I. Function overview
With the Share feature, you can conveniently share docs, turn on Link sharing, and configure viewing, editing and sharing permissions for collaborators. you can also share the Doc with external users, adjust other security permissions for the Doc (such as adding comments and collaborators, creating copies, printing, exporting or copying content), and transfer the Doc ownership.
Note: This feature applies to Docs, Sheets, and other files. This article uses Docs as an example.
II. Procedure
- 1.Permissions
Common permissions for docs include viewing, editing and sharing as well as ownership permissions.
- •With Viewing permission, you can view docs, read comments and comment history.
- •With Editing permission, you can view and edit docs, read comments and comment history as well as view and restore version history.
- •With Sharing permission (add and manage collaborators), you're able to share docs with others or to remove invited collaborators.
- •If you are the owner, you are able to view, edit, and share docs, to turn on Link sharing, and to modify other security settings of docs, including delete and recover docs.
Note: In addition to the functions mentioned above, docs permissions also allow you to copy, print, export and duplicate docs. For more information, please refer to "8. Other Security Permissions".
- 2.Apply for a permission
To request viewing permission from a doc owner, simply follow the following steps:
- 1.Click the doc link and select view permission.
- 2.Add notes (optional), and click Send Request.
- 3.Get approval and start viewing the doc.
To request editing or sharing permission for a doc you can view, simply follow these steps:
- 1.Open the desired doc and choose Share - Request permissions in the upper right corner.
- 2.Add notes (optional), and click Send Request.
- 3.Get approval and start editing or sharing docs.
To request sharing permission for a document you can view, simply request the document owner to grant permission to specific users or groups.
- 1.Open the desired document and click the Share button.
- 2.Type the user or group name, and choose the permission they'll need.
- 3.Add notes (optional), and click Send Request.
- 3.View permissions
- •Hover over the Share button in the upper right corner of a doc to see what permissions you have.
- •To see other collaborators' permissions, click on the Share button, then click on the collaborator list in the upper right corner to view all (the doc owner can edit all collaborators' permissions).
- 4.Share permissions
Doc page
- •Click the Share button, search for the name of a user or a group, select the permission you want to share, and click Done or Send to complete sharing.
- •The system will send a sharing notification to the selected user or group. If you don't want to notify the recipient, just uncheck the Send a notification option.
for desktop
- •Copy the link of the docs you want to share, and send the link to a user or a group through messenger. The system will automatically grant viewing permission to all members in the chat. (Viewing permission is granted by default. You can modify permissions in the chat).
for web
- •To share docs on Docs homepage, click the ... icon on the right side, then click Share and search for the name of a user or a group. Select the permission you want to grant, and click Done or Send to complete sharing.
- •The system will send a sharing notification to the selected user or group. If you don't want to notify the recipient, just uncheck Send a notification.
- 5.Share Docs with external users
With the approval of your organization's administrator, you can share a Doc with external users. (contacts outside of your company).
- •Same as sharing Docs internally, you can give permissions to external users through sharing docs or sending docs links via messenger.
- •A registered user outside the organization only has the permission to read or edit a Doc, and can’t transfer the Doc ownership to an external user. A user without a
- •If a company administrator enables the Share company files and folders to be shared externally feature, all Docs created by the company’s members are allowed to be shared with external users by default. To share a Doc created by a company member with an external user, simply set the Doc permission to Allow this document to be shared externally.
- •Docs accessible by external users will be marked as External.
- •Once your organization's administrator enables docs to be shared externally in settings, all newly created docs can be shared with external users. All docs are allowed to be shared externally by default. To turn off this setting for specific docs, click the Share button, then click on Settings at the bottom right corner of the sharing panel. In the Sharing section, turn off Allow this document to be shared externally.
You can share a Doc with external users under the following two circumstances:
- •When you have enabled Allow this document to be shared externally in Document settings, and shared the doc with an external user, the external user can access the Doc.
- •When you have turned on the Link sharing option of a Doc, configured its settings to Anyone with the link can view or edit, and shared the doc with an external user, the external user can access the Doc.
⚠️ Important:
- •Unless you share the link to a Doc with an external user or add an external user as a collaborator, external users will NOT be able to access the Doc.
- •If the you haven’t enabled Allow this document to be shared externally in Document settings, the Doc can’t be shared with external users. (Settings of created historical Docs won’t be changed automatically.)
- 6.Share Docs via public links
With one click, you can share docs and grant view or edit permission to all members (of the company of your
Share docs within your organization
- •Grant viewing permission to colleagues: Click Share, enable Link sharing, and select Colleagues with the link can view.
- •Grant editing permission to colleagues: Click Share, enable Link sharing, and select Colleagues with the link can edit.
Share docs with colleagues and external users:
- •Grant viewing permission: Click Share, enable Link sharing, and select Anyone with the link can view. In this way, anyone who receives the link can view docs without logging in to
- •Grant editing permission: Click Share, enable Link sharing, and select Anyone with the link can edit. In this way, anyone who receives the link can edit docs without logging into
- 7.Turning on password protection for Docs
Password protection only applies to external users. Members within your company can still access protected docs without a password.
- •If a doc is set as People in the organization with the link can view or edit, open desired doc and click on the Password protected link icon at the bottom of the sharing panel, enable password protection, and choose Require password.
- •If a doc is set as Anyone with the link can view or edit, open desired Docs and click on the Share button. Then click on Set password to create a password.
- 8.Other security permissions
In addition to the viewing, editing and sharing permissions, ocs also lets you configure other permissions to ensure the security of docs. To modify the following permissions, choose Share - Settings in the upper right corner of a doc page.
Comment
- •Who can comment: Allows you to specify who can leave comments.
Sharing
- •Allow this doc to be shared externally: Allows you to invite external users or copy sharing link for them to access.
- •Note: For more information, please refer to "5. Sharing Docs with external users."
- •Who can invite and manage collaborators: Allows you to specify who can invite others to work on docs. Users with this permission can add or remove collaborators.
Security
- •Who can have these permissions (copy, duplicate, print, export as Word, PDF, and other file types): Allows you to specify who can make changes to or export docs as Word, PDF, image, or in other formats.
Note: When a user without the above permissions accesses the Doc, no Create copy, Print, or Export buttons will appear in their ... menu in the upper-right corner of the Doc.
- 9.Transfer ownership
Open a specific doc and click on the Share button. Click on the collaborator list in the upper right corner. Then find the target collaborator and choose Set as owner to transfer ownership.
Note: Currently you can’t batch transfer the ownership of multiple Docs.
III. FAQs
Q: How can I modify the default permission for a new Doc?
A: You can click Profile photo - Settings in the upper-right corner of a Doc.
Q: Why can't I share my Docs with an external user?
A: This is because your organization's administrator hasn't turned on allow Docs to be shared externally in admin settings. Therefore, none of your Docs, Sheets or files can be shared with external users. Please contact your organization administrator to change this setting if needed.
Q: Can the external user whom I share a Doc with see the Doc's collaborator list?
A: External users can view a doc's collaborator list when they are collaborators and in Document settings - Sharing, Who can invite and manage collaborators is set to Anyone with permission to view or edit this document.
Q: Can I batch transfer docs' ownership?
A: No, users can't batch transfer. But company administrators can batch transfer document ownership in
Q: Who own the Docs and folders when an employee leave the organization?
A: If the employee didn't transfer ownership to sepecific members or delete documents, the ownership of these Docs and folders will be automatically transferred to the employee’s direct manager in the organization. To avoid file lost, we recommend to share all related Docs and folders during handover and set team member as the owner of these Docs and folders.
IV. Related
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