How to create an online deposit box to recover files?

Last updated on 22 January 2022

While many tools make it easy to share files with your students, it is much less simple to easily recover files sent by them.

Email is the tool most often used with all the limitations we know. Congestion, inappropriate file sizes for sending an email, difficulty finding the files, etc.

The solution? Create an online drop-off box to allow your students to drop off the files they need to send you. The main file storage services allow this. We still have to remember it and know how to use it. The time saving is huge, you will be able to provide a url where your students will drag and drop their copies or files. Their shipments will be securely stored in a folder in your drive that you have defined in advance as a drop-off box.

Creating an online deposit box to be able to retrieve files from it is simple and fast. Here's the procedure for Dropbox, OneDrive, GDrive, and NextXloud services.

How to collect files from others with Dropbox

 

The Dropbox Online Storage Service is one of the main actors of the Cloud Backup Systems. Its free version allows you to store 2 GB of files.

Dropbox file requests will allow you to request files from people of your choice and receive them directly into your account in the folder of your choice. Anyone can send you a file even if they don’t have a Dropbox account. On the security side, of course, people who import files in response to your file request do not have access to your Dropbox account. Only you can view the imported files.

Setting up is simple. You must connect to your Dropbox and then click on "File Request" in the sidebar. You will choose the destination folder or create a new one. And that's it. If you have a paid subscription you can even set a deadline beyond which shipments will no longer be allowed. Once created, the last step is to retrieve the link from a mailbox and share it. You can also enter the e‑mail address or the names of the people you want to request files from. They will receive a personalized ‑mail with your request.

Create a file request with Microsft OneDrive to recover files

The functions are quite similar to Microsoft's One Drive Storage and Backup Service. With OneDrive you will also be able to choose a folder where other users can upload files using a link you have sent them. Again, contributors from whom you request files do not have access to your hard drive in the clouds. They also cannot see the contents of the folder, nor can they change it, nor can they see who else has deposited files in it.

Anyone with the file request link can send you a file. It should be noted that they do not need OneDrive. Each file has a prefix to help you identify who uploaded it.

Attention, this function of creating a drop-off box in One Dive are only available for professional or school OneDrive accounts and your administrator must activate.

Set up a file drop box in Google Drive

Google’s storage service offers many sharing options but by default does not offer a simple system to create a repository from which to retrieve files sent by others. There are several services that fill this gap. This is the case of Pigeon Files. This service allows you to quickly create secure download pages to allow anyone to upload files to your Google Drive. This small utility works well and in harmony with your drive at Google. Pigeon Files does not have access to your files! The downloaded files are sent directly to your Google Drive. A complete dashboard lets you know who sent what. Users do not need to log in to use the File Repository box.

Pigeon files can be used for free without real limits. A subscription of around four Euros per month adds a few additional functions.

Recover files in a repository box on NextCloud

NextCloud, the open source alternative of the Google suite offers a file repository service that works wonders. You need to define the folder you want to define as the receptacle of your repository box. You must then configure the sharing link by declaring it "File deposit" (sending only).

You then retrieve the link that you will be able to communicate to all recipients.

Don’t forget to ask your students to name their files well before dropping them in the box. This will save you time afterwards.