Oct 30, 2011
I have never found a great solution for sending attachments in Outlook that are larger than my e-mail server limit. Sure, I can create a link by using YouSendIt, or DropBox, or load the file up onto my Web server and create a link; but each of those takes a few steps to get the link established—the one I copy in my e-mail.
Well, SugarSync, a DropBox competitor, now has a solution for Outlook users. It’s a plug-in that you install in Outlook, and it causes Outlook to automatically replace an attached file in outgoing messages with a link to the file on the SugarSync server. It create the link and uploads the file all automatically. You don’t even have to think about it—it just does it for you after you confirm a pop-up box that asks you if you want a link instead of the actual file.
It seems to work great.
Some fine points: in the plug-in settings you can indicate a file size limit beyond which the link is triggered and below which the attachment itself is sent. And if the file is already on your SugarSync account, it does not upload it again, provided you use the special SugarSync attachement button at the top of the email when you first make the attachment. If you don’t use that, rather drag and drop the attachment, or use the standard Outlook paperclip icon, it will upload the file again when it creates the link.
Drawbacks? None that I can see. I tested it and it works fine. Of course, if you do not have a SugarSync account you have to open one, but that doesn’t take too long. SugarSync is free if you store less than 5GB out there.
There were two minor issues in my testing. The place where you set the file size that triggers the sugar sync interception did not seem to be working; so I had to set it to query me with all attachments. The other issue is that it is not clear to me how you remove the files from your account after you allow them to be uploaded for you. You can deactivate them (so the links no longer work) but their hit against your storage limit does not appear to decrease when you do that. I have questions in to SugarSync support for both those issues.
And I have one design nit; SugarSync places the link at the top of your e-mail message with a rather lengthy explanation sentence indicating that SugarSync is behind the service—and it shows a link to their sales page. It does this as the e-mail is on its way out so there is no way for you to edit it out. It’s not horrible, here is what it says: “A file attachment has been sent to you using SugarSync. Click the link to download the file.” At minimum, I wish there were a way to configure that sentence and my file link to appear at the bottom of the message. Even better, I wish there were a way to just insert my file link and remove the explanation sentance.
Other than that, it’s a good tool. So take a look and see what you think; just go to the SugarSync website and look at the left side of the home screen and you’ll see a link to the Outlook plug-in.
Michael
