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. 

Without ever leaving the Teams interface, 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.

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.

Sharing Box Content via Teams

You can share Box content via Teams in 3 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, please contact your Box admin.

 

To upload a local file in a Channel or Chat:

1. Start a Teams conversation.
2. In the Teams chat interface, below the Chat window, 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.
6. If your Admin has enabled it, Box displays a preview of  the file in the Chat window including a thumbnail image and the file name, author, and version number.
   • To view the file inside the Teams interface, when the content card unfurls, click View File.
     • If the content card does not unfurl, your Box Admin has enabled permission checks, and only the URL link to the file displays.
7. To view the file you just uploaded, click the Box Files tab.

Files uploaded to Box via Teams Chats are saved by default in a Box Microsoft Teams Chat Files folder.  However, you can customize this default folder. Details on customizing your default chat folder.

 

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

1. Start a Teams conversation.
2. In the Teams chat interface, below the Chat window, 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 Teams chat window with information about the file (title, version, and author).
• To view the file inside the Teams interface, when the content card unfurls, click View File.
• If the content card does not unfurl, your Box Admin has enabled permission checks, and only the URL link to the file displays.
9. 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 information about the file (title, version, and author).
• To display the file in Box Preview, click the file.
• If your Box Admin has disabled content card unfurling, a generic file type icon displays in place of the card.
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 Confirm.
• To apply a different setting, click the Update Shared Link Permissions down arrow, and from the menu that displays click the setting you want. Then click Confirm.
• This new setting applies to the file anytime you share it from now on, regardless of whether that’s through Teams or some other way (via Slack, directly from Box, and so on.)

Regardless of the setting you choose, when you click Confirm Box immediately grants access to your file to every Channel or chat member.

6. Send the Teams message.

 

Notes

• 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).
• 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.

 

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 preview content that has been 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.

 

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.

 

Note

There is no Box Files tab for one-on-one or group chats.  Instead, for chats there is a single folder titled Teams Chat Files.  The Teams Chat Files folder stores all content shared in a Teams Chat.

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