must publish the contact details for your DPO and provide these details to the relevant regulatory authorities. In fact, appointing a DPO with a conflict of interest can result in a €10 million fine or a fine of 2% of the company’s annual global turnover (whichever is greater).

Five Ways to Support Your DPO

In truth, any effective action you take to support your DPO can only result in a win for the well-being of your organization. Compliance with data protection and privacy regulation is not only the ethical option. In the long run, it is also great for your organization’s reputation and financial welfare.

1. Build a Strong Organizational Culture Around Data Privacy

Provide comprehensive data privacy training as an inherent part of your employee on-boarding process, as well as ongoing refresher training. The massive transition to work-from-home in 2020, and subsequently to hybrid working models, was accompanied by the migration of huge amounts of data to the cloud. Obviously, the need to cultivate a robust employee awareness of security and privacy concerns is more vital than ever before.

2. Keep Your Privacy Policy Updated

Having a public-facing privacy policy is great, but it must adhere to all the current legislation around privacy that is relevant to your organization. Specifically, in the current rapidly changing regulatory environment, this means regularly reviewing the policy and ensuring that any changes to it are clearly and accurately communicated both to employees and your public.

3. Review Vendor Contracts and Update in Line with Any New Legislation

Vendors processing data on your behalf must comply with any new data privacy legislation. Accordingly, it’s vital to ensure that vendor contracts reflect any new obligations.

4. Adopt Robust Data Governance and Internal Protocols

Use strategies such as predetermined workflows, digital rights management, and data retention policies to ensure your data life cycle is compliant with the regulatory requirements for your industry.

5. Use a File-Sharing Tool with Built-in Data Privacy Compliance

There are various tools available on the market that enable compliance with data privacy regulations. FileCloud’s hyper-secure file-sharing platform, for example, with its fully integrated compliance and security features, is one of the most robust. With FileCloud’s user-friendly Compliance Center, you can easily organize your data compliance rules and parallel security features. Additionally, you can adjust configuration settings without the use of complicated code, save and share event logs with relevant personnel, and explore data privacy best practices.

How FileCloud Can Help Meet Complex Regulatory Demands

To find out more about how FileCloud can help with your GDPR and other compliance needs, check out our YouTube webinar How FileCloud’s Compliance Center can help you meet GDPR compliance.

You can start a free trial of FileCloud at any time to see for yourself. In fact, you can sign up any time for a 15-day trial for FileCloud Online. If you wish to try out FileCloud on your own infrastructure, you can have a 30-day free trial of FileCloud Server.

SCHEDULE A FREE DEMO

START YOUR FREE TRIAL

References

Baker Donaldson. (Producer).  (2022). Privacy and Data Protection for the New Year [Video].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8664IWxwgZE

Banker Donaldson. (Producer). (2022). Ethical Issues in Defensible Disposition [Video].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsAkND61hV4&t=366s

Farber, D. (Producer). (2018). Everything you Need to Know about The Data Protection Officer Role [Video].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMDmeCvPHbM

World Bank Group. (Producer). (2022). Data Privacy Day 2022 | Roundtable with Global Data Protection Authorities [Video].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KSn8S41Z7I

Written by Deirdre Clancy, Technical Content and Communication Manager

FileCloud Recognized in List for “Top 10 Content Security Providers 2022”

FileCloud was recently named in the GRC Outlook’s listing of Top 10 Content Security Providers for 2022. This list, compiled by a panel of experts, assessed solutions that protect client-side environments using content security strategies.

Securing Content in 2023

Ransomware and cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated, prevalent, and expensive. An IBM report on data breaches revealed that a data breach in the United States costs, on average, $9.44 million. (Data breaches globally are lower, with an average cost of $4.35 million.)[1]

Having a layered defense in place, like firewalls, antivirus scanning, end-to-end encryption, and two-factor authentication, help reduce the attack surface of an environment. However, creating a comprehensive content security policy takes resources, time, and expertise to implement, which can serve as barriers to small businesses or enterprises with complex infrastructure.

Furthermore, there are many solutions on the market, ranging from singular plug-in style solutions to comprehensive platforms that provide an all-in-one experience.

Picking the solution that meets your business needs is a challenge, especially when trying to balance against budget, ease of use, vital functionalities, and future needs in line with business growth.

GRC Outlook Magazine is here to help clients do just that – evaluate all the options throughout the market to identify the best solutions serving governance, risk, and compliance (GRC).

What is GRC Outlook Magazine?

GRC Outlook Magazine evaluates emerging trends, frameworks, tools, and systems that address compliance and security requirements across industries. The magazine serves as a resource for CIOs and CISOs, with experts making up the editorial team, including industry veterans, editors, and cybersecurity specialists.

The Top 10 Content Security Providers for 2022 list focuses on solutions that secure client-side infrastructure using innovative technology that adequately responds to emerging cyber threats and trends. FileCloud is delighted to be recognized as a comprehensive solution that supports clients and end users in establishing and maintaining a robust content security framework.

You can read the full issue from GRC Outlook Magazine!

 

GRC Outlook Magazine Issue Cover

 

Why FileCloud?

FileCloud’s mission is to build a hyper-secure content collaboration and processes platform that customers love to use. The FileCloud solution aims to give IT admins fine-tuned controls over the environments they’re tasked with maintaining, while also providing a flexible and easy-to-use platform for end-users. Functional use is married seamlessly with cutting-edge security tools and systems.

