Counseling & Services
Dossier Service FAQ for Faculty and Departmental Administrators
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This page contains basic information on the Dossier Service, frequently asked questions for faculty and administrators, and step by step instructions for using Interfolio.
About Interfolio
- What is Interfolio?
- Why has the Center for Career Education partnered with Interfolio to manage the Dossier Service?
- Is it safe?
- How do I create a letter writer's account with Interfolio?
- What if I do not want to use this new service?
- How will I know if someone has requested a recommendation?
- How will I know if someone has or has not waived their right to view my recommendation?
- What is the cost associated with using Interfolio for students and alumni?
- Will letters of recommendation that I transmit on-line be saved in my account?
Step-by-step Instructions for Using Interfolio
- How to register with Interfolio
- How to add e-mail addresses to your account
- How to view new recommendation requests
- How to upload your letter of recommendation to a student or alumni account if you have received an electronic request via e-mail
- How to upload your letter of recommendation to a student or alumni account if you have received a paper request
- How to mail documents to Interfolio if you are responding to an e-mail request from a student or alumnus
- How to mail documents to Interfolio if you are responding to a paper request from a student or alumnus
- How to view previously uploaded letters
- How to create a signature for your letters of recommendation
- Key terms
What is Interfolio?
Interfolio, Inc. is a Washington, D.C. based company, whose primary mission is to provide electronic dossier portfolio services. Students and alumni can access Interfolio's dossier services through a webpage lodged on Columbia's Center for Career Education website. The Columbia webpage provides both information as well as click-through functionality to Interfolio's home webpage. Dossier portfolio contents and dossier service accounts will both be housed on Interfolio's web server. Access to both Columbia's webpage as well as Interfolio's is twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. From Interfolio's webpage, Columbia students and alumni can activate their personal Interfolio accounts and issue instructions regarding distribution of the contents of their dossiers. In addition, faculty can automatically upload references for students and alumni to their Interfolio account or, if they prefer, they can provide the Center for Career Education with a hard copy of their letter of recommendation and the Center will electronically submit this information to Interfolio.
Why has the Center for Career Education partnered with Interfolio to manage the Dossier Service?
Columbia University's partnership with Interfolio provides Columbia graduate students, faculty, and alumni enhanced electronic functionality for submission, storage, and security of letters of recommendation. Graduate students and alumni also benefit from Interfolio's electronic delivery system and lower cost compared with Columbia's former service. In addition, students and alumni can upload all the materials they need for their job or graduate school search into their account, such as letters of recommendation, curriculum vitae, writing samples, evaluations, and transcripts. Similarly, you will have the ability to submit all of your documents in one package.
Is it safe?
The privacy and security of your information is Interfolio's highest priority. Robust technological safeguards, including multiple levels of encryption, keep your stored documents protected, secure, and private. A rigorous quality control process ensures the accuracy of all documents and mailings, and digital backups are stored at a secure, off-site location to further protect your important documents.
How do I create a letter writer's account with Interfolio?
A free Interfolio writer's account can be quickly created by visiting Interfolio's website. When creating your account, please make sure to select "Interfolio Recommendation Writer - Free" as the "Account Type" and "Columbia University - Dossier Service, Center for Career Education" as your "Affiliation" on the registration page. After you create your account you will receive an e-mail with a link to activate your account.
It may be beneficial for you to associate all e-mail addresses that you use with your Interfolio account. You can add e-mail addresses to your Interfolio account by logging into Interfolio and selecting "Account Settings," found in the upper right hand corner of the web page. In your account settings under "Personal Information" you will find an option to "Edit My Info." After selecting "Edit My Info" you will find an option to add additional e-mails to your Interfolio account.
What if I do not want to use this new service?
Creating a free writer's account with Interfolio is not required. Faculty members are welcome to mail their recommendations directly to Interfolio or you may continue to provide your letters of recommendation directly to the Center for Career Education, which will add these materials to an individual's Interfolio dossier. Please note, you will need to make sure that all references are accompanied by an Interfolio document request form, which should be provided to you by the individual making the recommendation request.
How will I know if someone has requested a recommendation?
Each time a student makes a request for a recommendation, a unique document request form is generated and a document ID is assigned to the recommendation. Interfolio offers students and alumni the opportunity to submit their request to you directly via e-mail. If you receive an e-mail request from a student or alumnus you will find the document ID in the body of the e-mail and the document request form attached to the e-mail as a PDF file. Alternately, individuals making recommendation requests have the option of providing you with a paper copy of this form. (Click here to view a sample document request form.)
