SharePoint: Creating an External Sharing Site in 10 Minutes - Step-by-Step Guide

Key insights

• SharePoint External Sharing is a feature that allows secure collaboration with external partners by sharing sites, documents, and folders within Microsoft 365.


• Secure Collaboration: SharePoint enables real-time collaboration with external users while maintaining security, allowing only authorized access to shared content.


• Organization-Level Configuration: To enable external sharing, it must be configured at the organization level through the SharePoint admin center. Options include settings like "Anyone" or "Existing guests only."


• Site-Level Configuration: Once enabled at the organization level, individual site configurations can be adjusted. Site owners can override these settings unless inheritance is enforced.


• Best Practices for Secure Sharing: Limit external sharing to necessary sites, set expiration dates for links, and utilize Microsoft Entra B2B integration for effective guest management.


• The latest updates in SharePoint include integration with Microsoft Entra B2B, enhancing guest management and offering new best practices for secure external sharing.

Introduction to SharePoint External Sharing

SharePoint external sharing is a powerful feature that allows organizations to securely collaborate with external partners, vendors, or clients by sharing sites, documents, and folders. This technology is part of Microsoft 365's secure collaboration suite, enabling real-time collaboration while maintaining control over sensitive information. The ability to share resources externally without compromising security is a significant advantage for businesses looking to enhance their collaborative efforts.

Advantages of Using SharePoint External Sharing

• Secure Collaboration: SharePoint allows you to collaborate with external users in real-time without compromising security. It ensures that only authorized individuals can access and edit shared content.
• Flexibility and Control: You can grant specific permissions to external users, such as read-only or edit permissions, and revoke access once their work is complete.
• Version Control and Co-authoring: SharePoint's version history and co-authoring features help track changes made by external collaborators, ensuring that all parties are working with the latest version of a document.

These advantages make SharePoint an attractive option for organizations looking to streamline their external collaboration processes.

Basics of SharePoint External Sharing

To create an external sharing SharePoint site, you need to understand the basics of how external sharing works:

• Organization-Level Configuration: External sharing must be enabled at the organization level through the SharePoint admin center. You can choose from settings like "Anyone," "New and existing guests," "Existing guests only," or "Only people in your organization."
• Site-Level Configuration: After enabling external sharing at the organization level, you can configure it for individual sites. Site owners can override organization-level settings unless inheritance is enforced.

Understanding these configurations is crucial for effectively managing external sharing permissions.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating an External Sharing SharePoint Site

Here's how to create an external sharing SharePoint site in just a few minutes:

1. Enable External Sharing at the Organization Level:
   • Navigate to the SharePoint admin center.
   • Go to Policies > Sharing.
   • Choose the appropriate external sharing setting (e.g., "New and existing guests").
   • Save your changes.
2. Configure the Site:
   • Navigate to the SharePoint site you want to share.
   • Click the gear icon and select Site permissions.
   • Ensure that external sharing is enabled for the site.
3. Invite External Users:
   • Under Site permissions, click Invite users or Add members.
   • Enter the email addresses of the external users you want to invite.
   • Choose the appropriate permission level (e.g., edit or read-only).
   • Send the invitation.

Following these steps will help you set up a SharePoint site for external collaboration efficiently.

What's New About This Approach?

Recent updates in SharePoint external sharing include the integration with Microsoft Entra B2B, which enhances guest management and collaboration settings. Additionally, there are best practices to consider for secure external sharing, such as limiting sharing by site or domain, setting link expiration dates, and avoiding unauthenticated sharing links unless necessary. These updates provide more robust options for managing external sharing securely.

Best Practices for Secure External Sharing

To ensure secure external sharing, consider the following best practices:

• Limit External Sharing by Site: Enable external sharing only for sites that require collaboration with external users.
• Set Expiration Dates for Links: Configure links to expire after a certain period to reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
• Use Microsoft Entra B2B Integration: Leverage Microsoft Entra settings to manage guest access more effectively.

By following these steps and best practices, you can efficiently create an external sharing SharePoint site that enhances collaboration while maintaining security and control over your organization's data.

Conclusion

In conclusion, creating an external sharing SharePoint site is a straightforward process that, when executed correctly, can significantly enhance your organization's collaboration capabilities. By understanding the basics of SharePoint external sharing, leveraging recent updates, and adhering to best practices, you can ensure that your external sharing initiatives are both effective and secure. This approach not only boosts productivity but also maintains a high level of security and control over shared content.

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