Dropbox Connection

Dropbox is commercial file hosting service that offers free and paid plans.

Tella allows users to sign into their Dropbox account directly from Tella and upload files directly to it.

Similarly to other server connections (like Tella Web, Google Drive, Nextcloud, Uwazi or Open Data Kit), connecting to a Dropbox server enhances the security of data collected on Tella by:

1. Permitir aos usuários coletar dados diretamente de dentro do contêiner criptografado do Tella.
2. Ensuring that data is sent directly from Tella to Dropbox, without needing to install the Dropbox app on the device or sending the data through a third-party app.
3. Allowing users to back up their data to a remote server, to lower the risk that data is discovered on their mobile device.
4. Assegurar que as organizações possam preservar informações importantes, mesmo no caso de apreensão ou destruição de dispositivo, e possam organizá-las para uso em processos de pesquisa, advocacia pública ou processos de responsabilização.

Submissions to Dropbox take the form of "reports" which include a title, a text description, and files like photos, videos and audio recordings.

danger

Even though data is transferred to the server securely (SSL), anyone with access to the Dropbox account can view the files. If you need encrypted file transfers, explore Nearby Sharing.

note

The Dropbox connection is not available in Tella Android FOSS, because it uses closed-sourced libraries.

When to Use Dropbox

The Dropbox connection may be particularly well-suited for:

• Organizations that already use Dropbox.
• Organizations that cannot or don't want to self-host an app (like Tella Web server) on a server.
• Users who already have a Dropbox account and want to backup their data to the cloud.
• Projects where the privacy needs do not preclude the use of a cloud or commercial tool like Dropbox.
• Users who will be sending mostly media files, with some text and don't need structured data collection like forms or surveys.

tip

If you need help figuring out if Dropbox is best for your use-case, check out this guide or contact us!

Connect to Dropbox

In order to connect to Dropbox:

• Navegue para: ** Configurações ⚙️** > Conexões > +
• Select "Dropbox" from the list of available server types.
• A new page will automatically open in your phone's web browser and direct you to Dropbox.
• Login your Dropbox account in your web browser.
• Grant Tella permissions to modify your Dropbox account (we need this permission to be able to upload files to your drive and create folders on your behalf).

Manage the Dropbox connection

• In Settings ⚙️ > Connections > Dropbox > ⫶ you can:
  • Delete the connection

For the moment it is not possible to sign into multiple Dropbox accounts at the same time. If you want to sign-in with another account, delete your Dropbox connection and create a new one.

Submit to Dropbox

• Once connected, a "Dropbox" card will appear in the "Connections" section of the homescreen. Tap on this card to start submitting to Dropbox.
• The main Dropbox screen allows navigation between the Drafts, Outbox, and Submitted tabs.
• Tap the "New report" button at the bottom of the screen to create a new report to Dropbox.
  • On the "New report" screen you can fill in the report's details, including title, description, and optional attachments of photos, videos and audio recordings.
• Use the "Save draft" button 💾 (on the top right of the screen) to save the report as a draft without leaving the "New report" screen.
  • Para ser capaz de salvar como um rascunho, você precisa ao menos inserir o título do relatório.
  • Uma mensagem será exibida na tela para confirmar que o rascunho foi salvo.
• The "Submit later" button ⏱️ saves the report to the Outbox for manual submission.
  • The "Outbox" tab is often used when data collectors don’t have access to the internet or if the connection is not stable.
• The “Submit” button immediately sends the report to Dropbox.
  • If submission fails due to connectivity issues, the report goes to the “Outbox" tab.
  • If the report is submitted correctly, it goes to the “Submitted” tab and a new folder (named after the report title you typed in) will be created in Dropbox under Applications >> Tella. All attachments will be added to the folder and the description will be added as a text file inside the folder.

Draft Reports

A Draft report is a report that was created and saved but not yet submitted. Drafts reports are useful to save work in progress that can be editted later on. It allows users to create reports offline or over a long period of time before finalizing and sending them. This is especially useful in low-connectivity areas or when a user needs to gather information in multiple stages.

Reports in the Draft tab can be edited.

• On the "New report" screen, tap the "Save draft" button 💾 (on the top right of the screen) to save the report as a draft.
  • A confirmation will be displayed, and you can continue working on the report or exit to come back to it later.
• If you try to exit a report without saving, you will be asked to confirm whether you are sure you want to exit without saving.
• Na aba Rascunhos, você pode visualizar e gerenciar os rascunhos de relatório. Abra um rascunho de relatório para continuar trabalhando nele e submetê-lo.
• You can delete a draft report by tapping on ⫶ > Delete or by entering the report and tapping the Delete button.

Submit a Report to Dropbox

• Em um relatório, toque "Submeter" para iniciar a submissão do relatório.
• Você será redirecionado para uma tela de resumo que exibirá o progresso do carregamento para cada arquivo anexado.
• Um botão "Excluir" está disponível para interromper o carregamento e excluir o relatório.
• Se o relatório estiver sendo ativamente submetido, um botão "Pausar" permite a você suspender temporariamente o carregamento, o qual pode ser retomado mais tarde com o uso do botão "Retomar".
• Sair de um relatório não afeta o status do carregamento. Se o relatório está ativamente sendo carregado, o processo continua.

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After a report has been uploaded to Dropbox, it is not possible to delete it on Dropbox from the Tella mobile app. Deleting a submitted report will only delete the local version of it, not the report on the server.

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Deleting a report in the middle of submission will cancel the upload of the files that haven’t been uploaded yet, but submitted files and partially submitted files that are already on Dropbox won’t be deleted.

Caixa de Saída

The Outbox tab contains reports that are finalized and have been saved for later submission. Reports in the Outbox are ready to be submitted once the device reconnects to the internet or when the user chooses to manually send them.

Reports in the Outbox tab cannot be edited.

To send a report to the Outbox, use the Submit later button (⏱️), at the bottom left of the Submit Report screen.

The Outbox contains:

• Submissões pausadas
• Submissões de relatório que foram interrompidas devido a problemas de conectividade.
• Relatórios marcados como "Submeter mais tarde"

tip

If you need a fully offline way to share files with others, consider exploring Nearby Sharing.

Relatórios Submetidos

• The Submitted tab displays reports that have been successfully submitted to the Dropbox server.
• In the Submitted tab, you can view and deleted the submitted reports.

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If the internet connection is interrupted, reports will go to the "Outbox" tab and you will need to manually resume the submission.