Table of Contents:
1. Activation
2. File Management
3. Collaboration
4. Additional Apps
5. Security and Sensitive Data

Please note that this service requires an active campus NetID: Click here to learn about activating your NetID.

Box is a secure cloud-based file management service that allows you to store and share your files. As Box is a cloud based service, you can reach your files space from anywhere, such as your desktop computer, tablet, or smartphone. When using your UW-Madison Box account, you retain all intellectual property rights for all information stored in it. At no time may anyone besides you and your collaborators view, use, copy, or sell your Box account data and personal information.
UW-Madison Box accounts are available to UW students, faculty, staff and researchers. Each NetID account can have a Box space with an initial 50GB of storage. Box accounts allow you to easily collaborate and share documents and folders with others in your team.

What are the main Box account features?

• Keep copies of your files in the Cloud
• Add collaborators to folders via their campus accounts
• Sync Box with desktop folders for one-step editing
• Include Box file links in the place of email attachments for more efficient collaboration
• Link Box accounts to third-party apps and services for easy content management
• Track account activity via notification subscriptions
• View account content and activity on mobile devices from any location
• Share large files instead of emailing them as an attachment

Who can have a box account?

Box accounts are available to UW students, faculty, staff and researchers.

What are the benefits of using the UW-Madison Box Vs commercial Box account?

When using your UW-Madison Box account you retain all intellectual property rights for all information stored in it: At no time may anyone besides you and your collaborators view, use, copy, or sell your account data and personal information.

What is the difference with Box website and Box sync folder App?

Box website allows you to use a browser to communicate with your Cloud space in real time. To access the Box web client, you must use a supported browser.
Box sync folder App is an identical copy of the Box folders in the Cloud in your desktop computer for working offline. The two versions sync automatically in the background.

Activation

First Time Users

If you have never accessed your UW-Madison Box account, you will need to log in through the web client in order to get started.

• Go to https://uwmadison.app.box.com
• Login with your NETID and password
• Your account will be ready as soon as you authenticate.

Login Options

In addition to the Box web client, you also have the option of accessing files stored in your Box account through Box Sync for your desktop and mobile devices. This is a folder that Box creates in your computer’s local hard drive to place a copy of all the files you have on the Cloud storage. The two folders are in sync constantly, so you can work in either place. The local folder does not allow you to share, mostly organize, delete and create files. To share files or folders you need to login to your Box Web.

File Management

Uploading Files

Frequently you may want to upload a few small files from various locations on your computer. To upload individual files or multiple files at once, please see: https://support.box.com/entries/23575187

Uploading Folders

Box has an option to upload entire folders to your account, which is particularly convenient when you not only want to upload all the folder contents at once, but also want to maintain the entire folder structure. In addition, this option can be used to upload individual files that are larger than 1GB. For instructions, please see: https://support.box.com/entries/23577316

Upload Troubleshooting

If you experience issues when uploading files or folders, there are a number of possible factors that may be the cause. Please see the following support article for a list of checks that can help you resolve most common problems: https://support.box.com/entries/20360741

File and Folder Actions

Once you have uploaded files to your Box account or have editing permissions for files shared with you, there are a number of actions you can perform on these files and folders. For information on creating folders as well as moving, renaming, deleting, and searching for both files and folders, please see: https://support.box.com/entries/20353447

Recovering Deleted Items

When you delete a file or folder, it is first moved to Trash for your account, where it resides for a period of time until it is purged automatically, or until you opt to permanently delete the file or empty your Trash. As long as an item still exists in your Trash, you can easily restore it to your active Files and Folders. For instructions on undeleting items from your Trash, see: https://support.box.com/entries/23596257

• Note: The article linked above states the standard time frame before items are purged from the Trash as 30 days from deletion. While this is true for personal accounts, this time has been extended for UW-Madison users to 90 days.

Version History

Anytime you make a change to a file stored in your Box account, a version of the file will be saved, which you can later access and restore from if need be. For information on viewing a file's version history and restoring from a specific version, please see: https://support.box.com/entries/20359368

Collaboration

Sharing Files and Folders

Box offers several different options for sharing files and folders with other people.

