Amazon WorkDocs FAQs

Q. What is Amazon WorkDocs?

Amazon WorkDocs is a fully managed, secure enterprise storage and sharing service with strong administrative controls and feedback capabilities that improve user productivity. Users can comment on files, send them to others for feedback, and upload new versions without having to resort to emailing multiple versions of their files as attachments. Users can take advantage of these capabilities wherever they are, using the device of their choice, including PCs, Macs, and tablets. Amazon WorkDocs offers IT administrators the option of integrating with existing corporate directories, flexible sharing policies and control of the location where data is stored. Customers can get started using Amazon WorkDocs with a 30-day free trial providing 1 TB of storage per user for up to 50 users.

Q. How can I get started using Amazon WorkDocs?

You can get started with Amazon WorkDocs by visiting the AWS Management Console and setting up a WorkDocs site for your organization. If you do not already have an AWS account, you will need to create one.

Q. What devices can I use to access files stored in Amazon WorkDocs?

Using a web browser, you can access your files anywhere, anytime from your laptop, desktop computer, iPad, Kindle Fire, Android tablet, or phone. You can also access Amazon WorkDocs with free applications for iPad, Kindle Fire, and Android tablets that you can download from iTunes, Amazon Appstore for Android, and Google Play. Amazon WorkDocs also offers a free desktop application, Amazon WorkDocs Drive, that is available for PC and Mac.

Q. What kind of files can I store?

You can store virtually any type of file on Amazon WorkDocs.

Q. What types of files can I preview or comment on with Amazon WorkDocs?

You can preview and comment on Microsoft Office files (documents, spreadsheets, and presentations), PDFs, web pages, images, and text files directly in Amazon WorkDocs.

Q. How long are deleted folders and files retained?

Deleted folders and files are moved to the Recycle Bin and are kept there for 30 days so they can be recovered if needed.

Q. Do I need to install the application that was used to create the original file to preview or comment on a supported file type?

No. You can preview or comment on any of the supported file types without installing the application that created the file.

Q. What is the maximum file size that can be uploaded to WorkDocs?

Using the Drive client on Mac or PC, you can upload individual files up to 5TB in size. We recommend using the Drive client to transfer large files to WorkDocs.

Q. How much data can I store?

There is no limit on the amount of data and number of documents you can store. Each individual user account on Amazon WorkDocs includes 1 TB of storage capacity by default. Administrators can set storage limits for individual users and also purchase additional storage for users on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Q. How do I get my users started with Amazon WorkDocs?

Once you have set up your Amazon WorkDocs site using the AWS Management Console, you can invite users to start using Amazon WorkDocs to store and share their files and collaborate with others.

Q. Can I use Amazon WorkDocs on my mobile device?

Yes. Users can access Amazon WorkDocs using free applications for iPad, Kindle Fire, and Android tablets that you can download from iTunes, Amazon Appstore for Android, and Google Play. Users can also access Amazon WorkDocs using the web browser on any mobile device.

Q. Will I have offline access to documents in Amazon WorkDocs on my mobile device?

Users can select which documents to make available for offline viewing using our free applications for iPad, Kindle Fire, and Android tablets and can also leave comments on documents in offline mode. These comments will sync with Amazon WorkDocs the next time users open the application after the device has reconnected to the Internet.

Q. Can I use the Amazon WorkDocs mobile apps to access, store, and sync content from other apps on my device?

Yes, you can send files between WorkDocs and other apps, provided that they support this capability.

When using an iOS device, you can open a WorkDocs file in another iOS app by selecting “Share” from the main menu in the WorkDocs app. You can save a file to WorkDocs by sending it to the WorkDocs app from the iOS app you’re using. To learn more about sharing files between WorkDocs and other iOS apps, please see the documentation as follows:

• iPhone: Opening a File in Another iOS App to View or Edit 
• iPhone: Saving a File from Another iOS App to Amazon WorkDocs
• iPad: Opening a File in Another iOS App to View or Edit
• iPad: Saving a File from Another iOS App to Amazon WorkDocs

When using an Android device, simply choose “Send File” from the file dropdown menu in the WorkDocs app, and choose the app you want to use to open the file. To learn more about using WorkDocs on Android devices, please see the documentation as follows:

• Android phone: Amazon WorkDocs Android Phone Client
• Android tablet: Amazon WorkDocs Android Tablet Client

Q. How do I store photos from my Camera Roll in Amazon WorkDocs when using an iOS device?

To store photos from your Camera Roll, open your Photos app, select your photos, tap the share button, and select WorkDocs. To learn more, please see the documentation as follows:

• iPhone: Saving a File from Another iOS App to Amazon WorkDocs
• iPad: Saving a File from Another iOS App to Amazon WorkDocs

Q. How do I save email attachments in Amazon WorkDocs when using an iOS device?

To store email attachments in Amazon WorkDocs, open the email containing the attachment, select the attachment, tap the share button, and select WorkDocs. To learn more, please see the documentation as follows:

• iPhone: Saving a File from Another iOS App to Amazon WorkDocs
• iPad: Saving a File from Another iOS App to Amazon WorkDocs

Q. Which browsers does the Amazon WorkDocs web application work on?

The Amazon WorkDocs web application supports recent versions of Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Safari.

Q. Can I open a file and edit it from the web client?

Yes, you can open Microsoft Office, .pdf, and .txt files using the default applications on your computer and save changes on Amazon WorkDocs. To do this, select Edit from the drop-down menu when viewing the file. You will be prompted to install Amazon WorkDocs Companion. The file will open using the default application on your computer and changes will be saved as a new version on Amazon WorkDocs when you save the file.

Q. What is Amazon WorkDocs Companion?

Amazon WorkDocs Companion is an app that lets you edit Microsoft Office, .pdf, and .txt files from the Amazon WorkDocs web client using the default application on your computer. When you save the file, your changes are saved on Amazon WorkDocs as a new version. With Amazon WorkDocs Companion, you no longer need to manually download, save, and upload files when using the web client.

Q. Which operating systems and browsers can run Amazon WorkDocs Companion?

Amazon WorkDocs Companion is available for Windows 7 or later, Windows Server 2008 or later, and Mac OS X 10.1 or later, and is compatible with recent versions of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari. You must enable Adobe Flash 10 or higher for your browser to use the app with Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari. Once you install the app, it works with all browsers. You do not require administrator rights to install the app.

Q. Does Amazon WorkDocs Companion support private browsing?

No, Amazon WorkDocs Companion does not support private browsing.

Q. Do I have to install Amazon WorkDocs Companion for every browser?

No, once you install Amazon WorkDocs Companion on your computer, it works with all browsers.

Q. Can I use Amazon WorkDocs Companion with multiple WorkDocs sites?

Yes, Amazon WorkDocs Companion can be used with multiple WorkDocs sites on your computer.

Q. Can I use Amazon WorkDocs Companion and the Amazon WorkDocs Drive client at the same time?

Yes, you can use both. Amazon WorkDocs Companion makes it easy for you to immediately start editing files from the Amazon WorkDocs web client using the default application on your computer. The Drive client provides a fast way to synchronize files between Amazon WorkDocs and your computer, and access your files and folder directly on your computer.

Q. Who can open and edit files using Amazon WorkDocs Companion?

Owners, co-owners, and contributors can open and edit files.

Q. What happens if I edit a locked file?

A locked file will not be overwritten with changes you make. The file owner will need to unlock the file before changes you make are saved. Amazon WorkDocs Companion does not automatically lock or unlock files when you are editing them.