As a comprehensive solution, FileCloud provides an array of choices so you can deploy FileCloud in the manner that best meets your needs. Choose between cloud, hybrid, or on-premises environments, with additional configurations to meet government regulations. Run FileCloud on a FIPS-enabled environment, opt for maximum security with 256-bit AES encryption, or deploy in GovCloud for a compliant, cloud-enabled solution.

Selecting your deployment model is only the beginning. FileCloud incorporates powerful security features, so you maintain control over your data without sacrificing user experience. Features include:

  • AES 128- or 256-bit encryption for data at rest
  • SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit
  • Comprehensive, unchangeable audit logs
  • Built-in and custom reports
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Role-Based Access Controls (RBAC)
  • Security policies
  • Endpoint protection
  • Granular file and folder permissions
  • Antivirus scanning and ransomware protection
  • Single-Sign On (SSO) and SIEM integration
  • Compliance support (HIPAA, GDPR, ITAR)
  • Zero Trust File SharingSM

Zero Trust File SharingSM

Zero Trust has become a hot topic when it comes to cybersecurity trends for 2023. We wrote a blog post about it, discussing how Zero Trust is being emphasized as the leading strategy to address cybersecurity concerns.

FileCloud understands how important a Zero Trust approach will be when it comes to securing sensitive data. That’s why we developed and recently launched our newest feature: Zero Trust File SharingSM.

End users can create and share Zero Trust files and folders, expanding on FileCloud’s hyper-secure collaboration potential. This new feature enables seamless coordination between internal and external teams. Clients, stakeholders, vendors, and partners benefit from easy access, while employees maintain control over data within a Zero Trust framework.

Zero Trust File SharingSM functions via FileCloud Zip file support to provide perimeterless security for data in transit in three easy steps:

  1. Create a Zip file
  2. Add password-protection
  3. Upload the necessary data

Users can then update, view, and even share Zip files with collaborators, much like any other file or folder in FileCloud. The Zero Trust password is never stored in FileCloud, ensuring that data is protected in case of a breach.

Shared Zip files can be set with read-only or read-write permissions. Users with read-only access can preview or download files. Users with read-write access can preview and download files, as well as add or delete files.

Interested in exploring FileCloud? Sign up for a free trial or schedule a demo!

 

Article written by Katie Gerhardt, Junior Product Marketing Manager

 

[1] https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach

 

FileCloud’s Content Management System Recognized in G2 Winter ’22 Reports

We are happy to announce that FileCloud’s hyper-secure Content Collaboration Platform (CCP) has achieved significant recognition in the G2 Winter 2022 Grid® Reports. FileCloud has won badges in both the Enterprise Content Management and Cloud Content Collaboration categories.

G2 fully authenticates the data they gather, so the platform is recognized industry-wide as a source of 100% genuine feedback. The company gathers data from rigorously validated customer reviews on the G2 website.  Additionally, they obtain data from other reputable online sources, such as social networks, using their own specialized, transparent algorithm. This means that G2 reports represent a powerful form of customer validation.

Authenticated Peer-to-Peer Reviews

This is not the first time customers have voted for FileCloud as a firm favorite. FileCloud’s hyper-secure file-sharing solution has also been named a Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice for Content Collaboration Tool for four years in a row. This latest vote of confidence from the G2 users reinforces the fact that enterprises are increasingly opting for FileCloud to fulfill their content management requirements.

G2 has achieved a reputation as a highly trustworthy source of information about customers’ experiences of software products. These results provide yet more social proof that FileCloud is one of the fastest growing Content Collaboration Platforms (CCPs) on the market today, because it consistently addresses common pain points encountered by enterprises in relation to their digital file-sharing requirements.

G2 Winter 2022 Enterprise Content Management Category

G2 has named FileCloud as a leader in the overall Enterprise Content Management category, scoring particularly highly in the areas of ability to meet requirements, ease of admin, ease in terms of doing business, quality of support, ease of setup, and ease of use.

As you may have noticed, the word “ease” comes up frequently in the categories in which FileCloud is recognized. That’s because customers say they are impressed with how well FileCloud delivers on the promise of a low-hassle, hyper-secure platform. As one Network Engineer writes: “The application is very straightforward to install if you are doing self-hosting, but even if you get stuck, support responds quickly and explains everything in easy, non-buzz word fashion.”

FileCloud’s scores in this category reinforce its ever-growing reputation as a company that provides users with top-class support and a user-friendly product:

  • Likely to recommend – 89%
  • Meets Requirements – 94%
  • Ease of admin – 91%
  • Easy to do business with – 94%
  • Quality of support – 94%
  • Ease of setup – 88%
  • Ease of use – 93%

G2 Winter 2022 Cloud Content Collaboration Category

In addition to leading as an enterprise content management solution, G2 has named FileCloud as a leader in Cloud Content Collaboration. In this area, G2 identifies FileCloud as one of the “Momentum Leaders”. This confirms our position as one of the fastest-growing file-sharing platforms of its kind on the market.

Additionally, the regional grids in the area of cloud content collaboration name FileCloud as a high-performing product in Europe and Asia-Pacific. In this same category, FileCloud scored 9.17 in the Relationship Index, ahead of competitors such as Egnyte, iCloud, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, and many other cloud content collaboration products.

What are the Users Actually Saying?

G2 data represents the genuine, democratic voices of those who use software products in their day-to-day work. For this reason, it’s well worth considering what G2 reviewers are saying about their experiences of content management with FileCloud. The average rating for FileCloud from G2 reviewers is 4.5 out of 5 stars. A total of 88 (of 129) reviews give 5-star reviews to FileCloud.

