Overview
SharePoint makes it easy to collaborate with colleagues by sharing sites, documents, and folders. Before granting access, site owners should ensure users receive the appropriate level of access and understand the responsibilities associated with sharing university information.
This page explains SharePoint sharing options, external collaboration, permission management, and best practices for maintaining secure collaboration spaces.
External File Sharing
By default, external sharing is disabled for SharePoint sites at CU Boulder.
If your department has a business need to collaborate with individuals outside the university, external sharing can be enabled on a site-by-site basis after review by OIT.
Examples include:
- Research collaborations
- Vendor or consultant access
- Joint projects with other universities
- Grant-funded partnerships
To request external sharing for a SharePoint site, contact the IT Service Center.
Once approved, site owners are responsible for ensuring that external users receive only the access necessary to perform their work.
Site Permissions
Permission Levels
Every site should have clear ownership and current membership. Microsoft SharePoint uses three common permission levels:
| Permission Level | Typical Use |
|---|---|
| Owner | Full control of the site, including managing permissions and site settings. |
| Member | Can create, edit and collaborate on content. |
| Visitor | Read-only access to site content. |
Assign the lowest level of access necessary for users to perform their work.
Keeping Permissions Current
Site owners should periodically review site permissions to ensure access remains appropriate. Review permissions whenever:
- Employees leave the university.
- Staff change roles or departments.
- External collaborations conclude.
- Projects are completed.
- Sensitive information is added to the site.
Remove users who no longer require access and confirm that site owners and members remain current.
To learn more, please see the following Microsoft documentation:
Collaboration Best Practices
Help keep your SharePoint site secure and organized by following these recommendations:
- Grant access to groups whenever possible instead of individual users.
- Limit the number of site owners while maintaining at least two unique owners or administrators.
- Review permissions regularly.
- Remove users who no longer require access.
- Avoid sharing sensitive or regulated information unless approved for SharePoint.
- Use Microsoft Teams or OneDrive when those services better meet your collaboration needs.
- Periodically review external access to ensure it is still required.