Q. Can I send diagnostic logs for Amazon WorkDocs Companion? 

Yes, you can send diagnostic logs for Amazon WorkDocs Companion to the Amazon WorkDocs team. To do this, select the Amazon WorkDocs Companion app icon in your system tray and click Send Diagnostic Logs. Diagnostic logs help the Amazon WorkDocs team to troubleshoot any issues you may experience.

Diagnostic logs may contain information regarding your operating system, file names, organization/registration details, and Amazon WorkDocs Companion settings. 

Q. Where can I download Amazon WorkDocs Companion?

The first time you select Edit from the drop-down menu when viewing a file, you will be prompted to download Amazon WorkDocs Companion. You can also download it from WorkDocs Resources. You do not need to be an administrator on your computer to install the app.

Q. What is Amazon WorkDocs Drive?

Amazon WorkDocs Drive is a mounted drive that provides access to all of your files on-demand, without using your hard drive to store your content. You can access and edit files, just as if they were stored locally, using Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder, you can create a sharable link, invite uses to access your files, easily lock, unlock, and open any file in the Amazon WorkDocs web client. You can also favorite files for offline access.

Amazon WorkDocs Drive is available for Microsoft Windows, macOS, and for Amazon WorkSpaces.

Q. How does Amazon WorkDocs Drive work?

With Amazon WorkDocs Drive, all of your content on Amazon WorkDocs is available on-demand through a mounted drive. You can access and edit files just like they were stored locally from Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder. When you add or edit files or folders in your drive, changes are automatically synced with Amazon WorkDocs Drive, and across your devices.

Q. Where can I download Amazon WorkDocs Drive?

You can download Amazon WorkDocs Drive for WorkSpaces on the WorkDocs Resources page and request to join the limited preview for Windows desktops here.

Q. How do I set up Amazon WorkDocs Drive?

For Windows: When Amazon WorkDocs Drive is launched for the first time, you will be prompted to enter a site name. This is your Amazon WorkDocs Drive site name. For example, if you are using www.mysite.awsapp.com to access your site, “mysite” is the site name. Once your site name is entered, you will enter your user name and password. If you have administrator enabled single sign on (SSO) for Amazon WorkDocs, you will be automatically signed in to Amazon WorkDocs Drive when you log into your desktop.

For Mac: After you download the WorkDocs Drive client for Mac, you can follow the prompts to complete installation and then run the application from the Launchpad section on your macOS device. After that, you will be prompted to enter a site name. This is your Amazon WorkDocs Drive site name. For example, if you are using www.mysite.awsapp.com to access your site, “mysite” is the site name. Once your site name is entered, you will enter your user name and password. If you have administrator enabled single sign on (SSO) for Amazon WorkDocs, you will be automatically signed in to Amazon WorkDocs Drive when you log into your device. 

Q. What happens when you open a file in Amazon WorkDocs Drive?

The file is downloaded on-demand for you to view or edit. When you save or close the file, it is automatically synced to Amazon WorkDocs Drive. There is no local copy stored on your desktop, unless you have favorited the file for offline access.

Q. What collaboration features does Amazon WorkDocs Drive provide?

You can share links to your files, invite Amazon WorkDocs Drive users to collaborate on your files, lock files while you’re working on them to keep them from being overwritten, add files to your favorites in Amazon WorkDocs Drive, store your favorites for offline access, easily search for files on Amazon WorkDocs Drive, and open any file in the Amazon WorkDocs Drive web client to provide feedback. All changes you make are automatically synced to Amazon WorkDocs Drive over an encrypted connection.

Q. How can I add feedback to files on Amazon WorkDocs Drive?

You can open a file on Amazon WorkDocs Drive in the web client by right clicking it, and selecting Open Amazon WorkDocs Drive in browser. The Amazon WorkDocs Drive web client can view 25+ file types for you to view and provide feedback on.

Q. Can I work on my files stored on Amazon WorkDocs Drive when I am offline?

By default, your files on Amazon WorkDocs Drive are streamed to you on-demand when you access them. However, you can favorite files and folders for offline access. To favorite a file or folder on Amazon WorkDocs Drive, right click it and select Add to Favorites. To store your favorites locally for offline access, right click Amazon WorkDocs Drive and select Store Favorites Locally. Changes made while you’re offline will be synced to Amazon WorkDocs Drive once you’re online.

Q. How can I search files in Amazon WorkDocs Drive?

You can search for files by file name in Amazon WorkDocs Drive by left clicking the Amazon WorkDocs Drive icon in the system tray.

Q. How do I add and remove files in Amazon WorkDocs Drive?

All your files on Amazon WorkDocs Drive are available through Amazon WorkDocs Drive. Any file you add to Amazon WorkDocs Drive through Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder will be added to Amazon WorkDocs Drive, and synced to your other devices. Any file you remove from Amazon WorkDocs Drive will be deleted, and moved to the Amazon WorkDocs Drive recycle bin.

Q. Can I perform standard actions on files and folders in Amazon WorkDocs Drive?

Yes, in Amazon WorkDocs Drive you can create, rename, move, and delete files and folders through Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder. You can also see file and folder properties like file size, date modified, and file type. You cannot create files in the root of the “Shared with Me” folder. You also cannot delete files or folders you do not own, or co-own. You will receive an “Access Denied” error.

Q. What do the icons on my files in Amazon WorkDocs Drive mean?

Amazon WorkDocs Drive shows three icons depending on the status of your files: files available online are shown with a blue cloud icon, files stored locally are shown with a green checkmark icon, and files syncing to Amazon WorkDocs Drive are shown with a blue syncing icon.

Q. Can I store a file with any name on Amazon WorkDocs Drive?

You can store any type of file or folder on Amazon WorkDocs Drive. However, a file or folder cannot have a name longer than 160 characters, and cannot be larger than 5 TB. Also, your file and folder cannot have the following characters in its name:

• *
• /
• \
• :
• <
• >
• ?
• |
• "
• character code 202E 
• any file/folder that has a trailing space (“ “) or period (“.”)
  

Q. Does Amazon WorkDocs Drive support multi-user access?

No, Amazon WorkDocs Drive does not support multiple users on the same desktop.

Q. Can I still use the mobile app, or web client to access my files on Amazon WorkDocs Drive?

Yes, all files stored on Amazon WorkDocs Drive are available in clients that you have configured.

Q. How do you authenticate to Amazon WorkDocs Drive on your PC?

You need to be Amazon WorkDocs Drive user (trial, paid, or bundled) to be able to use Amazon WorkDocs Drive. For domain-joined PC, your directory credentials (Simple Active Directory, Connected Active Directory, or Managed Active Directory) will authenticate you with Amazon WorkDocs Drive.

Q. What are supported platforms and system requirements?

Amazon WorkDocs Drive is compatible with Amazon WorkSpaces. Amazon WorkDocs Drive is available for Microsoft Windows 7, 8, 10+, and Microsoft Windows Server 2008, 2012 R2, and 2016 in limited preview.

Q. How can I install Amazon WorkDocs Drive for all users in my organization?

Amazon WorkDocs Drive uses a Windows MSI based installer and requires admin rights to install. If you have a domain joined group of computers, the administrator can install Amazon WorkDocs Drive using group policy.

Q. How does Amazon WorkDocs Drive update?

Amazon WorkDocs Drive automatically updates when new versions are available.

Q. Is Single Sign-On (SSO) supported?

Yes. Single Sign-On (SSO) can be enabled so that when users are signed in to Amazon WorkDocs Drive they will be automatically signed in to Amazon WorkDocs Drive, and will not be required to provide credentials when they access the web client. You can enable SSO by visiting the AWS Directory Service area of the AWS console, clicking the directory ID link for your directory and selecting the Apps & Services tab. For more information and detailed setup see our documentation.

