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How to track copying of files

I'd like to see files that users copy locally - is there a way to report on this?

Wade IV
Explorer | Level 4
Go to solution

We use DropBox for our work and have a distributed base of uses that need access to our files. However, as this is our IP, we'd like to be more confident things aren't copied locally. We know that this is possible, and may be practical for some work, but the point is that if someone has copied a great deal of our IP to their local machine, we'd like to know about it. Any hints?

1 Accepted Solution

Accepted Solutions

Jane
Dropbox Staff
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Thanks for clarifying @maddy2! At the moment this info isn’t recorded on our end, however I appreciate the time you took to detail us your interest on this functionality on our conversation here. 
 
I’ve already made sure to pass your interest on the Activity report you mentioned up the ladder for future iterations, as we take your feedback seriously & we aim to provide all Dropbox users the best experience possible. Feel free to ping me back if you have more questions or thoughts! 

 


Jane
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support

 

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12 Replies 12

maddy2
New member | Level 2
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Can I know if someone copies file or folders from Dropbox folder to his local disk? Is there a notification sent to admin or activity log regarding it?

Jane
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution
Hey Maddy (@maddy2), if you're working on a shared folder with a colleague/friend, then they can sync down the contents of the project you're both accessing on their connected devices (& copy them elsewhere on their device as well). However, if you’re working on a team account, you should be able to track the following details through the Activity tab on your admin console:
 
Spoiler
  • Downloaded a file
  • Downloaded a file from a link (non-team member)
  • Downloaded a file/folder from a link (non-team member)
If you can’t access the admin console directly, then you could ask your team admin to create this report for you. 
 
I hope that my tip above is- even slightly- helpful in locating the info you need & please let me know under this discussion in case you have more questions about any of the above. Wishing you a fruitful week ahead!

 


Jane
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support

 

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maddy2
New member | Level 2
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Hi Jane, thanks a lot for the sharing the above info. I realise the Download, Editing etc activity gets recorded and can be seen by the admin.

I wanted to know if and how, I (as admin) can come to know if someone copies a file or folder from their dropbox folder on local disk to another place on their local disk - only copy, not remove from the Dropbox folder? When someone makes a change to a file placed within their dropbox folder on local disk, the log activity shows once the file syncs online. Does copying file to a folder outside of the dropbox folder (both within the PC's or Mac's local hard disk) also get recorded or notified?

Jane
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution
Thanks for clarifying @maddy2! At the moment this info isn’t recorded on our end, however I appreciate the time you took to detail us your interest on this functionality on our conversation here. 
 
I’ve already made sure to pass your interest on the Activity report you mentioned up the ladder for future iterations, as we take your feedback seriously & we aim to provide all Dropbox users the best experience possible. Feel free to ping me back if you have more questions or thoughts! 

 


Jane
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support

 

Heart Did this post help you? If so please give it a Like below. 
:white_check_mark: Did this post fix your issue/answer your question? If so please press the 'Accept as Best Answer' button to help others find it.
:arrows_counterclockwise: Still stuck? Ask me a question! (
Questions asked in the community will likely receive an answer within 4 hours!)

RoBro
New member | Level 2
Go to solution

Is this feature on the roadmap now? Can you share if it is planned?

Lusil
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution

Hi there @Wade IV, thanks for dropping by. 

 

Since the Dropbox folder is just like any other folder on your computer, there isn't a way to track files that have been copied outside of it. 


However, have a look at network control in case it's something that interests you. 

 

Check it out, and let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers!


Lusil
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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Wade IV
Explorer | Level 4
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Thanks for the response. Not what I was hoping for, but there it is. I did look at Network Control and it didn't seem to crack that nut either. Does it allow you to see who did what?

Walter
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution

Hey there @Wade IV; how are you today?

 

I'm sorry to jump in, but would this resource help with what you had in mind?

 

On a side, are you aware with our device approvals feature? 


Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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Wade IV
Explorer | Level 4
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Thanks. The device approvals doesn't really hot what I'm looking for, but the reporting may...it's just there is a pile of options and nothing seems intuitively to provide a view on downloaded files...I can see if someone transfers to another DB folder, but not if a file has been downlaoded locally. Am I just missing seeing the right option?

Need more support?