Cloud-based tools like Dropbox can help you access your files from anywhere and share files with collaborators anywhere in the world. Join us to discover what Dropbox is, how you can get it for free, how to use it, and how it can help you make your work-life easier and more efficient.

1. Making Your Life Easier
Using Dropbox
Bob Bertsch, Web Technology Specialist
Kathleen Schmaltz, Extension Parent Educator

2. Dropbox Lives in the Cloud
You don’t generate your own
electricity. You plug something
into the wall and the electricity is
there.
Cloud programs & services work
the same way. Instead of residing
on your computer, you plug into
the Internet and they are there.

3. What Does Dropbox Do?
• Syncs files from your computer to your own storage space
in the cloud.
• Allows you to store up to 2Gb free and up to 100Gb for a
fee.
• Allows you to share folders with multiple people in a
secure environment.
• Provides access to your files from mobile devices,
computers, or Web browsers.
• Backs up your files with a 30 day undo history.

4. Other Cloud Storage Systems
Feature Dropbox Google Drive SkyDrive iCloud
Free Storage 2GB 5GB 7GB 5GB
Max. Storage 100GB 16TB 100GB 50GB
Sync Files Yes Yes Yes Yes
Offline Mode Yes Yes Yes Yes
Folder Sharing Yes Yes Yes No
Mobile Android, Android, Windows iPhone, iPad
Blackberry, iPhone, iPad Phone, iPhone,
iPhone, iPad iPad
Edit No Yes Yes No
Simultaneously

5. How It Works?
• Go to dropbox.com to download and install the Dropbox
desktop application
• When prompted, create your Dropbox account
• Choose your storage space
• 2GB – Free
• 50GB - $9.99/month
• 100GB - $19.99/month

6. 2GB
20 yards
of books
50GB
10,000 100GB
5-minute 125
songs full-length
movies

7. How It Works?
• After your account is created, a “My Dropbox” folder will
appear on your computer (probably in your “My
Documents” folder).
• When setup is complete, any files you put in your “My
Dropbox” folder will be synced to your Dropbox space in
the cloud.
• You can access those files through a web browser on any
computer and on your smartphone or tablet using the
Dropbox mobile app.

8. Cool Ways to Use Dropbox
• Securely share a folder with co-workers and colleagues,
even if they are not NDSU employees
• Share files with anyone using a public folder
• Print to your home computer from any computer
• Automatically upload pictures taken with your
smartphone to a Dropbox folder

9. Parent Educators use Dropbox
for Data Collection

10. Partners Across the State

11. Statistics Collection Tool

12. Dropbox Folder for each Region

13. Dropbox Quarterly Excel
Spreadsheet

14. Yearly Data from One Region

15. What Could Be in Your Dropbox?
Shared office network documents
Committee correspondence
Shared county event photos
Registration databases
District projects – planning Adv Camps
4-H leaders to share info
Program planning
Connecting work + home computer
Working together with people for presentations
Newsletters
Agendas
Committee document sharing – across different agencies
Some documents are too large to email
Send photos from 4-H events to dropbox for secretary to access
Documents, powerpoints, inventories
Photos
Collaborative work
Items for dept. Facebook page or web page
Grant proposals
Paper trail approval forms
Applications/papers which need to be shared among committees
Data sheets

16. What Could Be in Your Dropbox?
Forms for data collection
Share powerpoint files
Share word docs
Use it to work from different computers without carrying files from one to another
Store pictures
Share music/movies (Note from Bob: Be sure to do so legally!)
collecting./compiling conference presentations
Backup file for presentations (Oh no, I forgot my flash drive back at the office!)
Office newsletter
Office narrative
CEDL indicators paperwork for Center for Community Vitality
Work on documents from home
Photos and videos
RLND Class Projects
RLND Seminar Pictures
Quarterly Reports
Extension Competencies
Share data files so they can be worked on by several people on more than one computer
Share photos and powerpoint files with others in Ext and outside NDSU

17. Photo Credits:
• Outlet – by sixth lie, www.flickr.com/photos/sixthlie/
• Library Bookshelf – by twechy, www.flickr.com/photos/twechy/
• CD Library – by Gunnar Bothner-By, www.flickr.com/photos/gcbb/
• DVDs – by JudeanPeoplesFront, www.flickr.com/photos/judeanpeoplesfront/