Kiteworks Getting Started

Guide
October 2023

Version 8.2.0-01
 Copyright
Copyright © 2023 Kiteworks. All rights reserved.
These products, documents, and materials are protected by copyright law and distributed under licenses
restricting use, copying, distribution, and decompilation.
Kiteworks and the Kiteworks logo are registered trademarks of Kiteworks in the United States and/or
other countries.
Excel, Microsoft, Office 365, PowerPoint, and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
RSA is a registered trademark of EMC Corporation.
YubiKey is a registered trademark of Yubico Inc.
Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective companies.

Corporate Headquarters Contact Us

Kiteworks USA, LLC p. 1.650.485.4300 | f. 1.650.485.4308
1510 Fashion Island Blvd., Suite 100 www.kiteworks.com
San Mateo, CA 94404, USA
 Table of Contents
Table of Contents

Table of Contents

iii

Get started 4
Create or activate your user account 5
Sign in to the Kiteworks Web application 7
Sign in using certificate-based authentication 8
Set up time-based, one-time passwords 10
Create folders 12
Upload files to folders 13
Share folders 14
Share files 15
Send files 16
Create and edit Microsoft Office files 17
Create and edit tasks 18
Add comments to files 19

Additional resources 20
Resources 21

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 Get started
Get started

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 Get started
Create or activate your user account

Create or activate your user account

As a new user, you may receive an email request to activate your user account or to collaborate on files
in a shared folder. In other circumstances, you may receive a link to download files from Kiteworks, or
you may just want to create an account on your own. Depending on your situation, you create an
account in one of the following ways.

You received an email stating your account was created.

To activate your account:
1 In the email, click "Activate account".
2 Create a password for your account, and then sign in with your email address and password.
3 If required, enter a mobile number to receive a one-time passcode for verifying your identity. Once
you receive the code, use it to finish signing in.
Tip: To select a country code, start typing your country name in the Country field.

You received an email containing a link to a shared folder.

To create your account and access the folder:
1 In the email, click "Access folder".
2 On the sign in page, enter your email address, and then click Next.
3 On the Create Account page, if you're prompted to enter an activation code, enter the code you
received from the person who sent you the email.
Rationale: Some organizations want to notify the email sender when you're creating your account so
that they can send you a code to verify your identity. If you didn't get the code, click the Resend link
to resend the code to the sender. You may also need to contact them for the code.
4 On the Create Account page, create a password, and then click Next.
5 If you're prompted to enter a CAPTCHA code to verify your identity, type the code shown on the
screen, and then click "Create account".
6 Check your email for an account verification link. In the email, click "Activate account".
7 On the sign in page, enter your email address, and then click Next.
8 Enter your password, and then click "Sign in".
9 If required, enter a mobile number to receive a one-time passcode for verifying your identity. Once
you receive the code, use it to finish signing in.
Tip: To select a country code, start typing your country name in the Country field.

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Create or activate your user account

You received an email containing a secure message.

To create your account and access the message:
1 In the email, click "Access message".
2 On the sign in page, enter your email address, and then click Next.
3 On the Create Account page, if you're prompted to enter an activation code, enter the code you
received from the person who sent you the email.
Rationale: Some organizations want to notify the email sender when you're creating your account so
that they can send you a code to verify your identity. If you didn't get the code, click the Resend link
to resend the code to the sender. You may also need to contact them for the code.
4 On the Create Account page, create a password, and then click Next.
5 If you're prompted to enter a CAPTCHA code to verify your identity, type the code shown on the
screen, and then click "Create account".
6 Check your email for an account verification link. In the email, click "Activate account".
7 On the sign in page, enter your email address, and then click Next.
8 Enter your password, and then click "Sign in".
9 If required, enter a mobile number to receive a one-time passcode for verifying your identity. Once
you receive the code, use it to finish signing in.
Tip: To select a country code, start typing your country name in the Country field.

You didn't receive an email. You just want to create an account.

To create your account:
1 In a browser or the Kiteworks mobile app, enter the address of the server you want to access.
2 On the sign in page, click "Create account".
Tip: If you don't see the "Create account" link on the page, your Kiteworks administrator doesn't
allow people to self-register. Contact your Kiteworks administrator for assistance. You may also see a
Contact Us link on the page for contacting the administrator.
3 Enter your email address, create a password, and then follow the prompts.
4 If you're prompted to enter a CAPTCHA code to verify your identity, type the code shown on the
screen, and then click "Create account".
5 Check your email for an account verification link. In the email, click "Activate account".
6 On the sign in page, enter your email address, and then click Next.
7 Enter your password, and then click "Sign in".
8 If required, enter a mobile number to receive a one-time passcode for verifying your identity. Once
you receive the code, use it to finish signing in.
Tip: To select a country code, start typing your country name in the Country field.

