How to Use Collaborative Links for Two-Way File Sharing

Traditional file sharing is one-way: you upload files and send a link to someone else. But what if you need to collect files from others? Or collaborate on a shared folder where multiple people can upload?

FileGrab’s collaborative links solve this problem elegantly. With a single toggle, you can transform any link into a two-way file sharing space where both you and your recipients can upload files.

This guide will teach you everything about collaborative links - how to create them, when to use them, and best practices for managing collaborative file sharing.

What Are Collaborative Links?

A collaborative link is a FileGrab link where uploading is enabled for everyone who has the URL, not just the link owner.

Here’s what makes collaborative links special:

• Two-way sharing - Both you and recipients can upload files
• Real-time sync - Files appear instantly for everyone viewing the link
• Single link - No need to create multiple links or accounts
• Storage quota - All uploaded files count against the link owner’s storage quota
• Owner control - Only the owner can delete files, manage settings, or delete the link

How Collaborative Links Work

For Link Owners (You)

When you create a collaborative link:

1. You upload your initial files (optional)
2. You toggle on “Allow Collaboration”
3. You share the link with others
4. You can see all files uploaded by anyone
5. You can delete any file (Pro feature)
6. All uploaded files consume your storage quota

For Recipients (Collaborators)

When someone receives a collaborative link:

1. They open the link in their browser
2. They see all existing files
3. They can drag and drop files to upload
4. Their files appear immediately for everyone
5. They cannot delete any files (even their own)
6. They don’t need a FileGrab account

When to Use Collaborative Links

Collaborative links are perfect for:

Client File Collection

Scenario: You’re a photographer and need clients to send you source images.

1. Create a collaborative link
2. Share with your client
3. Client uploads their images directly
4. You receive files in one central location
5. No back-and-forth emails with attachments

Team File Gathering

Scenario: Collecting reports from team members for a project.

1. Create a collaborative link named “Q4 Reports”
2. Share in team Slack channel
3. Team members upload their individual reports
4. All files organized in one place
5. No need to manage individual submissions

Event Photo Collection

Scenario: Gathering photos from all attendees after an event.

1. Create a collaborative link after the event
2. Share with all attendees
3. Everyone uploads their photos
4. Instant photo pool without group chats
5. Owner can download all at once

Document Review Cycles

Scenario: Iterating on documents with clients or partners.

1. Upload initial draft
2. Enable collaboration
3. Client uploads their version with edits
4. You upload the revised version
5. All versions tracked in one link

Anonymous Submissions

Scenario: Collecting anonymous feedback or files.

1. Create a collaborative link
2. Share publicly or with a group
3. People can upload without identifying themselves
4. No email addresses or accounts required

Creating Your First Collaborative Link

Step 1: Create a New Link

[SCREENSHOT: User menu dropdown showing “New Link” option]

1. Click your avatar in the top-right corner
2. Select “New Link”
3. FileGrab creates a new empty link and redirects you

Alternatively, you can enable collaboration on any existing link you own.

Step 2: Enable Collaboration

[SCREENSHOT: Link settings modal with “Allow Collaboration” toggle]

On your link page:

1. Click the gear icon in the link bar
2. Find the “Allow Collaboration” toggle
3. Switch it to ON
4. Click “Save Changes”

You’ll immediately see a “Collaborative” badge appear in your link bar.

[SCREENSHOT: Link bar showing the “Collaborative” badge]

Step 3: Upload Initial Files (Optional)

You can pre-populate the link with files before sharing:

1. Drag and drop files onto the page
2. Or click the upload area to browse
3. Files upload instantly

This is helpful when you want to provide context or examples for what others should upload.

Step 4: Share the Link

[SCREENSHOT: Copy URL button highlighted]

Click the “Copy URL” button and share the link through:

• Email to specific people
• Slack or Teams channels
• Public posting (if appropriate)
• Text message or chat apps

Anyone with the link can now upload files.

Managing Collaborative Links

Viewing All Files

As the link owner, you see all files uploaded by anyone:

[SCREENSHOT: Gallery view showing files from multiple uploaders with timestamp metadata]

Each file shows:

• File name and size
• Upload timestamp
• File type icon or thumbnail
• Download and share options

The link shows total file count and combined size in the link bar.

