Dropbox has been life changing

Dropbox has been needed since the advent of digital information! Here are a few ways Dropbox has changed my life  and how you can do the same!
 

1. Instantly scalable in any size business

I run a small company which we designed to be scalable from the outset. Our intention was to build a single business unit that works and then extend the model to other markets. Much the way a franchise works, but without the franchisees. To do this we harness technology like Dropbox right from the outset. Our ability to access our files anytime and anywhere has grown as Dropbox has grown.

From day one we began with an Apple iPad and iPhone strategy. We knew that wireless access to data was the way of the future and refused to accept traditional means to do business. This included having documents, files, images, videos, spreadsheets and charts available at a moments notice where ever we might be. Traditional file sharing meant using emails and, well, let’s just leave it at that. NOT GOING TO WORK!

Using the iPad’s and iPhone’s we installed Dropbox on each and set up the central Dropbox on our main office computer. All of the critical files we needed to be accessible anytime and anywhere are kept in a “00 Quick access” folder. Any time a new form is needed or a form is updated it is added to this folder and everyone with a company iPad or iPhone can access it right away.

Now when we hire a new staff member and extend our company, we simply add an iPad and/or iPhone, install Dropbox and away that person can go with all of the same forms. Using this strategy we will be able to scale the business instantly form 5 people two 5,000 as business needs justify.
 

2. Instant updates across hundreds of devices

No matter how paperless or paper-lite a company tries to be, you will still need forms and documents. We have simply moved to digitizing these documents for more rapid transit. Such documents need periodic updates and revisions for a multitude of reasons. In the past this would have mean updating the file, using version taxonomies, dispatching the new version to your team, ensuring they are all using the current version and archiving the old version. Now with Dropbox, we simply keep a master copy of each important file and on a periodic basis update these files. Instead of the headaches just mentioned, we simply update the file in the “00 Quick Access” folder to the new version and instantly our team has no choice but to use the newest version of that document or file.
 

3. Never need “your” computer again!

For a decade or more we have all been packing around our laptop computers and only more recently have we begun the mass exodus to tablet and smart phone computing on the go. This shift has allowed us MORE mobility than ever, but even then we are not truly free to navigate as we are still stuck with a ball and chain to “our” device as it usually contains the files unique to us. What if you drop your tablet and it shatters or what if you lose your phone or your laptop is stolen? Then what?

Your files have been liberated! In today’s environment the need to be tied to a single computer has been quite restrictive. By harnessing the cloud based power of Dropbox, we are now using computers as a portal. Instead of them owning us, we simply use them as an access device. By keeping files you need to access often, from many locations and perhaps even your most critical files in Dropbox, you are now free to move about without being tied to your computer, tablet or phone simply because your files are imprisoned on the device. Fear not losing, or having your device stolen as Dropbox can now remotely control access to your files and prevent access on forbidden devices should you lose custody.
 

4. One Dropbox file for everyone

If you’ve ever had two people updating a single file it can be a nightmare! Google Drive handles this well for basic word processing and spreadsheets by showing you highlights of changes made by or being edited by different users, however Google Drive can’t edit everything. For those with files which need to be accessible and editable by multiple parties, Dropbox is a life saver. It allows everyone to work on the same file and when saved, so long as no other users are currently accessing the file, the updates will be available instantly to everyone. NOTE: If two people access the file simultaneously, Dropbox wisely creates  a “Conflicted Copy” of the file so that neither version is lost.  At least only a few changes might needed instead of getting lost in the wasteland of updates and having to start over.
 

5. Never have that “forget to save” heart attack again

Everyone of us has done it AND had the subsequent heart attack. The moment when you’re almost finished with a massive essay or some huge file edit and the power goes out or your computer has some fatal error demanding you shut down to regain control. THIS IS A NIGHTMARE! Thankfully the advent of periodic auto-saves helped reduce these heart attack moments, but even then there are many circumstances which can cause you to lose a file you have put much time and effort into.

EVERY TIME YOU SAVE Dropbox keeps a “Version” of the file prior to you saving the newest version. SAVE OFTEN! No more worrying about losing previous versions or having your hard drive crash and lose all of your data. When we create documents, we save often. In fact a few times we’ve gone OVERKILL and accidentally overwritten an old file and had to go to Dropbox to retrieve the previous version. What a life saver.
 
What are ways Dropbox has made a huge impact on your life? Tell us below!