Sharepoint 2013 : Using SkyDrive Pro - Sharing SkyDrive Pro files

You might be used to saving files and granting permissions to coworkers, permitting or denying them access those files. Although this method can also be used when you are using SkyDrive Pro, you might not want to give access to your entire SkyDrive Pro library. Perhaps you only want to give coworkers access to a specific file, instead. In this case, granting permission to your entire SkyDrive Pro library might seem like overkill.

Share SkyDrive Pro files

1. On the toolbar at the top of your SharePoint site, click the SkyDrive link.

   

2. On the SkyDrive page, select the file that you want to share with others.

3. Click the More Options ellipsis (...) and then, in the Properties pop-up box that appears, click the Share link.

   

4. In the Share dialog box, do one of the following:

   1. If you want to share the file with coworkers within your company or organization, type their names and then select them from the drop-down selection box that appears.

   2. If the people are not within your company, you can type their email address.

   3. If you want to share the file with everyone within your organization you can type Everyone.

5. To the right of the Invite People text box, chose whether the invitees can edit the document or view it only.

6. Enter a message that will be sent to the invitees.

7. Click Share.

   

Tip

An email invitation will be sent to the people with whom you share the content. If you don’t want to send an email to the new people, click Show Options and clear the Send An Email Invitation check box before sharing.

Requiring sign-in

If you would like to share a document with others who might or might not be in your company or organization, clear the Require Sign-In check box. Remember that this is used for the sharing of an individual document and not for folders.

Unlike previous versions of the SharePoint 2013 platform in which you were limited to only being able to share files with coworkers, SkyDrive Pro features provide the ability for you to easily share files with people who are not directly within your organization (vendors, clients, suppliers, and so on). The main concern here, of course, is security. After all, if you are sharing a file with someone in your company, the security is pretty much taken care of through Active Directory. However, if you want to share a document with someone who is not a member of your organization’s Active Directory, how do you know that the file will be accessible only to those you have designated? When you enter the email address of someone who is not located within your organization and you require that she sign in, she will have to do so with either a free Microsoft Account or one of your organization’s accounts. If she doesn’t have either a Microsoft Account or an organizational account, she is offered the opportunity to sign up for a free Microsoft Account.

Keep in mind that any invitations you send outside of your organization expire after seven days. If the individuals you invite do not access the file within that time frame, you will need to resend the invitation to them.

Tip

By default, SharePoint sends an email notification to your invitees. If you have another way that you would like to inform them of their access to the file, click the Show Options hyperlink and clear the Send An Email Invitation check box.

Try This

Save a file to which you want to restrict access to only you. Then, share the file with one or two other people. If possible have one of them be from outside your organization. Observe the experience each person has when accessing your file.