Spotlight #10: Collect files securely

Spotlight #10: Collect files securely

Hello everyone!

As part of our monthly Spotlight series, we are going to highlight another WorkDrive feature: Collect Files.



Collecting files from people, whether within a team or from external stakeholders, is often a tedious task.

File collection usually includes these primary tasks: requesting users to submit files, downloading the files to your computer, and uploading the collected files to a folder. Additionally, we may need to organize these files and keep track of who has submitted and who has not submitted yet.

The complexity increases if multiple people communicate and submit files via different apps, such as email, messaging apps, and different cloud storage services.

The Collect Files feature could be useful in many different cases, such as:
  • A college professor asks students to submit their assignments before a deadline.
  • A print media company asks their editors to submit feature articles for the upcoming monthly edition.
  • A venture capitalist firm invites users to submit business ideas and research papers on artificial intelligence.  
With the Collect Files feature, WorkDrive users can create custom collection links to allow any number of people to upload their files easily. Once they upload their files, you can view their submissions and easily manage their files from your WorkDrive account.

With this feature, you can easily collect files from anyone, regardless of whether they have a WorkDrive account or not. You can create collection links for internal (team members) or external collaborators (anyone on the internet) with custom link settings.

Receive files in your selected folder

No need to manually sort the submitted files once you get them: when you create the collection link, you can choose the destination folder where all the submitted files will be uploaded.

Set an appropriate file-size limit

If you need to ensure the submitted files are under a maximum size limit, you can set limits for both the number of files upload and the file size while creating the link. You can then update the limits of any active collection link later.

Set an expiration date for the file submission

The creator of the collection link can set submissions deadlines by adding an expiration date to the link. The link will not be accessible past the specified expiration date.



Here are the  steps to create a collection link: 
  1. In the left panel of your WorkDrive account, click Collect Files.
  2. Click the + NEW COLLECTION button in the top-right corner. A New Collection dialog will open.
  3. Select the Internal or External tab based on the type of collection link you want to create. Enter a collection name and add collection details.
  4. Choose a folder location to store all files uploaded through this link.
  5. Under Request user data, Name will be selected by default. You can also request phone number and email address, if needed.
  6. To create a separate folder for each user, mark the respective checkbox. The uploader's name will be the default folder name. Note: You can also choose the uploader's email address or phone number as the folder name if you've enabled those options in the Request user data field.
  7. Set the file upload limit, file size limit, expiration date, and notification alerts if needed, and click CREATE.
  8. Now, copy the collection link and share it with your collaborators.
  9. To send the collection link via email, you can add email addresses and a message under Email collection link, then select SEND EMAIL.

Managing your collections

From the Collect Files tab on the left panel of your account you can view and manage all the files collected. Here you can see all the active collections and the completed ones. You can view submission details, such as the list of users submitted, their details, and uploaded files.

We hope you found this article helpful! Watch out for this space for more interesting product updates, tips and tricks, and more.

    Access your files securely from anywhere


            Zoho Developer Community




                                      Zoho Desk Resources

                                      • Desk Community Learning Series


                                      • Digest


                                      • Functions


                                      • Meetups


                                      • Kbase


                                      • Resources


                                      • Glossary


                                      • Desk Marketplace


                                      • MVP Corner


                                      • Word of the Day



                                          Zoho Marketing Automation


                                                  Manage your brands on social media



                                                        Zoho TeamInbox Resources

                                                          Zoho DataPrep Resources



                                                            Zoho CRM Plus Resources

                                                              Zoho Books Resources


                                                                Zoho Subscriptions Resources

                                                                  Zoho Projects Resources


                                                                    Zoho Sprints Resources


                                                                      Qntrl Resources


                                                                        Zoho Creator Resources



                                                                            Zoho CRM Resources

                                                                            • CRM Community Learning Series

                                                                              CRM Community Learning Series


                                                                            • Kaizen

                                                                              Kaizen

                                                                            • Functions

                                                                              Functions

                                                                            • Meetups

                                                                              Meetups

                                                                            • Kbase

                                                                              Kbase

                                                                            • Resources

                                                                              Resources

                                                                            • Digest

                                                                              Digest

                                                                            • CRM Marketplace

                                                                              CRM Marketplace

                                                                            • MVP Corner

                                                                              MVP Corner





                                                                                Design. Discuss. Deliver.

