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Request that someone sends a file to me

I (and my users) often need to request large files from a contact outside my organization, but Office 365 and OneDrive do not provide this functionality in a simple way. Microsoft support tells me to “either create a shared Sharepoint site or ask the other party to upload files to their own OneDrive and share the file”. Both of these “solutions” require the other party to have a Microsoft ID and force me into the awkward position of being a Microsoft evangelist (as I tell them how to get a Microsoft ID, upload the file, and then share it with me).

It would be so much better if I could request files with a true “drop box” link; a reverse-sharing link that allows outsiders to drop files into my OneDrive storage similar to the key drop box at vehicle repair shops. I believe this would require Write-Only permissions for an external user.

For example, an auto insurance agent needs pictures of an accident from a customer using a secure method. They can email a ‘file request link’ to the customer, who can easily upload files to a folder in the insurance companies OneDrive storage.
I apologize in advance if posting a link to competitor’s functionality is considered bad etiquette, but I have experience with other file sharing services who have provided this functionality for a while. This video by ShareFile explains the functionality in better detail: http://support.citrixonline.com/ShareFile/help_files/SF040027

Thank you!

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Abiel shared this idea  ·   ·  Flag idea as inappropriate…  ·  Admin →
boom! it's done  ·  AdminRandy Wong (OneDrive Program Manager, Microsoft) responded  · 

We are rolling out Request Files to OneDrive for Business this month (November 2019). Anyone with the file request link will be able to upload files without having to sign in, no OneDrive account required. Best of all, uploaders will only be able to upload files. They can’t view, edit, or even see who else may have uploaded to the request.

There are multiple use cases where this feature can be extremely valuable – consider “Request for Proposal” (RFP) scenario where you need to collect bids from others, or a marketing professional accumulating quotes from various vendors for a campaign, a teacher collecting assignments , a manager reaching out for feedback from his team members or a financial rep or recruiter gathering documents from their clients- just to name a few.

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Microsoft-OneDrive-Blog/Celebrating-top-OneDrive-moments-at-Ignite-2019/ba-p/963182

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166 comments

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  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    In my organization anonymous "anyone" links are turned off, so this feature doesn't work. Very disappointed because there are a lot of use cases for it. Also that it still appears in the toolbar when it can't be used--that will frustrate people.

    Is there any plan to make this feature work within an organization even if anonymous links are not allowed?

  • Ryan commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    I get the same exact error message that Rish reported on 12/4. I think a button like this would be helpful, even for simplifying sharing with internal users, but if "anonymous link" sharing is required for this feature to work, many organizations won't be able to use it.

    Can we disable this feature altogether, if we have no intentions of enabling anonymous sharing?

  • Rajashekar Yasani commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    Much needed functionality in this modern competitive cloud era and few of other vendors have this feature. Glad if this can be addresses ASAP.

  • Glenn Barker commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    I saw the video demonstration. It looks good so far. It'll definitely be helpful.

    If anyone is still listening, though, I would request ahead of time that you have some password or expiration option (or both). We don't use the password much, but we do like our file upload links to expire after a certain time. Thanks.

  • Tommy commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    This does seem to be (almost) ready - not yet available on my onedrive client but if you check out the keynote at the sharepoint virtual summit https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/spvs at approx. 16mins in, there is a demonstration of just this functionality - request files. It looks like a good implementation in fairness. (the keynote is the first video on the page linked).

  • f144 commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    TLDR: upvote the thread again

    I first posted to this thread in February 2018 (when it was just over 3 years old and had around 1500 upvotes) and (i hope like many of you) have continued to follow it.

    Recently while using Onedrive i got an in-app feedback request.
    So I complained about this issue and forwarded a link to this thread.

    Amazingly, i received this reply from a real person at microsoft. (at the end of this post between the /********/ )

    Ok i will confess to some cynicism about the "pipeline" explanation.

    *BUT* I think Bikash's suggestion might be worth taking seriously.
    We have 2700+ votes now - if they're mostly unique users and each upvotes again we'll be in first place in the uservoice feature request list

    (whatever that means)

    /********/
    Bikash S (OneDrive) (Microsoft)
    Aug 10, 01:03 BST

    Hi there,

    We're sorry that it is taking time however this is into pipeline. I would request you to vote on the link again.

    https://onedrive.uservoice.com/forums/913531-onedrive-sharing-collaboration/suggestions/6537704-request-that-someone-sends-a-file-to-me

    Let me tell you why I am suggesting you to up-vote. UserVoice is a forum where OneDrive user can vote on ideas that have been suggested. Once a User voice topic has been up-voted enough times, it will get the attention of the OneDrive Product Engineers and they will try to implement the idea. Many of the top up-voted suggestions have become OneDrive features and Improvements. Please invest a minute of you and up-vote the idea.

    Thanks,
    Bikash
    OneDrive Support
    /********/

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    In the plans still? Another important business feature where Box.com outshines OneDrive for business.

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    We users really need the Upload/Download availability to securely transfer information between our business and our customers/clients - All advancements in this area will be appreciated.
    I'm hopeful that as of August 8th this project has move forward considerably. I would much prefer to use One Drive than to sign up with another service for an additional year. Please help.

  • Jonathan commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    This is a MUST HAVE. Shame it has taken from 2015 to 2019 to THINK ABOUT IT and then eventually WORK ON IT ... what is the ETA Microsoft?

  • Paul commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    We currently use Sharefile and Onedrive. Would love to switch completely to Onedrive. Please consider this feature.

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