To share with other Box users, please see: https://support.box.com/entries/20353457
In addition to the article above, please also note the following:

• You can use the instructions above to share with any Box user, including those outside of UW-Madison; however, non-UW Box accounts will not automatically populate in the email address field.
• It is recommended that you enter a user's standard WiscMail address (i.e. netid@wisc.edu) when adding them as a collaborator. WiscMail Plus addresses will only work if the account owner has specifically registered this address as an alias within Box.
• For instructions on registering your own WiscMail Plus account as an alternate address for Box, please see: UW-Madison Box - Registering an Email Alias
• To share with users who do not have a Box account, please see: https://support.box.com/entries/23612371

Shared Links

Shared links provide an easy way to grant access to your files and folders. By leveraging a variety of additional permissions options, you can use shared links to facilitate many levels of access and collaboration.
For information on generating shared links and customizing permissions, please see: https://support.box.com/entries/20894888

Collaboration Folders

If you know that you will be collaborating on multiple files with the same group of people, you have the option of creating a collaboration folder to easily organize your files while also managing collaborator permissions.
For instructions on creating collaboration folders and managing permissions, please see: https://support.box.com/entries/20358617

Advanced Collaboration Features

There are a number of settings that allow you to customize permissions and view options for collaboration. For more information on the various options available to you, please see: https://support.box.com/entries/20358627

Collaboration Permissions

In Box, permissions are generally set using access levels, which essentially equate to "roles". Each one of these roles entails a specific set of actions that a user with that access level can perform. For a breakdown of the actions that can be performed by users who are granted these various access levels, please see: UW-Madison Box - Collaborator Permissions

Project Directories

In addition to user-based enterprise Box accounts, UW-Madison Box also offers the option to request a project directory for long-term group collaboration. For more information on how project directories work and how you can request one, please see: UW-Madison Box - Project Directories

Clients and Syncing - Box Sync

In addition to the web client, Box also offers Box Sync, an application that gives you the ability to access, manage, and edit files directly from your desktop, without the use of a web browser. You can download the latest version of this application (Box Sync 4) for free directly from Box:

• Box Sync for Mac
• Box Sync for Windows

For more information on Box Sync 4, see: https://support.box.com/hc/en-us/articles/201864048
Note: The latest version of Box Sync is only compatible with Mac OS X 10.7 and above. If you are running OS X 10.6, or if you simply prefer to run Box Sync 3, you can find links to the installer files and a detailed overview here: https://support.box.com/entries/23651277.

Mobile Apps

With Box, you are not limited to your computer—Box and other third-party developers have created a variety of apps for use with mobile devices. These apps include Box Sync for Android, BlackBerry, iOS, and Windows mobile, as well as additional apps for Android and iOS.
For links to downloads and helpful support articles, please see: UW-Madison Box - Mobile Overview

Microsoft Office

For Microsoft Office files like Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations, Box has also released an official Office add-on that lets you take syncing to a whole new level. With this add-on, you can connect directly to your Box account from Office, which means that you can open, edit, and save your Box files without ever leaving your Office application.
Download the add-on here: Box for Office
For instructions on using the add-on to open and save files, please see: https://support.box.com/entries/20401423

Google Docs

If you are already using a UW-Madison Google Apps account, you can grant Box access to this account to add even more functionality. By creating Google Docs within your Box account or editing a Box file with Google Docs, you gain the ability to edit files concurrently with other users while still working under the protection of the UW-Madison Box license agreement.
Note: This feature does not cause all of your Google Docs previously stored in Google Drive to be shared with your Box account, nor will the Google Docs you create in Box be shared with your Google Drive account.
For more information on using Google Apps in conjunction with Box, please see: https://support.box.com/entries/20353677

Box Edit

Like Box for Office, Box Edit allows you to modify and save Box files with Microsoft Office. However, instead of opening files from Office on your desktop, this browser add-on provides an option to edit files with an Office program from the Box web client. Additionally, it has an added feature that allows you to create brand new Box files with Word.
For additional download and usage instructions, please see: https://support.box.com/entries/22144503

Additional Apps

Available Apps

You can go beyond Box's basic features by utilizing some of the many apps available for account access and integration. Some of these apps allow you to access your UW-Madison Box account on mobile devices, while others incorporate features that add or expand upon existing options.
You can view all available Box apps by selecting the Apps tab from your UW-Madison Box account, or by clicking this link (this will still require you to log in to UW-Madison Box: https://uwmadison.app.box.com/services
It is important to note that the majority of these apps are not officially endorsed by Box. Please read on to the next section for more information on official vs. unofficial Box apps.

