Dropbox: Team Folder and Subfolder Sharing Settings

Environment

U-M Dropbox

Issue

What are the sharing settings for U-M Dropbox Team Folders and the subfolders within them?

Resolution

Refer to Team Folders in U-M Dropbox: Sharing for more information on the sharing settings of Team Folders and the subfolders within them.

Important Team Folder subfolder caveat:

You will find two options when creating subfolders in a Team Folder: Everyone with access to [Team Folder Name] and Only specific people. However, there are specific scenarios where you can only select the initial option during creation.

The Only specific people option is not available when creating Team Folder subfolders under:

• The parent Team Folder (e.g., Team Folder A > Subfolder 1)
• A first-level Team Folder subfolder (e.g., Team Folder A > Subfolder 1 > Subfolder 2)
  • UNLESS the first-level subfolder has already removed the inherited group

The option becomes available again at the third-level subfolder.

However, there is a workaround for mirroring the Only specific people option after the first or second-level subfolder is created:

1. Create the first or second-level subfolder.
2. Click Share folder in the top right.
3. Enter the email address of the person or group with whom you'd like to share in the field provided, and select them from the drop-down results.
4. Select Can edit or Can view if available.
5. Click Share.
6. Click Everyone with access to [Team Folder Name] under "Who has access."
7. Click Remove inherited members and click Remove to confirm.
   • Dropbox may fail to remove them the first time. If that happens, repeat steps 6 and 7 until they are removed.
   • If you complete this step first before sharing with your intended collaborators, Dropbox will automatically add back all Team Folder members.
   • If you would like to add them back after removing them, click the sharing field and then click Share with everyone in the gray box.

Key things to note:

• Team Folders cannot be shared with an external (non-UM) user via the managing MCommunity group at the parent level.
  • External users must be added individually to any subfolders or files within the Team Folder instead.
• If you are not an owner in the managing MCommunity group at the parent level, you will not see the Team Folder in your Dropbox account. You will only see the individual subfolders from the Team Folder in your All files view. Refer to Dropbox: Team Folder Sharing and MCommunity Membership for more information.
• External users and subgroups within an MCommunity group do not sync with U-M Dropbox. Everyone you'd like to share the parent Team Folder or subfolder with must be in the root level of the MCommunity group and not within a subgroup.
• You can't create a shared link to a restricted subfolder in a Team Folder. "Restricted" means the subfolder has been shared with only select individuals and not the entire Team Folder membership, so only the individuals invited to the subfolder will have access to it.

Additional Information

Need additional information or assistance? Contact the ITS Service Center.