Q. Can Amazon WorkDocs Drive admins enable Multi-Factor Authentication with Amazon WorkDocs Drive?

Yes, Amazon WorkDocs Drive supports multi-factor authentication (MFA) using Microsoft Active Directory. Enabling MFA requires users to implement one-time passcodes (OTP) for use with their Active Directory (AD) username and password. You can connect Microsoft AD to your existing Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS)–based MFA solution. RADIUS is an industry-standard protocol that authenticates and authorizes network access securely. To enable MFA with Microsoft AD, the customer’s RADIUS server must support OTP-style MFA or have a plug-in that does so. Microsoft AD supports both virtual and hardware MFA OTP tokens.

Q. Does Amazon WorkDocs Drive replace Amazon WorkDocs’ older desktop client, Sync?

Yes. Sync client is no longer supported and is being deprecated on October 15, 2022. If you are still using Sync client after October 15, 2022, you will no longer be able to sign in to Sync client. To continue syncing files between your local machine and WorkDocs, you will need to install Amazon WorkDocs Drive.

Q. How do I transfer files from my computer to Amazon WorkDocs?

You can either upload files through a web browser by clicking on the "Add Content" button and selecting single or multiple files or you can drag-and-drop files directly into your browser from your desktop. You can also add files to Amazon WorkDocs by moving them to Amazon WorkDocs Drive through Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder.

Q. What types of files can I upload to Amazon WorkDocs?

You can upload virtually any type of file to Amazon WorkDocs. You will be able to preview Microsoft Office files (documents, spreadsheets, and presentations), PDFs, web pages, images, and text files directly within the Amazon WorkDocs web application and the Amazon WorkDocs iPad, Kindle Fire, and Android applications.

Q. When I upload a file or create a folder, who can access it?

By default, all files that you upload or folders that you create are private. Users have the option of sharing documents and folders with others.

Q. Can I track previous versions of my files?

Yes, you can upload an unlimited number of versions per file. Each version can be easily retrieved when you access Amazon WorkDocs with a web browser.

Q. What types of files can I preview or comment on with Amazon WorkDocs?

You can preview and comment on Microsoft Office files (documents, spreadsheets, and presentations), PDFs, web pages, images, and text files directly in the Amazon WorkDocs web client.

• The following file types are rendered as PDF files in the preview panel:
  MS Word
• XML
• RTF
• XHTML+XML
• OPEN DOCUMENT
• Javascript
• X-JAVASCRIPT
• X-SH
• X-PYTHON
• LOTUS-SCREENCAM
• SMIL
• XSLT+XML
• HTML
• TEXT
• CSV
• X-C
• X-C++
• X-MAKEFILE
• X-JAVA-SOURCE
• X-JAVA
• JAVASCRIPT
• X-PERL-SCRIPT
• X-PYTHON-SCRIPT
• X-RUBY SCRIPT
• OPEN XML
• MS EXCEL
• OPEN XML SPREADSHEET
• POWERPOINT
• OPEN XML PRESENTATION
• MS-POWERPOINT
• MSPOWERPOINT
• PDF
• JPEG
• PNG
• TIFF
• BMP

Q. What happens to a user’s documents after he leaves the company?

Once the user leaves the company his documents stay as is in WorkDocs.

Q. How long will the inactive user’s documents be maintained?

The users’ documents will be maintained in his account till the time the user account is deleted or all his documents are transferred to another user.

Q. How can I transfer the documents of a user who has left the company or moved teams, to another user? What permissions or role do I require to transfer documents?

Only a site administrator can transfer the documents from one user’s account to another. The administrator can go to the admin console, set the first user as inactive and transfer his documents to another user.

Q. How can I lock a file in Amazon WorkDocs to prevent others from making changes?

To lock a file, simply locate it using the WorkDocs web client or mobile app and select Lock from the file action menu. A lock will appear next to the file name to indicate that the file has been locked.

Q. What happens when I lock a file?

When you lock a file, nobody else can upload a new version of that file, until you unlock the file. If someone else needs access to the file, they can request that you unlock it, and you’ll be notified of the request. If you are using Amazon WorkDocs Drive on your WorkSpace, changes made to your files will not be synced until the file is unlocked.

Q. How can I see if a file is locked or unlocked?

Locked files in WorkDocs will display a lock icon next to the file name. If you see the lock icon, the file is locked for editing.

Q. When can I lock a file?

To lock a file in WorkDocs, you need to be the file owner, a co-owner, or a contributor. Assuming you have one of these permission levels, you can lock a file anytime that it is not already locked.

Q. How do I unlock a file?

You can unlock a file by simply choosing one of the unlock options from the file action menu. If you’ve already uploaded a new version of the file, you can keep your changes by selecting Unlock & save changes, or you can discard them by choosing Unlock & discard changes.

Q. Who can unlock a file?

A file can be unlocked by the user who originally locked the file, by the file owner, or by any of the file co-owners.

Q. Can I request a file lock to be released?

If you have contributor permissions, you can request a file to be unlocked. If you are the file owner or co-owner, you can request the file to be unlocked, or you can unlock the file yourself. If you have viewer permissions, you can't request a file to be unlocked.

Q. Who is notified when a request is made to unlock a file?

The user who locked the file, the file owner, and any file co-owners all receive a request to unlock the file.

Q. Can I lock and unlock files using the Amazon WorkDocs mobile apps?

Yes. The Amazon WorkDocs mobile app allows you to lock and unlock files, and request a file to be unlocked.

Q. How do I share a file with others?

Users can share files inside or outside their organization by sharing a link or inviting anyone using a valid email address. They can create a shareable link for any file on Amazon WorkDocs by clicking “Share a link”. When sharing a link, users can make their link public to anyone or restrict access to only users on their Amazon WorkDocs site. They can also specify an expiration date, set a four-digit password for access, and disable a shared link at any time. Administrators control if public links can be created, can limit which users create links, and can disable all existing public links at any time. This makes it easy to embed links to files in documents and web pages.

They can also invite internal and external users to collaborate by selecting “Share by invite” from the file drop-down menu, and entering a valid email address. If the recipient is a user, they will log in to WorkDocs to view the file. If the recipient is not a user, they will create a guest user account the first time they log in to view the file. There is no charge for guest users, and administrators can upgrade a guest user to a standard user at any time. Administrators control who can invite guest users, can disable guest users at any time, and can audit all guest user activity in the Activity Feed. 

Guest users make it easy to collaborate with external users such as vendors or contractors at no additional charge. They can easily log in to access files shared with them, and don’t need an administrator to create accounts for them. Once they’re done working with your team, you can simply remove their accounts.

Q. What options do I have when I select “Share a Link”?

You can select from the following options for the link:

• Enable or disable your link: all links are enabled by default when you click “Share a Link”. You can disable a link at any time.
• Expiration date: there is no expiration date by default. You can specify a date for the link to disable.
• Password: you can specify a numeric password up to four characters. Once anyone clicks your link, they will have to enter the password to access your file.

You can also set the access permissions for the link:

• Anyone can view: this is a public link that anyone inside or outside your organization can click to view your file. If there is a password, they will have to enter it. You cannot share folders using this option.
• Only my site can view: anyone that is part of your Amazon WorkDocs site can view the file but cannot view comments.
• Only my site can view & comment: anyone that is part of your Amazon WorkDocs site can view and comment on the file.
  

Q. What options do I have when I select “Share by invite”?

You can invite users inside your organization as co-owners, contributors, or viewers. Only co-owners and contributors can edit your file. You can also enter any email address to invite a guest user from outside your organization. Guest users are only viewers, and cannot invite additional users. There is no charge for guest users.

