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Using Basecamp

As a government user you share the responsibility to keep information safe and to work securely. This guidance will help you use Basecamp securely.

Basecamp is a web-based project management and communication tool designed to improve the organisation of projects. Use it to collaborate on projects through the uploading and sharing of documents within teams, chat, message boards, and scheduling meetings.

Securing your account

Secure your Basecamp account by using:

• a password made up of 3 random words
• two-factor authentication
• a secure (HTTPS) connection (ensure this by using a modern browser or a Basecamp client app)

Contact your Basecamp administrator if you:

• think someone may have accessed your account
• lose a device that can access your Basecamp account (you should also change your password)

Protecting your data

To protect your data when using Basecamp, make sure you:

• don't use Basecamp to store sensitive, personal, or other high value data (like commercial or financial information) that could cause harm if lost or exposed
• create and use project permissions when you need to control access

When using Basecamp, you should also be aware that all content can be:

• disclosed publicly under the Freedom of Information Act
• exported and viewed offline by your administrators
• subject to legal requests to shared data by courts, government agencies, or parties involved in litigation in the US

Basecamp have signed up to the EU-US Privacy Shield which means they say they follow European data protection requirements for European customers. You own the data you put in Basecamp, and their technical security is similar to other popular public cloud services.

Managing your information

Sometimes you need to refer back to information in Basecamp projects. As a civil servant, you also need to keep save a permanent record at regular intervals or at the end of a piece of work.

Make sure you don't lose content by:

• creating a permanent record of shared information at regular intervals or at the end of a piece of work
• exporting data to your document storage or email service to capture important discussions or decisions (name the data so it can be found later)

You can export data from Basecamp by:

• copying and pasting the text (while noting the date)
• taking a screenshot
• asking your administrator for an export
• exporting individual documents manually
• downloading scheduling appointments using the iCalendar standard

Getting started

Ensure your account looks official and similar to other government Basecamp accounts by:

• setting your username to 'First Last (Organisation)' - for example 'Alex Black (MOJ)'
• use a recognisable profile photo
• using your primary corporate email address

You can interact with Basecamp directly or via email notifications and reply. You can adjust the frequency of email notifications if you prefer to work directly in Basecamp. Writing or adding content directly to Basecamp, rather than using attachments, will make it easier for people read in an email notification.

Think about how information might look in public if it were disclosed, particularly project names, or more casual interactions.

Getting help

For help using Basecamp, you can:

• access the Basecamp learning center for guides and videos
• find your team owners or administrators (look under Me - Your Basecamp settings - Leave this Basecamp account to find the account holder's name, or under 'Invite more people' to see who looks after a particular project)

Basecamp offer support through a:

• support page
• twitter feed
• status page and an uptime page

You may also access further support from your internal IT team (if you have agreed a support arrangement with them).