5 Ways to Share Files With Your Team While Working From Home

The modern work setup is de-centralized from its past, where working remotely has become the new norm for most of the workers. This requires effective and efficient ways of sharing files in order to maintain productivity and facilitate collaboration easily. The article describes five necessary ways to share files with your team members when working remotely and provides a detailed explanation and tips on how to enhance your remote working.

Here is the 5 Ways to Share Files With Your Team While Working From Home

1. Cloud Storage Services: The Backbone of Remote Work

Cloud storage services like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, and Box have simplified file management and collaboration. They are a convenient, secure, and one-stop shop for your digital files.

Chief Features and Industrial Applications:

• Real-time Collaboration: Multiple users can co-author multiple documents, sheets, and slides. It can be utilized primarily for campaign-share marketing teams or writers working in shared documents.
• Version Control: Maintain history of changes, go back to previous versions, and prevent data loss. Development teams utilize this tool to version code and track changes in design files. (See proper version control documentation for this platform utilized)
• Granular Access Control: Control who can view, edit, or download individual folders and files. Human resource staff use it to protect employees’ data, and project managers use it to restrict access to sensitive project files. (Link to access control guide)
• Synchronization and Mobile Access: Automatically synchronize files across devices so everyone has the latest version whether they are working from anywhere or using any device. Mobile applications provide easy access to fields.
• Integration Ecosystem: Tight integration with productivity tools such as email, calendars, and project management tools makes it easy to simplify workflows.
• Large File Management: Extremely useful for video editors, graphic designers, and other professionals dealing with large multimedia files.

Benefits and Security Features

• Ease of Access and Scaling: Obtain access to the documents wherever an internet connection exists. Scale up the storage needs with ease for your growing team.
• Strong Security: Top security practices like encryption and access restrictions are enforced by the cloud service providers. (Ref to selected vendor’s security files)
• Redundancy of Data: Information is duplicated across multiple servers for preventing data loss.
  Security Risks: Clouds are not completely free of security risks. Be cautious of phishing, and use strong passwords and two-factor authentication at all times.

Practical Tips:

• Use simple conventions for file naming to allow data access easily.
• Keep files organized in meaningful folders and subfolders.
• Verify and modify access rights on a regular basis.
• Remove or archive old files on a regular basis.

2. Project Management Tools: Integration of Files into Project Flows

Asana, Monday.com, and Jira all have file-sharing features built-in, making it simple to share files while working on a particular task or project.

Best Features and Use:

Task-Based File Attachments: Attach documents pertaining to a particular project to tasks so that the most critical information is readily available. Project managers must share project proposals, design documents, or code snippets.

• Centralized Project Files: Store and maintain similar project files in the system and don’t have to look here, there, and everywhere.
• Collaboration Tools: Integrated communication features such as comments and discussions allow instant feedback and team collaboration.
• Work Flow Integration: Associate files with particular project workflow stages for seamless transition.
• Version control: Inbuilt version control is part of most systems.

Benefits and Best Practices

• Contextual File Sharing: Files are shared in the context of a project and task, enhancing organization and productivity.
• Greater Collaboration: Combined communication tools facilitate effortless giving of feedback and collaboration.
• Better Project Management: Centralized file storage and task-specific attachments enhance project tracking and organization.
  Ensure that team members know how to add files to tasks properly.
• Commenting on shared documents in the form of discussion and feedback.

Example Case: A social media campaign for a marketing team uses Asana. Design files are used to reference the specific tasks so that the rest of the team can give feedback and also track progress.

3. Live Collaboration and Communication Tools: Real-Time File Share and Feedback

Tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Discord are invaluable for real-time messaging and communication and also have good file-sharing capabilities.

• Instant File Sharing: Share files instantly within chat rooms or direct messages for immediate feedback and collaboration.
  Preview and Download: Preview files right on the site and download when required.
• Integration with Cloud Storage: Integrate cloud storage providers to send files directly from your cloud storage drive.
  Searchable File History: Get back earlier shared files in a snap.
• Voice and Video calling with Screen Sharing: Supports live file scrutiny.

Benefits and Best Practices:

• Seamless and Rapid File Sharing: Share files quickly and get instant feedback.
• Live Discussion: Have collaboration begin easily with video calls and live messaging.
• Unified Collaboration and File Sharing: Keep all conversation and files in one place.
• Use one channel for one project or subject.
• Take advantage of the search function to quickly find shared files.
• Use screen sharing on video calls to facilitate real-time collaboration.

Example Scenario: A design team works with Slack to share design mockups and give instant feedback.

4. VPN and Network Shares: Secure Access to Internal Resources

To organizations handling confidential information or internal servers, network shares and VPNs offer secure access to files and resources.

Key Features and Security Notes:

• Secure Remote Access: VPNs establish secure tunnels for secure access to the internal network.
• Network Shares: Share the files and folders of the internal server, as if you were in the office.
• Access Control: Limit some folders and files access, based on role and user permission.
• Data Security: Secure sensitive data from unauthorized use.
• Use a strong password for your VPN at all times.
• Update your VPN software regularly.

Advantages and Best Practices

• Increased Security: Secure sensitive data with encrypted links and access controls.
• Easy Access to Internal Resources: Access internal servers and files as if you were there in the office.
• Compliance: Remain compliant with data security and privacy requirements as stipulated by law.
• Access only necessary files and resources.
• Exit the VPN after work is completed.

Example Scenario: A bank uses a VPN to provide secure access to customer information to remote workers.

5. Email Attachments (Use with Caution): Easy but Constrained

Although easy to exchange files as e-mail attachments, they do have some demerits and need to be used with care, particularly for group work or large files.

Demerits and Security Issues:

• File Size: Attachment size by e-mail service providers is generally limited.
• Version Control Problems: Hard to control versions and updates.
• Security Problems: Security risks of e-mail with attachments are phishing and malware.
• Not Suitable for Group Work: Not suitable for group work.

Best Uses:

• Sending tiny files to one individual or limited individuals.
• Sending documents with no collaboration or versioning.
• Always virus-scan attachments.
• Don’t open e-mail attachments from an unfamiliar sender.

Example Situation: Emailing a minor document to a client for review.

Comparison Table:

Security Best Practices for All Options:

• Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication.
• Install operating system and software updates.
• Avoid phishing