Using Box for Teams

With the Box for Microsoft Teams integration, you can use the content you have in Box through the familiar interface of Microsoft Teams.  Share and access content stored in Box directly from within Teams – without flipping back and forth between programs.  This saves you time and facilitates team collaboration.  Content doesn’t even have to originate in Box to be shared via this integration.  For example, files on your local machine are automatically uploaded into a secure Box folder when you share them via Teams.  They are not sent to native content stores such as OneDrive and SharePoint. 

With the Box for Microsoft Teams integration you can:

• Share from Box: Seamlessly share Box content to Channels and Chats or upload local files to a Channel and its associated Box folder.
• Allow or deny file permissions to Channel and Chat members who don’t have prior permission to access the content you share
• Access Box files and folders within Teams via a Box Files tab.  Without toggling away from your Teams session, you can preview, download, and search Box files and folders.
• Preview Content:  View content cards for shared Box files that expand to full previews of content. You can use Box preview to preview more than 140 different types of files directly from within Teams.
• Access core content capabilities such as opening files in the editor of your choice and creating new files and folders from Teams. 

Box for Teams is also compatible with your mobile device; you can upload and preview content stored in Box from within the Teams iOS and Android apps.

• Make Box your default content layer in Teams by removing access to native OneDrive and SharePoint entry points (e.g., paperclip for uploading content, native Files tab)

 

Sharing Box Content via Teams

You can share Box content via Teams in three different ways:

• Upload content from your local machine – When you upload a local file, Box stores the newly-uploaded file in a Teams folder dedicated to that channel.
• Share files from Box – Box generates a bookmark link in the channel folder for all channel members to access the file.
• Paste shared links from Box – Box generates a bookmark link in the channel folder for all channel members to access the file.

 

Note

If Box displays a message that the integration is not enabled, contact your Box admin.

 

To upload a local file in a Channel or Chat:

1. Start a Teams or Chat conversation.
2. In the chat interface, below the chat window, if you do not see the Box icon, click the ellipsis (...). The Messaging Extensions window opens.
3. Click Box. The Messaging Extensions window closes, and you can specify whether to upload or share a file.

Important

You can pin the Box icon to your extension tray at the bottom.  To do this, right-click the Box icon and then pin it.

4. Click Upload file to Box. The Box Upload File window opens. 
5. Drag and drop the file you want to upload, or click browse to navigate through your local file structure and then click Upload. Box displays the file's content card which includes the file name.
6. There are several additional actions that you can take on the content card:
   • Click on Edit to edit the file via Microsoft Online without leaving the Teams interface
   • Click on Preview to view the file without leaving the Teams interface
   • Click on more actions or "..." to perform additional functions like Copy to copy the content card or Open in Browser to view the file in the Box web app.
7. Once uploaded, you can also see the file in the Box Files tab.

 

To share a Box file in a Teams Channel or Chat:

1. Start a Teams or Chat conversation.
2. In the chat interface, below the chat window, if you do not see the Box icon, click the ellipsis (...). The Messaging Extensions window opens.
3. Click Box. The Messaging Extensions window closes, and you can specify whether to upload or share a file.
4. Click Share file from Box. Your Box All Files page displays.
5. Navigate to the file you want. Click the circle to the right of the file. The file permissions menu displays.
6. Click the down arrow and then click the access permission you want to associate with this file.  More on shared link settings.
7. In the lower-right portion of the screen, click the check mark.
8. A content card displays in the conversation window with the file title.
   • If the content card does not unfurl, your Box Admin has enabled permission checks, and only the URL link to the file displays.
9.  There are several additional actions that you can take on the content card:
   • Click on Edit to edit the file via Microsoft Online without leaving the Teams interface
   • Click on Preview to view the file without leaving the Teams interface
   • Click on more actions or "..." to perform additional functions like Copy to copy the content card or Open in Browser to view the file in the Box web app.
10. Send the message as you normally would.

 

To post a shared link from Box in a Teams Channel or Chat

1. From your Box account, locate the file you want and get a shared link.
2. From your Teams account, paste the shared link into the conversation window.
3. The URL link displays. Beneath the URL link, a content card displays in the conversation window with the file title.
   • If the content card does not unfurl, your Box Admin has enabled permission checks, and only the URL link to the file displays.
4. If there are any Channel or Chat members who do not already have access to the file you’re sharing, Box displays a message toward the top right that says Sent a card. Click the message.
5. A window opens indicating that not everyone in the Channel or Chat can access the file you’re sharing.
   • To apply your existing shared link setting for this file, click Ignore.
     • To apply a different setting:
       • Click the Update Shared Link Permissions down arrow,
       • From the menu that displays click the setting you want,
       • Click Confirm.
6. Send the Teams message. Regardless of the setting you choose, when you click Confirm Box immediately grants access to your file to every Channel or chat member.

