There are various ways to integrate and update data within Box. This article covers the basics of the three ways you may want to modify data with Box and when or why you may want to use each.
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From your Computer
Box offers two Apps that allow you to work with Box files on your computer. The preferred application is Box Drive. Box Drive is the only unlimited cloud drive built for the enterprise. Access billions of files from the comfort of your Desktop without needing to take up much of your actual Hard Drive space. Work with these files in the cloud just as if they were on your desktop through Finder. Whether you create a new Microsoft Word document or edit a PDF in Adobe, any changes you make will automatically save back to Box. You can also right click any file or folder to leverage collaborative Box features such as sharing, locking and creating Box Notes.
However, if you need access to your files offline you will need to use Box Sync. There are issues with having both Box Drive and Box Sync on the same computer, so you should decide and then install the one that is right for you.
Box Edit
Box Edit is an add-on feature that allows you to edit or create files directly on Box. Designed for all file types, browsers, and platforms, Box Edit uses the default application installed on your computer to edit or create simple and centralized content: Docx files open in Microsoft Word, TXT files open in Notes or TextEdit, Xlsx files open in Excel, and so forth.
What is Device Trust and how is it related to Box Edit?
We recently updated the installer used for Box Edit to support other components required for Box web app users. The installer has been renamed Box Tools and includes Box Edit and Box Device Trust components.
Box Device Trust is a component that checks the device status of enterprise users. Device Trust verifies that your device passes all necessary security checks required to log into your enterprise's Box account. It only performs checks that are enabled by the administrator of the enterprise -- no additional information about the device is collected or retained by Box.
How is Box Edit different from Box Drive or Box Sync? Do they overlap at all?
Box Drive and Box Sync are designed to keep all your important content updated on your computer's desktop, even when a colleague uploads a new version. You can access files and make edits directly from your desktop, and the updated versions are added to Box where the rest of your team can access them.
Box Edit provides the same benefits, but is designed for quick edits when you're working from the Box web app. You can open, edit, and save a file without ever needing to leave Box this add-on feature is ideal for content that's not already synced to your desktop. It closes the gap between Box and your desktop for even tighter collaboration.
Office Online
Box is seamlessly integrated with Microsoft Office Online. This integration lets you create Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel files in Box, edit them using the Office Online web applications, then save them directly back to Box without downloading additional programs or applications. In addition, our Office Online integration supports concurrent editing, so you and your co-workers can collaborate on documents in real-time. The University's Microsoft Office 365 license does accommodate this functionality with Box.
Real-Time Co-Authoring
Box for Office Online now supports real-time co-authoring. Multiple people can edit a single document simultaneously, and all changes will be automatically saved back to Box. When multiple people are editing a document, their names will appear in the upper right corner. Your collaborator's text cursor will appear in a unique color, and their name will be displayed next to it.