SharePoint (Classic Sites) - Sharing a folder or document with someone outside the company Tutorial

In this video, you will learn how to share folders or documents with people outside your company.
It is important to consider your company's strategy and permissions before sharing with external parties.
By default, document libraries inherit permissions from your SharePoint site, but you can change them for each folder or document.
It is recommended to define overall permissions for your site and share it entirely for better security.
Creating dedicated SharePoint sites for each work team or project is also advised.
To share a folder or document, you can use a username sharing link and specify whether the recipient can edit or download the document.
The recipient will receive an email with a link and an access code to authenticate.
They can share the document with others who already have access and may also download or delete it, depending on the permissions granted.
Keep in mind that recipients can transfer the email and access code to others.
Regularly check and manage permissions using the manage access panel.
This tutorial will help you effectively share files and folders with external parties while maintaining security.

3:44
3439 views

Available in Microsoft365

Objectifs :

This video aims to guide users on how to share folders or files from their SharePoint site with external parties while emphasizing the importance of adhering to company policies regarding external sharing.

Chapitres :

Introduction to Sharing in SharePoint
In this section, we will explore the process of sharing folders and files with external parties using SharePoint. It is crucial to understand that sharing with individuals outside your organization is contingent upon your company's sharing strategy.
Understanding Permissions
Before sharing, it's important to note that document libraries and their contents inherit the permissions set for the SharePoint site. While you can modify permissions for individual folders or documents, it is advisable to establish clear overall permissions for the site to enhance security. This approach simplifies the management of permissions, allowing for easier modifications at the site level rather than on a document-by-document basis.
Best Practices for Site Organization
To maintain an organized structure, it is recommended to create dedicated SharePoint sites for each work team or specific project. This prevents the complications that arise from consolidating all organizational activities into a single site, which can lead to a chaotic environment with numerous documents and permissions.
Sharing Specific Documents or Folders
If you need to share a specific folder or document with someone outside your company, you can do so by generating a sharing link. You have the option to share with specific individuals, allowing them to edit or view the document, and you can also restrict the ability to download it. Once shared, the recipient will receive an email containing the link to access the document.
Authentication and Access Codes
Upon clicking the link, the recipient will receive an access code via email, which is valid for 15 minutes. If multiple documents are shared from the same SharePoint site, the recipient will only need to enter the code once. Depending on the permissions granted, the recipient may share the document with others who already have access, download a copy, or delete it.
Managing Access and Permissions
It is essential to regularly check the permissions of your files or folders using the manage access panel. This tool allows you to see who has access to your files and revoke permissions that are no longer necessary. Be mindful that employees can transfer the email containing the document link and access code to others, so regular audits of permissions are advisable.

FAQ :

How can I share a document in SharePoint with someone outside my organization?

To share a document with someone outside your organization, you can create a sharing link and specify whether the recipient can edit or download the document. An access code will be sent to the recipient for authentication.

What are the risks of sharing documents externally?

Sharing documents externally can lead to unauthorized access if the recipient shares the link or access code with others. It's important to regularly check permissions and manage access to ensure security.

Can I change permissions for individual documents in SharePoint?

Yes, you can change permissions for individual documents or folders, but it is recommended to set overall permissions for the site to simplify management.

What happens if I deactivate the edit and download options for a document?

If you deactivate the edit and download options, the recipient will only be able to view the document without making any changes or downloading a copy.

How long is the access code valid for?

The access code sent to the recipient is valid for 15 minutes.

Quelques cas d'usages :

Collaborating on a Project with External Partners

A marketing team can create a dedicated SharePoint site for a project and share specific folders with external partners. This allows for organized collaboration while maintaining control over permissions.

Managing Document Access for Temporary Employees

HR can use SharePoint to share onboarding documents with temporary employees. By setting specific permissions, HR can ensure that these employees have access only to necessary documents without compromising sensitive information.