Q. Do guest users need to create a WorkDocs account?

Yes, when you invite a guest user they will be prompted to create a guest user account the first time the log in to WorkDocs.

Q. What can a guest user access in WorkDocs?

Guest users can access any files shared with them in the “Shared with me” folder, can edit their profile, and download the WorkDocs Drive, companion app, and mobile applications. Guest users do not have a “My Documents” folder, and cannot access the Activity Feed, Awaiting my feedback, Out for review, and Recycle bin.

Q. How can I tell which files are shared?

Any file shared by “Share a Link” shows a distinct icon. Any file you open in Amazon WorkDocs shows all invited users in the right hand navigation.

Q. Who can share a particular file?

The file owner and co-owner can share the file with others. You can learn more about file and folder permissions in our documentation.

Q. For shared files, can I assign specific rights to what other users can do with the file?

When sharing using “Share a Link”, you can set access permissions for the link as: anyone can view, only my site can view, and only my site can view and comment. You can set access permissions as viewer, contributor, and co-owner. You can also disable downloading and printing of the file you share.

When sharing using “Share by invite”, you can choose whether the users you are inviting can either download the file, provide feedback, or can only view the file. When you allow other users to provide feedback, they can provide overall comments on any file type, but can only provide comments on specific sections of a file for those file types that are supported for preview (Microsoft Office files (documents, spreadsheets, and presentations), PDFs, web pages, images, and text files). Please see the documentation for further details.

Q. Can I share folders?

Yes. You can share a folder by selecting the folder you would like to share, and click “Share a Link” or invite users. You cannot create a public link to a folder using “Share a Link”.

Q. How do permissions work for shared folders?

When you share a folder, permissions for the shared folder carry over to the documents within that folder, so contributors of the shared folder will be contributors for all documents within the folder. Similarly, viewers of the folder will be viewers for all documents within the folder.

Q. Can I request permission to a file or folder using the WorkDocs web or mobile apps?

Yes. If you know the location of a file or folder, you can request permission, and provide a reason for your request, using web client or the app. 

Q. Can users share a file with someone outside my organization?

Yes. You can share a file with someone outside your organization using “Share a Link” to create a public link. You can also invite anyone using an email address. Site administrators control if public links can be created, can only allow certain users to create links, and can disable all existing public links at any time. Site administrators can specify one of three policies on who can create a public link.

• No public sharing using links: no users can create a public link.
• All managed users can create publicly sharable links: All users can create a public link.
• Only power users can create publicly sharable links: Selected groups of users that can create a public link.

If a user invited by email is not a WorkDocs user, they will be invited as a guest user and have the Viewers access level. Administrators can upgrade guest users to standard users, and control if guest users can be invited, who can invite guest users, and can disable guest users at any time. All guest user activity is available in the WorkDocs Activity Feed.

Q. If I share a file with another user, can I revoke their access?

Yes, document owners can always disable a shared link, and revoke user access. Administrators can disable public links at any time.

Q. How does Amazon WorkDocs help me manage the feedback process?

Amazon WorkDocs allows file owners to keep track of all comments made on a file without having to manage drafts over e-mail or other applications. You can set deadlines for others to leave feedback, and Amazon WorkDocs automatically sends them e-mail notifications and reminders. If you do not want to provide feedback it is possible to decline the request, which will remove that request from your list.

Q. Do other users need third-party applications to view or provide feedback on files?

No, other users can view files and provide feedback directly within Amazon WorkDocs without needing the third-party application that was used to create the document for the file types that are supported for preview (Microsoft Office files (documents, spreadsheets, and presentations), PDFs, web pages, images, and text files).

Q. How do I view comments on files in Amazon WorkDocs?

You can see feedback that has been left on a document by clicking on the "Feedback" tab when you are accessing Amazon WorkDocs through a web browser.

Q. If I requested feedback from others on a file, can I see the status of my requests?

Yes, the “Out for Review” section on the left side pane allows you to track the files you requested feedback on and how many requests for each file are still outstanding.

Q. Can I prevent other users from downloading shared files?

Yes. You can disable the ability for others users to download a file that you have shared with them.

Q. Can I respond to a comment directly in Amazon WorkDocs?

Yes, you can respond to a comment directly in Amazon WorkDocs. Your comment will show as a threaded comment indented below the original comment. Additional comment replies will also show as indented at the same level as all the replies.

Q. How are threaded comments sorted?

Comments and their replies are ordered chronologically with the most recent comments at the top of the list. Timestamps and commenters initials are included with each comment.

Q. Is there a limit on a number of replies to a comment?

No, there is no limit. A comment can have unlimited replies.

Q. Who can resolve a comment?

Anyone with owner, co-owner permissions on the document and creator of the comment thread can resolve comments. 

Q. Who can see resolved comments?

Owners, co-owners and contributors can see resolved comments, they will need to set the Show Resolved Comments Feedback Filter. 

Q. How do I filter which comments I can see?

Select the filter icon on top of the comments pane, and you will be presented with filtering options.

Q. How do I see resolved comments?

To see your resolved comments select the Resolved Comments option in the Feedback filter.

Q. What filtering can I apply in the filtering panel when viewing comments?

You can view comments applicable to a specific version of a document, made by specific users, where you are mentioned and which comments are in draft, published, resolved or unresolved states.

Q. Can I reply to a resolved comment?

Yes you can, however the comment thread you are replying to will remain in the resolved state.

Q. I’ve have previously resolved a comment. Can I un-resolve it?

Yes. In the commenting pane, change your filter to include resolved comments. Once that is done, press the Unresolve button. 

Q. How do I disable email notifications being sent out when my document is updated?

You can disable notification by selecting Disable email notification in the Notification Settings section under File Information in the top right hand corner of the right navigation pane.

Q. When I download a file, are all comments and replies preserved and included?

When you download a file, all public comments and their replies are included and they maintain their formatting. Comments marked as private are not downloaded. Documents with private comments are marked with an annotation that there are private comments which are only viewable via the WorkDocs web or mobile application.

Q. What happens to comment threads when I upload a new version of the file?

Comments and replies are associated with the version of the file they were added to. When uploading a new version of a file, all previous comments and replies can still be accessed from Feedback panel, but they are tied to the version of the file they belong to.

Q. What happens to comment threads when I delete a file?

When you delete a file, it is moved to the recycle bin, along with its associated comments and replies. Restoring the file restores its comments and replies as well. 

Q. Can I send a comment privately?

Yes, you can send a private comment or respond privately to a comment. The document owner and co-owners will always be able to view private comments.

Q. Can I use formatting for emphasis when leaving a comment?

Yes, you can use bold, italics, and strikethrough formatting on comments.

Q. Can I lock a document to prevent it from receiving further feedback?

Yes, you can disable feedback for a document and prevent it from receiving additional comments. You can re-enable feedback and users will be able to post comments again. 

Q. Can users browse through a list of activities of their WorkDocs files?

The Activity Feed allows users to browse through a list of activities related to the files and folders they own, and those shared with them.

Q. Can administrators browse through a list of all activities on their WorkDocs site?

The Activity Feed allows administrators to track all activities by users taken across their WorkDocs site.

Q. How can I access the Activity Feed?

You can access the Activity Feed using the Amazon WorkDocs web client. The Activity Feed is not yet available on WorkDocs mobile apps.

Q. How can administrators view the Activity Feed for their entire site?

Administrators can view the Activity Feed across their site by selecting the filter option in the Activity Feed, and turning on the “Site-wide activity” option.

