In Fall 2021 Enterprise Technology & Services (ET&S) engaged the UNH Survey Center to conduct a survey of faculty and researchers to gather information on current Box usage in preparation for a possible migration from Box to Microsoft 365. The Executive Summary of the survey results is below.
Executive Summary
The University of New Hampshire Survey Center conducted a survey for the University of New Hampshire Enterprise
Technology & Services to help gather information on the use of Box as a storage and collaboration tool by faculty and researchers in preparation for a migration from Box to Microsoft 365 tools. Invitations were sent on September 30, 2021 to 1,542 UNH faculty and staff who were identified by ET&S as researchers and reminders were sent on October 6 and October 12. Overall, 628 UNH faculty and staff members completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 41%.
Key Findings
Expertise & Frequency of Use
Four in five respondents say they often use Box for work and very few say they never use it. Most describe themselves as intermediate users of Box while about a quarter say they are expert users.
Non-Users of Box
Among the few respondents who say they never use Box for work, half say they don't use it because they use another tool for storage and collaboration while about a quarter each say they don't know how to use Box or don't have a need for storage and collaboration. Non-users of Box are divided when asked if they will use Microsoft 365 tools once the migration is complete; about one-third say they plan to do so, one-third don't plan to use it, and another third don't know.
Sharing & Storage with Box
Among those who use Box at least rarely, three-quarters share data or collaborate with other UNH departments using Box while just over half share data or collaborate with groups outside UNH or with UNH students. Only one in ten use Box to store data subject to special conditions like HIPAA. Very few say that any of their grant proposals or active funding agreements require the use of Box.
Box Features
Among Box features, respondents most frequently report having used Box Drive, Box Sync, Box Edit, and Comments, while few report having used Watermarks, Automated Workflow, or embedded widgets. The vast majority who have used these features say they have used them in the past twelve months. Experts are more likely than intermediate or beginner users to have used each feature.
Backups & Integrations
Only one in seven respondents say their Box data is backed up on another system or platform, most frequently mentioning an external hard drive and OneDrive as the locations of those backups. By contrast, three in eight say they use Box as a backup for data stored elsewhere; respondents who do this most frequently mention the computer, hard drive, desktop, or laptop as the location of original data that is stored on Box. Only one in twenty use integration between Box and other systems and platforms; those who do most frequently mention connections or integrations with Tableau, Canvas, and Salesforce.
Additional Thoughts, Questions, and Concerns
In an open-ended question asking for their additional thoughts, questions, or concerns, nearly half of respondents raise concerns or anxiety about the migration or express dissatisfaction with the decision to migrate. Others mention positive things about Box or say they rely on it extensively, while smaller numbers mention being happy or content with the migration. Others express a desire for more information or support for their migration, while others question the timing of the migration.
