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Microsoft OneDrive vs Box

OneDrive, which is replacing Box as UMass Amherst’s secure online storage platform, has many of the same features as Box in a different interface.

Feature, Specification or Action

OneDrive

Box (Secure Online Storage)

  OneDrive logo box logo
Eligibility UMass students, faculty, and staff UMass students, faculty, and staff
Create a file

Click New, then choose document type.

OneDrive create new file dropdown menu

Click New, then choose document type.

Box create new document dropdown menu

Upload files
  1. Click Upload.
  2. Click Files or Folder.
  3. Choose the file(s) or folder(s) you want to upload from your local files.
  4. Click Open.

OneDrive upload files or a folder dropdown menu

 

  1. Click Upload.
  2. Choose Files or Folder.
  3. Choose the file(s) or folder(s) you want to upload from your local files.
  4. Click Open.

Box upload files or a folder dropdown menu

Bulk upload files
  • Click and drag files into OneDrive from your computer’s local file manager
  • See Upload files (above)
  • Click and drag files into Box from your computer’s local file manager
  • See Upload files (above)
View version history (depending on file ownership)
  1. Hover over a file.
  2. Click the three vertical dots to the right of the file name.
  3. From the dropdown menu, click Version History.

Click the three dots, then Version History

  1. Hover over a file.
  2. Click the three horizontal dots to the right of the file name.
  3. From the dropdown menu, click Properties, then Version History.

Click Properties, then Version History

Share files and folders
  1. Click the share file icon (Share File icon) to the right of a file or folder name.
  2. From the menu that appears, you can:
    • Copy link
    • Share directly to specific users

Send link to share on OneDrive

  1. Click Share to the right of a file or folder name.
  2. From the dialog box that appears, you can:
    • Invite others via name or email address
    • Create a shareable link

Share Box files with people

Options for sharing files and folders

From the Send Link menu, click Anyone with the link can edit to control who can edit and view your document.

Share link settings

From the Share menu, click the arrow next to Invite as Editor to set invitees as Editors or Viewers.

Invite others as Editor or Viewer

Post comments
  1. Open a document in OneDrive.
  2. Go to the Review tab, then click the New Comment button. The new comment is created on the line your cursor is on in the document.

New Comment button in Microsoft Word Online

  1. Open a document in Box.
  2. In the sidebar menu to the right of the document preview, type your comment in the Write a comment box.
  3. Click Post.

Write a comment box

Search with content filters
  1. Type the word or phrase you want to look up in the Search bar.
  2. Click the Filters pane icon (Filters pane icon) in the  upper right corner.
  3. Sort by Modification by using the slider to determine date of last modification.
  4. Sort by file type by choosing file types in the Type section.
  5. Sort by owner by entering a name or email address in the People section.

The Search filters pane

  1. Click the Search bar.
  2. From the dropdown menu, search for specific file types, by date updated, and/or by owner.

Search with content filters: File Type, Date Updated, Owners

Manage collaborators and file security If you are the owner of a file, you can modify who has access to files you’ve shared.
  1. Click the three vertical dots to the right of a file or folder name.
  2. Click Details.
  3. Click Manage Access to view a list of individuals with direct access, and to manage links you have already shared.
  4. Click Stop sharing to remove users with direct access and delete all sharing links.

Manage Access menu

If you are an editor, owner, or co-owner in a file or folder, you can modify the access levels of other collaborators.

  1. Click the three horizontal dots to the right of a file or folder name.
  2. Click More Actions.
  3. Click Manage Collaborators to view a list of current collaborators and their permissions.

If you have been invited to a folder you no longer need or want, you can remove yourself as a collaborator:

  1. Click the three horizontal dots to the right of a file or folder name.
  2. Click More Actions.
  3. Click End Collaboration.

In More Actions, End Collaboration or Manage Collaboration

Supported file types See File types supported for previewing files in OneDrive See Box’s Supported File Types
Store sensitive information See Where can I store or share my data? UMass Amherst Service Categorizations See Where can I store or share my data? UMass Amherst Service Categorizations