Solution Features

Safe4 enables you, as a provider of information, to deliver documents and structured data with total security to clients and other parties using an online vault in which documents and data can be stored permanently. Safe4 uses a familiar folder and file structure to present information in a way that reflects your business.

Uploading files and adding data records

Files can be uploaded using the web interface into specific folders, in quantities of up to 100 at a time
Asset data records can be added in a similarly way, into specially-designated folders
Files of up to 800 mb have been successfully uploaded to Safe4. The maximum file size will be governed by the speed of the internet connection available
Comments can be added to files as they are uploaded, for example to explain why a new version of a file is being uploaded
Email notifications of file uploads can optionally be triggered automatically. These emails contain a link to allow the recipient to login and view the files. The files themselves are never carried by email
Adding or amending data records will also trigger upload notifications to be sent to authorised users
Multiple versions of files and data records can be uploaded into Safe4 and managed in a single view within a folder structure; previous versions can be displayed if required

Downloading files

Files can be opened for viewing; image files are viewed in a new browser tab, files with editable content such as MS Office documents will be opened using the mother application
Multiple files can be downloaded in a single action, and placed in a ZIP file on the user’s computer
When using the web interface, files held in Safe4 cannot be edited. To change the contents of a file, the file must be edited locally and uploaded as a new version
Using the WebDAV interface, described below, editable files can be edited online, with the modified version being held by Safe4 as a new version

Familiar folder and file structure

Folder structures can be created to reflect the provider’s business, and the nature of the information being stored
Users can be granted the ability to create, move, rename and delete folders
No limit on the number of folders, nor on the number of sub-folder levels
The root folder can be renamed by the provider administrator
Common Folders are visible to users of all of the vaults in a provider account. This allows certain types of document to be made available to a large population of users by a single upload action
Vaults can be copied very rapidly; this function can carry across the complete folder structure, including permissions, to the new vault

User management

Both provider and vault users are invited by email to register for the system
Users can add new invitations to their existing accounts, and thus have access to multiple providers and vaults through a single login
After completing their registration, new users will receive an email with the provider’s branding, confirming their account and advising the URL for future access
Permissions and membership of security groups can be determined at the time of the invitation, or at any time subsequently
Users can be disabled instantly; disabled users will lose their access to the system immediately
If the use of 2-Factor Authentication is not enforced by the administrator, individual users can choose to set up their own 2FA

Security groups

Security groups are applied to folders and to users; this will determine the actions that each can perform on the contents of a folder
Users can be permitted to upload, move, rename and delete files and data records
Users can also be permitted to upload, move, rename and delete folders
It is thus possible for users to be permitted to upload files and data records, but not move, rename or delete them
Sub-folders can be given different security groups from their parent, thus allowing more restrictive control of sub-folders

Permissions

Provider users can be permitted to manage both provider and client users, as well as to allocate security groups to users and folders
The ability to manage branding can be applied selectively to provider users, as can the ability to set up the web link from the files and folders page
Safe4 has a comprehensive reporting capability. Access to this is also controlled by a permission setting
Content control through the scanning of uploaded files for protective markings is also a function that is permission-controlled
Further permission controls allow users to be allocated the ability to manage users globally without having to issue new invitations, and to request signatures on PDF documents that are held within Safe4

Safe4 reporting and data history

Reports on activity within Safe4 can be generated by authorised provider users
Any date range can be selected, as can any of the provider accounts and vaults accessible to the user in question
Every single function available within Safe4 can be queried in this way
All actions performed on the files and data within Safe4 are recorded and made available as an audit trail. This is shown adjacent to the file or data record in question, and does not require a report to be run

Branding to reflect your corporate style

Each provider account can feature a different logo, and can be named according to the application in question (for example a law firm may wish to brand corporate and private client accounts differently)
Provider accounts can use different terminology to describe vaults (for example Clients, Projects, Matters, Data Rooms, etc)
Provider accounts can have customised individual welcome text for the login page, and disclaimer text for user invitation emails
Vaults within each provider account can carry a link to the provider’s website

WebDAV

Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning has been implemented within Safe4
This allows a network drive to be mapped on Windows and Apple computers, connecting to Safe4 in the cloud
All of the provider accounts and vaults that the user is permitted to see will be displayed as folders and sub-folders in Windows Explorer
All of the functions available in Windows can thus be used: files can be uploaded and downloaded by simple dragging and dropping them between folders in Windows
New files can be created in applications such as Microsoft Office, for example, by right-clicking and selecting “New …”
MS Office files can be opened, edited, and saved simply by double-clicking in the normal way. The amended version is placed into Safe4 as a new version of the original file. Previous versions can then be displayed in the web interface if required
Depending on the version of Windows, mapping a network drive using WebDAV may present difficulties. In such cases, other freely-downloadable tools are available to allow files in Safe4 to be edited online. Safe4 will provide advice and assistance to support the setting up of such tools

The Safe4 Asset Register

As well as managing documents, the Safe4 Asset Register permits the entry of data directly into fields within the folder structure
Users with appropriate permissions can Manage Entities, which enables them to set up asset classes and subclasses
Attributes can be created and associated with each asset class or subclass
Asset folders can be intermixed with normal Safe4 folders
When an asset folder is selected, the attributes are displayed as fields into which data can be entered directly from computers, tablets and smartphones by any user with the necessary permissions
Permission controls on asset folders are identical to normal folders; thus users can be given view-only rights or enabled to add, edit, move and delete asset records
All asset-related activities are captured in the Safe4 audit trail
If an asset record is changed the previous version is retained, to ensure the completeness of the record history
Ideal for managing information that does not require the upload of a document, for activities in areas such as project management, CRM, inheritance planning, capturing secure client information such as bank account details, and many more
Removes the need to use email to transfer some types of highly confidential information

Signing documents within Safe4

Documents in PDF format that require signature can be selected from a folder
The users who are required to sign the document/s are then selected from a list
An email notification is sent to each user, with a link to the document
After logging in and authenticating themselves, users are given the option to sign or reject the document; this requires the further entry of the user’s password to confirm their selection
After their decision has been made, the document is then routed to the next user
When all of the required signatures have been added a new version of the document is created, with an additional page recording each signing event
The signature page contains a verification code, which is a blockchain-like record of the signature by each individual that has been requested to sign the document

2-Factor Authentication

The use of 2-Factor Authentication can be enforced by the administrator, or alternatively individual users can choose to set up 2-factor Authentication on their own account
When this option is selected, the user will be prompted to enter a mobile phone number which will be held against their user account
Thereafter, whenever login is attempted the user will be challenged to enter a 7-digit authentication code that will be sent to their mobile device as a text message
Users who have enabled 2FA will also be challenged and presented with an authentication code when they enter the “My Account” section of the system
Each authentication code will have a life of 24 hours

Unique and flexible architecture

Multi-tenanted structure
Unlimited number of providers
Each provider may create an unlimited number of vaults, for external or internal applications
Each provider may have an unlimited number of users
Each vault may have an unlimited number of users
Each user may be connected to multiple provider accounts
Each user may be connected to multiple vaults
Users may have a combination of different provider and vault account connections through a single login