Monitoring Storage Usage

All files uploaded to your collaborative link count against your storage quota:

[SCREENSHOT: Storage quota indicator showing usage]

• Free plan: 100MB total storage
• Pro plan: 10GB base storage (expandable)

Watch the storage indicator to ensure you don’t exceed your quota. When full:

• You can’t upload more files
• Others can’t upload to your collaborative links
• Existing files remain accessible

Deleting Files (Pro Feature)

Only link owners can delete files from collaborative links:

[SCREENSHOT: File with delete button (X) in top-right corner]

1. Hover over any file thumbnail
2. Click the X button that appears
3. Confirm deletion in the modal
4. File is removed and storage is freed

Note: Free users cannot delete individual files. Upgrade to Pro to manage collaborative link content.

Disabling Collaboration

To stop others from uploading:

1. Open link settings (gear icon)
2. Toggle “Allow Collaboration” to OFF
3. Click “Save Changes”

Existing files remain, but new uploads are blocked. The “Collaborative” badge disappears.

Advanced Collaborative Features

Combining with Password Protection (Pro)

Add password protection to control who can upload:

[SCREENSHOT: Link settings with both collaboration and password protection enabled]

1. Enable “Allow Collaboration”
2. Enable “Password Protection”
3. Set a strong password
4. Share link and password separately

Use case: Collecting files from a specific group while preventing public uploads.

Combining with Link Expiry

Set an expiry date to automatically close submissions:

[SCREENSHOT: Link settings showing custom expiry date picker]

1. Enable collaboration
2. Set expiry to your deadline (Pro feature: custom dates)
3. Share with contributors
4. Link automatically becomes inaccessible after expiry

Use case: “Submit your files by Friday at 5 PM” - set expiry to Friday 5 PM.

Forever Collaborative Links (Pro)

Pro users can create collaborative links that never expire:

1. Create a collaborative link
2. In settings, set expiry to “Forever”
3. Use as a permanent file collection point

Use case: Team shared folder that remains active indefinitely.

Best Practices for Collaborative Links

1. Set Clear Expectations

When sharing a collaborative link, tell recipients:

• What files you need (format, size, naming)
• Deadline for uploads
• Whether they should upload individually or all at once
• Any organizational structure (folders aren’t supported, so use clear file naming)

Example message:

Please upload your Q4 reports to this link by Friday:
https://filegrab.link/ABC123XY

Format: PDF only
Naming: YourName_Q4Report.pdf
Deadline: Friday 5 PM EST

2. Use Descriptive Link Labels

Name your collaborative link clearly:

[SCREENSHOT: Link settings showing label input field]

1. Open settings (gear icon)
2. Enter a label like “Client Photos - Smith Wedding”
3. Add description: “Upload all wedding photos here”
4. Save changes

Recipients see the label and description, which provides context.

3. Monitor Storage Proactively

Check your storage quota regularly when running collaborative links:

• Large files from many users add up quickly
• Set up storage notifications (FileGrab emails at 80% and 95%)
• Upgrade storage if needed (Pro: $1/GB beyond 10GB)
• Delete old collaborative links when done

4. Communicate File Naming Conventions

Since FileGrab doesn’t have folders, file naming is crucial:

Poor naming:

• report.pdf
• final.docx
• IMG_1234.jpg

Good naming:

• john-smith-q4-report.pdf
• sarah-jones-final-draft.docx
• jane-doe-headshot-2024.jpg

Include uploader name and file purpose in the filename.

5. Consider Privacy Implications

Anyone with a collaborative link can see all files uploaded by everyone:

• Don’t use for confidential individual submissions
• Files aren’t isolated by uploader
• Everyone sees everyone else’s uploads

For anonymous submissions where privacy matters, create individual links for each person instead.

6. Use Password Protection for Sensitive Collections

If collecting sensitive information:

1. Enable collaboration
2. Add password protection
3. Share link publicly, password privately
4. Only authorized people can upload

This prevents random uploads if the link is leaked.

