Today’s workforce can consist of many part-time and freelance employees working remotely.
The biggest challenge to employers is keeping track of different projects with multiple revisions across many participants, which can quickly produce a massive chain of e-mails tracking minor changes or, even worse, numerous costly shipments of slightly altered, complex documents.
If only there were an easier way for several people to access the latest versions of the same files.
Dropbox is a Web-based service that lets you share various files with multiple computers. Any changes you make will show up automatically across all of the computers with access to that file. You can even modify shared files offline, and your edits will appear once you’re reconnected to the Net.
Dropbox also allows you to sync files across your own computers and mobile devices, eliminating the need to e-mail documents to yourself or tote around a flash drive. Simply use the same login and you can access files from your desktop computer, laptop, iPad and iPhone or Android. (A Blackberry app should be available this summer.)
Your files are also stored on Dropbox’s Web site, serving as an online backup system where you can also undo changes and even recover deleted files.
While Dropbox is easy to use, it does require some organization. For instance, to share files with multiple users, you have to place those items in a shared folder and type in the e-mail addresses of the people you want to access them. And you constantly have to remember to work out of your Dropbox folder and save files there instead of to the more common “My Documents,” which might pose a problem for the same sort of forgetful individuals who could benefit the most from this service.
Dropbox offers 2 GB worth of storage for free, which is enough to store hundreds of documents or video files or roughly 1,000 photos, but it’s relatively cheap to upgrade to the 50GB version ($10 a month) or the 100 GB version ($20 a month). And given the potential cost-cutting benefits, paying for the extra space may be worth it. One company reportedly saved $25,000 in its first six weeks of using Dropbox by eliminating overnight FedEx shipments.