Read what customers have to say about FileCloud as a secure file-sharing and content management system below. Basically, these users have found that FileCloud has smoothed the way toward a more streamlined, secure, compliant content collaboration experience.

FileCloud Customer Voices, Unfiltered

FileCloud gives you the ability to have the same functionality as a file server without actually having one. They build in security as well so you don’t have to worry about your data getting stolen or lost. I love the fact that they offer an in-house solution too for those that have a physical server. – Senior Software Engineer

FileCloud was one of the few solutions that allowed us to enforce two-factor authentication across our entire organization, as well as external contacts, out of the box. For all other solutions, it was an option, but not easily implemented…

We are required to be CMMC compliant, which means having NIST 800-171 completed (all controls). This means that any and all connections to the company’s infrastructure must be secured with two-factor authentication. This solution allows us to share CUI/CTI/CDI-controlled unclassified information safely and securely. – Cybersecurity Analyst

Extremely easy to set up and use. We use the hosted version and are very pleased with it. The support is very good (on the rare occasions we’ve had to use it), and responses are prompt. We use it for both secure email and secure file transfers on our website. The price is much better than the competing products we’ve evaluated. The monitoring software works well and is updated regularly. We have implemented this product across the company, and have had no real problems at all. – CIO

Transferring of large files is made easy, without me having to engage my hosting’s storage or the limits set by my e-mail servers and messenger services. A true tool for data-driven times. – Sales Manager

Excellent tools for ensuring ITAR compliance, and the best customer support available! – Director of Engineering

FileCloud arms CloudPilot.dk with a powerful tool that can enable our clients, replacing e-mail for safe file transmission. – CEO & Partner

You can read more reviews from FileCloud customers here on the G2 website. Without a doubt, customers are making their voices heard about the benefits of FileCloud.

Find Out if FileCloud Suits Your Needs

While the voice of the customer is a hugely reliable testimony about any product, you don’t need to take anyone else’s word for it. To find out if FileCloud fits your enterprise’s content management needs, you can schedule a free demo, in which you can pose any questions you wish about our product’s capabilities.

As a matter of fact, you can start a free trial of FileCloud (with all features included) at any time. Sign up for a 15-day trial for FileCloud Online. Alternatively, if you want to try FileCloud on your own infrastructure, you can have a 30-day trial for FileCloud Server.

SCHEDULE A FREE DEMO

START YOUR FREE TRIAL

Written by Deirdre Clancy, Technical Content and Communication Manager

Competitor Series: FileCloud Server vs. Hyland OnBase

In November, we picked up our competitor series, comparing how Egnyte and CTERA stack up against FileCloud. We have also compared FileCloud with ownCloud and Nextcloud.

Our next comparison is between FileCloud Server and Hyland OnBase.

Hyland OnBase has been around for more than thirty years, which is quite an achievement in this constantly changing industry. It’s a trusted on-premises CCP (Content Collaboration Platform).

However, when it comes to the features we find to be necessary in a modern file-sharing environment, we don’t think OnBase quite compares to FileCloud.

Let’s take a look at some of those features.

Secure File Sharing and Sync

Secure file sharing along with working sync features are some of the most vital aspects for any modern file sharing system. Users must be able to share and sync files with hyper-security and speed so that no matter who’s working and where, files are where they need to be.

For this reason, it matters how exactly files can be shared.

Can I Control My Shares?

With FileCloud, you gain control over your shared files by setting shares as public (with or without password protection) or private (must have a FileCloud account). You can also set expiration dates on share links.

This type of control means that you can help ensure that private files are not shared accidentally or maliciously. Expiration dates mean you can ensure your important data is only shared for a specific amount of time.

Hyland OnBase does have secure file sharing (view, download, upload, share, sync, delete & manage), but unfortunately, OnBase users don’t have the needed ability to control shares before (and after) they’re shared like FileCloud does.

Granular and Sub-Folder Sharing Permissions

With FileCloud, control over your shares and files goes deeper than external concerns. Admins can also control internal access by applying granular permissions to folders, sub-folders, and files based on user, group, or global policies. These policies can help ensure that information and data is only shared with those who need to view those folders and files.

This granular control is another feature you won’t be able to access if you use Hyland OnBase.

Real-time Sync of Network Shares

FileCloud has been a global company since its inception, and we’re often working with colleagues in different time zones. That means that we understand the importance of syncing. FileCloud allows you to directly connect to gateway storage modes (network shares, cloud connectors, etc.) for real-time syncing and better collaboration with remote teams, clients, and partners.

Unfortunately, Hyland OnBase does not have this feature, which means it could be harder to accurately collaborate with employees, clients, and vendors.

The Value of Collaboration

One of the most important aspects of a Content Collaboration Platform is, of course, collaboration. This means that teams (no matter what time zone) are always able to work together seamlessly on projects without redoing or missing work.

FileCloud makes collaboration like this easy with:

Team Folders – Workspace for Projects or Teams: This FileCloud features allows teams to create a shared “workspace” for files and folders, so teams with access can freely collaborate according to set permissions.

Co-Author Microsoft Office & Google Docs: Open and edit files saved in FileCloud with Microsoft Office and Google Docs for real-time collaboration and co-authoring.

File Locking and Lock Management (via MS Office/DocIQ): Ensure only one person can make changes to a file; admins can manage locked files directly so no files are permanently checked out or locked.

Unlimited File Versioning: Protect your files against data loss. FileCloud stores an unlimited number of file versions without using up your storage space.

These four features are just a few of the ways FileCloud enables easy collaboration between users.

