Frequently Asked Questions | How To File Share
Table of Contents
Is FilesDIRECT a file sharing service?
A: No, FilesDIRECT is an online file transfer program. It allows users to send large files and receive files directly to and from anyone over the Internet. No one except the account holder or designated recipients can ever access the data sent via FilesDIRECT.
Is my data secure?
Q: Is my data secure?
A: Absolutely. Your data is protected through a variety of different means:
The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) cryptographic protocol ensures the privacy and reliability of all large file uploads and downloads.
128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) file encryption is also used to protect against any unauthorized access of our clients’ files. 128-bit encryption is the level of encryption used by banks and major online retailers (like Amazon.com), and the AES standard has been approved by the US government’s National Security Agency (NSA) for the encryption of classified information.
Downloads can also be password-protected to ensure only the intended recipient can access the file(s). Additionally, download links can also be set to work only once, thus preventing unauthorized access to your files should the download link be forwarded on to other, unintended recipients.
This makes using FilesDIRECT significantly more secure than practically any email or FTP solution. FilesDIRECT allows you to make secure file transfers without all the work of other methods.
Can I send files using FilesDIRECT?
Q: Can I send files using FilesDIRECT?
A: You can send files to anyone with an email address with just a few mouse clicks, and you can send files either directly from your computer or files that you’ve previously uploaded to your FilesDIRECT account. Just choose who you want to send the files to, and they will receive an email notifying them that files are available for them to pick up. All they have to do is click on the link in the email and the download will begin. It really is that easy!
Q: How do I send a file in my account to someone with FilesDIRECT?
Q: How do I send a file in my account to someone with FilesDIRECT?
A: Log onto FilesDIRECT and click on “Manage Files”. Simply check off the file(s) you want to send, and then click “Send”. Once you do that, you will be prompted to enter the email addresses of the people you want to send the files to. Fill in their addresses, hit the “Send Files” button, and they will be sent an email notifying them that the files are waiting for them to download.
Can I protect the files I send with a password?
Q: Can I protect the files I send with a password?
A: You sure can! Just enter the password you want to use in the “Download Password” field before you send your file.
Can I upload a file and send it in one step?
Q: Can I upload a file and send it in one step?
A: Our “Direct Send” feature lets you upload files, and then send them automatically after the upload has finished, in one easy step.
Is my credit card secure?
A: Your credit card information is completely safe with FilesDIRECT: we use Authorize.net to handle all of our transactions – they provide 128-bit SSL encryption on all transactions, and are regularly audited for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley, SAS 70, HIPAA, GLBA, and many others. In addition, your credit card number is also encrypted prior to saving for billing purposes. You can learn more here.
Does the sender of a file sent via FilesDIRECT need to install any programs?
A: No. The sender simply visits the FilesDIRECT user’s dropbox, selects the file they want to send, and click “Send”. FilesDIRECT automatically sends a confirmation to the sender and a notification to the account holder.
How many files can I send?
A: Files DIRECT lets you send an unlimited number of files up to 2GB in size, limited only by the Transfer Limit of your plan.
Can I send files to China with FilesDIRECT?
A: Easily. Many of our clients send files back and forth to China all the time and haven’t had any problems at all.
Does Files DIRECT have file size restrictions on smaller plans?
A: No, you can send as many files as you like, as long as they are under 2GB.
What does Transfer Limit mean?
A: The transfer limit is the amount of data included for sent and received files through your account. Just like a cellphone data plan, additional fees will apply based on usage over and above the transfer limit. An account holder can check the status of their account at any time.
For example, if someone sends you a 20MB file, and you download the file once, the total amount of data transferred is 40MB. If you download the file twice, then the total amount of data transferred is 60MB. Deleting a file does not affect the amount of data transferred.
What does Storage Limit mean?
A: The storage limit is the maximum amount of data you can have saved at FilesDIRECT at any one time. The amount of storage space used within the system does not tie into the monthly billing cycle. We do not automatically or arbitrarily delete our clients’ files: any file will take up storage space until you delete it from the system. If the total storage space used exceeds the storage limit for your plan, uploads will no longer be available until either the plan is upgraded or existing files are deleted.
Do the files delete themselves when the plan is renewed?
A: Your files are only deleted when you explicitly delete them or when your plan is cancelled. However, since FilesDIRECT gives all of its clients at least 30 GB of storage space, it’s not something most clients need to worry about – 30 GB is a lot of storage!
When can I change my plan?
A: You can change your plan anytime before the next invoice is generated. Invoices are generated when your current billing period expires. For example, if you see that your data transfer limit has been exceeded, you can change your plan to accomodate your level of usage, as long as you do so prior to the next billing period. You can also change to a lower cost plan if your current plan is more than what you need.
You have full control in choosing the best plan for your organization for each billing period.
How long is a billing period?
A: One month
When does the billing period end?
A: Your billing period ends on the same day every month, 30 days from the time your account is set up. For example, if you set up your large file transfer account on January 20, then your billing period will end midnight of Febuary 20. Trial plans are 14 days only. Check out our new 30-day free trial!
Can I cancel a subscription plan?
A: Of course. You may cancel your subscription at any time. All you need to do is log in to your account, mouse over the “Settings” link in the upper right hand corner of the screen, and click on “Cancel Account”. Any outstanding invoices will need to be paid at that time. If you are trial user, your credit card will not be charged.
What are the system requirements for running the FilesDIRECT application?
A: You can send, store and receive large files with FilesDIRECT from any computer with an Internet connection and a web browser. There is no software to install!
Do I need to use Microsoft Internet Explorer as my web browser?
A: Not at all. Any Internet browser (including, but not limited to Firefox, Chrome and Opera) that is version 4 or higher will work just fine.
How do I get my clients or associates to upload files?
A: We give you a free customizable upload page when you sign up for a FilesDIRECT account . This upload page (also known as a “dropbox”) lets other people send files to you. You can either create a link from your existing company website to your FilesDIRECT dropbox, or you can give people your FilesDIRECT site URL directly. They can then send large files to you by uploading them on this page.
When should I start using FilesDIRECT?
Start sending and receiving files risk-free through FilesDIRECT today with our 30 day free trial