Q. What activities can I track using the Activity Feed?

The Activity Feed shows commenting, when a link is created with "Share a Link", when users are invited to contribute, and content update activities. It also shows all activities related to file and folder changes, including creating, moving, deleting, and restoring. The Activity Feed shows who made the change, and when it was made.

Users can track activities for files and folders they own, and those shared with them.

Administrators can track all activities for users across their Amazon WorkDocs Site.

Q. Can I search the Activity Feed for particular activities?

Yes. You can use search for activities related to a file, folder, or a particular user. You can also apply filters to narrow your results. You can filter for commenting activity, sharing activity, content changes, and by date.

Q. Can I view all related activates for a specific file or folder?

Yes, you can select any item in the activity feed and view all related activities.

Q. How far back in time will my Activity Feed go?

By default, the Activity Feed shows 90 days of data. You can adjust the date range to show Activity Feed information for activities that took place up to one year from the current time, or from the time your account was created, whichever is later.

Q. Where does Amazon WorkDocs store my files and are they safe?

Amazon WorkDocs is a fully-managed service and files are stored using AWS’s highly durable storage infrastructure that is designed to ensure your mission-critical data is not lost. All files and comments stored in Amazon WorkDocs are encrypted at rest.

Q. How is data transmitted to Amazon WorkDocs?

All data in transit is encrypted using industry-standard SSL. Our web and mobile applications and desktopclients transmit files directly to Amazon WorkDocs using SSL.

Q. Does WorkDocs support multi-factor authentication?

Yes, multi-factor authentication (MFA) using a RADIUS server is available and can provide you with an additional layer of security during the authentication process. Users will log in by entering their user name and password followed by an OTP (One-Time Passcode) supplied by a hardware or a software token.

Q. Can I choose the AWS region where my data is stored?

Yes, you choose the AWS region where each WorkDocs site’s files are stored. Please see AWS Regions for locations where Amazon WorkDocs is available. 

Q. How do I decide which AWS Region to use for an Amazon WorkDocs site?

There are several factors to consider based on your needs including whether a specific AWS region enables you to meet regulatory and compliance requirements. We generally recommend that you set up your Amazon WorkDocs site in the AWS region nearest to where most of your users are located, in order to reduce data access latencies.

Q. Is Amazon WorkDocs HIPAA eligible?

Yes. If you have an executed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with AWS, you can use Amazon WorkDocs with the AWS accounts associated with your BAA. If you don’t have an executed BAA with AWS, contact us and we will put you in touch with a representative from our AWS sales team. For more information, see, HIPAA Compliance.

Q. Is Amazon WorkDocs PCI DSS compliant?

Yes. Amazon WorkDocs is PCI compliant and conforms to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). PCI DSS is a proprietary information security standard administered by the PCI Security Standards Council, which was founded by American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa Inc.

PCI DSS applies to all entities that store, process or transmit cardholder data (CHD) and/or sensitive authentication data (SAD) including merchants, processors, acquirers, issuers, and service providers. The PCI DSS is mandated by the card brands and administered by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council. For more information, see PCI DSS Compliance.

The AWS Attestation of Compliance (AoC) for our merchant status is available upon request.

 

Q. Which credentials do users use to sign-in to Amazon WorkDocs?

Users can log in using credentials that are created and stored in a directory managed by the Amazon WorkDocs service, or using their corporate credentials if you’ve chosen to integrate your existing Microsoft Active Directory with Amazon WorkDocs. 

Q. Do users need an AWS account to use Amazon WorkDocs?

No, only the Amazon WorkDocs administrator needs an AWS account. Users can log in using credentials that are created and stored in a directory managed by the Amazon WorkDocs service, or using their corporate credentials if you’ve chosen to integrate your existing Microsoft Active Directory with Amazon WorkDocs. 

Q. What happens if a user forgets their password to access Amazon WorkDocs?

If you’re using your existing Microsoft Active Directory to manage users, they should follow your standard password recovery process. If you’re using Amazon WorkDocs to authenticate your users, they can reset their password by clicking on the "Forgot Password" link found on the Amazon WorkDocs login page.

Q. How does an administrator remove a user’s access to Amazon WorkDocs?

To remove a user’s access to an Amazon WorkDocs site, you can disable their account either in the directory managed by the Amazon WorkDocs service, or in your existing Microsoft Active Directory if you’ve chosen to integrate your existing Microsoft Active Directory with Amazon WorkDocs. 

Q. Does the Amazon WorkDocs AWS Management Console have IAM support?

Yes.

 

Q. Is there a free trial for Amazon WorkDocs?

Yes. You can sign up 50 users at no charge for the first 30 days after you sign up for Amazon WorkDocs. After this period ends, you will be charged for all active users unless you deactivate them or deregister your Amazon WorkDocs account.

Q. How much does Amazon WorkDocs cost?

Please see our pricing page for the latest information.

Q. How will my business be charged for use of Amazon WorkDocs?

There are no upfront fees or commitments to begin using Amazon WorkDocs. At the end of the month, you will be billed for that month's usage. You can view estimated charges for the current billing period by logging into the AWS Management Console and clicking on "Account Activity." You can get started with a free trial of Amazon WorkDocs and sign up 50 users at no charge for the first 30 days.

You will be charged for the following types of Amazon WorkDocs usage:

• Number of user accounts per month: the number of users billed in a month is based on the average numbers of active user accounts throughout the month. For every active user your business will be charged a monthly subscription fee. If a user account is deactivated or activated during the month, the monthly subscription fee for that account will be prorated based on the number of active days.
• Additional storage: your business receives 1 TB of storage capacity for each active user account. Administrators can allocate this storage across users by setting individual storage limits in the WorkDocs administrator dashboard. Your business will be charged once a user’s amount of storage utilized exceeds 1 TB for that user’s account. Additional storage is charged on a pay-as-you-go basis.
  

Q. How does the billing work for auto-activation?

With WorkDocs, there are no upfront fees and commitments. You pay only for active users and the storage you use. More specifically, with auto-activation, billing initiates for active directory users when the user first signs in or by explicitly inviting a user to your site. In most regions, WorkDocs costs $5 per user per month and includes 1TB of storage for each user. WorkDocs provides a 30-day free trial with 1TB of storage per user for up to 50 users. You can invite guest users to log in and view files shared with them at no additional charge.

Q. What is the Amazon WorkDocs administrator role?

The Amazon WorkDocs administrator role is a user with special privileges, which include the ability to manage security policies, user access, storage limits, and give other users administrator privileges. Amazon WorkDocs administrators can configure these settings from the Amazon WorkDocs settings page within the Amazon& WorkDocs web application.

Q. What types of user roles can the Amazon WorkDocs administrator assign?
There are four types if user roles: guest user, user, power-user, and administrator.

By default, everyone an administrator adds to their Amazon WorkDocs site is a guest user. There is no charge for guest users. The Amazon WorkDocs administrator can upgrade a guest user to a standard user, and assign two types of roles: administrator and power user. Administrators can invite guest users, upgrade guest users, manage storage limits, configure language settings, and disable any account. They can assign a group of users as power users and define custom permissions for storage and sharing.

Q. Are Amazon WorkDocs administrative rights connected to AWS account administrative rights?

No. An Amazon WorkDocs administrator is a user who has access to the settings page within the Amazon WorkDocs web application. AWS account administrative rights apply to other AWS resources that would be accessed via the AWS Management Console (or via AWS APIs or SDKs).

Q. Can I have multiple administrators for my Amazon WorkDocs site?

Yes. You can choose to have as many administrators as you would like but must maintain at least one administrator with active status. Since administrators can set policies for security, storage, and users, we recommend only granting administrator access to a limited number of individuals as required.