                                                                                Create visually engaging stories with Zoho Show.

                                                                                Get Started Now


                                                                                  Zoho Show Resources


                                                                                    Zoho Writer Writer

                                                                                    Get Started. Write Away!

                                                                                    Writer is a powerful online word processor, designed for collaborative work.

                                                                                      Zoho CRM コンテンツ






                                                                                        Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


                                                                                            ご検討中の方





                                                                                                  • Recent Topics

                                                                                                  • Pageless mode needed to modernise Writer

                                                                                                    When we switched from GSuite to Zoho, one of the easiest apps I found to give up, was Docs. In many ways, Writer has always been more powerful than Docs, especially in terms of workflows/fillable forms/etc. However, I went back into Docs because I notice
                                                                                                  • Is it possible to Select Item Serial Numbers from a Sales Order?

                                                                                                    Our accepted estimates are converted to Sales orders for our warehouse staff to pick.  How can my warehouse staff select the serial numbers for an item when editing a Sales Order?  Logically when staff pull an item and have the serial in front of them they update the Sales Order and select the serial. I understand a serial can be added when creating an invoice but how can accounts team know the serial if the warehouse staff can't select it! A basic flaw!
                                                                                                  • MORE BUGS: Client Script, Deluge and Widget JS SDK don't work as expected when trying to retrieve a record that has been "rejected" as part of an approval process.

                                                                                                    Client Script $Page.record is null when accessing a record that has been "rejected" as part of an approval process. Deluge zoho.crm.getRecordById(moduleName, recordId) returns {"status":"failure"} when recordId is a valid, but rejected record. OK... I
                                                                                                  • Zoho CRM Widget not displaying 2 related lists (JS)

                                                                                                    Okay so I basically have 2 relatedLists that I want to get and render: ZOHO.CRM.API.getRelatedRecords({ Entity: data.Entity, RecordID: data.EntityId, RelatedList: "Notes", page: 1, per_page: 200, }) ZOHO.CRM.API.getRelatedRecords({ Entity: data.Entity,
                                                                                                  • geographic search filter in map view

                                                                                                    Hi, I have a recruiting and timesheet system built in Creator. The client wants to enhance the search for candidates based on their location and filter by job skills - currently they look on the Map View which uses the geo location or post code of the
                                                                                                  • Zoho Books and Zoho Projects Task Status Update

                                                                                                    How can we create an automation using custom functions for the following scenario. When our zoho books invoice status changes to paid. I want a task in Zoho projects to change to completed.
                                                                                                  • Zoho Books Estimate to Zoho CRM quote?

                                                                                                    I'm not sure why this isnt automatic, but maybe I'm missing something. When we create a quote in zoho books we have a custom function that pushes the contact into a deal within the CRM. I can not for the life of me figure out how to push an estimate from
                                                                                                  • Different content per social media account..

                                                                                                    Is there a way to add different content per social media account on one post?
                                                                                                  • Assigning Tasks and Requests to Groups... how do I?

                                                                                                    Guys, I've spent many hours exploring Zoho Support and we are generally satisfied with the system.  I'm trying to understand how a system that has so much to offer can be missing GROUP assignment and queue functionality.  I am hoping that there is a way
                                                                                                  • Execution failure when fetching a Name field from another app

                                                                                                    In creator I have one app [Employee Directory] with a form [Employees]. One of the fields is a name field called [Name]. Here is a sample that works, if executed from the Employees app: test_Employee = Employees[Name.first_name == "Alex"]; info test_Employee.Name;
                                                                                                  • Parsing of SQL query failed. Please check the SQL syntax.