App Security

Just because an app is not officially endorsed by Box does not mean it is necessarily unsafe to use. All apps listed under the Apps tab have been reviewed by Box; in fact, a few unofficial apps are installed for your account by default to add features that would not otherwise be available, e.g., Aviary for image editing.
While these unofficial apps are legitimate, there is one major caveat—only official Box apps guarantee the same level of security and compliance covered in UW-Madison's license agreement with Box. While it is not in violation of the terms of service to use a third-party app, you must be aware of this distinction when working with sensitive data.
For example, if you are managing data that is subject to HIPAA regulations, it is your responsibility to ensure any unofficial apps you may use to access this data have individually guaranteed that they are also compliant.

Installing Apps

All Box apps are available for download and will typically be installed using the standard procedure for your Operating System or device. For Windows and Mac OS X, this will involve downloading and running the installer file. Installation instructions are often linked from the app's description page and/or included in the installer.

• If you need additional assistance installing an official Box app for use with your UW-Madison Box account, please contact the DoIT Help Desk.
• For help with all other third party apps, please contact the developer using the support information included on the app's description page.

App Passwords

For all Box apps that are configured to use Single Sign-On (SSO), you should be able to login using your NetID password, however, many apps will not have this option available.
If you plan to use an app that does not have SSO capabilities, you will need to create a special external password that will be tied to your account. For instructions on configuring an external password for your account, please see: UW-Madison Box - Creating an External Password

Security and Sensitive Data

Box End User Terms of Service

As a UW-Madison Box user, you must agree to adhere to a specific set of terms laid out in the UW-Madison Box license agreement. You can find the full terms of the agreement here: BOX End User Terms of Service

UW-Madison Terms of Service

In addition to the terms of service set by Box, all UW-Madison users are also subject to campus policies regarding data and service use. Please see the UW-Madison Box policy here: UW Madison Enterprise Box Service Terms of Use.

What do I do if I am already signed up for a Box personal account using my WiscMail address?

If your WiscMail address is already associated with a personal Box account, you will not be able to establish an enterprise account through UW-Madison. Fortunately, you can switch over to an enterprise account and have your data migrated. Please see the following document for more information: UW-Madison Box - User Cannot Log Into Enterprise Account

Does UW-Madison Box have File Size Limit?

Beginning in January 2015, UW-Madison Box users are now able to upload individual files as large as 15GB to their accounts using the standard file upload method. Please note that the following restrictions apply:

• Once the upload of a file has begun, you will not be able to pause or resume the upload. If there is an error, you will need to re-attempt the upload.
• You should use a business-class Internet connection with upload and download speeds least 50Mbps when uploading large files. Please note that even with a 50Mbps connection, a 15GB file could take up to 40 minutes to upload.
• Any file larger than 5GB should be uploaded individually, and not in combination with other large files.
• IE 10 has a limit of 4GB per file when using the Upload Files option. IE 7, 8, and 9 have a limit of 2GB per file, provided the Flash plugin is installed. These limits can be circumvented by using the Upload Folders option.

How much quota am I given? Can I request more quota?

UW-Madison Enterprise Box.com accounts are allotted 50 GB of quota by default. You can request additional quota if needed by following the procedure documented here: UW-Madison Box - Request a Quota Change. Requests for additional quota will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Does Box.com own or have permission to use the data I upload to my account?

No. You retain intellectual property rights for any and all data stored in a UW-Madison Enterprise Box account, including project directories. The vendor is limited to collecting superficial data used explicitly for purposes of service operation; they at no time may view, use, copy, or sell any account data, including personal information and account content. For more information, see Section 8 of the Internet2 / UW-Madison Box Enterprise Customer Agreement.

What happens to my UW-Madison Box account when I leave the University?

If you are no longer affiliated with university and lose your NetID eligibility, you will no longer be covered under the UW-Madison Enterprise agreement with Box, however, you will have the option of migrating your Box account data to a personal account. Because personal accounts are only eligible for 1GB of storage space (as opposed to 50GB+ for an enterprise account), it will be your responsibility to make accommodations for the reduced space. The exact procedure for this enterprise to personal account migration has not yet been determined.

System Requirements

To access the Box web client, you must use a supported browser. For all browser requirements, please see UW-Madison Box - Recommended Browsers and Operating Systems. If you would like to use Box Sync for Desktop, you will also need to meet the system requirements documented here: https://support.box.com/hc/en-us/articles/200852677#syncsysreqs