Files: Tracking file and folder changes

Tracking file and folder changes

We can view file and folder changes and request notification when changes are made to a file, folder, or view.

When you follow a file or folder, notifications are sent to the home page when the file or folder is updated.
Also, we can choose to receive updates by email in the email settings. If we choose to receive email notifications, you will receive an email with a Subscribe to this file link when someone shares a file with you. See Set email notification preferences.
Folders, files, and file lists provide feed links. We can optionally subscribe to these feeds to receive update notifications in the feed reader. See Subscribing to a feed.
The following file tracking capabilities are available:

Versioning – Each time a new version of a file is uploaded, the version number increments.

Commenting – Commenting is available to everyone who has access to the file.

Feed reader subscription and update notification – People receive notification when updates are made to a file they own or that has been shared with them. People can optionally create a feed to receive update notification in their feed reader of choice.

Perform any of these tasks to view and follow file and folder changes:

Option Description

To be notified when a file is added to a folder

Open a folder and click Follow.
By default this option is selected for folders that you own and deselected for public folders and folders we are a member of.

To be notified when a file is edited or commented on

Open the file page and click More Actions > Follow.
By default this is selected for files that you own and deselected for public files and files shared with you.

To subscribe to a list feed

We can subscribe to a file list or a folder.
Open the view list and click the feed link, for example Feed for These Folders.
When you pin a folder, you get email notifications when there are changes to the folder.

To subscribe to a single file feed (comments or versions)

Open the file page.
To subscribe to comment updates, click the Comments tag and then click Feed for These Comments.
To subscribe to version updates, click the Versions tag and then click Feed for These Versions.

To view information about a file

Open the file page and click the About this File tab. We can find when the file was added and last updated. Also, we can see large it is, how many times the file has been recommended and downloaded, how many of those downloads were by anonymous users, and see which users downloaded the file.
To learn about versions that have been uploaded, click the Versions tab.
To learn about comments that have been posted, click the Comments tab.
To learn about how the file is shared, click the Sharing tab.
To learn which folders contain links to the file, click the Folders tab.

Related concepts:

Use a file version

Related:

Set email notification preferences
Subscribing to feeds

Option	Description
To be notified when a file is added to a folder	Open a folder and click Follow. By default this option is selected for folders that you own and deselected for public folders and folders we are a member of.
To be notified when a file is edited or commented on	Open the file page and click More Actions > Follow. By default this is selected for files that you own and deselected for public files and files shared with you.
To subscribe to a list feed	We can subscribe to a file list or a folder. Open the view list and click the feed link, for example Feed for These Folders. When you pin a folder, you get email notifications when there are changes to the folder.
To subscribe to a single file feed (comments or versions)	Open the file page. To subscribe to comment updates, click the Comments tag and then click Feed for These Comments. To subscribe to version updates, click the Versions tag and then click Feed for These Versions.
To view information about a file	Open the file page and click the About this File tab. We can find when the file was added and last updated. Also, we can see large it is, how many times the file has been recommended and downloaded, how many of those downloads were by anonymous users, and see which users downloaded the file. To learn about versions that have been uploaded, click the Versions tab. To learn about comments that have been posted, click the Comments tab. To learn about how the file is shared, click the Sharing tab. To learn which folders contain links to the file, click the Folders tab.