Once you establish a free writer's account with Interfolio you will also be able to view recommendation requests that students and alumni make electronically via e-mail in your account on-line. Recommendation writers will see pending requests listed when they select the "Write Recommendations" tab in Interfolio. The name of the individual making the request, the date of the request, the document ID, and the document type (confidential or non-confidential letter of recommendation) will all be listed under "View Pending Letters." Please note, requests made using a paper document request form will not be visible in the "View Pending Letters" list.
How will I know if someone has or has not waived their right to view my recommendation?
In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 students and alumni must indicate when they create a new document request through Interfolio if the document will be a confidential or non-confidential letter of recommendation. The letter of recommendation request form that you receive from a student or alumni, either electronically or as a hard-copy, will indicate if the individual has or has not waived their right to view the letter.
What is the cost associated with using Interfolio for students and alumni?
There is an annual registration fee of $19 to use Interfolio. Users also have the option of registering for a 3 year account at $39.90 or a five year account at $57. Additionally, users are responsible for expenses incurred in distributing their dossier's contents to schools or employers, as outlined below. As stated above, creating a letter writer's account is free.
- Electronic deliveries - $6.
- US Postal Service First class mailings - $6.
- Web delivery - $6 for first document; $1 each additional document to same institution
- International postal service delivery - $7
- US Postal Service Priority mail - $12.
- 2-Day Delivery with tracking - $16.
- Overnight delivery with tracking - $28.
- Rush overnight delivery with tracking - $40
- International 2-3 day delivery and tracking - $45
Will letters of recommendation that I transmit on-line be saved in my account?
Yes, all documents that you upload through Interfolio and electronically submit to a student or alumni are saved in your Interfolio writer's account as both PDF files and in the original file format. These letters can be viewed at any time by selecting "View Uploaded Letters" under the "Write Recommendations" tab. Here you will also be able to view the date that the student or alumni user received your letter of recommendation electronically through the Interfolio dossier service.
How to Register with Interfolio
- Access the Interfolio website at http://www.interfolio.com
- Click on the "Sign Up" button.
- Enter your personal information.
- From the pull-down menu for "Account Type", make sure to choose "Interfolio Recommendation Writer - Free".
- From the pull-down menu for "Affiliation", make sure to choose "Columbia University - Dossier Service, Center for Career Education" as your "Affiliation".
- Retrieve confirmation e-mail and click on the link provided to activate your account.
How to add e-mail addresses to your account
- Log into your Interfolio account.
- Select "Account Settings" from the upper right hand corner of the screen.
- Under "Personal Information" select "Edit My Info."
- Select "Add Email Addresses."
- Enter additional e-mail addresses and click "Add Email" button.
How to view new recommendation requests
- Log into your Interfolio account.
- When you log in "View Pending Letters" in the "Write Recommendations" section of the Interfolio web-site will be visible.
- Any new requests sent to an e-mail address that is associated with your Interfolio writer's account will be listed by date of the request. Tip: If you do not see a document request from a student listed here that you received via e-mail it may have been sent to an e-mail address that is not associated with your Interfolio account (see also, "How to add e-mail addresses to your account").
- If you received a paper copy of a document request form you will not see the request listed under "View Pending Letters"
How to upload your letter of recommendation to a student or alumni account if you have received an electronic request via e-mail
Note: Letters of recommendation that are uploaded to the Interfolio site will appear upon printing exactly as they did during the upload process. Departmental letterhead and a signature will not appear on your document if they were not included before your letter was uploaded.
In order for your letter to appear on letterhead you will need to print your letter on departmental letterhead, scan the letter, save it, and then follow the steps below to upload the letter.
- Log into your Interfolio account. The "Write Recommendations" section of the Interfolio website will be visible and there will be a list of requests under "View Pending Letters."
- Click the "Upload Letter" button next to the student name. Tip: You can also verify that you are responding to the correct request by referencing the document ID number.
- A new page will open. Indicate if the letter includes a signature (see also "How to create a signature for your letters of recommendation.")
- Click "Browse" to locate the letter of recommendation on your computer.
- Click "Upload."
- A new page will open. Verify that the correct document has uploaded by clicking on "View the PDF version of your document."
How to upload your letter of recommendation to a student or alumni account if you have received a paper request
Note: Letters of recommendation that are uploaded to the Interfolio site will appear upon printing exactly as they did during the upload process. Departmental letterhead and a signature will not appear on your document if they were not included before your letter was uploaded.
In order for your letter to appear on letterhead you will need to print your letter on departmental letterhead, scan the letter, save it, and then follow the steps below to upload the letter.
