Adding Comments and Tasks

Eliminate long email chains using comments and tasks. These collaboration tools connect history and content, replacing disconnected email threads and collaboration processes lost over time.

Comments

You can leave comments on a file from the preview screen.

To leave a comment:

1. Click on a file's name to open it in preview.
2. Type your comment in the comment box at the bottom of the right-hand sidebar.
3. Click Post to add your comment.
4. When you enter a comment, all collaborators who have notifications enabled will receive an email.

Notifying 

Use @-mentions to notify a specific colleague. To tag a collaborator with an @-mention:

• Start your message with the @ symbol and type the name of the person you wish to notify. Their name displays in blue.
• Box sends an email to the person you tagged.  In addition, they receive a message in their Box account.

Your comment also displays in the file on which you’ve commented.  This gives context for others coming to work with this information.

Tasks

In addition to standard comments, you can also assign approval tasks and general tasks.

To assign an approval task:

1. Click a file's name to open it in preview.
2. In the Activity sidebar, click Add Task and select Approval Task.
3. Assign approvers (the people who will approve or reject the content). You can assign multiple approvers, but all approvers must be collaborators in the folder containing the file.
4. To specify that the entire approval task is completed when any one assignee completes it, check Only one assignee is required to complete this task. Otherwise, Box marks the status "Approved" when all assignees have completed the task.
5. Add a due date for the approval, if necessary.
6. Click Create. The approvers receive email notifications, as well as messages in Box. They can approve or reject the content directly in either the Task Center or Preview window.

To assign a general task:

1. Click a file's name to open it in preview.
2. In the Activity sidebar, click Add Task and select General Task.
3. Assign people or a Box Group to the task. You can assign multiple people or groups, but all assignees must be collaborators in the folder containing the file.
4. To specify that the entire task is completed when any one assignee completes it, check Only one assignee is required to complete this task. Otherwise, Box marks the status "Completed" when all assignees have completed the task.
5. Add a due date for the completion, if necessary.
6. Click Create. The assignees receive email notifications, as well as messages in Box.

To edit or delete a task:

Only the creator of the task can edit or delete a task.  But they can do this only before the task has been acted upon.  When the assignee has completed, approved, or rejected a task -- or, in the case of multiple assignees, when everyone has completed the task -- the task cannot be edited or deleted.

1. In the All Files window, click the appropriate file name.
2. In the preview window, locate the task and, to the right of the task name, click the ellipsis (...).
3. To edit the task, click Modify task. To delete the task, click Delete task. 

Task Notifications

After assigning a task, the assignee(s) will receive a notification at task assignment. If the task is configured with a due date, we will also send a notification 24 hours before the task is due and when it becomes overdue.