Filex - BETA Pilot Documentation

This is information about the Filex BETA pilot service. This service is in ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT and is not ready for general use. Information for the currently-available Filex system is available in the document Using the Filex File Distribution System available at https://service.tamu.edu/TDClient/36/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=381.

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Accessing Filex
• Using Filex
  • Create a folder
  • Add recipients
  • Add files to a Filex sharing folder
  • File Availability
• Access files in Filex
  • Via notification
  • Via webpage
• Managing members of a sharing folder
  • Adding or updating folder members
  • Removing folder members
• Sharing Files with Members Outside Texas A&M University
  • Getting an Access Code
  • Regenerating an Access Code
  • Accessing Files with an Access Code

Overview

Filex is a service available to Texas A&M University faculty, staff, and students to securely share files with other within and outside the university.

Accessing Filex

Filex can be accessed from its login webpage or by clicking a link in a notification sent by Filex.

• Click the Log In button at https://filex-new.it.tamu.edu to log in using your NetID@tamu.edu and password.
• Click the folder link in the Filex notification you received.

Using Filex

Using Filex consists of three steps:

1. Creating a folder.
2. Adding recipients to your folder.
3. Adding files to your folder.

Create a folder

A folder within Filex can have multiple files, and multiple individuals can be a member of the folder. Each member may have different permissions for that folder. An individual's permissions for a folder will apply to all files within that folder.

1. Click the Create Folder button on the Get Started screen or click the Create New button on the Folders page . A "Create a New Folder" window will appear.
   
    
    
2. Enter a name for the folder. You may also optionally enter a description of the folder.
   
   
    
3. Click the Create button. An "Add Recipients to..." window will appear.

Add recipients

You will be able to add recipients to a new folder as well as to existing folders.

Adding recipients to a new folder

1. Select the permissions you want recipients of the folder to be able to take on the folder.
   • Readers - This is the default permission. Recipients with this permission can download files from the folder and nothing else.
   • Owners - Recipients with this permission have full access to the folder and its contents. They can also manage who has access to the folder. Only email addresses tied to a Texas A&M NetID can have complete access to a folder.
   • Contributors - Recipients with this permission will be able to download the files in the folder as well as upload additional files to the folder.
   • Uploaders - Recipients with this permission will be able to upload new files to the folder, but will not be able to download any files.
2. Enter the name or email address of an individual you want to share the folder with.
   • Click the Add button next to the name or email address of a Texas A&M individual you are sharing with. The recipient will be added and notified.
   • Click the Invite button next to the email address of a non-Texas A&M individual you are sharing with. The recipient will be invited.
3. Click the X in the upper right corner to close the "Add Recipients to..." window.
   
   

Add recipients to an existing folder

1. Click on the folder on the Folders page that you want to add recipients to.
2. Click the plus (+) sign in the permissions you want to give to the recipient. An "Add Recipients to..." window will appear.
   • Readers - This is the default permission. Recipients with this permission can download files from the folder and nothing else.
   • Owners - Recipients with this permission have full access to the folder and its contents. They can also manage who has access to the folder. Only email addresses tied to a Texas A&M NetID can have complete access to a folder.
   • Contributors - Recipients with this permission will be able to download the files in the folder as well as upload additional files to the folder.
   • Uploaders - Recipients with this permission will be able to upload new files to the folder, but will not be able to download any files.
3. Enter the name or email address of an individual you want to share the folder with.
   • Click the Add button next to the name or email address of a Texas A&M individual you are sharing with. The recipient will be added and notified.
   • Click the Invite button next to the email address of a non-Texas A&M individual you are sharing with. The recipient will be invited.
4. Click the X in the upper right corner to close the "Add Recipients to..." window.
   
   

 

Add files

Once a sharing folder has been created, you can upload files to it. Files will be visible to and downloadable by any recipient listed as an Owner, Contributor, or Reader. Folder members listed as a Contributor can see and download only files that they have uploaded to the sharing folder.

1. Drag and drop a file or files into the file upload window or click the file upload window to select files using your computer's file explorer.
   
   
    
2. Click the Upload Files button. The uploaded file(s) will be scanned for viruses and malware. When new files are uploaded to an existing folder, the members of the folder (owners, contributors, readers, and uploaders) will receive a notification that the file(s) was added.
   
   

File Availability

Files are available for 7 days when they are uploaded to a Filex folder. This length of time can be extended one time to a total of 30 days.

1. Click the clock icon to the right of the file whose expiration you want to extend.
   
   
   
    
2. The expiration date will move to be 30 days out, and you will no longer be able to extend the file's expiration date.

Access files in Filex

Shared files in Filex can be accessed by clicking the shared folder link in a Filex notification email or by logging into https://filex-new.it.tamu.edu.

Via notification

1. Click the shared folder link in a Filex notification you have received.
2. Log in with your NetID@tamu.edu and password if prompted. You will be taken to the shared folder.
3. Click the download icon next to the file or files you want to download.
   
   

Via webpage

1. Log into https://filex-new.it.tamu.edu using your NetID@tamu.edu and password. You will be taken to a landing page listing all sharing folders you have access to.
2. Click the folder you want to access the files of.
   
   
    
3. Click the download icon next to the file or files you want to download.
   
   

Managing members of a sharing folder

All members of a shared folder can see a list of the shared folder members and their roles. Shared folder owners can add additional members to a shared folder and change the role of existing members. The process for adding a new member or changing the role of an existing member is identical.

Adding or updating folder members

When an individual is added to a shared folder or their role in a folder is updated, a notification will be sent to that individual and to the folder owner(s).

1. Click the Add button next to the role you want to invite a new person or change an existing member into.
2. Enter the name or email address of the individual you want to have that role.
3. Click the Add button if adding a new member to the shared folder or the Change Permissions button if changing the role of an existing member of the shared folder.

Removing folder members

When an individual is removed from a shared folder, a notification is sent to the folder owner(s). A notification is not sent to the individual being removed from the folder.

1. Click the Remove button next to the individual you want to remove from the folder.

If a removed individual attempts to access a shared folder they previously had access to using a notification link, they will get a 403 error page.

Sharing Files with Members Outside Texas A&M University

The process of adding and managing members outside of TAMU to a Filex folder is identical to the process of adding a TAMU member. However, there are two primary differences:

1. A non-TAMU email address cannot be assigned the role of Owner.
   1. Only an email address tied to a Texas A&M NetID can have the Owner role.
   2. A non-TAMU email address can only be assigned the Reader, Contributor, and Uploader roles.
2. When a non-TAMU email address is added to a Filex folder with any role, an access code is generated. You will need to provide the access code to the non-TAMU member. It will not be sent to them automatically.

Getting an Access Code

1. Add a non-TAMU email address to a Filex folder. The access code will be automatically generated.
2. Click the Copy icon to the right of the access code to copy the code to your clipboard.
3. Paste the code into an email or a chat session to provide it to the non-TAMU member.
   

Regenerating an Access Code

Access Codes will stop being visible when the page refreshes. If did not save this access code, you will need to generate a new one. When you do, any previous access codes will stop working. The new access code must be provided to any non-TAMU members of the folder.

1. Click the Generate a new access code button. The access code displayed above the file list will automatically regenerate.
2. Provide the new code to non-TAMU folder members.
   

Accessing Files with an Access Code

1. Click the folder link in your Filex invitation email.
2. Click the download icon next to the file you want to download. A Download Protection window will appear.
3. Enter the access code provided by the folder owner. If you have not received an access code, contact the folder owner for assistance. Their name and email address will be displayed in the Owners section of the folder.
4. Click Download to download the file to your default downloads folder.