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Sign in to the Kiteworks Web application

Sign in to the Kiteworks Web application

Once you've created or activated your user account, sign in to the Kiteworks Web application to access
shared folders, download files, view secure messages, and more.
If you're signing in using certificate-based authentication, refer to Sign in using certificate-based
authentication.
To sign in:
1 In a web browser, enter the address of your Kiteworks server.
2 Type the user name or email address associated with your account, and then click Next.
Tip: When LDAP or single sign-on policies are in place for your company, you typically enter a user
name instead of an email address. If you don't know your user name, contact your Kiteworks
administrator for assistance. You may also see a Contact Us link on the page for contacting your
Kiteworks administrator.
If you receive a "Missing mandatory parameter" message, inform your Kiteworks administrator that
the server needs to be updated with the latest version before you can sign in.
3 Type your password, and then click Sign In.
Alternative: If you forgot your password or need to change it, click the Forgot Password link and then
follow the prompts reset your password.
4 If this is your first time signing in and two-factor authentication is required, follow the screen
instructions to set it up.
l If text-based authentication (SMS) needs to be set up, you'll be prompted to provide a mobile
number for your account. Enter the mobile number and when the passcode is texted to your
phone, enter the code into the box on the sign in screen.
l If time-based, one-time password (TOTP) needs to be set up, use your phone to scan the barcode
on the setup screen to an authenticator app, and then enter the code returned by the
authenticator app. For detailed instructions, refer to Set up time-based, one-time passwords.
l For other authentication methods, no set up is required. For example, a passcode may be emailed
to your account, or other credentials using mechanisms such as RSA token or YubiKey may be
required to verify your identity. Just enter the information required to sign in.
When two-factor authentication is required, each time you sign in you'll need to enter a new passcode
sent by email, text, or generated by an authenticator app. For faster sign in, your Kiteworks
administrator may allow you to skip this step. On the sign in screen, click the "Remember this device"
check box to temporarily add your computer or phone as a trusted device.
If you enter an incorrect user name or password, your Kiteworks administrator may require you enter a
CAPTCHA code for further verification. Verify your user name and password, and then type the code
shown on the screen to finish signing in.
If you enter an incorrect password too many times, your user account may get locked. If this happens,
you'll be notified by email. You can wait for a period of time and then try to sign in again or contact your
Kiteworks administrator for assistance. Your Kiteworks administrator determines how many times you
can enter an incorrect password before your account gets locked, and also how long it remains locked
before you can sign in again.
To sign out:
In the upper right corner of the screen, click your user name, and then click Sign Out.

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Sign in using certificate-based authentication

Sign in using certificate-based authentication

If your Kiteworks administrator provides certificate-based authentication as a sign in method, you can
sign in with a trusted certificate installed in your browser, instead of your username and password.
l Add trusted certificates in a browser
l Sign in using certificate-based authentication

Add trusted certificates in a browser

Before you can sign in using certificate-based authentication, you must first get the certificate, and the
password used to encrypt it, from your Kiteworks administrator. Then, add the certificate to your
browser's trust store. You only need to do this once.
To add a certificate in Chrome:
1 Open the browser Settings page.
2 Click Privacy and Security > Security > Manage Device Certificates.
3 In the Certificates box, go to the Personal tab, and then click Import.
4 Select the certificate you want to add.
5 Enter the password used to encrypt the certificate.
6 Add the certificate to the Personal store.
To add a certificate in Firefox:
1 Open the browser Settings page.
2 Click Privacy & Security.
3 Scroll to the Security section.
4 Under Certificates, click View Certificates.
5 In the Certificate Manager, go to the Your Certificates tab and click Import.
6 Select the certificate you want to add.
7 Enter the password used to encrypt the certificate.
8 Click Sign In.
To add a certificate in Microsoft Edge:
1 Open the browser Settings page.
2 Click Privacy, Search, and Services.
3 Scroll to the Security section.
4 Click Manage Certificates.
5 In the Certificates box, go to the Personal tab, and then click Import.
6 Select the certificate you want to add.
7 Enter the password used to encrypt the certificate.
8 Add the certificate to the Personal store.

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Sign in using certificate-based authentication

Sign in using certificate-based authentication

To sign in using certificate-based authentication:
1 In a web browser, enter the address of the Kiteworks application.
2 Follow the browser prompts to select the certificate for signing in to the server.
If you've installed multiple certificates, when signing in for the first time the browser displays a list of
certificates for you to choose from.

3 On the sign in screen, click the link provided for certificate-based authentication. The link text may
have been customized by your Kiteworks administrator.
Alternative: Your Kiteworks administrator may configure certificate-based authentication to bypass
the sign in page and automatically sign you in to the server.

Subsequent sign ins may not require you to select the certificate each time as long as you keep the
browser open. This behavior is controlled by the browser. If you close and reopen it, when you connect
to the server, you may be prompted to select the certificate again.
If you receive an error when signing in with a certificate, contact your Kiteworks administrator. If your
certificate is no longer valid, they will need to provide you with an updated certificate.

