Remember the old file cabinets or storage boxes people kept around the home or office?
(Or maybe you’re too young to remember anything like that.)
Well, now an internet company took the idea of the old storage box and transformed it into digital storage. Unlike the old physical storage, though, with this new company, you can access your files anytime, anywhere without having to worry about losses, damages, clutter and mix-ups.
The Box lets you do just that and it could really benefit every real estate investor. You are able to:
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Organize documents for each prospect
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Share files and pictures with potential buyers or sellers
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Edit important papers online
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Secure contracts and documents
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Share information and reports with colleagues or employees
What is the Box?
As you may have figured out, Box is an online storage service that mostly caters to large- to small-scale businesses. It has an extensive list of features created for sharing large files and enhancing cloud collaborations with your colleagues, employees and prospects.
For more information, check out this video.
The app itself is free to download but Box offers different plans depending on use, whether personal or for business. Box is generous enough that you can create a free personal Box account with 10GB space and a maximum upload file size of 250 MB. You can compare and read all the details about each plan on Box’s website.
Your first reaction might be: “How’s this different from Dropbox or any other cloud-based file sharing app?”
Good question.
Many of the other cloud-based services are for regular individual consumers to share photos, documents and other personal items.
Box is targeted more at businesses (real estate?). They offer more security (more on that later), and integration with such programs as Salesforce and GSuite, the Google app platform.
Notable Features
These features make Box one of the preferred online storage services to date:
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Easy document sharing
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Hassle-free collaborations
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Offline syncing
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Workflow automation
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Browsers compatibility
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Integrate easily with other applications
And getting started is pretty effortless since the Box’s website is clean, sleek and user-friendly. It’s fairly easy to navigate and it makes file storage and sharing a breeze. Here’s a quick overview of how the Box works:
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You log in to your Box account here. If you do not have an account, you can sign up by clicking the ‘sign-up’ button on the upper-right corner.
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To upload files, click ‘Upload’ and manually select files from your computer. Or you can drag and drop the files from your computer and into the ‘Drag and Drop Files Here’ box located at the ‘All Files’ tab for your account.
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You get to see the files you uploaded on the ‘All Files’ tab of your account.
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Organize your files by creating a folder. Click on the ‘Folder’ button at the top of your screen. You can invite people to view your files by clicking the folder from the ‘All Files’ tab. Enter the email addresses in the space provided and click ‘Invite Collaborators.’ You can create different groups with different levels of access to each folder as well.
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Click the small icons next to the file name in the ‘All Files’ tab to share, add comments and tags plus other options for the files you uploaded.
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After you’ve uploaded the files, you are now able to access them any time using any browser or computer.
Check this out for an in-depth approach on how to share, access and manage your content.
Security
As a business person, most of the documents you store or share require confidentiality.
Box ensures that your files are in good hands because they are using 256-bit AES end-to-end encryption. That means they are REALLY secure.
The uploaded and downloaded files are encrypted to protect the contents of your files from hackers. Additionally, Box utilizes firewalls and virus scanners to also protect the server from internal or external attacks.
You are also presented the option to equip your created URL links with passwords so only your intended audience is able to access your files.
The Box’s security features don’t stop there...
Box boasts of their remote wipe tool, which enables you to delete files from any device your account is attached to. This is beneficial for companies or businessmen with employees, clients or other users who have access to the account.
The remote wipe tool ensures that you will still remain in control of your shared files even when someone leaves your account. So, if an employee decides to quit or a prospect backs out, you can delete all the files linked to your Box account from the other party’s computer with the use of any web browser.
And if one of your devices gets lost or stolen, you can easily protect your files with the remote wipe tool.
All in all, Box seems like something to look into for your REI business.
Tell Us More
Have you used Box? Tell us about it below.
Try different file storage apps. Box offers a 2-week trial for their business plans. Other cloud-based storage services offer free plans or trial periods. See which one you like best.
Read reviews online. It’s undeniable the Box has a lot of competitors. In choosing the right online storage provider for you, it is best to read and compare reviews, especially if you are willing to shell out cash.
Stay Secure. Online hacking and identify theft are running rampant these days. Find ways to protect yourself and your business.
JP Moses
is a real estate investor in Memphis, TN, with experience ranging from land lording to note buying, rehabbing, and wholesaling. However, wholesaling is the area that he enjoys most and where he bring the most experience and expertise to his students.