How to Allow Guest Access to SharePoint Site: Beginners's Guide

What is SharePoint Guest Access?

SharePoint can help enterprise users easily complete daily tasks such as document approval and online applications. It also provides multiple interfaces for integrating backend business systems. Combining the advantages of Office desktop applications with enterprise-level knowledge management, portal management, human resource management, asset management, collaborative office, system integration, and BI (business intelligence), SharePoint can satisfy the office needs of different types of enterprises quite well.

Allowing guest access to a SharePoint site enables external users to collaborate on your projects and documents without needing a full user license. This feature is crucial for businesses that frequently work with clients, contractors, or partners outside their organization. By granting guest access, you can streamline workflows, improve communication, and enhance productivity.

How to Allow Guest Access to SharePoint Site?

To allow guest access to a SharePoint site, you need to enable external sharing and configure appropriate permissions. This process involves a few steps that ensure your site remains secure while providing the necessary access to your guests. Follow our detailed guide to set up guest access without compromising your SharePoint environment's integrity.

Steps to Allow Guest Access in SharePoint

Detailed Steps to Allow Guest Access in SharePoint:

1. Access SharePoint Admin Center

Open your browser and navigate to the SharePoint Admin Center at [https://admin.microsoft.com](https://admin.microsoft.com).  Log in with your administrator credentials.

2. Select the Site

In the SharePoint Admin Center, click on "Sites" in the left-hand menu, then select "Active sites".  Find the site you want to enable external sharing for and click on its name to open the site settings.

3. Enable External Sharing

In the site settings, find the "External sharing" section. Choose the level of sharing you want to enable. Options typically include: 

• Anyone: Allows sharing with anyone who receives the link. 
• New and existing guests: Allows sharing with new and existing external users. 
• Existing guests only: Only allows sharing with external users who are already in your directory. 

Select the appropriate sharing level and click "Save".

Configure Permissions

1. Access Site Permissions

Navigate to your SharePoint site. Click on the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right corner and select "Site permissions".

2. Set Up Permission Levels

In the Site permissions panel, click on "Advanced permissions settings". You’ll be taken to a page where you can see existing SharePoint groups like Owners, Members, and Visitors.  Click on the group name (e.g., Members) that you want to adjust for guest users.

3. Adjust Permission Levels

In the group settings, add the email addresses of your guest users.  Assign them the appropriate permission level: 

• View Only: Guests can view documents but not edit. 
• Edit:  Guests can view and edit documents.
• Contribute: Guests can view, add, update, and delete documents.

4. Save Changes

After configuring the permissions, click "OK" or "Save" to apply the changes.

Invite Guests

1.Send Invitation Emails

Go to the document library or folder you want to share. Select the file or folder, then click on the “Share” button. In the sharing dialog, enter the email addresses of the external users you want to invite. Choose the permission level you want to grant them (e.g., Edit or View).

2. Customize the Invitation

Add a personalized message if needed to explain what the guest access entails. Click “Send” to dispatch the invitation emails to your guests.

3. Guest Acceptance

The invited users will receive an email invitation. They need to click on the link in the email and follow the instructions to sign in or create a Microsoft account if they don’t already have one.

By following these detailed steps, you can effectively allow guest access to your SharePoint site while maintaining control and security over your data.

FAQs

How do I Give a SharePoint Site Public Access?

Go to SharePoint site page, select Setting icon on the top right corner of the site. Select "Site Information", scroll down until you see "Privacy Settings" and change from Private to Public, or vice versa.

How to Tell If a SharePoint Site Is Public or Private?

On the SharePoint site connected to a public group you'll see Public Group or Private Group on the top of the Home Page.

How do You Check if a User has Access to a SharePoint Site?

Browse to the Document Library you want to check if a user has access. Click "Gear" -> "Library Settings". Then hit on "More library settings.", and click "Permission for this document library". Click "Check Permissions" and enter the name of the person that you want to check permission against. Finally click "Check Now". 

Summary

By following these guidelines, you can effectively manage guest access to your SharePoint site, ensuring a secure and productive collaboration environment.