Sharing Files Privately in Sync

When you share a file privately, you share it only with existing FileCloud users or groups, but you can invite a new user to create a FileCloud account and then access the share.

Sharing files privately:

  • Provides more security than sharing files publicly.
  • Is useful when you only have a small number of people you want to share with.
  • Requires the user to log in with a FileCloud account to access the file on the User Portal.

Users have the following permission options in private shares:

Permission

Description

Read permittedRead permission allows users to view, browse and download files. 
Removing read permission removes the user from the share completely.
Download permittedDownload permission allows the user to download and save the file.
Share permitted

Share permission allows the user to share your file with other users.
Share permission can be provided only if read and download permission are already provided.


To share files privately with existing users

  1. In your system tray, right-click on the Sync icon and choose Open.
  2. In the mini-dashboard, click Open.
    Your Sync folder in file explorer opens.


  3. Navigate to the file or folder you want to share, then right-click on it and choose Share FileCloud Link.


    The Quick Share window opens.
  4. Click Advanced.
    The Advanced Share window opens.
  5. Click Public and choose Set As Private.


    The Public setting changes to Private, and a Permissions button appears. In addition, the Password and Restrict Download advanced options disappear.

    To change the Advanced Options, see Sync: Advanced share options for files.
  6. Click the Permissions button.
    A Private Share Permissions window opens. 
  7. Either enter an existing user name in the Search for Users box, or click the Groups tab and click Add Group.

    If you select a username in the Users tab, a Share Notification dialog box opens. The default message includes the share link and instructs the user to log in to FileCloud with their existing account to access the share. You may change the text of the email.
  8. Click Email to send the message to the share recipient.
    In addition, the Users tab lists the user with icons for read (view), download and share permissions.
  9. Click the permission buttons to change them.
    If you deselect the read icon, the share is removed.
  10. If you want to share with a group, in the Groups tab, click the Add Group button. A list of the groups in your system appears below it.
  11. Select the group that you want to share the file with.
    The Groups tab lists the group with icons for read (view), download and write permissions.
  12. Click the permission buttons to change them.
    If you deselect view, the share is removed.

You can share a file with a user who does not have a FileCloud account yet but wants one.

Before you can invite a new user to create a FileCloud account, an administrator must have given you permission to invite new users.

If you are not able to invite a new user to access your share, contact your administrator about allowing new user account creation.

If you are an administrator, follow these instructions to allow new users to create an account.

 Enable New Account Creation Requests

 Allow Users to Create a New Disabled Account

 Allow Users to Create and Approve Accounts


When you invite a new user to share your files, the following process occurs:

  1. You share a file and invite a new user to create a FileCloud account (you must know the new user's email address).
  2. Add the new user, and then send them an email with the link to create an account.
  3. The user you have invited uses the link to create their own FileCloud account.
  4. After the new user signs in, they have a Full Access FileCloud account.
  5. The new user can access the file. 

An account with Full Access has its own private cloud storage space in the My Files area.

To share a file with a new FileCloud user:

  1. Follow steps 1 to 6, above, in Share a file privately with an existing user or a group.
  2. In the Private Share Permissions window, in the Users tab, in Search for Users, enter the name of the new user.
    The message No User Found. (Enter email to add & invite new user) appears.
  3. In Search for Users, enter the email address of the new user.
    An email icon appears to its right.
  4. Click the email icon.
    An Invite User dialog box opens. The message included tells the user to create a new account in order to access the shared file:
  5. Click the Email button.
    The user can use the link in the email to create a new account.
    The Private Share Permissions window now lists the user's email with icons below it for reading (viewing), downloading, and sharing the shared file.
  6. Click on the icons to change the permissions for the user.