External Users' Experience with Yale's Shared Data Links from OneDrive, SharePoint, or Teams


When you share a file or folder from your Yale OneDrive account or a Yale SharePoint site with someone outside Yale, they will experience different authentication workflows based on whether they use Microsoft or have a non-Microsoft email account. Once authenticated, external recipients can interact with the data according to the permissions you set (Edit, Review, View, or View without download).

If an external recipient has trouble authenticating or opening the file, they should try using a private/incognito browsing window to avoid interference from other signed-in accounts.

External Recipient is a Microsoft 365 User

  1. Receiving the Share Link: The external recipient receives an email with a link to the shared data.
  2. Accessing the Data:
    1. Sign-In: The recipient clicks the link and is prompted to sign in with their Microsoft 365 account.
    2. Verification: Once signed in, they can access the shared data immediately. If it is a OneDrive file, it will also show up for them in the Shared section of their OneDrive account.
  3. Interaction:
    • Viewing and Editing: Depending on the permissions set by the Yale University user, the recipient can view, edit, or comment on the shared files.
    • Collaboration: They can collaborate in real-time using Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, or Teams.
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External Recipient Does Not Have a Microsoft Account

  1. Receiving the Share Link: The external recipient receives an email with a link to the shared data.
  2. Accessing the Data:
    1. Sign-in: The recipient clicks the link and is prompted with a Yale sign-in page. They enter the email address you shared with to proceed and then verify their identity using a one-time passcode sent to their email.
    2. Verification: They enter the passcode on the verification screen to access the shared data.
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  1. Interaction:
    • Viewing and Editing: Depending on the permissions set by the Yale University user, the recipient can view, edit, or comment on the shared files.
    • Collaboration: They can collaborate in real-time using Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, or Teams.
    • Security: The link is secured and won't work if forwarded to others; it only works for the specified recipient
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