While Hyland OnBase does have one important collaboration feature that allows users to share, comment, request, and notify on files (which you can also do in FileCloud), it doesn’t have the other features that we believe are necessary to making collaboration seamless.

Hyper-Security

All CCPs now have security baked into their platforms, but FileCloud takes it a step further with hyper-security. This type of security protects data and files, whether they’re stored in FileCloud or have been shared outside the FileCloud environment.

One of the important ways we manage this is with:

Device Management and Anti-Virus/Malware Protection

Many people access and work on their devices such as laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. That’s why, in FileCloud, admins can view a list of connected devices, and leverage that view to remotely wipe data or block users in case of suspicious activity or device loss. This help ensures that even if someone accessed your data through malicious or accidental sharing of passwords or loss of devices, admins can remove those devices from access.

In addition to ensuring that outside access is secure, admins also need to ensure that anything being uploaded into their FileCloud system is secure as well. That’s why FileCloud has automatic virus and malware scanning, which secures uploaded files and helps protect business finances, operations, and reputation.

Of course Hyland OnBase does have important security features, such as Enterprise Console, RBAC, encryption and even ransomware protection. Unfortunately, one of the biggest ways that enterprises lose data through cyberattacks is due to accidental or malicious user activity. FileCloud’s Device Management and Anti-Virus/Malware Protection helps ensure this doesn’t happen.

Your Brand is Everything

Your brand is how your customers, employees, and vendors know who you are, what you stand for, and, in these days of cyberattacks, that you’re the company they know and trust. That’s why maintaining your brand across all your platforms and apps is a vital but often overlooked part of looking for a solid CCP.

FileCloud has so many customized branding options including:

Custom Mail Server: Use a mail server connected with your domain/URL to extend your digital brand and build rapport with clients, customers, and partners.

Custom Domain: Run your content collaboration platform under your business domain/URL to increase brand recognition.

Custom Web Branding: Reinforce your brand by applying your custom logo, colors, and background images to dashboards and login portals.

Custom Communication: Customize communications (Terms of Service/Policies) to reinforce connections with global clients and employees.

Unfortunately, one of the ways Hyland OnBase falls short is in their branding and customization options. While they have local language support like FileCloud, they have few other options for continuing and maintaining your brand.

The Power of Integrations

Switching between apps and tools costs users each and every day. In fact it can take 23 minutes to get focus back after a distraction like switching between apps. That’s why FileCloud has so many integrations available within its hyper-secure system, so you can stop wasting time switching between dozens of apps. Some of the most important of these include:

Office 365/Google Docs: Open, edit, and save files stored in FileCloud using Microsoft (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and Google apps (Docs, Sheets, Slides).

OnlyOffice/Collabora: Open, edit, and save files stored in FileCloud using OnlyOffice or Collabora via Open Document Format (odt, odp, ods, odg) or Office Open XML formats (docx, pptx, xlsx).

WebDAV: Integrate WebDAV protocols, so users can create, change, and move documents on the server.

SMS Gateway Integration: Enable in-platform delivery and receipt of SMS text messages (mainly for authentication/access authorization requests).

Many of these integrations, such as the Office 365, Google Docs, OnlyOffice, and Collabora are another way FileCloud supports collaboration between users and teams. Hyland OnBase certainly has some integrations available, such as a Microsoft Outlook Add-on and Developer APIs, but they don’t have nearly as many available as FileCloud.

Conclusion

Hyland OnBase has been around for a long time, and we’re not denying that it has some great features. But if you’re looking for a hyper-secure system that also includes valuable collaboration tools? Well, we think FileCloud has it beat.

In fact, one Project Manager who also considered Hyland had this to say about FileCloud,

“FileCloud […] is a powerful and effective file management platform […] My primary use in this platform is to manage the files, recover the lost files, remote access, and content collaboration with the team, and I must say this is the best in this segment.”

~Written by Megan Barnard, Digital Content Specialist

FileCloud Best Practices: How to Use Two-Factor Authentication with External Accounts – Automatically

This is the next blog post in our FileCloud Best Practices series. We previously covered how to use external accounts for private, secure sharing. We have also reviewed how to automate the maintenance of external accounts.

Depending on your FileCloud license, your system can enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) with External Accounts. To do this automatically, each new account created needs to be added to a particular External Account policy group.

We will go through all the steps needed to configure this.

Create an External User Policy Group

The first thing we need to do is create a new User Policy group that will be used to configure MFA for all External Users.

Go to: Admin UI > Settings > Policies > New Policy

We will name this group “External Users” for this example, but you can use any other name.

Once created, edit the policy group and change the MFA settings to your preference (for example, Email).

Create a Workflow to Add New External User Accounts to the “External Users” Policy Group

Now we will create the workflow to move every new External User Account to the Policy user group we recently completed.

Go to: Admin UI > Workflows > New Workflow and select “Add Workflow.” We will create a new workflow with the condition being “If a new user is created.”

Required parameters:

{
"user_access_level": "USER_ACCOUNT_LIMITED_ACCESS"
}

In the dropdown for the “THEN” Action, select “Set user policy”

Required Parameters:

{
"policy_name": "External Users,"
}

Finally, name the new workflow. This can be whatever helps you remember the purpose of the workflow.

Now the system is configured to automatically add new external users to the External Users Policy, which applies two-factor authentication.

See It In Action

Log in to the user UI, create a new share, and add a new user account.

Note: If you want to learn how to enable the feature to automatically create new accounts when creating a new share, please visit our previous blog post, FileCloud Best Practices: How to Use Private Shares and External User Accounts.

