The way we work has changed. As of 2019, the number of companies allowing remote work has increased up to 66%, with 16% of them being fully remote—according to recent research. Because this is a growing trend, one that can yield multiple benefits for companies around the world, business file sharing has become a top priority.
Luckily, there are plenty of options on the market to choose from. However, a distinct few are standing out from the rest, as reliable, secure, and consumer-oriented.
Why Should You Use File Sharing Services?
To put it simply, file-sharing software makes life easier. As a professional, you deal with huge files every day. Think of your HD videos or massive data files… your email can’t handle anything over 20MB. This is where file-sharing software comes in and saves the day. A reliable solution stores your files in a server or cloud location, enabling only authorized personnel to access it.
By using file-sharing software, your team will coordinate better. This type of exchange is instantaneous, convenient, and easy, which is great from an organizational standpoint. It also saves a lot of time and reduces office storage space while also improving data integrity protection. When using a file-sharing infrastructure, you can also set security precautions in place to ensure that only authorized users can access your files. This way, file manipulation or data loss are less likely to happen.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the best file sharing options available on today’s market.
1. Dropbox Business
The business edition of Dropbox is specifically targeted at companies and enterprises and uses off-site servers for file storage and sharing. It provides best-in-class functionalities and unlimited storage, file recovery, and file version history. This means that you can access your data even months after deletion.
This solution also offers a remote wipe and account transfer feature, which allows you to delete and prevent your files from appearing on a stolen device.
2. Google Drive
A corporate favorite, Google Drive stores all your files in a single location: the cloud. But arguably, its greatest benefit is that it integrates seamlessly with other Google services that businesses may use.
Furthermore, it has an offline mode that allows you to view and edit your files even without an internet connection. This is particularly beneficial for remote workers or business travels. The app makes it easy to share and control access to files.
3. Box
Dropbox’s biggest competitor, Box, is a file sharing service used by more than 50,000 organizations worldwide, including top brands like Pandora, Boston Scientific, Gap, Nationwide, and GE.
Box provides secure collaboration from any device with protection measures like granular permissions and customer-managed encryption. Plus, if compliance is one of your top priorities, Box can help you comply with regulatory demands and e-discovery requests.
4. Apple iCloud
As the name suggests, this is a cloud-based file sharing solution. It automatically syncs stored files to all devices in your account, on both Mac and Windows systems. It also integrates easily with other iCloud apps and other popular business apps, such as Pager Duty, Microsoft Office, and HipChat.
The solution is also mobile-friendly, and it comes with data security and privacy settings that you can adjust at your convenience.
5. FileCloud
FileCloud’s on-premise or in the cloud file-sharing service provides a solid sync capability that you can configure as you wish. It also allows you to navigate large volumes of data thanks to the powerful search engine it comes with.
The solution also works at reduced network latency and it allows full label customization for your brand. Plus, it provides two-factor authentication, ransomware protection, antivirus scans, and compliance support for FINRA, HIPAA, and other regulatory demands.
Next Steps
Before you commit, get to know the product first. Most vendors provide 30-day free trials so that you can test and see if the file-sharing solution you’re considering can meet the needs of your team, both in-office and remote. You can even go a step further and try a few of them out so that you can compare them and make a better-informed decision.
Also consider that, as your business grows, you need a reliable file-sharing platform to support your expanding volume of data. Look for solutions that provide unified support for different formats and compliance support for regulatory demands.
And last but not least, if you haven’t chosen a file-sharing platform yet, what are you waiting for? File-sharing solutions built with businesses in mind can provide an all-in-one collaboration kit for sharing large and sensitive files. It will help you store and share files quickly and securely, while also enabling your teams to communicate in real-time.