Box Canvas - Overview, Logging in and Procedures

Overview

Box Canvas is a collaboration tool that empowers teams to be visually creative using whiteboards, to brainstorm, diagram and collaborate with anyone in real time. Canvas integrates with your Box Content Cloud account.

Box Canvas allows you to:

• Create unlimited whiteboards (canvases) using sticky notes, emojis and comments.
• Free-form drawing using shapes and connectors
• Securely share your Canvases with anyone, anywhere,
• Work simultaneously or asynchronously, with those inside or outside of the company.
• Add various objects to your Canvas:
  • • Sticky notes - use them to brainstorm and vote for your favorite ideas with your team,
    • Shapes - add various shapes to your Canvas to map out a process flow or create diagrams,
    • Text input - add and move text anywhere on your Canvas,
    • Connectors - use them to connect ideas, or combine them with shapes to map out flows,
    • Pen drawing - use it to free-form draw or scribble your thoughts onto the Canvas,
    • Icons - use them to create more efficient and effective wireframes and mockups,
• Upload images - upload png, jpg, jpeg, and bmp images to bring your Canvas to life,
• Use templates - use one of the pre-made templates to get started faster on Canvas.

https://support.box.com/hc/en-us/articles/12535159653907-Introducing-Box-Canvas

NOTE: Before creating a new canvas, you may want to create a new folder in file explorer to keep the canvas files, as you may be asked to designate a default folder the first time you start a new canvas.

After creating a canvas, the file is automatically titled in the format below:

 “Canvas {YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS].boxcanvas” (see examples below)

[Examples of Canvas file names]

NOTE: You can change the name of the file, however you do need to keep the .boxcanvas extension.

Procedures 

Logging in

1. Go to rpi.box.com and login with RCS ID and password. (click the continue button if this appears)
2. Once Box opens, click Canvas from the left navigation bar or open an existing canvas file from the Recent Files area from the top.
3. Click Select Folder.
4. Select a Default Save Location folder by clicking the circle to the right of the folder and then click Choose. You can go through the tutorials below if they appear the first time you login or click the X to close this box.

Canvas Screen and Toolbar

[First time you open Canvas screen with tutorials]

Go to each box to learn more about Box Canvas.

Toolbar

[Toolbar located at the bottom of a canvas window]

Using Templates

Instead of manually adding objects, you may want to use one of the Box Canvas Templates.

1. Click the three dots  in the upper right corner of the canvas window and choose New Canvas OR from the left sidebar click the “+” to the right of Canvas.
2. Click the Template icon  located on the canvas toolbar at the bottom of the page.

Available templates appear showing the template name, layout and category.

3. Scroll through the list and click once on a template and then click the Insert Template button located in the lower right corner.

The selected Template appears on the canvas screen.

Updating and Creating Sticky Notes

Sticky notes help visually sort and organize your ideas. Some templates already have sticky notes included, the only thing missing is the text.

Updating Text in a note

1. Double-click inside a note and then begin typing your note.

[Canvas showing sticky notes under Pros and Cons of brainstorming]

Context bar

[Sticky not context bar options]

Adding a new note

NOTE: Yellow is the default sticky note color for Box Canvas.

1. From the canvas screen, click the Sticky Note icon from the canvas toolbar.
2. Choose the color of your sticky note.
3. Click and drag anywhere on the canvas to create the note.
4. Double-click on the sticky note to add text.

Shapes and Icons

Adding Shapes

1. Click the Shapes icon  from the canvas toolbar.
2. Choose a shape.
3. Click anywhere on the canvas and the shape appears.

• Use the context bar above the shape to change the shape, add text, font size, bold, italic, alignment, and more options (copy/send to front/back, and delete).

[Context bar for shapes showing a shape with resize and move handles]

Text

1. Click the Text icon  from the canvas toolbar.
2. Click anywhere on the canvas and a text box appears. Use the above context bar to make changes to the Text box.
   
   
   [Text context bar showing text surrounded by text handles to resize and move text]
   
   
3. Click, hold and drag the text box to move this around the canvas.

Drawings (Pen)

1. Click the Pen icon from the canvas toolbar and a context bar appears to choose, pen color, pen size, pen tool, eraser tool or cancel. NOTE: Once you change the color, click the pen to the right and then draw.

[Drawing context bar]

2. Click and drag to draw with the pen on the canvas.

3. To erase the pen drawing, click the Eraser tool  and then click, hold, and slide the cursor over a part of the drawing and the drawing disappears.

[Line with an arrow pointing to a box drawn around a sticky note]

 

4. Click the X on the context bar to cancel using the pen tool.

Connectors

1. Click the Connectors icon  from the canvas toolbar.
2. Choose the type of connector from the context toolbar and then click anywhere on your canvas to draw the connector to the second object.

[Four types of connectors]

Once the connector is drawn, a context bar appears.

3. Click on the connector to edit and then use the context bar to make changes to the line color, connector type on left and right side, connector style, curve and weight and more options (copy/send to front/back and delete).

[Mouse on a connector button to a note]

From an object

1. Select the first object.
2. Click one of the blue dots that appear on each side of that object.
3. Click and drag the connector to the second object and join the connector to one of the blue dots that appear on the second object.

[Object handles highlighted]

Upload Images to Box Canvas

A local file can be uploaded to your Canvas to convey your ideas visually. Box Canvas supports the following image file types: png, jpeg, jpg, and bmp. https://support.box.com/hc/en-us/articles/12535860052883-Adding-images-to-Box-Canvas

1. Click the file Upload icon  from the canvas toolbar. 
2. Choose Upload images from device and then click a file from your device and choose open.
   NOTE: You can have an unlimited number of images to your canvas, however the maximum size of one image cannot exceed 20 MB.

The image appears on the canvas. You can: resize, move and copy the image. NOTE: If the Canvas file is copied, all uploaded images are also copied over to the new file.

Sharing and Exporting your Canvas

Canvas can be shared with those inside and outside of RPI. Those you invite will receive an email with a link to open the canvas. Once the canvas is on the screen, the team can make changes in real-time. Sharing files in canvas works the same way as how you share other Box files – by inviting collaborators (inside or outside of RPI) or you can create a shared link and designate a level of access. NOTE: Those outside of RPI will be asked to create a Box account. 

Export your Canvas to a .PNG file to share in an email or upload it to other applications.

1. Click the Share button  located in the upper right corner of the canvas screen.
2. Begin typing the person’s name in the Invite People area and if they have an RPI Box account, you can choose them from the list below.
   
   [Invite people screen and sample of an email on what people outside of RPI receive]

3. Type the full email address for anyone you are inviting outside your organization.

4. Select the access as Editor or Viewer.
5. Type a message (optional)
6. Click Send.

Exporting Canvas

1. Click the more options button located in the upper right corner of the screen.
2. Choose Export.
3. By default, all contents of the Canvas are selected, but you can crop specific areas of the canvas you want exported.
4. Click Export PNG located at the top to save your selection.

References/Links 

Box Canvas - Video

Box Canvas - Training Pages

Last Reviewed:   04-Mar-2024