Q. Can Amazon WorkDocs administrators prevent sharing of documents outside their Amazon WorkDocs site?

Yes. Amazon WorkDocs administrators can set security policies for your organization to prevent your employees from sharing documents externally.

Q. Can Amazon WorkDocs administrators set storage limits for individual users?

Yes. Amazon WorkDocs administrators can set a specific storage limit for each user in your organization. When users reach that limit, they will be unable to store additional files in Amazon WorkDocs until you choose to increase the users' limit or the user deletes files. Users are notified when they approach their storage limits. Administrators can also set an overall storage limit for their organization.

Q. Can someone outside my company be a full Amazon WorkDocs user with storage rights?

Yes. Amazon WorkDocs administrators can grant full access to users outside your company and have the option to also allow users to invite people outside your company. Your users can invite guest users who can only view files. There is no charge for guest users. You can upgrade guest users to standard users at any time. For example, employees at a marketing agency or law firm that frequently work with your company can be given access to use Amazon WorkDocs.

Q. How do I upgrade a guest user into a user?

You can select an account in WorkDocs, and then assign their role. You can choose between guest user, user, power user, and administrator. Once they are upgraded, administrators will be charged published user pricing from that point onwards.

Q. What configuration options does an Amazon WorkDocs Administrator have for "Share a Link"?

Amazon WorkDocs administrators can specify one of three policies for who can create publicly shareable links.

• No public sharing using links: The ability to publicly share using links is disabled for all users of the site.
• All managed users can create publicly sharable links: The ability to create publicly shareable links is enabled for all users of the site.
• Only power users can create publicly sharable links: The ability to create publicly shareable links is restricted to powers users.

Q. What configuration options does an Amazon WorkDocs administrator have for "Share by invite"?

Any WorkDocs user can invite others to collaborate. Administrators control who can invite guest users, disable inviting guest users, enable only power users to invite guest users, and remove guest users at any time.

Q. Can Amazon WorkDocs administrators deactivate links shared with "Share with Link"?

Administrators can deactivate all public links for their entire site by setting their policy to: No Anonymous Sharing.

Q. Does "Share a Link" activity show in the Activity Feed?

Users will see "Share a Link" events for files they own or co-own in their Activity feed. Site Administrators will see all "Share a Link" events for their entire site in their Activity feed. 

Q. Can administrators select a specific user or set of users that can create links? 

Administrators can select only power users to be able to share with "Share a Link". 

Q. What configuration options does an Amazon WorkDocs Administrator have for “Share by invite”?

Any WorkDocs user can others to their files. Administrators control who can invite guest users. Administrators can also disable inviting guest users, and remove guest users at any time. 

Q. How does someone create a guest user account for the first time?

The first time someone clicks a link from “Share by invite”, they will be promoted to enter their email address. If they do not have a WorkDocs account, they will be prompted to create a guest user account. 

Q. In which AWS regions is Amazon WorkDocs available?

Please visit the Products and Services by Region.

Q. What languages does Amazon WorkDocs support?

Amazon WorkDocs is available in English, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, German, Chinese Simplified, and Japanese. The language will automatically be set based on the user’s operating system setting when using the Drive client and mobile clients, and set based on the browser’s language setting for the web client.

Q. How do I get support for Amazon WorkDocs?

The AWS account holder can get help from AWS Support, and you can also post in the Amazon WorkDocs Forum.

Q. Do I need to set-up a directory to use Amazon WorkDocs?

Each user you invite to your Amazon WorkDocs site needs to exist in a directory. You have two directory options. First, you can have the Amazon WorkDocs service create and manage a directory for you. Each user you invite to your Amazon WorkDocs site will automatically be added to the directory. Second, you can use your existing Microsoft Active Directory with Amazon WorkDocs by using the AWS Active Directory Connector, or by integrating with AWS Microsoft AD using Active Directory trust relationships. To learn more about using your existing Active Directory with WorkDocs, please see Connecting to an On-Premise Directory.

Q. Can I use my existing Active Directory to manage Amazon WorkDocs users?

Yes. You can connect your existing Active Directory to Amazon WorkDocs using the AD Connector, or the AWS Microsoft AD service. To learn more about using your existing Active Directory with WorkDocs, please see Connecting to an On-Premise Directory. 

Q. How can I configure Amazon WorkDocs to work with my existing Active Directory?

You can configure Amazon WorkDocs to work with your existing Active Directory in one of two ways. First, you can use AD Connector to connect your existing Active Directory to Amazon WorkDocs. Second, you can integrate your existing Active Directory with AWS Microsoft AD using Active Directory trust relationships. To learn more about using your existing Active Directory with WorkDocs, please see Connecting to an On-Premise Directory.

Q. What is auto-activation?

Auto-activation assists admins in deploying WorkDocs for their organization. Upon provisioning a WorkDocs site with a directory, auto-activation enables all directory users with a valid WorkDocs account which allows them to sign in and begin using WorkDocs without requiring the site admin to manually invite the user.

Q. How do I access auto-activation feature?

The auto-activation of active directory users is available by default to all active directory sites. Simply attach your directory when provisioning your WorkDocs site and upon deployment the auto-activation of all directory users will occur. That is, all directory users will have a valid WorkDocs account and as a result will be able to sign in and begin using WorkDocs without the admin having to manually invite each user.

Q. How does auto-activation feature benefit me and my organization?

Automatically activating active directory users for large organizations removes the manual workload from the admin, thus allowing for seamless single sign-on (SSO). Historically, the admin was required to add every individual active directory user to their WorkDocs site by manually entering their email address and then activating the user, thus preventing bulk deployment across an organization. Now, with auto-activation, the provisioning and deployment of your WorkDocs site is made easy and your users can begin using WorkDocs without any manual dependencies.

Q. Is a user notified when the auto-activation occurs?

The site administrators own how they want to communicate to directory users that they have a valid WorkDocs account and can thus login to get started with WorkDocs.  

Q. Which languages does the Amazon WorkDocs SDK support?

The WorkDocs SDK is available for Java, Python, Go, Java Script, .NET, PHP, and Ruby.

Q. Where can I download the Amazon WorkDocs SDK?

The Amazon WorkDocs SDK is included with the AWS SDK. You can download the AWS SDK at Tools for Amazon Web Services. 

To get started, please see Amazon WorkDocs SDK.

Q. What specific actions can be taken on Amazon WorkDocs content programmatically using the Amazon WorkDocs SDK?

The Amazon WorkDocs SDK allows you to perform create, read, update, and delete (CRUD) actions on WorkDocs’ users, folders, files, and permissions. You can access and modify file attributes, tag files, and manage comments associated with files. You can also search for files and folders based on a search and filtering criterion.

In addition to API actions, you can also subscribe to notifications that Amazon WorkDocs sends with Amazon SNS. The detailed information, including syntax, responses and data types for the above actions, is available in the WorkDocs API Reference Documentation.

Q. Are there any costs associated with using the Amazon WorkDocs SDK?

No, the Amazon WorkDocs SDK is a free download and there is no cost when using API calls. Note, however, that the result of some API calls may incur costs. For example, when you create a new user account using the API, you will incur an ongoing charge for that user at the current price.

Q. Are there limits to the number of API calls my application can make to Amazon WorkDocs?

There are no set limits to the number of API calls you can make. Applications with a high flow of requests may be throttled.

Q. Does the Amazon WorkDocs SDK support OAuth 2.0 for user authorization?

Yes, the Amazon WorkDocs SDK supports the Oauth 2.0 authorization so developers can provide a way for users to access content and feedback on Amazon WorkDocs through third-party applications. These applications can programmatically manage user content, feedback, metadata, labels, permission, activity tracking, and notifications.

