File sharing FAQ

You can share your Connected files and folders from either your Connected folder or a device backup set. Although Connected supports all but a few system-level files and macOS bundles, administrative policy might further restrict which files you share based on the following:

• File type. For example, policy restrictions might prevent you from sharing music or video files.
• File content. As a security precaution, policy restrictions might prevent you from sharing files that contain personally identifiable information (PII), such as names or credit card numbers. See additional details, including types of PII.

  Connected considers the following types of data to be personally identifiable information (PII):

  • Common English full name (for example, Mary Smith, John. J. Doe, Jones Jr.)
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • Credit card number
  • IP address
  • Email address
  • Social Security or National Insurance number
  • Bank account number
  • Driving license number (except US licenses)

Connected does not limit the size of files that you can share. However, it does restrict you to sharing folders that meet the following size limits:

• Maximum size of contents (uncompressed): 10 GB
• Maximum number of files and folders, including the folder selected: 100
• Maximum number of nested folder levels: 5

If you try to share a folder that exceeds any of these limits, the application displays a message. Adjust your selection accordingly, and then try to share the folder again. For example, if the message indicates that your selection exceeds the supported number of nested folder levels, try selecting a folder that is located one or more levels below the folder currently selected.

It depends which Connected application you use to share the files.

• Connected web application. Lets you share any available active version of your files. However, if you share a folder, only the current version of that folder's files are shared.

From any device, use the Connected web application to select the files and folders that you want to share, provide a few details, such as the recipient's email address, and then click SHARE. For more information, see Share files using a web browser.

You can share files and folders with multiple people at once. However, administrative policy determines which of the following types of people you can share with:

• Connected users. Anyone in your company who also uses Connected.

• Private users. People with an email address in a specific set of domains, as specified by policy.
• Public users. Any other person with an email address.

When you share items, each recipient receives an email with a link to a web page that provides view-only access to a copy of your items for a limited amount of time. From that page, recipients can view, print, or download those copies.

When you share items, you specify how many days users can access them, up to the maximum number set by administrative policy. After a share expires or you manually stop it, recipients retain access to any copies of items that they have downloaded.

Administrative policy might prevent you from sharing certain types of files. The Connected web application lets you view the administrative policy that affects what you can share. To view this policy:

1. In the upper-right corner of the web application, click your name, and then click My Profile.
2. On the profile page, click Admin Rules, and then under VIEWING, click Sharing Policy.

The page groups sharing rules by recipient category (Connected, private, or public user). If you have permission to share files with a particular category, its rules identify which files you can share and for how long.

When you share items, you receive one of the following messages:

• Share successful. The application shared all files with all recipients.
• Not all files were shared with all recipients (web application only) . Administrative policy restrictions prevent you from sharing all files with all recipients.
• Policy does not allow you to share the selected file(s). Connected did not share any files with recipients. Most likely, policy restrictions prevent you from sharing any of the files that you selected.

• Your share will be available soon (web application only). Policy requires Connected to analyze your files for restricted content. The file share remain pending until analysis completes.

  If analysis determines that some files contain restricted content, policy might also require you to review those files and specify which ones to share. This requirement ensures that you do not accidentally share files with restricted content. If policy requires this review, it flags the share with the Needs Review status and does not share any of its files until you complete the review.

  If policy does not require you to review files with restricted content or if the share does not contain any such files, Connected automatically shares the files based on the remaining policy requirements. If none of the share's files meet policy, the share fails.

The Sharing tab of the Connected web application lists your file shares and identifies the status of each one.

File shares have one of the following statuses:

• Pending. The share is waiting for Connected to analyze its files for restricted content, per administrative policy. When analysis completes, the status changes to one of the following based on the results: Needs Review, Active, or Failed.
• Needs Review. The share contains restricted content that requires your review and approval to share. Connected does not share any of the files, regardless of content, until you perform this review. If you do not complete the review before the share's expiration date, the share expires.
• Active. At least one file is currently shared. To view detailed share information, on the SHARING tab, click the share's name. Details include whether policy restrictions excluded specific files or recipients and whether you stopped sharing any files before they expired.
• Failed. Connected failed to share any files because of content restrictions. This occurs because either policy prevented you from sharing any files or, if you had permission to override those restrictions, you did not.
• Stopped. You stopped the entire share before it expired.
• Expired. The share has expired.

This icon indicates how many of your file shares require action. Typically, after you share files, no further action is required. However, shares that fail or require review for restricted content because of policy require your attention. For example, indicates that you have two shares that need review or have failed.

The Connected web application lets you manage your shares. You can stop an entire file share before it expires or remove specific items and recipients from it (see Stop sharing items). However, you cannot add items or recipients to an existing share. To do so, create a new file share that contains the additional items or recipients.

Typically, recipients can access your items until they expire or you manually stop sharing them. However, changes to the administrative policy can affect your current file shares. For example, policy updates might affect which files you can share, who you can share with, or when your shares expire. Policy updates might also restrict the content that you can share or require you to review files with restricted content before sharing them.

Any policy change that affects your shared files takes effect immediately. For example, if a policy change now prevents you from sharing images, access to any images that you are currently sharing stops immediately for all recipients. When access to your files stops or expires, recipients retain access to any copies that they have downloaded.

If policy now requires you to review any existing shares because of restricted content, Connected temporarily prevents recipient access to them until you complete the review. If you decide to exclude some files from a share during your review, recipients receive an email to let them know that the set of shared files has changed.

Connected gives recipients access to a copy of your files, not the actual file. Therefore, changes to the actual file do not affect the shared copy. If you modify a file and want recipients to see your changes, you must share the new version of it with them. Similarly, deleting a file does not stop recipients from accessing the shared copy. To stop users from accessing the file before it expires, you must manually stop sharing it. For more information see Stop sharing items.

Yes. The Sharing tab of the Connected web application lets you access detailed information about each of your file shares. You can use this information to monitor or manage your shares, as necessary. Information about each share includes its status, valid date range, and the lists of recipients and shared files. You can also find out the number of times that each recipient has downloaded specific files. For information about how to view this information, see View file share details.