---
schema_version: "1"
id: 034f7a9684f24d38ec757ae4367dd1b2e2bca71588303a168de64109ae891603
title: Define an External Data Source for Box
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/experience/264-0-0/admin_files_connect_box_xds.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.admin_files_connect_box_xds.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 3ad431c6211528f92feeadaea1745e089f4589219216cba312551eedc5d7bfcc
description: Let users access their Box content from Files home, feed posts, and search.
products:
  - Experiences
release: "264"
---
# Define an External Data Source for Box

Let users access their Box content from Files home, feed posts, and search.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: both Salesforce Classic and Lightning Experience</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>Professional</strong>, <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d16742e73">User Permissions
              Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e73 ">To define an external data source:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e73 ">Customize Application</td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

1. From Setup in Salesforce Classic, enter External Data Sources in the Quick Find box, then select **External Data Sources**.
2. Click **New External Data Source**. Then set the following options.
    
    <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small ">
            <colgroup>
              <col style="width:50%">
              <col style="width:50%">
            </colgroup>
            <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
              <tr class="">
                <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d16742e133">Field</th>
                <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d16742e136">Description</th>
              </tr>
            </thead>
            <tbody>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e133 ">
                  <samp class="parmname">Label</samp>
                </td>

                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e136 ">A user-friendly name for the data source displayed in the Salesforce user
                  interface.</td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e133 ">
                  <samp class="parmname">Name</samp>
                </td>

                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e136 ">A unique identifier used to refer to this external data source definition
                  through the API. The <strong class="uicontrol">Name</strong> field can contain only
                  underscores and alphanumeric characters. It must be unique, begin with a letter,
                  not include spaces, not end with an underscore, and not contain two consecutive
                  underscores.</td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e133 ">
                  <samp class="parmname">Type</samp>
                </td>

                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e136 ">Choose <strong class="uicontrol">Files Connect: Box</strong></td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e133 ">
                  <samp class="parmname">Identity Type</samp>
                </td>

                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e136 ">
                  <p>The identity type used to authenticate to the external data
                    source.</p>
                  <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Select <strong class="uicontrol">Per User</strong> to require separate
                    credentials for each user who accesses the data source. (Administrators must
                    enable the data source for specific permission sets and profiles. Users then
                    enter their credentials when first accessing the data source.) </p>
                </td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e133 ">
                  <samp class="parmname">Authentication Protocol</samp>
                </td>

                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e136 ">
                  <p>The protocol used to access Box. </p>
                  <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Select <strong class="uicontrol">OAuth
                      2.0</strong>.</p>
                </td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e133 ">
                  <samp class="parmname">Authentication Provider</samp>
                </td>

                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e136 ">Enter the <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.admin_files_connect_box_auth.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="To use Box as an external data source, first create an authentication provider for it in Salesforce.">Box Authentication Provider</a>.</td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e133 ">
                  <samp class="parmname">Scope</samp>
                </td>

                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e136 ">Leave blank.</td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e133 ">
                  <samp class="parmname">Start Authentication Flow on Save</samp>
                </td>

                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d16742e136 ">Select to immediately test the settings above.</td>

              </tr>
            </tbody>
          </table>
    
    Files from a Box data source can’t be previewed in the file preview player.