- Log into your Interfolio account. The "Write Recommendations" section of the Interfolio website will be visible and there will be a list of requests under "View Pending Letters."
- Enter the alpha-numeric document ID from the document request sheet that you have received in the box next to where it reads "Add Letter With Document ID: Enter document ID located on your coversheet:"
- Click the "Find" button.
- A new page will open. Indicate if the letter includes a signature (see also "How to create a signature for your letters of recommendation.")
- Click "Browse" to locate the letter of recommendation on your computer.
- Click "Upload."
- A new page will open. Verify that the correct document has uploaded by clicking on "View the PDF version of your document."
How to mail documents to Interfolio if you are responding to an e-mail request from a student or alumnus
- Log into your Interfolio account. The "Write Recommendations" section of the Interfolio website will be visible and there will be a list of requests under "View Pending Letters."
- Click the "Mail Letter" button next to the student name. Tip: You can also verify that you are responding to the correct request by referencing the document ID number.
- A new page will open. In Step 1 click the button that says "Print" next to "Print this page."
- The document which appears on the screen will print. This document provides the mailing address for Interfolio. This document must accompany your letter of recommendation when it is mailed to Interfolio.
How to mail documents to Interfolio if you are responding to a paper request from a student or alumnus
- Log into your Interfolio account. The "Write Recommendations" section of the Interfolio website will be visible and there will be a list of requests under "View Pending Letters."
- Enter the alpha-numeric document ID from the document request sheet that you have received in the box next to where it reads "Add Letter With Document ID: Enter document ID located on your coversheet:"
- Click the "Find" button.
- A new page will open. Click on the section of the page that reads, "Click here if you would prefer to mail your letter to Interfolio."
- A new page will open.
- In Step 1 click the button that says "Print" next to "Print this page."
- The document which appears on the screen will print. This document provides the mailing address for Interfolio. This document must accompany your letter of recommendation when it is mailed to Interfolio.
How to view previously uploaded letters
- Log into your Interfolio account. The "Write Recommendations" section of the Interfolio website will be visible.
- Select "View Uploaded Letters."
- A new page will open. This page will list all letters of recommendation that you have previously uploaded for students/alumni and will also indicate when that individual received the letter.
- In the "Download" column there will be two icons, unless the document you originally uploaded was in PDF format in which case there will only be one icon.
- Click on an icon in the "Download" column to view your recommendation in either PDF or its original format.
- A new screen will appear with the document.
Tip: You can replace any document that you upload within one week of when it is originally uploaded by going to the "View Uploaded Letters" page and selecting "Replace" in the status column. Older documents can not be replaced. If a student needs a document more then a week old altered they will need to send you a new document request form.
How to create a signature for your letters of recommendation
- Log into your Interfolio account. The "Write Recommendations" section of the Interfolio website will be visible.
- Select the "My Signature" tab located next to the "Write Recommendations" tab.
- You will have two options to create a signature - mouse2sig (which allows you to create a signature using the mouse on your computer) or fax2sig (which asks that you fax a copy of your signature to Interfolio.
- If you decide to use mouse2sig select "click here to get started" under the mouse2sig option. A new page will open. In the box that appears, use your mouse to write your signature. Note, Flash Player version 9 is necessary to use the mouse2sig option.
- If you decide to use fax2sig select "this link" under the fax2sig option. A form will download in Adobe Acrobat. Follow the instructions on the form for writing your signature and faxing the form to Interfolio.
Note: It is important to have your signature on record in the Interfolio dossier service so that it can be associated with your electronic letters of recommendation. Letters written using word processing software will not have your signature on them unless you have scanned your letter into your computer with a handwritten signature or you have additional software that allows you to insert a signature into a word processing document. To verify the authenticity of your letters of recommendation most institutions will require that the document include a signature.
Key terms
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INTERFOLIO |
The name of the vendor who will be providing Columbia University's enhanced on-line dossier service. |
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DOCUMENT REQUEST FORM |
A unique document that is generated each time a student or alumni makes a letter of recommendation request. |
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DOCUMENT ID |
An alpha-numeric identification code used to match a document with the account of the individual who made the recommendation request. |
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WRITE RECOMMENDATIONS TAB |
The section of the Interfolio web-site with information and functionality specific to recommendation writers. (The "MY DOCUMENTS" tab is for student and alumni account holders.) |
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MY SIGNATURE TAB |
The section of the Interfolio web-site where a copy of your signature can be saved and included later along with your letters of recommendation. |