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Send and Receive Files (Users with a NetID)

This article applies to: Cornell Secure File Transfer

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If you have a Cornell NetID, you can use Cornell Secure File Transfer to send and receive files from people who have Cornell NetIDs. You can also exchange files with people who do not have a NetID if you add their email address to your Whitelist.

If you are an external Secure File Transfer user without a Cornell NetID, see the instructions for Send and Receive Files (External Users Without a Cornell NetID).

Send a file

  1. Go to Cornell Secure File Transfer.
  2. Click NetID Login, then login with your NetID / password and Two-Step Login. 
If you're a user with a NetID, you can check the box Remember to use NetID Login option on this computer. When you do this, during future logins your current browser will use the NetID option as your default login preference. This will not log your in automatically—you will still need to log in using your NetID and Two-Step Login. This option should never be used on shared or public computers. If a subsequent login is unsuccessful, the next time you return to the login screen the option will be unchecked again.
  1. Click Prepare Upload. The Send File(s) page will open. Send files screen showing To field, checkbox options, and files to send  
  2. Specify recipients in the To: field:
    1. For Cornell recipients, enter the person’s NetID and click add. 
    2. For non-Cornell recipients, enter the person’s email address and click add. 
    3. You can add additional recipients by repeating step 4a or 4b as needed.
To be able to add an external recipient, you must have previously added them to your whitelist. See Add an external user to your Whitelist.
  1. By default, Notify Recipients by Email is checked, and it's recommended you leave it checked.
  2. By default, cc: is checked. This means you will be sent a copy of the email. It's also recommended you leave this checked.
  3. By default, the email subject line will be "Secure File Transfer File(s) Received." You can add a short label or description to help the recipients understand what file you are sending.
  4. Use the How Many Files dropdown list to specify the number of files you’ll be sharing with these recipients. The system will create a box for each file, named File #1, File #2, etc.
  5. For each file to be sent:
    1. Click Browse and navigate to your file.
    2. Text entered in the Notes field will appear in the notification email message with the file name and link.
    3. Use the Expiration drop-down list to indicate how long the file will remain available to the recipients.
You cannot extend the expiration period of an uploaded file. However, you may download, and then upload the file again, before the expiration date makes it no longer accessible.
  1. In the event you need to add more files than you originally specified in step 8, either scroll up and use the How Many Files dropdown to select a larger number of files, or click the Add Another File button (resembles a plus with a paper clip).
  2. Click Send when done adding files.
When sending a very large file or large batch of files, or when working from a location with a slow internet connection speed, be sure an upload process that you have begun has fully completed before preparing a new upload. Uploading a new batch of files for transfer will interrupt and cancel any uploads still in process in favor of the new one. If this happens, be aware that you will need to upload and send the first file or group of files again.
  1. If you included a non-Cornell address, you will need to give the recipient the password you assigned during the whitelisting process.
Do not send this password in the Notes field or in any other email. Instead, use a more secure method, such as a phone call or fax.

Notify the recipients

  • If you left the Notify Recipients by Email box checked in step 5 in the Send a File section above, each recipient will get an email message with the file names, notes, and links to the files. This is the recommended method. For important security considerations, see Avoid Revealing Confidential Information in Email.
  • If you turned notification off, you’ll need to tell your recipients to log into Secure File Transfer and look in their Inbox for your file. The detailed procedure is given below for users with NetIDs and here for external users.
  • You will be identified in the notification email by the way your name is stored in the Cornell directory. 

Receive a file

  1. Click on the link in the email you received. File Received Email showing link to download files  
  2. Click NetID Login then login with your NetID and password.
  3. Click Download.
  4. Save the file.

OR

  1. Go to Cornell Secure File Transfer.
  2. Click NetID Login then login with your NetID and password. You’ll be shown the contents of your Inbox. Inbox screen showing options to Select All, None, or Deleted, and file listings  
  3. Click the name of the file you want to download. To select more than one file, click the checkbox beside each file. To select all files click All, or to de-select all files click None.
  4. Click Download.
  5. Read the security notice, then click Download again.
  6. Save the file.

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