Salesforce unveils Files, a new way to map files across services like Dropbox, Box, and SharePoint

Salesforce has overhauled its file sharing system to allows users to share files from any business unit on any device. Called Salesforce Files, this updated tool will work with services like Google Drive, Box, and others — essentially acting like a map or directory to help people find their files through their different repositories. The service is available in private beta.

The company’s Executive Vice-President and General Manager of its Chatter product, Nasi Jazayeri, told us about how Salesforce Files is aimed at helping you find and share files — no matter what the business process is, whether for sales, service, or marketing. He explained that files are scattered across disconnected systems, whether they’re stored locally on employee computers, in cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, or Hightail, or even on internal servers within a company.

To that end, Salesforce thought that it could solve the disconnected system problem by coming up with a solution where they could search, access, and connect any file from any repository directly into your business from any device. No files are being passed through to Salesforce from its original service — all the security and permission settings remain intact.

Salesforce Files is actually a revamp of its Chatterbox product. Jazayeri says that when Chatterbox went through its beta period, the firm discovered that the original scope of syncing local documents across your many devices was too limited and needed to be expanded.

Accessing third-party repositories is new for Salesforce — Jazayeri says that it’s been a challenge for the company, but it has now removed any latency or friction in productivity.

This product is based off of Salesforce’s acquisition of EntropySoft and is leveraging some of the connections that came from the deal.

Previously, Salesforce had rolled out its own file sharing service in Chatter. Today’s news is said to augment that service, enabling users to access files from multiple repositories. Salesforce Files only operates as read-only to remove the pain of creating redundant documents. So if you’re looking for that sales presentation stored in Box, Google Drive, or SharePoint, any edits will be made in the respective system, not in Salesforce.

Interestingly, Box already features integration with Salesforce thanks to its Box Embed product. With Salesforce Files, this gives users another way to access content stored on the cloud storage service.

General availability of Salesforce Files is expected in February 2014 and will lump in all of its core products and apps powered through Force.com.

Photo credit: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP/Getty Images