Once completed, you can log in to your admin portal and check the new user account. Go to Settings > Policies and view the policy users section; you will see the recently created account added to the policy group:

You can also verify if your workflow is working by reviewing the audit records and filter using the Workflow name:

This completes our three-part series on sharing files privately with External Users.

Note: MFA for External Users is part of the Advanced License; if you don’t have this feature and are interested in trying it or seeing pricing, please reach out to your CSM representative or contact us.

 

Article written by Daniel Alarcon, Technical Support Manager

Edited by Katie Gerhardt, Junior Product Marketing Manager

 

Data Leak Prevention: A Vital Part of Your Armor

According to a recent study, the projected cost of cybercrime to businesses by 2025 will be $10.5 trillion per year. With the worldwide massive increase in distributed workforces through remote working since 2020, it has never been more critical to protect your digital assets. Data leak prevention (DLP) is a vital part of this process.

DLP describes a series of steps organizations must take to prevent eventual data breaches. These steps can differ, depending on the enterprise and its systems. Smart DLP, however, also describes a feature that is an inbuilt part of the FileCloud architecture. Along with other FileCloud security features, Smart DLP helps to minimize the time and costs involved in taking the steps necessary to prevent data leaks.

Here we discuss how the two definitions of DLP interact, and how FileCloud’s Smart DLP feature can be of huge benefit to any organization’s overall DLP strategy.

What is Data Leak Prevention, in General?

When it comes to protecting your digital assets, data leak prevention is infinitely better than cure. It’s undoubtedly better and less costly to avoid a data breach than to deal with the headache of remediating one.

In the general definition, a data leak is a part of an overall system that is exposed, and therefore vulnerable to attack from cybercriminals. A data leak provides cybercriminals with a possible attack vector.

If a malicious actor becomes aware of a data leak before you do, this can quickly turn into a data breach scenario for your organization. For this reason, identifying data leaks before they become data breaches is vital to the ongoing viability of any business. Data breaches are not only financially costly, but they can also cause significant reputational damage to an organization.

What Causes Data Leaks?

The causes of data leaks are many and varied, and unfortunately, there is no shortage of bad actors waiting in the wings to exploit them. Data leaks are caused by various factors, from poorly configured software to staff who are untrained to spot social engineering attacks, such as phishing emails. These vulnerabilities can result in the loss of sensitive information, such as Personally Identifiable Information (PII) relating to customers, proprietary company information, and the valuable contents of internal analytics databases.

Cloud is Now the Norm, Posing Fresh Challenges

According to a 2022 report by Radware Ltd., 99% of companies now use either public or private cloud for their application deployments. This means that cloud security and cybersecurity are increasingly the exact same discipline.

Approximately 58% of organizations are deploying on multiple public cloud environments, and this figure is set to increase in the coming years. Multi-cloud deployments provide useful failover solutions for enterprises in the event of outages, but they also provide more scope for malicious actors to find and exploit data leaks.

The same Radware report found that:

  • 70% of businesses are negotiating security with a shortage of qualified cybersecurity staff.
  • 64% have a low level of trust in the security provisions of their public cloud providers.

All of this suggests a highly challenging current cybersecurity environment. While it’s true that multi-cloud deployments ensure business continuity in the event of an outage or attack on a cloud vendor, they can also make data leak prevention more challenging for organizations. Almost two-thirds of organizations have experienced a data breach because of the inconsistent cloud security provisions between different cloud vendors’ platforms.

Data Leaks: Handing Cybercriminals Attack Vectors on a Plate

An attack vector is a vulnerability in a system that provides cybercriminals with a potential route to enterprise assets containing valuable, sensitive information. Data leaks create attack vectors, leading to breaches. The average cost of a data breach in 2022 is $4.35 million. Potential attack vectors are many and varied, which means organizations’ cybersecurity strategies need to be equally multi-faceted, preferably employing a layered, defense-in-depth strategy.

Defense in depth is an approach to cybersecurity that is often compared to a Medieval castle. If an attacker breaches the outer layer (the moat), there are still various layers of physical, technical, and administrative controls they have not yet successfully penetrated.

How Can FileCloud Help with DLP?

Although many organizations are finding data leak prevention an increasingly complex process, FileCloud has multiple built-in features that are specifically designed to help.

Worldwide, organizations use FileCloud’s Smart DLP feature to protect highly sensitive information and achieve compliance objectives. It helps with:

  • Personally Identifiable Information (PII) protection
  • Personal Health Information (PHI) protection
  • PCI DSS, GDPR, HIPAA, and ITAR compliance

Applying Smart DLP in FileCloud

Applying Smart DLP to your sensitive data is a straightforward process. In the FileCloud Admin portal, under Governance -> Smart DLP, you go into the Smart DLP screen. There, you can view several predefined rule types. To add a new rule, you click Add DLP Rule. This opens the Rule Update dialog box.

Rule Update Dialog Box

Populate the following fields, as required:

  • Rule Name: In this field, you provide an identifier for your new rule.
  • Affected User Actions: Here you specify the user actions that trigger the rule. Options are DOWNLOAD, SHARE, or LOGIN.
  • Rule Expression: In this field, you define the trigger for the rule. Here you can use the Rule Expression Text Editor or the Rule Expression Builder.
  • DLP Action: Here you can define whether to allow or deny the user action if the user triggers the rule expression.
  • DLP Mode: In this field, you determine whether you should prevent attempted violations of the rule. Options are Enforce (preventing the action) and Permissive (allowing the action).
  • Rule Notification: This field allows you to create a message for users to view when they attempt to violate a rule, with the exception of login rules. It supports the <p>, <a>, and <br> HTML tags.