 

Q. Can I use Amazon WorkDocs with Amazon WorkSpaces?

Yes, you can install Amazon WorkDocs Drive on your Amazon WorkSpaces to easily access any content stored on Amazon WorkDocs through a mounted drive connected to your WorkSpace.

Q. How are Amazon WorkSpaces customers billed for their usage of Amazon WorkDocs?

Amazon WorkSpaces users receive access to Amazon WorkDocs for no additional charge. This includes 50 GB of storage per WorkSpaces user. For a discounted rate of $2 per WorkSpaces user per month in most regions, this can be upgraded to 1 TB of storage. See WorkDocs Pricing for details.

Q. Is Single Sign-On (SSO) supported?

Yes. Single Sign-On (SSO) can be enabled so that when users are signed in to their Amazon WorkSpaces they will be automatically signed in to WorkDocs Drive, and will not be required to provide credentials when they access the web client from their Amazon WorkSpaces. You can enable SSO by visiting the AWS Directory Service area of the AWS console, clicking the directory ID link for your directory and selecting the Apps & Services tab. For more information and detailed setup see our documentation.

Q. What happens when files and folders are deleted from Amazon WorkDocs?

When a user deletes their files or folders, they are stored in the user’s recycle bin, from where they can be recovered by the user if needed. After a period of 30 days, the files and folders will be retained for an additional 60 days in the recovery bin before being permanently deleted. 60 days is the default retention period, but site administrators can adjust this period to any value from 0 to 365 days. Files will be retained for the specified period, and permanently deleted when the retention period limit is reached.

Q. As an administrator, how can I configure the retention policy for my site?

You can set the site wide retention policy using the Administrator console. Simply set the number of days you would like files to be retained in the recovery bin. By default, the site wide retention period is set to 60 days, but you can adjust this period to any value from 0 to 365 days. To learn more, please visit Recovery Bin Retention.

Q. As an administrator, how can I recover user files and folders deleted from recycle bins?

You can recover files and folders using the Manage Users panel in the Administrator Console. To view recoverable files for a specific user, click on the folder icon in the user management actions panel. You can select any files in the recovery bin and restore them to an alternate location. To learn more, please visit Recovery Bin Retention.

Q. As an administrator, can I retrieve file metadata when recovering files?

Files in the recovery bin will continue to store all historical activities, metadata, and custom metadata pertaining to them. The metadata is preserved for the duration of the retention policy and are recovered along with the files.

 

Q. What is Open with Office Online?

Microsoft Office Online is an online version of popular Microsoft applications including Word, PowerPoint and Excel. The Open with Office Online feature enables users to co-author and collaboratively edit Microsoft Office files from the Amazon WorkDocs web application.

Q. How can the Open with Office Online feature be enabled?

Open with Office Online is available as a feature at no additional cost for all WorkDocs users who also have a valid Microsoft Office 365 ‘Work’ or ‘School’ account with a license to use Office Online. WorkDocs administrators can enable this feature in the admin console. Once the capability has been enabled at the site level, users will need to authenticate with Office Online using their Microsoft Office 365 subscription.

Q. What are Office 365 Licensing requirements?

Users will need a Microsoft Office 365 ‘Work’ or ‘School’ account with license for Office Online. Please refer to this link for further details on Licenses.

Q. How can a customer get a valid Microsoft Office 365 License that allows them to use Open with Office Online?

Users are solely responsible for obtaining all required licenses from Microsoft to use Open with Office Online and for complying with all applicable Microsoft licensing requirements. Please refer to the links below to learn more about obtaining a valid Microsoft Office 365 license:

https://products.office.com/en-us/business/compare-more-office-365-for-business-plans

https://products.office.com/en-us/compare-all-microsoft-office-products?tab=2

Q. How can a user edit files in the web-client if they do not have a Microsoft Office 365 license?

If WorkDocs’ users do not have a valid Microsoft Office 365 license, they can use WorkDocs Companion available in the WorkDocs’ web client to make edits to their files. WorkDocs Companion allows users to open any Microsoft Office, .pdf, .txt file directly in the native application and changes made get saved back automatically to WorkDocs, without requiring any additional steps.

Q. What capabilities do users get with the Open with Office Online feature?

Office online capabilities are detailed at https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office-online-service-description.aspx

Q. How can a user access Open with Office Online?

There are 2 ways users can use Open with Office Online:

Users can log into Amazon WorkDocs and select a Microsoft Office file in the file explorer view. User can click on the Edit icon and the latest version of the file will open in Office Online and the user can start editing the document.

Users can open a file in the preview view of the Amazon WorkDocs web application, and click on the Edit icon in the file actions menu. The latest version of the file will be opened using Office Online. Users can also select a version of the document in the file actions menu if they want to edit a specific version of the document.

Q. What happens when an edit session ends while working with Open with Office Online?

All edits to the document are automatically saved in WorkDocs as a new version.

Q. What file types are supported by Open with Office Online?

The files types with extensions .pptx, .docx, .xlsx can be used with Open with Office Online.

Q. What browsers does Open with Office Online work on?

The Open with Office Online feature is supported on the most recent versions of Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Safari. For details see https://aws.amazon.com/workdocs/faqs/

Q. What permissions does a user need to have to open a file using Open with Office Online?

A user needs to have owner, co-owner or contributor permissions to be able to edit a file using Open with Office Online.

Q. What happens to user data when Open with Office Online is enabled?

All of your file and folder information is stored only in WorkDocs. Enabling the Open with Office Online feature does not automatically grant Microsoft access to your organization’s files and folders. By enabling the optional Open with Office Online feature for your WorkDocs site, you will allow Office Online to access only those files your users choose to edit using Office Online and only for the limited duration of the file editing session. When the edit process is completed the file is securely stored back in WorkDocs.

Q. When and where is the file saved with Open with Office Online?

All of your file and folder information is stored only in WorkDocs. Enabling the Open with Office Online feature does not automatically grant access to your organization’s files and folders. By enabling the optional Open with Office Online feature for your WorkDocs site, you will allow Office Online to access only those files your users choose to edit using Office Online and only for the limited duration of the file editing session. When a user clicks on the Edit icon, the Office Online service is given access to the file and it will reside on the Office Online servers for the duration of the edit session. When the edit session is terminated the finished document is sent back to WorkDocs to be saved as a new version.

Q. How can multiple users collaboratively edit a file?

The editing session starts with a user editing the file. When other users view the same file, they will see a Live Edit icon that they can click to join the collaborative editing session assuming they have the right permissions (owner, co-owner, contributor) for the file.

Q. What happens when an edit session is initiated in Office Online by a user and a collaborator tries to open the file in the WorkDocs Companion from the web application?

The collaborator will not be able to edit the file using WorkDocs Companion. When collaborator clicks on Open with Companion, they will see a message ‘WorkDocs Companion is not available for edit’ until the edit session with Office Online is over. User can continue editing the file using Open with Office Online.

Q. What happens when an edit session is initiated in Office Online by a user and a collaborator tries to open the file in WorkDocs Drive?

The collaborator will not be able to edit the file using WorkDocs Drive and will get a message indicating the file is locked when attempting to save. The original user can continue editing the file using Open with Office Online.

Q. What happens when a file is opened by a user in WorkDocs Companion or WorkDocs Drive and collaborator tries to edit the file using Open with Office Online?

The collaborator will be able to edit the file using Open with Office Online. User will not be able to save the changes made to the file using WorkDocs Companion or the WorkDocs Drive app until the editing session using Open with Office Online is over.

Q. What happens if a user is editing a file using Open with Office Online and a collaborator tries to put a lock on the file?

