Why do companies use online collaboration productivity software?
Let’s get right to it. A productive team is one that works together with ease, unhindered by location, time, or technology. Which is why online collaboration software is becoming a must-have for more and more businesses.
The advantages of online collaboration tools are many, but at the core it’s about getting the most out of every employee and collaboration partner on every project without wearing people down or burning them out.
Not all tools guarantee the same features and results, though. Organizations need to make sure the software they select supports a set of best practices in online document storage and sharing that, together, yield the best benefits to users and the businesses they work for.
Best practice #1: Strong security and targeted permissions
Security comes first. It’s absolutely essential when storing, sharing, and working on sensitive business files. To keep your online collaboration truly secure, the only option is bank-level, 256-bit encryption—so effective that it would take the most powerful computer on earth more than one billion years to crack it. Why risk your data and documents with anything less?
At the user level, you need complete control over exactly who has permission to access specific features, files, and folders. The narrower the permissions are, the more secure all of your data is. The right software will have this covered.
Best practice #2: Easy uploading and familiar file structures
No surprise: the best online document sharing tools are easy to use. And since they’re file-based, easy uploading is especially important. If you’re uploading one file, it should be simple to find and select it through the interface. If you’re uploading multiple files, the ability to drag and drop a full batch in one go is a huge time- and effort-saver.
Once your files are uploaded, you’ll likely want them to be arranged just as they were on your machine(s). So when you’re choosing among collaboration and productivity solutions, be sure to select one that maintains existing file structures, so users don’t have to spend precious time learning where things are and how to navigate them.
Best practice #3: Strict version control and activity tracking
When it comes to the files themselves, automatic version control is a must. There are countless reasons a user may need to access a previous iteration of a file, no matter how minor the change. Consistent, automated numbering of versions makes it extra easy to do so.
Keeping close track of who made which changes, or even who viewed or downloaded a file, is equally important. It provides transparency for everyone involved, helping each user understand the context of alterations and other actions over time. A quality secured document sharing solution will do this for you.
Best practice #4: Third-party integration capabilities
To make work even more efficient and productive, your online collaboration software needs to connect seamlessly with other technologies critical to your workflow. Integration with widely used file editing and management tools, like Microsoft 365®, Google Drive™, and DocuSign®, lets you do virtually everything you need to without leaving the collaboration software experience.
Less toggling between technologies means less opportunity for error and more effective collaboration.
Best practice #5: Streamlined communication and simultaneous work
In collaboration, clear communication is key. But emails can easily be lost, overlooked, or otherwise a clutter. Avoid time-consuming and potentially confusing email commentary with software that lets users attach comments directly to files and folders.
With the right software, users can also assign tasks to specific people and track progress in real time—making project management a whole lot easier. This software can also help speed up progress by enabling multiple users to work on the same file at the same time without the risk of saving over each other, negating each other’s changes unwittingly, or getting versions mixed up along the way.
When it comes to online collaboration software, Onehub is the one you need
If you think of these best practices as a checklist, Onehub checks every box. And it wraps them all up in an intuitive, easy-to-navigate experience centered on real user needs and workflows.
Of course, we can make claims about our solution all day. Fortunately, our customers have also been speaking for us:
“The ability to transfer large files fast via drag and drop has been really important. Everyone is saved the painful process of sending files by email or FTP.”
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Cindy Hearn
Sales & Marketing Specialist
Corporate and Trade Show Services Group
“Look at Onehub and you see an elegant, easy to use, and highly secure data management system. It’s simple, it does the job, and it’s cost effective.”
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Elie Azar
Managing Director
White Wolf Capital LLC
“Onehub is a great solution for the collaboration problems that we were trying to solve, and a much better, more secure alternative than email or the other file sharing tools that we use internally. It’s really simple, and its control over access privileges gives us a greater degree of confidence when it comes to sharing our documents with outsiders.”
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David Pashman
General Counsel
Meetup
Let’s get you up and running with Onehub
We’re so confident in our virtual working hub that we’re inviting you to sign up for a commitment-free, 14-day free trial—no credit card necessary. Start exploring how these best practices in action add up to better outcomes for your business.