Sharing Reports with Stakeholders

A finance team can share quarterly reports with stakeholders outside the organization. By using the sharing link feature, they can control whether stakeholders can edit or download the reports, ensuring data security.

Regularly Auditing Document Permissions

IT departments can utilize the Manage Access Panel to regularly audit who has access to sensitive documents. This helps in revoking permissions that are no longer needed and maintaining security.

Glossaire :

SharePoint

A web-based collaboration platform developed by Microsoft that integrates with Microsoft Office. It is used for storing, organizing, sharing, and accessing information from any device.

Document Library

A location on a SharePoint site where you can create, collect, update, and manage files with other team members.

Permissions

Settings that determine what actions users can perform on SharePoint content, such as viewing, editing, or sharing documents.

Access Code

A temporary code sent to a user to authenticate their access to a shared document or folder, valid for a limited time.

Manage Access Panel

A feature in SharePoint that allows users to view and manage the permissions associated with files and folders.

External Sharing

The process of allowing users outside of your organization to access specific SharePoint content.

Inherit Permissions

A setting where document libraries and their contents automatically adopt the permissions set for the parent SharePoint site.

00:00:08

access to your teams SharePoint site

00:00:11

to people outside your business.

00:00:14

In this video, we'll see how to share

00:00:18

folders or files with external parties.

00:00:21

Always keep in mind that sharing

00:00:24

with people outside your organization

00:00:26

depends on your company's strategy.

00:00:29

You may not be allowed to share your

00:00:32

share point sites and their content

00:00:35

with people outside your company.

00:00:37

Also be aware that by default

00:00:40

document libraries and their

00:00:42

contents inherit permissions you

00:00:44

have set for your share point site.

00:00:48

Of course you can change these

00:00:51

permissions for each folder or document,

00:00:53

but for more security it is best to

00:00:56

accurately define your sites overall

00:00:59

permissions and share it entirely.

00:01:01

It will be easier for you to delete

00:01:04

or modify permissions at the root

00:01:07

of the site rather than doing

00:01:10

this one document at the time.

00:01:13

Similarly,

00:01:14

it is best to create a SharePoint

00:01:17

site dedicated to each work

00:01:20

team or specific project,

00:01:22

rather than condense all your organizations

00:01:25

activity on one single site with a

00:01:29

large volume of documents sharing

00:01:31

and permissions in every direction.

00:01:34

If you still need to share a single

00:01:36

folder or document with someone outside

00:01:39

your company username sharing link.

00:01:42

Two specific people.

00:01:44

With or without the possibility

00:01:46

to allow editing.

00:01:48

And whether or not to download a document.

00:01:56

Your employee receives an email

00:01:58

with a link to the document you

00:02:00

want to share with him or her.

00:02:05

By clicking this button and access code

00:02:08

will be sent to him or her to authenticate.

00:02:12

This code is valid for 15 minutes.

00:02:15

If you have sent links to

00:02:17

multiple documents from the same

00:02:19

SharePoint site to this colleague,

00:02:22

they will only need to enter that code once.

00:02:26

Depending on the permissions granted,

00:02:28

this employee will be able to share

00:02:31

the document, but only with people

00:02:33

who already have access to it.

00:02:35

People would existing access.

00:02:39

He or she can also download a copy

00:02:42

to his her computer or delete it.

00:02:58

If you deactivated the edit and

00:03:00

download options, your employee will

00:03:03

only be able to view the document.

00:03:07

Also keep in mind that it is always

00:03:09

possible for an employee to transfer

00:03:12

the email containing the link to

00:03:14

the document to another person

00:03:16

and then to provide a him or her

00:03:19

with the access code that will

00:03:21

be sent to him or her via email.

00:03:24

So check your files or folders

00:03:28

for regular permissions thanks to

00:03:31

the manage access panel.

00:03:33

Here you will immediately see

00:03:35

who your file is share with.

00:03:38

And he would be able to revoke

00:03:40

permissions that are no longer needed.

Mandarine AI: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW