Sharing Files and Folders

Sharing in Microsoft 365 means sending a link to a file that lives in the cloud - not attaching a copy. The recipient always sees the latest version, and you stay in control of who has access.

 

🧠  The golden rule: Always share a link, never send a file as an email attachment. One file. One link. No version confusion.

 

 

Part 1: Share vs. Copy Link - What's the Difference?

When you right-click a file in OneDrive or SharePoint, you'll see two options that look similar but work differently:

 

📤  Share	🔗  Copy Link
Opens a dialog to enter names/emails directly	Copies a link to your clipboard to paste anywhere
Sends an email notification to the recipient	No notification — you paste and send the link yourself
Best for: sharing with specific people	Best for: pasting into Teams, email, or a chat
Recipient is tracked — you can see who has access	Anyone with the link may be able to open it (depending on your settings)

 

For most situations, Share is the better choice - it's trackable, sends a notification, and lets you set permissions in one step.

 

Part 2: How to Share a File or Folder

You can share from File Explorer, OneDrive in the browser, SharePoint, or directly from Word/Excel/PowerPoint. The steps are nearly identical across all of them.

 

From File Explorer (on your computer)

1. Right-click the file or folder you want to share.
2. Select Share (or "Share with OneDrive" on some versions).
3. A sharing dialog will appear. Type the name or email address of the person you want to share with.
4. Set the permission level using the pencil/dropdown icon next to their name (Can view or Can edit).
5. Add an optional message, then click Send.

 

From OneDrive or SharePoint in the browser

6. Select the file or folder (click the checkbox next to it).
7. Click Share in the toolbar at the top, or right-click and select Share.
8. Follow the same steps above - enter name/email, set permission, send.

 

From inside Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

9. Click the Share button in the top-right corner of the app.
10. The file must be saved to OneDrive or SharePoint to share this way. If it's on your local drive, you'll be prompted to save it to the cloud first - do that.
11. Enter the person's name or email, set permission, and send.

 

Part 3: Setting Permissions

Always think before you set permissions. The two main options are Can view and Can edit - but there's a third option worth knowing:

 

Permission	What they can do	When to use it
Can view	Open and read — cannot edit or download (depending on settings)	Reports, reference docs, anything you want to share but protect
Can edit	Open, edit, save changes, and sometimes delete	Active collaboration — drafts, shared trackers, working documents
Can't download	View in browser only — no local copy saved	Sensitive documents you don't want leaving the organization

 

⚠️  Default to Can view when you're unsure. You can always upgrade someone's access later. It's harder to undo accidental edits.

 

Part 4: Sharing with Anyone vs. Specific People

When you create a link, you'll be asked who the link works for. This is one of the most important settings to get right:

 

• Specific people - Only the person(s) you named can open the link. Anyone else who clicks it will be denied. Use this for most internal sharing.
• People in Premier Franchise Management with the link - Anyone at PFM who has the link can open it. Good for company-wide announcements or resources.
• Anyone with the link - Anyone in the world who has the link can open it. Use only when sharing with external parties (vendors, franchise partners) and only when necessary.

 

🔒  Security reminder: "Anyone with the link" links can be forwarded. Once you share it, you lose control of who sees it. Use Specific people whenever possible, especially for anything confidential.

 

Part 5: Sharing with External Users

You can share files with people outside the organization - franchise partners, vendors, auditors — but there are a few things to keep in mind:

 

• External sharing may be restricted by IT policy. If you try to share with an outside email and get an error, contact IT - they can enable it for your account or assist with the share.
• External users will receive an email with a link. They may need to verify their identity with a one-time code (Microsoft will handle this automatically).
• Set an expiration date when sharing externally - in the sharing dialog, click the gear/settings icon and set "Link expires" to a date that makes sense. Don't leave external links open forever.
• Avoid "Anyone with the link" for external shares - use Specific people with their actual email address instead.

 

Part 6: Managing and Revoking Access

You can see and remove sharing access at any time:

 

12. Right-click the file or folder → select Manage access (or Share → gear icon in the browser).
13. You'll see a list of everyone who has access.
14. Click the X next to a person's name to remove their access, or change their permission level from the dropdown.
15. To stop all sharing at once, click Stop sharing - this deactivates all links immediately.

Part 7: "Someone shared a file with me — where is it?"

When someone shares a file with you, you'll get an email notification with a link. But you can also find all files shared with you in one place:

 

16. Go to office.com and sign in.
17. Click OneDrive in the left menu.
18. In the left panel, click Shared - then Shared with me.
19. All files shared directly with you will appear here.

 

💡  Tip: Files shared with you in a Teams chat or channel are stored in OneDrive or SharePoint but may not show under "Shared with me" - check the Teams chat or the Files tab in the relevant channel instead.

 

🛟  Still stuck? Contact the IT Help Desk. Have your username and a description of what you see ready.