Collaborative Link Limitations

No Folder Structure

FileGrab doesn’t support folders within links. All files appear in a single flat list:

• Encourage descriptive file naming
• Use prefixes for organization: “team1-”, “team2-”
• Download all and organize locally if needed

No User Attribution

Files don’t show who uploaded them:

• No “Uploaded by: Jane” metadata
• Ask users to include names in filenames
• Or request that uploaders send you a message when they upload

No File Versioning

If two people upload files with the same name:

• Both files are stored (FileGrab uses hash-based storage keys)
• Both appear in the file list
• File naming is critical to avoid confusion

Storage Quota Impact

All uploads count against your quota, not the uploader’s:

• Free: 100MB total (fills quickly with collaborative links)
• Pro: 10GB base (more reasonable)
• Monitor usage closely
• Communicate storage limits to collaborators

Troubleshooting Collaborative Links

”Upload failed” for Collaborators

Common causes:

Owner’s storage is full:

• Check if your quota is maxed out
• Delete old files or upgrade storage
• Communicate the issue to collaborators

File size exceeds limit:

• Free plan owner: 100MB max file size
• Pro plan owner: 2GB max file size
• Ask users to compress or split large files

Network issues:

• Have user retry the upload
• Try a different browser
• Check internet connection stability

Files Not Appearing for Collaborators

If someone uploads but files don’t appear:

1. Refresh the page (Cmd/Ctrl + R)
2. Check browser console for errors (F12)
3. Verify collaboration is still enabled
4. Ensure link hasn’t expired
5. Check that uploader didn’t lose connection during upload

Can’t Delete Other People’s Files

This is expected behavior - only link owners can delete files from collaborative links. If you need to remove a file:

• Contact the link owner
• Or if you are the owner, ensure you’re logged in

Too Many Files to Manage

If your collaborative link has hundreds of files:

1. Download all as a ZIP (Download All button)
2. Organize locally on your computer
3. Delete the collaborative link
4. Create a new, organized link with the final files

Real-World Success Stories

Wedding Photography Collection

A photographer created a collaborative link for wedding guests to upload their photos. Result:

• 47 guests uploaded files
• 312 photos collected
• Single link instead of email chain
• Couple received all memories in one place

University Group Project

Students used a collaborative link for their semester project:

• 5 team members contributed research
• Version history through dated filenames
• No need for shared Google Drive or Dropbox
• Simple link shared in group chat

Job Application Portal

A small business created a collaborative link for resume submissions:

• Posted link on website careers page
• Applicants uploaded resumes directly
• No email inbox overload
• All applications organized in one place

Design Client Feedback

A designer collected client feedback files:

• Client uploaded annotated screenshots
• Designer uploaded revised designs
• Back-and-forth in one link
• Complete project history preserved

Collaborative Links vs Other Solutions

vs Email Attachments

Email:

• Scattered across multiple emails
• Attachment size limits (usually 25MB)
• Hard to organize
• Inbox clutter

Collaborative Link:

• Single organized location
• Up to 2GB per file (Pro)
• Easy to browse all files
• Clean and simple

vs Google Drive Sharing

Google Drive:

• Requires Google account
• Permission management complexity
• Folder structure can be confusing
• External users might resist

Collaborative Link:

• No account required
• Simple on/off collaboration
• Flat file list is straightforward
• Works for anyone with a browser

vs Dropbox File Requests

Dropbox File Requests:

• Requires Dropbox account for owner
• $12/mo minimum for file requests
• Files hidden from each other (one-way)

Collaborative Link:

• FileGrab Pro: $10/mo with more features
• Files visible to all (transparency)
• True collaborative space

vs WeTransfer

WeTransfer:

• 2GB limit on free (but one-way)
• Files expire in 7 days
• No collaboration features

Collaborative Link:

• Two-way sharing
• Forever links (Pro)
• Real-time collaboration

Start Collaborating Today

Collaborative links transform FileGrab from a simple file sharing tool into a powerful collaboration platform. Whether you’re collecting client files, gathering team documents, or running a public submission portal, collaborative links make it effortless.

Ready to enable two-way file sharing? Get FileGrab Pro and create your first collaborative link today.

FileGrab Pro includes:

• Unlimited collaborative links
• 10GB storage and 2GB file uploads
• Delete files from collaborative links
• Forever links with custom expiry
• Password protection and end-to-end encryption
• No ads, ever

Upgrade now and start collaborating.