Sharing files with partners
- Right to share
- Within Tampere Universities
- Determine whether file encryption is required
- Sharing unencrypted files with your collaborators
- Sharing encrypted files with your collaborators
Right to share
NOTE: Before you begin sharing files, you must ensure that you have the right to share the information concerned and, where personal data are involved, that the roles of controller and processor have been properly agreed between all parties. In a research project, clarify the matter with the principal investigator (PI). Guidance is available, for example, on the pages Data protection in research – general instructions and Data protection. If needed, request assistance from:
- Research Data Services: researchdata [at] tuni.fi (researchdata[at]tuni[dot]fi)
- University’s data protection: dpo [at] tuni.fi (dpo[at]tuni[dot]fi)
- TAMK’s data protection: tietosuoja.tamk [at] tuni.fi (tietosuoja[dot]tamk[at]tuni[dot]fi)
Within Tampere Universities
You can share files within Tampere Universities by storing them in a Teams workspace or on the Group Folder (S drive), for example. See detailed instructions on the page Selecting storage location. Determine, in accordance with the instructions on the page Secure file storage, whether the files need to be encrypted. If encryption is required, collaboration is easiest when you create a container on the Group Folder (S drive). See the page File encryption for instructions.
The remainder of this page addresses a different need: how to share files with collaborators outside Tampere Universities.
Determine whether file encryption is required
Following the instructions on the page Secure file storage, determine the data classification of each file and whether it must be encrypted. If any files require encryption, encrypt them according to the instructions on the page File encryption and then follow the guidance below under Sharing encrypted files with your collaborators.
Sharing unencrypted files with your collaborators
Using Teams
You can share unencrypted files with collaborators by creating a Teams workspace, inviting your collaborators as users, and storing the files intended for sharing there. Instructions are available on the page Teams workspaces. You can find other suitable storage locations on the page Selecting storage location.
Using FileSender
If Teams does not suit your needs, you can also share files by sending them individually or in suitable batches between collaborators as follows.
- When you want to share files with your collaborator, send them using FileSender. Instructions are available on the page Sharing large files.
- Your collaborator creates a new folder named, for example, “Received yyyy-mm-dd” using the current date, uploads the files there, and starts reading and editing them.
- Because this method creates multiple copies of files with the same name for all parties, you must keep track of different file versions using a folder or file naming convention that you should agree on with your collaborators. The above is only an example of a possible practice.
- When your collaborator wants to share files with you, they send them using FileSender. If your collaborator does not have access to FileSender, you must send them a FileSender file request link. Instructions are available on the page Sharing large files.
- Receive the files through FileSender according to your agreed naming convention, read and edit them, then continue from step 1.
Sharing encrypted files with your collaborators
Unfortunately, there are currently no sufficiently reliable methods for sharing encrypted files with collaborators at other universities in a way that would allow simultaneous editing. The method presented here is based on alternating editing: you send a set of files to your collaborator for editing, and when they return the files to you, you continue editing them. Developing a smooth workflow requires planning together with your collaborator. Divide your project files into groups so that this rhythm of work is feasible and each of you can edit the agreed file group at any given time.
The instructions differ slightly depending on whether you use VeraCrypt or Cryptomator for encryption. Sharing works with both applications, and the choice depends not only on sharing workflows but also on other considerations described on the page File encryption.
Sharing files encrypted with VeraCrypt
- Create a VeraCrypt volume named, for example, XYZ. This creates a file called XYZ.
- Open the volume, open files from it, work on the files, save them back into the volume and lock the volume.
- When you want to send the file set to your collaborator, make a copy of the volume file named “XYZ yyyy-mm-dd” using the current date and send it via FileSender. Instructions are available on the page Sharing large files.
- Your collaborator opens the container using the password you have provided, edits the files within it and locks the container.
- When your collaborator wishes to send the file set back to you, they make a copy named “XYZ yyyy-mm-dd” using the current date and send it via the FileSender service. If your collaborator does not have access to FileSender, you must send them a FileSender upload link. Instructions are available on the page Sharing large files.
- Receive the volume through FileSender and continue from step 2.
Although the volume name changes in this workflow, the password remains the same because the same original volume is being used throughout. After the file name changes, open the volume in VeraCrypt with the Select File option. The file path will then remain in the program's file history.
Sharing files encrypted with Cryptomator
- Install the 7-Zip program on your computer and ask your collaborator to do the same. The program is free and can be installed without charge. Instructions are available on the page 7-Zip.
- Create a Cryptomator vault named, for example, XYZ. In practice, this creates a folder (directory) named XYZ.
- Open the vault, open files from it, work on the files, save them back into the vault and lock the vault.
- When you want to send the file set to your collaborator, package the vault folder with 7-Zip into a file named “XYZ yyyy-mm-dd.7z” using the current date. The files do not need additional encryption at this stage because they are already strongly encrypted. Send the 7z package to your collaborator via the FileSender service. Instructions are available on the page Sharing large files.
- Your collaborator extracts the package with 7-Zip into a folder named “XYZ yyyy-mm-dd”, opens the vault in Cryptomator using the password you have provided, edits the files in the vault and locks the vault.
- When your collaborator wishes to send the file set back to you, they package the vault folder with 7-Zip into a file named “XYZ yyyy-mm-dd.7z” using the current date and send it via FileSender. If your collaborator’s organisation does not have access to FileSender, you must provide a FileSender upload link. Instructions are available on the page Sharing large files. You can create a link that remains available without a time limit for the entire duration of your project.
- Receive the vault through FileSender and continue from step 3.
Although the vault name changes in this workflow, the password remains the same because the same original vault is used throughout. After the folder name changes, you must open the vault in Cryptomator with the option + → Open Existing Vault. After that, it remains listed on the left side of the application.
Version control
One benefit of the file-sharing methods described above, regardless of which application you use, is that each transfer automatically creates a copy of the file set that you can use for version control. If you later discover that you need an earlier version of a file, or a file that was accidentally deleted, you can retrieve it from an earlier version of the relevant volume or vault.
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