Additional Smart DLP Capabilities in FileCloud

You can also choose from several regular expressions by clicking Rule Creation Help. Once you are finished, you simply click Create. You have now provided your file-sharing system with a vital extra layer of protection!

FileCloud helpfully logs attempts to violate your DLP rules in the system for later viewing. You can also create rules that allow or deny users according to their geographical location.

You can apply these Smart DLP rules at user or group levels. This makes it painless to automate your file-sharing and access permissions throughout your organization, without any complicated coding requirements. Combined with FileCloud’s Smart Classification feature, you can easily streamline your data security to prevent unauthorized access. This is a huge step in the right direction when it comes to your overall DLP strategy.

To find out more about FileCloud’s Smart DLP feature, as well as other powerful cloud security capabilities built into FileCloud, book a free demo now!

SCHEDULE A FREE DEMO

START YOUR FREE TRIAL

References

INTRUSION Inc. (2020). Cybercrime To Cost The World $10.5 Trillion Annually By 2025. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/11/18/2129432/0/en/Cybercrime-To-Cost-The-World-10-5-Trillion-Annually-By-2025.html

Radware Ltd. (2022). Report: Application Security in a Multi-Cloud World. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://www.radware.com/multi-cloud-report-2022/

IBM. (2022). Cost of a data breach 2022: A million-dollar race to detect and respond. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach

Written by Deirdre Clancy, Technical Content and Communication Manager

Competitor Series: FileCloud vs CTERA

In our blog last week we went over the difference between FileCloud and Egnyte and what you might want to look for when selecting a top-notch CCP (content collaboration platform). This week, we’re continuing our competitor series and reviewing FileCloud vs. CTERA.

FileCloud vs. CTERA

Like FileCloud Server, CTERA is an on-prem solution, which means files and data are kept on your servers, behind your own firewalls. CTERA was founded in 2008 and is a solid CCP solution.

Of course, one of the valuable aspects of FileCloud is that while we provide a hyper-secure, on-prem solution with FileCloud Server, we also have options for hybrid and cloud-based solutions such as FileCloud Online. This gives your organization flexibility no matter how your needs change over the years.

Another aspect of FileCloud Server that we consider vital for enterprises? Top-of-the-line compliance features.

FileCloud, CTERA, and Compliance

Compliance is like a keeping an emergency kit in your car—you hope you don’t have to use it, but you’re sure glad you have it when it’s needed.

Data privacy laws are only getting stronger since one of the biggest ones—The General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR—went into effect in 2018. In fact, the large majority of countries have enacted or are enacting privacy laws. If you collect or keep data, you are required to comply with these laws, whether you want to or not.

Of course, these ever-changing laws raise challenging questions on how to sort, protect, and control the data your enterprise uses.

That’s where FileCloud’s compliance features come into play.

FileCloud’s Compliance Center is a hugely popular tool that allows enterprises to connect complicated compliance regulations with FileCloud’s powerful security and DRM options. Current compliance configurations include ITAR, GDPR, and HIPAA.

On top of FileCloud’s Compliance Center, users can configure FileCloud to comply with a host of other regulations and guidelines including:

  • CJIS
  • EAR
  • DoD Cloud Computing SRGs
  • FIPS 140-2
  • IRS-1075
  • CMMC
  • NIST 800-171
  • GxP

CTERA does offer compliance support options, like a FIPS-140-2 Compliant Encryption Model and some compliance dashboards, but it doesn’t have the plethora of compliance support options available with FileCloud.

Secure Content Collaboration and Productivity

Another important aspect of any CCP comes down to collaboration and productivity tools. After all, what would a content collaboration platform be without features to support organized file sharing?

It’s easy to lose or forget about files during a busy day (week/month/year). This is why FileCloud strives to make collaboration easy through features like file sharing requests, commenting, tagging and notifications.

CTERA does not have these options available, which can pose a significant barrier to streamlined collaboration.

File Locking and Lock Management (via MS Office/DocIQ)

Enterprises must be able to control who can make changes to a file. This is necessary for both compliance (in the case of files not being able to be changed) and collaboration. With FileCloud, files can be locked to ensure only one person can make changes to a file. In addition, admins can manage locked files directly to ensure no files are permanently locked.While CTERA does have collaboration tools such as Team Folders and unlimited file versioning, it does not have the more advanced features that FileCloud provides.

Streamlined, Automated Processes

Enterprises often start looking for CCPs because they want to protect their data, but also because simple file sharing and storage can save enormous amounts of time.

Enter Workflow Automation. Workflow automation helps automate tedious yet important administrative tasks like document review, signoffs, and reminders.

Any good CCP now has the option for Workflow Automation, and CTERA is no different, with approval workflows and workflow automation.

The problem? It’s hard enough to get users to adapt to new technology, including CCPs. Ask them to create complicated workflows and they’ll dig in their heels.

That’s why at FileCloud we’ve created a simple, no-code, drag-and-drop workflow builder that anyone can use to create workflows in minutes. In addition, FileCloud also has a convenient dashboard for running workflows, which give managers and users a bird’s eye view on work as it’s being completed. Workflows can also be updated, edited, and shared from this dashboard.

Maintaining your Brand

When it comes to your organization, there’s almost nothing more important than maintaining your brand. Your brand is what creates trust between you, your customers, and your employees. Wouldn’t you rather buy from a company you’ve used before and like, rather than a generic brand who could be selling you “who-knows-what?”

