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Five Dropbox tips

BY J. CARLTON COLLINS, CPA

Please note: This item is from our archives and was published in 2013. It is provided for historical reference. The content may be out of date and links may no longer function.

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1. Receive emailed files from others directly into your Dropbox. Paid Dropbox members can create a File Dropbox, which is a special Dropbox folder that enables anyone you invite to email files directly to your Dropbox. To set up a File Dropbox, right-click on any Dropbox folder and select Create File Dropbox, enter the email addresses (separated by semicolons) of the people who will be emailing files to your Dropbox, and then click the Send Now button. (Optional: If desired, you can protect the File Dropbox with a password or set the File Dropbox to expire after a specified number of days.) The File Dropbox folders option is not available to free Dropbox subscribers.

2. Track version histories. For free subscribers, Dropbox keeps 30 days of version history for all files saved to Dropbox and longer version histories for paid subscribers. To use this feature, right-click on any file in your Dropbox and, from the pop-up menu, select Dropbox, View previous versions. This will display a list of file versions; select one and click the Restore button to open the previous version.

3. Troubleshooting the red X. If the Dropbox icon in your System Tray displays a red “x” (as shown below) either your hard drive connection is inconsistent, your computer’s system time is set incorrectly, or you have exceeded your allotted storage quota. To resolve these issues, Dropbox recommends that you keep your Dropbox on the same drive as your operating system, adjust your computer’s clock, delete unnecessary files on your Dropbox to free up space, or purchase more storage capacity.

4. Integrating Office and Dropbox. CloudOn (cloudon.com) is a free app that works with Dropbox and allows you to create, review, and edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents saved on Dropbox, Box, or Google Drive accounts from your Apple or Android tablets and smartphones.

5. Attaching Dropbox files to email. Attachments.Me (attachments.me) is a free app that links Gmail with Dropbox, Box, or Google Drive accounts, enabling you to attach files in your Dropbox to emails without having to first load the file(s) onto your smartphone or tablet.