                                                                                                    I am trying to have Zoho Analytics recognize that if the a Deal is in Stage "Need Docs" it should also be counted as a Deal in the Stage "New Lead" /*New Lead*/ SELECT "ID" 'New Lead' AS "Stage" From "Deals" Where "Stage" = 'Need Docs' Union All Error
                                                                                                  • Where is the setting to enable/disable 2FA?

                                                                                                    The following links show where enable/disable 2FA is supposed to appear, but neither appear for me: https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/kb/zohosites/faq/account/articles/how-do-i-enable-or-disable-two-factor-authentication-for-my-account shows Security >
                                                                                                  • How to Assign Record Ownership in a Custom Form via API?

                                                                                                    Hello everyone, I’ve created a custom form in Zoho People and I’m using the API to manage its records. I would like to know how I can assign ownership of these records to specific users via the API. Is there a specific parameter or field in the API request
                                                                                                  • Customer Statement Template not matching when sending

                                                                                                    Hi everyone! So when I send statements to our customers via Zoho Books, the message that appears by default does not match what I have written on the template Under settings -> email notifications -> sales -> customer statement We have a single default
                                                                                                  • Creation of Path and subpath

                                                                                                    In order to improve the structure of the website for better organization, I would like to consider that when publishing a page, it can be within a section and sub-section. For example, if I have an events option in the menu, I can put past events and
                                                                                                  • Emailing lookup field but placing this as an ID or number rather than text

                                                                                                    Hi there, First time poster and have been a user of Zoho Creator for approx 6weeks so forgive my ignorance as I learn to code. We have a need to send an email to a specific email address with some of the fields triggered by the submission of a form. In
                                                                                                  • Unlocking New Horizons: A Year in Review

                                                                                                    As we bid farewell to 2024, let's celebrate and revisit the key highlights of the year. From adding a new edition to cross-platform enhancements, here’s a roundup of all the feature updates designed to simplify accounting, optimize financial management,
                                                                                                  • Using AVG in SQL Query

                                                                                                    My current SQL Query is: SELECT "Client Info", avg("Revenue") FROM "Funded Deals" GROUP BY "Client Info" The current table that this is creating: Client Info avg(Revenue) Previous 4175 1st - New 3411 1st - Old 3013 Renew 3069 While this works as I had
                                                                                                  • Peppol Malaysia API

                                                                                                    Hi Zoho Books, my country Malaysia will going to implement "Peppol" (E-Invoicing), starting 1 Jul 2025 for all businesses. The government intends to provide API for accounting app. The workflow involves creating an invoice from accounting app, triggers
                                                                                                  • Re-emitir facturas con nueva dirección de facturación

                                                                                                    Hola, necesito saber si es posible que las facturas ya emitidas, pueden ser re-emitidas con el cambio de dirección de facturación, realizado el día de hoy 02-01-2025, para efectos contables. Espero su ayuda, Gracias
                                                                                                  • Zoho Learn vs. Trainer Central

                                                                                                    Hi, I'm currently using Zoho One with a WordPress-based website and WooCommerce to manage my online courses. I would like to know what is the difference between Zoho Learn and Trainer Central and if it's possible for these two platforms to replace WP
                                                                                                  • Map Plan to Different Income Account for Some Subscriptions via API

                                                                                                    We have a plan that has a default Plan Account of "Sales". Can we override the account for a specific subscription via API? In some instances the same exact plan should map to a different income account. When we create stand-alone invoices in Zoho Books,
                                                                                                  • Flow with CRM

                                                                                                    Hello, I have a simple flow that uses a web hook to enter data into a Sales Order. I have the web hook sending Flow data which has a PO field. If the PO has a special character like - or / or \ the task fails. How can I get the flow to be okay with the
                                                                                                  • Chrome browser issues. Anyone else?

                                                                                                    I am suddenly having multiple issues with Chrome browser interpreting the Zoho Mail interface.  Anyone else?  Any known problems? Thanks, Todd
                                                                                                  • Set another Layout as Standard

                                                                                                    We created a few layouts and we want to set another one to standard:
                                                                                                  • Zoho Payroll US?