The same is true when it comes to the tech tools you use, like your CCP. If you need to share or accept files from clients, partners, or customers, you want submission forms and web portals to be recognizable as an extension of your brand. This is especially true with rising cyberattacks that include sophisticated phishing efforts. A discerning customer who doesn’t recognize your submission form may choose to send their business elsewhere.

We understand the value of branding at FileCloud, which is why, in addition to the custom domains and communication that CTERA provides, FileCloud also allows you to use your own logo, colors, and background images. This branding helps ensure that your enterprise is visible in all aspects of your business and that customers and partners feel comfortable engaging with you.

The Cost of External Users

One big problem that enterprises face is the cost of external users. With almost all CCPs, you have to buy licenses for your users. That is, the people who’ll be using the product every day.

But there’s always going to be more people needing to use the software. What about when your team lead shares something with a customer? Sure, they can use email or an FTP – but let’s face it, the increased risks of these unsecured methods can end up costing a company thousands or even millions of dollars in regulatory fines or remediation costs from a breach.

Alternatively, CCPs offer sharing through a centralized platform that includes basic features like identification authorization and other security tools to protect data. But these shares must be between users.

Imagine Joe from Sales wants to share some information about a contract with a client; but to do so securely, that client needs to be added to the platform as a user. They don’t need access to the full platform though; they just need simple file access.

The downside? Most CCPs like CTERA require that you pay for those users as part of your license, even though they’re not using the platform every day or leveraging the full suite of platform tools. Those user costs add up fast and can be an enormous drain on your resources.

At FileCloud, we think you’ve spent enough. That’s why we offer unlimited, external user accounts with simplified dashboards for file sharing and review.

That means if Joe in Sales wants to share something with a new customer, he doesn’t have to wonder if it’s worth the cost or take a gamble with unsecured methods. Instead, he can share it, all the while knowing that any files shared are secure and compliant within FileCloud’s top-notch CCP solution.

What Do the Customers Say?

One Software Development Manager who also looked at CTERA as a solution had this to say about FileCloud,

I have been using FileCloud for a long time and I must admit, this is a super secure platform as well that provides an end to end security. FileCloud user interface is simple, seamless, and easy to use, this is one of the best user interfaces I have ever used. […] The file sharing option in this platform is effective and I can send files in just a second to others. I can send the files with security like the view only file, edit the only file and comment only files. The file recovery and the file backup feature are simply great, this provides me full flexibility, and even if I lose the files by mistake, I can recover those files easily […] the technical support function of this platform is really good and effective and I can say they are customer-centric.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt that CTERA is a solid CCP solution. However, when it comes to an all-in-one CCP, we think FileCloud has it beat. We offer in-depth compliance options, content collaboration tools, and easy workflow automation, as well as the ability to maintain your brand and enable sharing with unlimited external users.

Of course, you don’t have to take our word for it. Check out our detailed competitive matrix and decide for yourself how FileCloud stacks up against the competition.

Want to see these features in real-time? Just sign up for a quick product demo and learn how FileCloud can work for you.

Written by Megan Barnard, Digital Content Specialist at FileCloud

 

FileCloud’s Secure Content Collaboration Platform Creates a Buzz at GITEX 2022

GITEX (Gulf Information Technology Exhibition) GLOBAL 2022 took place from October 10-14 in Dubai. Members of the FileCloud team were excited to attend this pivotal event.

The event attracts 100,000 visitors each year. It is held at the Dubai World Trade Center to highlight the rapid developments in the tech sector in the overall Middle East, North Africa, and Asia (MENA) region. FileCloud already has a strong MENA presence and welcomed the opportunity to strengthen existing partnerships and foster new ones.

Customers at the GITEX FileCloud Booth

Focus on Vision 2030

Much of the talk at GITEX this year was about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious and far-reaching Vision 2030 roadmap. This series of projects aims to strengthen the social, cultural, and economic development of Saudi Arabia on a grand scale.

Cutting-edge development of the country’s technology sector is at the center of Vision 2030. For example, the building of the technologically advanced, sustainable smart city of Noem, next to Jordan and the Red Sea coast, is the key project. The plans for Noem include artificial clouds producing rainfall, flying taxis, and holographic teachers in educational settings! The government will expand the luxury tourism sector via the Red Sea Project alongside the development of Noem.

Vision 2030 was the Focus at GITEX

Digitization and the Regulatory Landscape

Although Vision 2030 is a roadmap for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is indicative of the entire MENA region’s focus on investing in digital infrastructure. To facilitate the digitization of government and industry, many countries in the region have recognized the need for a more sophisticated regulatory environment to govern digital operations and have acted accordingly.

To that end, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE have both published draft Personal Data Protection Laws in recent times. They have also legislated for, and invested in, the vital area of cybersecurity.

Compliance and Vision 2030

To facilitate the digital governance aspects of the Vision 2030 framework, the Saudi Arabian Government has published various regulations. In 2018, the Essential Cybersecurity Controls (ECC) were enacted by the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA). This established 114 Cybersecurity Controls that describe the minimum cybersecurity measures to which organizations within the jurisdiction must adhere.

In March 2022, a draft version of the PDPL was published. This represents the first comprehensive data protection legislation in Saudi Arabia. The regulatory authority for the PDPL is currently the Saudi Data & Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). Its responsibilities and powers in relation to the PDPL are broad ranging, and include offering advice and imposing hefty penalties for non-compliance. It will supervise the legislation’s implementation for two years. Then these responsibilities will likely be transferred fully to the National Data Management Office (NDMO).

