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Rob917's avatar
Rob917
Copper Contributor
Nov 11, 2020

SharePoint Sharing not working for external users

I have tried searching around for this problem but have not been able to find anything.  Recently (within the last month or so) both our internal and external users have been unable to send links to ...
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files
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SharePoint Online
StephenRice's avatar
StephenRice
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft

Hi Rob917,

 

In your screenshot, it looks like you are sharing with a link that only works for people who already have access. If you are sharing with an external user who hasn't been shared to before, that would result in the error you are seeing. If you change the link type to "specific people", does the issue go away? Thanks!

 

Stephen Rice

Senior Program Manager, OneDrive

Rob917's avatar
Rob917
Copper Contributor
Nov 16, 2020

StephenRice 

Thanks for the reply Stephen, this external user (Johnny Sales) was the original uploader of the document in a document library where he has edit permissions granted previously.  The screenshot shows him trying to share the file he uploaded to himself.  I don't believe this is ideal.  The issue does go away with specific people but is not ideal.  What would be best practice to segregate different external groups/clients from accessing each others files?  

 

 

 

  • StephenRice's avatar
    StephenRice
    Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
    Nov 16, 2020

    Rob917 

     

    Thanks for the context! When you say he's sharing with himself, do you mean that he is entering the e-mail address that he is currently signed in with to the document? That seems odd (and also implies that he does have access which means he shouldn't be getting that error).

     

    Best practice for that type of scenario is usually to set up different site collections for each client/group of clients. 

     

    Hope that helps!


    Stephen Rice

    Senior Program Manager, OneDrive

    • Rob917's avatar
      Rob917
      Copper Contributor
      Nov 17, 2020

      StephenRice That is correct, the signed in email was attempting to share with the same email.   I tried to share the same file from the site admin and then the SharePoint admin accounts but still show the same error.

       

      I also have asked this question at the following link and they were able to replicate the same error: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_sharepoint-mso_win10-mso_online/sharepoint-online-unable-to-share-with-external/cc5f2f1e-19e6-4367-954c-b2c4895bf43d?tm=1605122415431

      Currently waiting to hear back on a service request regarding this.

       

      Thanks for the guidance on best practices.  

       

      Best,

       

      Rob Markus

      • axyrium's avatar
        axyrium
        Copper Contributor
        Oct 02, 2023
        Rob917 Did you ever get a resolution to this? I have something similar going on, where if I lock a site down so the site can only be shared with 'people with existing access only', users cannot share with external users (even though those external users already have access to the site). Internal sharing with internal users who already have access works, but not external users. I have a ticket open with MS, but no progress yet.

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