 

Difference between Channels and Chats

• When sharing a file in a chat message, Box indicates the specific number of chat members who lack access (it does not indicate this in a channel message). By granting members access to the file, you are making them collaborators (as compared to channel members, to whom you’re simply granting file access).
  • In addition, the permissions prompt displays if other users in the chat already have access to the file via a user group but are not directly collaborated on the file.
• For channels, you can also choose which access level you want to grant to the file. Available options are Edit, View and download, and View only.
• As people are added/removed from a channel, Box adds/removes them from the corresponding Box folder.

 

Important

Depending on your organization’s admin configuration, you may or may not receive thumbnail previews and content cards when sharing content.  Contact your Box Admin for details.

 

Editing Box Files in Microsoft Teams

There are two ways you can edit your Microsoft files from MS Teams:

• by clicking on the file and opening it on Box for editing, or
• by editing the file directly in Microsoft Teams.

Editing a File in a Box Browser

To edit your file in the browser, just click on it. The file opens in a separate Box browser window. There you can edit it like other Office files stored on Box, by selecting your preferred editor. This editing method still applies to all files accessed through Box Files tab or Box Personal App.

Editing a Box File in Teams

In addition to clicking the file and being redirected to Box for editing, you can now edit your Microsoft files directly within MS Teams.

To edit your file directly in Teams:

1. Find the Microsoft file that has been shared in a chat or channel,
2. Click “...” and select Edit, or click Edit on the content card next to Preview,
3. The Office Online editor appears within Microsoft Teams for you to make your changes.

You can now edit the file like other Office online files without leaving Teams. All the changes are automatically saved to Box, and you can work with other people on the same file at the same time.

If you are not logged in to Box, after clicking the Edit button you will be redirected to the login page.

 

Using the Box Files Tab

For each Team for which you’ve installed the Box for Teams integration, each channel auto-generates a Box Files tab.  

This tab displays the default folder Box uses to capture and store content shared in this specific channel.  To access this folder in Box, open the Box Web app and navigate to Microsoft Teams Folder > [[Team Name]] > [[Channel Name]].

In this folder you can view full previews and access editing capabilities of content previously shared directly within Teams. In addition, from the Box Web app you can modify content, change permissions, and manage users, and these changes reflect in Teams.

 

Note

You can also access the Box Files tab for one-on-one or group chats. This tab displays the single default folder for chats titled Microsoft Teams Chat Files, which stores all content shared across all Teams Chats.

 

Tip

Box auto-generates the default folders that store all channel and chat content.  But if you prefer, you can customize the location of this folder or select an existing folder to use as the default.  Details on assigning a default channel or chat folder.

 

Receiving your Box notifications in Microsoft Teams

If your enterprise's admin has enabled the Box for Teams integration and you have signed into the integration, Box automatically sends notifications to you on Teams.   

Box sends only a subset of notifications to Teams, including when you are collaborated onto a file or when a user comments on a file.

If you prefer not to receive your Box notifications on Teams, you'll need to disable this option. 

To disable your Box notifications on Teams:

1. Open your Box web account.
2. In the top-right corner of your Box account window, click your Box account icon.  Box displays the Account Settings window.
3. In the top of the Account Settings window, click Notifications.
4. In the App Notifications section, clear Receive Box notifications in Teams.

If you later want to receive your Box notifications on Teams, repeat the procedure and check Receive Box notifications in Teams.
Box does not enable you to select which types of notifications to receive.

 

Note

If you sign into the Teams integration via the Box files tab, you may not receive Box notifications.  Please ensure you sign in via the Box icon in the Teams message composition tray. 

 

 

Related Links

Introducing Box for Microsoft Teams

Comparing the First and Second Versions of Box for Teams

Logging in to Box for Teams for the First Time

Assigning a Default Box Folder to a Teams Channel

Deploying Box for Teams in your Enterprise

Understanding how Content and Thumbnail Permissions Control Display

Box for Teams FAQ

Box for Microsoft Teams - Earlier Version