Purchaser’s manual: Corporate file synchronization and distribution amenities
Consumers generally have the option to choose between keeping complete copies locally or virtual duplicates that are downloadable as needed to preserve local storage capacity.
Consumers generally have the option to choose between keeping complete copies locally or virtual duplicates that are downloadable as needed to preserve local storage capacity. However, according to Muscolino, such functionalities are now considered basic requirements.
Main trends in EFSS
Per Muscolino, four companies lead the EFSS software market in terms of revenue: Microsoft (with OneDrive), Google (with Google Drive), Box, and Dropbox. She mentions that all of them have recently introduced advanced features that surpass simple file synchronization and distribution services. These expanded service offerings, now categorized by IDC as content sharing and collaboration platforms, are exhibiting higher growth rates compared to the broader enterprise content management (ECM) sector. However, she notes that this overall scenario represents a market focused on modernization, consolidation, and substitution.
Furthermore, fundamental EFSS features are now integrated into many ECM software packages. “Several years ago, numerous ECM solution providers began incorporating collaboration capabilities centered around documents, including file synchronization and distribution,” stated Cheryl McKinnon, the key analyst at Forrester Research. “This trend coincided with tools like OneDrive, Dropbox, and Box enhancing document management, streamlining workflows, incorporating electronic signatures, and even boosting governance tools to streamline the document lifecycle.”
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