Checking Ownership of Box Content

Tags Box Ownership

Background

It is important to know the ownership status of Box files by knowing the ownership of the folders they are stored in. When a Box folder is owned by an individual, that folder and its content can go away without notice if that person leaves the university. UIS strongly suggests that all important work files be stored in departmental folders not owned by an individual.

Checking Ownership

To check the ownership of a folder you have access to in Box, log into the Box web interface and go into the folder in question. Look in the upper right of the folder at the Sharing section. If "Details" is showing, click on "Sharing" to switch to that tab. Each folder can only have one Owner and that Owner is shown at the top of the list of Collaborators.

If You Are Owner

Then this folder is in your personal Box space. Only you have access to it, unless you have chosen to share the folder (or a higher level folder it exists in) with others. If you leave the university, others will lose access to this folder. Keeping work files in this folder may put you in violation of the Online Storage of Administrative Work Files policy.  Consider moving this into an appropriate departmental folder.  See below if you don't have an appropriate departmental folder.

If Another Person is Owner

This content is linked with that person's Box account, and will go away if that person leaves the university. 

If Pacific University Box Administrator is Owner

This content is in a departmental Box folder which is not linked to any particular individual, and thus is in no danger of going away when any individual leaves the university. Departmental folders have been created for every major organizational unit at Pacific. Check the list of "co-owners" to see who is responsible for managing this folder.

Box User Reports

Supervisors can also request a report of all folders that an employee has access to and/or owns in Box.

Departmental Folder Needed

If you need to move files or folders from personal ownership to a departmental folder, but you aren't seeing a folder for that department, please submit a help ticket using the Report a Problem with Box form.  UIS will review and either help you gain access to an existing departmental folder, or work with your department to create a departmental folder if one does not exist.  If a departmental folder exists but there is not a subfolder with permissions appropriate to the material you need to put in it, use the same form and UIS will work with you and your departmental folder manager to create an appropriate subfolder.

Box Links

If you have access to a folder via a Box Link, but do not see it when you log into the Box web interface, then you have not been added as a Collaborator and thus do not have access to be able to see who owns or adminstrates this folder.

Related Links

Questions? Comments?

Contact Support

100% helpful - 1 review