Sharing documents via Collaborate allows you to store files securely on your New Collaborate site for clients to access, rather than attaching documents directly to an email.
By default, Sharing a document will allow you to send recipients an email containing links to the files on the New Collaborate site. The client can click the link, and after logging in, will be able to access the document immediately.
The Share No Email function allows you to share files to the New Collaborate site without sending an email, best used when you just need to upload the file immediately and plan to notify the customer later.
For information on how clients access documents, refer to Login Experience for Clients using New Collaborate.
You can send one or multiple documents at the same time, for any type of document including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF. The document is placed in the Client's folder or sub-folders, depending on how your practice has set up the Collaborate folder structure - for example, the Client Name and Year.
Note: External users with access to the Share Folder will be able to see all documents that have been shared (even if no email notification was sent). To send a private document not available to others, the document should be sent via email. Refer to Sharing the Share Folder and Upload Folder with Clients.
Document Sharing and Automatic Access to Share Folder
When sharing a document with an email notification to the Client, if the recipient's email matches the Email in the Client Details section on the Client - Summary tab, New Collaborate will automatically enable the client to access the Share Folder.
You can also manually enable the client for Share Folder access, refer to Sharing the Share Folder and Upload Folder with Clients.
The client will be able to access:
- All files in their Client Share Folder (including the current document being shared with them)
- The Upload Folder within the Share Folder (used to import files to FYI)
- General areas of the Collaborate Site (for example, the Home Page)
If sharing a document with a recipient that does not match the client's email address, the recipient will only be able to access that specific document, plus any others that may have been shared with them in the past. They will also be able to access the general areas of the Collaborate Site (for example, the Home Page). They will not be able to access all files in the Share Folder or the Upload folder.
In the example below, a document was shared with Frank Marshall. When sending the email, the recipient's email address (1) matched with the email address in the Client Details section of the Client - Summary tab (2).
Sharing Documents via Collaborate
When sharing documents with Clients using Collaborate, you have the option of notifying the customer immediately via email or just sharing the document only (no email).
When a new version is added to the Versions section of the drawer in FYI, a version number is added to the end of the filename. This ensures your client can view the latest version of the document (should the document be shared multiple times).
The document that was shared will be displayed in the Client - Collaborate tab. Refer to Client - Collaborate Tab.
To understand how clients will be able to access the newly shared documents, refer to Introducing New Collaborate to your Clients and Sample Email Templates.
Share and Email Client
- Select one or more documents from the Documents list.
Note: Up to 10 documents can be shared at one time
- Click the Share button in the toolbar to display the Create Email drawer.
- You can select additional recipients to send the email to or as the CC.
Ensure that all intended recipients are selected so that the link is generated for each of them.
Reminder: if the recipient email matches the Email in the Client Details section on the Client - Summary tab, New Collaborate will automatically update the client to access the Share Folder.
- Select the email Template to send to your client.
The template must include the AttachmentLinks Merge Field. Refer to Setting up Collaborate Email Templates.
The Preview will show the AttachmentLinks merge field and not the Attachments. When the email is sent to the client, the merge field will be replaced with the document links. If multiple attachments are shared, they will be displayed in a list.
- You can change any filing details for the email that will be sent to the Client.
- Select Save or Send in the same way as any other email to save it as Draft in FYI, Draft in Outlook or Send Immediately.
Note: If you select Draft in Outlook, ensure that you do not make any changes to the recipients as permissions to access the file on the Collaborate Site will not be added for any recipients added to the email in Outlook
- For the Send Attachments option, select Collaborate.
- Include as PDF can be set as "On" or "Off".
When Include as PDF is set "On", the Word, Excel or PowerPoint document is converted to a PDF.
When Include as PDF is set "Off", the document is sent in its original form and will not be converted to PDF. This also gives you the option to Co-edit with Client. Refer to Overview to Co-Edit with Client.
- Click Create.
- A status window will be displayed to show you the progress as the recipients are added to the Collaborate Site, the file is uploaded with the correct permissions, and the email is created as a draft or sent immediately depending on your preferences.
- Send the email.
Share No Email
To share documents using Collaborate, but without sending an email, you can use the Share No Email function.
Note: An Email address is still required for the client (as displayed on the Client - Summary tab) to ensure the correct permissions are applied to the document when shared. Refer to Client - Summary.
- In FYI, select one or more documents. Refer also to Selecting Documents in a List in Using the Documents Lists.
Note: Up to 10 documents can be shared at one time.
- Click the arrow on the Share menu and select No Email.
- The Share Document Drawer is displayed.
- The Client will be automatically selected, and the client folder where the file will be uploaded.
- From the Send Documents drop-down select Collaborate
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Include as PDF can be set as "On" or "Off".
When Include as PDF is set "On", the Word, Excel or PowerPoint document is converted to a PDF.
When Include as PDF is set "Off", the document is sent in its original form and will not be converted to PDF. This also gives you the option to Co-Edit with Client. Refer to Overview - Co-edit with Client.
- Click Send
- A status window will be displayed to show you the progress as the recipients are added to the Collaborate Site, and the file is uploaded with the correct permissions.
The document that was shared is included in the Client - Collaborate tab (refer to Client - Collaborate Tab).
Documents Uploaded to your Practice's Collaborate Site
When a document is shared, the document is uploaded to your practice's Collaborate site according to the file structure that has been set up for your practice. The following is an example of how documents are filed. Refer to Summary of New Collaborate Folder Structure.
Email is Created with Links to the Documents
An email to the client is created which includes a link to each document that was attached.
The Email is filed in FYI with the relevant documents displayed in the attachments section in the drawer.
Note: You cannot forward the email that was sent to another email address as the document can only be accessed by the person with whom the document was specifically shared. Follow the instructions above to share the document with additional recipients.
Document Versions
When a new version is added to the Versions section in the drawer, the file name is changed to display the new version number. Refer to Version History and Creating a New Document Version.
If the document is shared with a client as an attachment, the file name in the email will display the version number as a suffix at the end of the file name, for example, Tax_Planning_Workpaper_3.xlsx.
Note: This version number cannot be modified or removed. Changing the file name manually will impact the ability of clients to access the file.