The PDPL has a broad scope, and organizations are looking for ways to simplify and secure their compliance obligations, including:

  • Facilitating explicit consent from data subjects at point of collection
  • Devising, documenting, and implementing robust data security measures
  • Keeping detailed records of processing activities
  • Determining if cross-border data transfers are viable under the new legislation
  • Enacting personal data subjects’ requests speedily, such as requests for access or copy, correction, data destruction, or restriction of processing

Due to this increasingly robust regulatory environment, organizations throughout the MENA region are seeking ways to achieve compliance and ensure data sovereignty and security with relative ease. Members of Team FileCloud were on hand at GITEX to answer multiple inquiries about FileCloud’s secure Content Collaboration Platform (CCP), with its fully integrated compliance capabilities.

FileCloud Forging Partnerships at GITEX

Dubai Eye 103.8 Interviews the FileCloud Team

Dubai Eye 103.8 conducted interviews with several key people from FileCloud at GITEX. Abdelhakim Ababsa, who leads EMEA Sales at FileCloud, spoke about digital transformation in the MENA region and the escalating need for compliant content collaboration solutions. He pointed out that government agencies cannot use public cloud solutions due to legal restrictions. This is why so many local governments, ministries, and enterprise organizations choose FileCloud as a secure, collaborative solution.

FileCloud CRO, Peter Melerud, explained the benefits of the FileCloud solution in allowing customers to operate private cloud deployments. This enables compliance with data residency and sovereignty requirements, as well as better security.

FileCloud CRO, Peter Melerud, Talking to Dubai Eye 103.8

Finally, the VP of Global Sales, Leigh Bradford, outlined the importance of the MENA region as a market for FileCloud. This is evidenced by the numerous government entities already using the solution. Leigh aims to develop new channels in the region, including government contractors, service providers, and systems integrators. He is optimistic about this goal. Governments in the region already trust FileCloud to provide a robust, bulletproof solution that complies with increasing regulatory demands.

For more information, and to get a taste of the GITEX buzz, see the interviews with the FileCloud team below!

 

Written by Deirdre Clancy, Technical Content and Communication Manager

Making Content Lifecycles Easier with Workflow Automation

As we talked about in last week’s blog post, content lifecycles are a vital part of every organization. We learned in that post how FileCloud makes content lifecycles easy with features like Smart Classification, Metadata, and Retention Policies.

FileCloud also provides the option for users to automate certain parts of their content lifecycles with Workflow Automation.

As a reminder, the 4 main steps in a content lifecycle are:

  1. Capture

Employee receives files or collects/gathers incoming paper and scans them into the system.

2. Add to Content Repository

Employee stores content in a specific, pre-designated spot (folders on a computer, a company drive, an online cloud storage solution).

3. Collaboration/Processing

This step might take the longest time, as the content is being collaborated on by team members; for example, a PR release is reviewed, edited, and then officially published.

4. Archival/Long-Term Storage

Once a document has been finalized and its purpose completed, that document or file is usually stored somewhere, either in a digital folder or archived in your system.

Step Three of Content Lifecycles is all about collaboration/processing, where essentially, documents are reviewed, edited, or approved by various employees and departments. This step in the content lifecycle process can actually take the longest since it’s often where documents and projects can be lost or forgotten.

That’s where FileCloud’s Workflow Automation comes into play.

Use Workflow Automation to Speed up Content Lifecycles

Workflow automation is simply a way of automating these time-consuming and repetitive workflows, relieving employees of these tedious burdens. Instead, tasks are completed automatically, further empowering your paperless office to run smoothly. Workflow automation has many benefits, but the top ones are that it:

Saves Time:

Employees no longer have to spend time on these administrative tasks. Instead, employees, managers, and teams can automate these tasks by creating a workflow that takes care of these repetitive tasks.

Here is a simple example: an employee from finance creates an automated workflow that sends out an email asking for expense reports at the end of the month. Now they no longer have to type it up and send it out each month.

Saves Money:

Workflow automation saves businesses money by allowing employees to focus on more important tasks that help a business’s bottom line, instead of spending hours (some studies say 16 hours) each day on tedious but necessary admin tasks.

Reduces Employee Errors:

A recent report showed that it’s easy for employees to get lost in the weeds when searching for documents and files. The report also showed that there are 236 lost hours per year on duplicated work! Workflow automation helps reclaim these hours by automating tasks and reducing the burden on employees.

Additionally, workflow automation ensures the completion of tasks like client intake forms, email responses, and document reviews, which helps teams stay on task and complete projects.

FileCloud’s Business Workflow Automation

FileCloud’s workflow automation takes place within FileCloud’s hyper-secure system. Users can quickly create workflows with a no-code, drag-and-drop design. Workflows have a built-in logic that makes them easy to create and use.

Share workflows with team members and across departments with just a click of a button. You can also view all running workflows in a dashboard for oversight purposes.

Within minutes, employees and managers can create automated business workflows for a variety of tasks including:

  • Budget approval
  • File review
  • Client intake
  • Employee on/offboarding
  • Automatic emails
  • Signoffs

Conclusion

FileCloud exists to make life easier for you. Our Content Lifecycle strategy helps ensure that your content is protected and compliant once it’s in our system. Our Workflow Automation helps make the longest and most difficult part of a content lifecycle quick and simple—freeing your employees up to work on more important tasks.

Want to learn how Workflow Automation can work for your specific needs? Set up a quick demo today!

~Written by Megan Barnard, Digital Content Specialist