The collaborator will not be able to put a lock on the file and will get a tooltip message ‘The lock is unavailable’. User can continue editing the file using Open with Office Online.

Q. What happens if a file is locked by user and collaborator tries to edit the file using Open with Office Online?

The collaborator will not be able to edit the file using Open with Office Online. The lock feature will work as designed.

Q. Can external partners edit documents using the Open with Office Online feature?

External partners are users such as vendors, contractors, or other business relations who need to access and collaborate on files saved in WorkDocs. In cases where external partners have been upgraded to paid users, they can become collaborators on a document and can use the Open with Office Online feature to edit documents. External partners will need to have a valid Microsoft Office 365 ‘Work’ or ‘School’ account in order to Open with Office Online. Please refer to the links to see how you can get a valid Microsoft Office 365 license to use Office Online:

https://products.office.com/en-us/business/compare-more-office-365-for-business-plans

https://products.office.com/en-us/compare-all-microsoft-office-products?tab=2

Q. Can you edit password protected Microsoft Office files using Office Online?

No, you cannot edit password protected Microsoft Office files using Open with Office Online.

Q. What happens when my edit session ends while working with Open with Office Online?

When the edit session ends, the file that was being worked on is saved to WorkDocs with all the changes made by users in Office Online. This file is saved as a new version in WorkDocs.

Q. What happens when the edit session is running for a long time without any active edit work done by any of the editors/users while working with Open with Office Online?

The edit session does not expire but Microsoft Office 365 prompts the user to refresh the document. Changes made by users are automatically saved in WorkDocs.

Q. What browsers does the Open with Office Online feature work on?

Open with Office Online works on all browsers that Amazon WorkDocs supports, i.e. recent versions of Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Safari. For details see https://aws.amazon.com/workdocs/faqs/.

Q. When should a user use WorkDocs Companion vs. WorkDocs Drive vs. Open with Office Online?

When users are connected to the internet, they can choose WorkDocs Companion or Open with Office Online. When users are not connected to the internet, they can use Amazon WorkDocs Drive or Amazon WorkDocs Sync. Open with Office Online enables Amazon WorkDocs users to collaboratively edit and co-author documents.

Q. How is Amazon WorkDocs providing its users with the ability to create and edit Microsoft Office files using Collaborative Editing powered by Hancom Thinkfree Office Online?

Amazon WorkDocs is providing this feature in collaboration with Hancom, Inc., an office suite software developer. The integrated solution allows users to create or modify Microsoft Office files stored in Amazon WorkDocs using Hancom Thinkfree Office Online productivity tools without losing file formatting.

Q. How is Hancom Thinkfree Office Online integrated with Amazon WorkDocs?

In collaboration with Hancom Inc., Amazon WorkDocs is providing WorkDocs customers with the option to access Hancom's ThinkFree Office Online services. Amazon WorkDocs users can now create and edit Microsoft Office documents directly from the WorkDocs web application. When the user clicks on the Create or Edit menu option in the document bar, Amazon WorkDocs calls the integrated Hancom Thinkfree Office Online Service to perform the requested action. The Hancom integrated service manages the file editing session for the user on behalf of Amazon WorkDocs. Once the user exits the editing session, the document with all changes are returned back as a new version to Amazon WorkDocs for storage and future access.

Q. What capabilities are supported in the Collaborative Editing powered by Hancom Thinkfree Office Online feature?

Hancom Thinkfree Office Online enables you to create, view, edit, and collaborate on documents using a web browser. You can read more about the capabilities of Collaborative Editing powered by Hancom at https://workdocs.thinkfree.com/hc/en-us/categories/360000275514-Help-Guide.

Q. Does Hancom ThinkFree Office Online suite support editing Microsoft Office?

Yes. You can review compatibility information at

• https://workdocs.thinkfree.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003513613-Thinkfree-Office-Word-Online-vs-MS-Word-Online
• https://workdocs.thinkfree.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003601474-Thinkfree-Office-Cell-Online-vs-MS-Excel-Online
• https://workdocs.thinkfree.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003601494-Thinkfree-Office-Show-Online-vs-MS-Powerpoint-Online

Q. How do I turn on Collaborative Editing powered by Hancom Thinkfree Office Online for my WorkDocs site?

You can turn on the feature in the WorkDocs administration console in the Hancom Online Editing section. Choose Change, review the terms of usage, and select Enable Hancom Online Editing Feature.

Q. How do I create a new document, worksheet, or presentation?

Choose the New menu option in the top task bar. In the dialog box, choose the file type you want to create and type the file name. Choose Save to save the file in WorkDocs, then choose Edit to open and edit the file.

Q. How do I invite someone to co-author and collaborate on office files?

Share the file using Share by invite or Share a link, and choose either Contributor or Co-owner permissions for the user you are sharing the file with. When they click on the invite link, they can choose Live Edit to edit it.

Q. How do I see who made changes to the office file and when?

During a collaborative editing session, any changes made can be seen by all participants in real time. A flag indicator with the user’s initials will track changes made by the user in real time and be visible to all other users. Changes to a document are also tracked in the Activity Feed; you can search for all activities related to a file using the file name.

Q. Can I add WorkDocs comments when editing office files?

You cannot add WorkDocs comments when editing Office files using collaborative editing at this point in time. Once you exit the editing session you can view the document in preview mode and add or reply to comments.

Q. What types of Office files can I create and edit?

You can create Microsoft Word files (.docx), Microsoft Excel files (*.xlsx), and Microsoft PowerPoint files (*.pptx); You can edit Microsoft Word files (*.docx, *.doc), Microsoft Excel files (*.xlsx, *.xls), and Microsoft PowerPoint files (*.pptx, *.ppt).

Q. How are changes made during an in-browser edit session saved, and how is a new version of the file created?

When you save and exit from the session your changes will be automatically saved in Amazon WorkDocs only. In a multi-user editing session you can view your changes in a new version of the file only after everyone collaborating exits the session. During an editing session a file is auto-saved every 30 seconds. The file will also be automatically saved if you close the browser or navigate to a different page. If you have left an editing session open, after 2 hours of inactivity on the file, you will see a pop-up asking to rejoin the session. After you rejoin the session you will be able to view the document contents and real time edits being done by other collaborators.

Q. What happens to my data when I enable Collaborative Editing powered by Hancom Thinkfree Office Online?

All of your file and folder information is stored only in WorkDocs. Enabling the feature does not automatically grant access to your organization’s files and folders. By enabling the feature for your WorkDocs site, you will allow Hancom to access only those files your users choose to edit using the Hancom editor and only for the limited duration of the file editing session. During the edit process your file is encrypted on the Hancom Integrated Service. When the edit process is completed the file is securely stored back in WorkDocs; Hancom will not store or retain your content.

Q. What information will WorkDocs share with Hancom?

If you enable the optional Collaborative Editing powered by Hancom Thinkfree Office Online feature, the document that you're editing will be made accessible to Hancom for the limited duration of the edit session. Hancom will also be able to get the user name from WorkDocs to enable collaborative editing use cases. Hancom will not be able to access any other file or folder belonging to any user in the WorkDocs site.

Q. Where is my data going be stored and for how long?

Your data is always and exclusively stored on Amazon WorkDocs for as long as you want. For the duration of your online collaborative editing session, Hancom will only have access to the document for the limited purpose of providing the integrated editing service and for no other purpose. Hancom will only access your document on AWS infrastructure in the AWS region where you created your WorkDocs site.

Q. In which region is my data going to be stored?

Amazon WorkDocs is currently available in 6 regions. Your data is always stored in the region you have created your WorkDocs site in.