I use Dropbox for sending client paperwork back and forth. I have noticed that some folders are not syncing to my hard drive, when the client adds some information - have I missed a setting perhaps??
My problem is that I never seem to be able to stop the damn thing syncing... That little blue arrow seems to spend all day whizzing around.
The issue could be with bad files which sometimes results from clients being on different operating systems.
Go to the dropbox website, go to help and find the check bad files utility which should point out the files that there is an issue with.
If its all the files from one client then the issue is likely to be incompatibility between your operating system and theirs.
Certain charters in file names also cause issues such as less than, greater than, question mark, asterisk, vertical line, colons and quotes.
Also, the full file path must be less than 260 characters.
I think that there is also some issues with compatibility with some file names on Linux operating systems.
Basically, there are all sorts of reasons for a bad sync but the bad files check "should" tell you what the issues is.
kind regards,
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Well ... what a co-incidence. Someone is currently trying to sell me their "cloud" solution, and it ain't cheap. So I asked him, how was he different from Dropbox? My eyes glazed over within microseconds of him starting to reply, and my brain started singing "tum-ti-tum" until the techno-babble stopped. But I seem to think he felt that Dropbox - being "open source" was not trusted by the other companies he dealt with. He implied that people using Dropbox would lose credibility and perhaps business by not taking adequate precautions against security leaks and intrusions ... blah blah blah ...
I told him I had enough computer resources to back up adequately and, unless his file exchange service was cheaper than guaranteed delivery plus an occasional courier, I would try to get by.
However, I think the ability to transfer files this way is very useful, but it must be secure. What do you think?
Edit: Reading this through after posting, I notice the font size changes halfway through. This is because I had put the word "big" in square parentheses between "other" and "companies" (meaning his other clients were large concerns). This was misinterpreted by the forum software as an instruction to increase font size. Bl**dy computers get me every time!
-- Edited by ilsm on Wednesday 2nd of October 2013 09:32:10 PM
I only use it for transfer when I am doing the work. I rename, sort, and then I advise clients to remove afterwards... not many do, though!
I actually store my own personal files on a removeable pen drive, which isnt often plugged in. The client stuff is harder to protect tho, as its on networked hard drive that only get switched off at the end of the day. Its all backed up though. Just not sure how wonderful my firewall would be if someone wanted in. The router is supposed to be protected as well I think.
Interestingly though, its the clients who got me using it! :)
I think you may have solved your own issue there Michelle.... your right in the sense that you shared a link and not the folder.... I've made the same mistake once or twice! lol
As for what you said Iain about that chap saying dropbox was not trusted... is utter poo! It has bank level security 256bit, encryption if I remember rightly, more and more apps and programmes are using it, namely my cloud accounting solution KashFlow... I can save templates, letters, company docs, ANYTHING in drop box and the client and myself can get access to them. I see nothing wrong with it.
Would Deloittes or Peat's use Dropbox, I wonder? Of course, they are subject to much tighter and more far-reaching regulation than common-or-garden bookkeepers, and any security breach in their file transfer systems would make the international news headlines.
If I were to use one of these services - and I want to - I would use it almost exclusively to make confidential files available to specific clients. I would not want to use a system that any schoolboy could hack, and I would consider my business damaged if they did ... and if NSA/GCHQ can read my data, then so can many kids: www.infosecurity-magazine.com/view/34379/nsa-and-gchq-crack-majority-of-encrypted-traffic/
I recently saw this article - http://www.infolaw.co.uk/newsletter/2013/07/dropbox-a-lawyers-perspective/ about DropBox and data protection. I remember a computer specialist telling me that there are some questions about it being data protection compliant so it is probably best to check with the ICO if you are using it for sharing confidential client information.
Ian, you are so dedicated writing that, at such a late hour! Kudos :)
Not really dedicated so much as a night person (I am rarely asleep before 2 am, even if I go to bed early). And BKN Forum is infinitely better than tv at that hour!
On balance, I still dont think that I could recommend a law firm pro-actively to adopt DropBox for use with confidential client information, although in reality I suspect the security they have in place is over and above that which many law firms could boast for their own servers.
In view of that comment, I shall continue to hold back from using a cloud solution to what is not really a problem for me anyway.