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Set up time-based, one-time passwords

Set up time-based, one-time passwords

For two-factor authentication (2FA), your Kiteworks administrator may require you use a time-based,
one-time password (TOTP) when signing into the Kiteworks Web application. TOTP is used by
authentication apps to generate one-time numeric passwords that remain valid for 30 seconds. It
provides extra security when authenticating your account.
Your Kiteworks administrator determines whether you must use TOTP. You'll see the TOTP setup screen
the next time you sign into the web application. Use your phone to scan the barcode on the setup
screen, and then enter the code returned by the authenticator app. Each time you sign in you'll need to
enter a new passcode generated by the authenticator app. Your Kiteworks administrator may provide an
option for you to remember your device settings so that you can skip this step.
The following authentication apps have been tested, although you can use any app that supports the
TOTP standard.
l Microsoft Authenticator
l Google Authenticator
l FreeOTP Authenticator (Red Hat)
l Twilio Authy
l Duo Mobile
l LastPass Authenticator
l OneLogin Protect
To set up time-based, one-time passwords:
1 Sign into the Kiteworks Web application.
2 When prompted to set up TOTP, open the authenticator app on your phone and scan the barcode to
the app.
l You may be able to use your device camera to scan the code to the app.
l To manually get the code, click “Having trouble scanning the code?". Copy the secret key and
enter it into your account in the authenticator app.
3 Enter the code from your authenticator app, and then click Submit.
Result: A secret key is associated with your device and user account.

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Set up time-based, one-time passwords

Reset your secret key

If you get a new phone or want to use a different authenticator app, you need to reset the secret key
associated with your device and user account.
To reset your secret key:
1 Open the Kiteworks Web application.
2 In the upper right corner of the screen, click your profile picture, and then click Settings.
3 On the Account tab, next to Time-based OTP, click Change Phone.

4 Enter the password you use to sign into the web application, and then click Retrieve New Code.
5 Open the authenticator app on your phone and scan the barcode to the app.
l You may be able to use your device camera to scan the code to the app.
l To manually get the code, click “Having trouble scanning the code?". Copy the secret key and
enter it into your account in the authenticator app.

6 Enter the code from your authenticator app, and then click Verify.
Result: A new secret key is associated with your device and user account.

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Create folders

Create folders
You store your files in secure folders which you can share with other users for collaboration. You can
create folders from scratch or upload folders from your desktop or enterprise content sources.
When creating folders, you may want to accept the default security settings assigned to them. For
information about folder security settings, refer to the online help in the Kiteworks Web application or
the Kiteworks Web User Guide.

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Upload files to folders

Upload files to folders

You can upload files of any size securely to your Kiteworks folders from your desktop. Once uploaded,
you can share the folders so that folder members can access the files.

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Share folders

Share folders
Once you've uploaded files to folders, you can share the folders to collaborate with other users.
In the folder you want to share, click Members > Invite New Member.
After sending the invitation, you can use the Members pane to change the role of an individual user.

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Share files

Share files
You can share individual files in a folder without giving users access to other files in the folder. Once
shared, users can click the "Shared with me" link in the navigation pane to see files that were shared
with them.
When you share a file, you can assign users the Collaborator role with permissions to edit, download,
send the file, and more. Or you can assign them the Viewer role with limited permissions to work with
the file. Your Kiteworks administrator determines which roles you can assign.

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Send files

Send files
You can send files securely using Kiteworks. The files get uploaded to your Kiteworks server and a link is
sent to recipients for accessing the files. After the link expires, the files are deleted from the server.
If a recipient doesn't have a user account on the server, they'll be prompted to create one.

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Create and edit Microsoft Office files

Create and edit Microsoft Office files

If you have an Office 365 subscription, you can create and edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
files while maintaining the files securely within Kiteworks. Depending on your system configuration, you
may be able to create and edit the files using your Office desktop or web applications. With Office 365,
you can collaborate with co-authors in real time, simultaneously editing and saving content as you work.
For instructions on how to create and edit Office files from within Kiteworks, refer to the online help in
the Kiteworks Web application or the Kiteworks Web User Guide.

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Create and edit tasks

Create and edit tasks

You can create and assign file-related tasks to folder members. For example, you can create a task
requesting that a folder member review and edit a file by a specific date.
When you assign tasks to folder members, they receive email notifications describing their assignments,
along with secure links for accessing the files. You also receive copies of the notifications.

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Add comments to files

Add comments to files

There are several ways you can comment on files, but the fastest way is to select the file, and then in the
right pane, click Comments. Type your comment, and then click Post.
Here are other ways to add comments:
l Select or open the file. In the Information & Tracked Activity pane, click the Comments tab, and then
add your comment.
l When responding to a file upload request, click the Upload link in the email message, and then
upload the files. When the file upload completes, click the Comment link next to the file.

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 Additional resources
Additional resources

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 Additional resources
Resources

Resources
Access user documentation
To access the user documentation, click the profile icon, and then click Help to display a list of
downloadable user guides. If you can't access the guides, contact your Kiteworks administrator.

Get support
Need assistance with your Kiteworks product? Contact us with requests for assistance or to submit
product enhancements.
Contact customer support at support@kiteworks.com.

Learn more about Kiteworks products

Visit the Kiteworks Support Portal to read technical articles, view training videos, search the knowledge
base, and download additional user documentation.

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