                                                                                                    Good morning, just reaching out today to see if there's any timeline, or if there's progress being made to bring Zoho Payroll out to be available to all states within the USA. Currently we're going through testing with zoho, and are having issues when
                                                                                                  • Set up multiple IMAP email addresses

                                                                                                    Hi, I just started using CRM and its great, but I just found out I can only add one imap email address for incoming mail in the included salesinbox ...this is ridiculous. All companies have different email such as sales@domain, info@domain , personal@domain
                                                                                                  • Function 58: Custom calculation in item table of invoices (2 fields)

                                                                                                    Hello everyone, and welcome back to our series! In Zoho Books, the Item Amount in invoices is calculated by multiplying the Quantity and Rate fields. Previously, we shared a function to include a custom field in this calculation. Today, we are taking
                                                                                                  • Modules are continuously loading

                                                                                                    Hi! We are not able to open the task modules, it keeps continuously loading
                                                                                                  • Pushing Data from One CRM account to another.

                                                                                                    We have business partners that want to collaborate through the CRM. Other than pre-planned data migrations what are the options for Zoho Users to transfer data between the accounts. For instance, could I create a webhook that is sent from our CRM and then is picked up in the partner's Flow?
                                                                                                  • Search function not working anymore

                                                                                                    Hi! The search function is not working anymore. How can we solve this problem?
                                                                                                  • When converting a lead to an account, the custom mandatory fields in the account are not treated by zoho as mandatory

                                                                                                    In my Account module I have a number of custom fields that I have set as mandatory. When I enter a new customer as a new account they work, I can't save the record without populating them. However when I convert a lead, my CRM users are able to save the
                                                                                                  • Expand Zia's Language Support and AI Capabilities

                                                                                                    Dear Zoho Desk Support, I would like to submit a feature request to improve Zia, the AI-driven support assistant in Zoho Desk. Currently, Zia only supports the English language, while other AI agents such as Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude can work with a
                                                                                                  • get gettting the days number between two dates with deluge

                                                                                                    I am trying to calculate the days number between 2 specific dates but its not working. PLease help me.
                                                                                                  • Limit excceding issue in zoho creator

                                                                                                    I am transferring data from Zoho Books to Zoho Creator using a Deluge script. However, I am frequently encountering a "limit exceeding error," which seems to be related to the Deluge statements limit. I reached out to Zoho Support, and they informed me
                                                                                                  • How do I add more schedules to Zoho Creator?

                                                                                                    At the moment, the number of schedule calls we have in Zoho Creator are 1800 per month and I was wondering if it was possible to upgrade that amount to something higher. I'd like to know my options as well as the pricing.
                                                                                                  • Conexion CREATOR x CRM

                                                                                                    Buenas tardes, Tengo un problema con un código que crea un registro en CRM. Revisé el CRM para eliminar los campos obligatorios, pero cuando ejecuto el programa, aparece el siguiente mensaje de error: {"code":"MANDATORY_NOT_FOUND","details":{"api_name":"data"},"message":"required
                                                                                                  • Invoices with billable time and expenses

                                                                                                    I cannot seem to get a straight answer. We are looking to create an invoice to send to our clients, but it needs to have the following on it: 1. Billable hours for each employee. All hours for the pay period on one line, by employee. 2. Expenses for each
                                                                                                  • Search Bar Improvement for Zoho Commerce

                                                                                                    Hey everyone, I've been using Zoho Commerce for a bit now, and I think the search bar could really use an upgrade. Right now, it doesn't show products in a dropdown as you type, which would make finding items a lot faster. On Shopify, for example, you
                                                                                                  • Send Whatsapp with API including custom placeholders

                                                                                                    Is is possible to initiate a session on whatsapp IM channel with a template that includes params (placeholders) that are passed on the API call? This is very usefull to send a Utility message for a transactional notification including an order number
                                                                                                  • Next Page