Using Send as Link

The Send as Link option sends an email and Vault notification to the selected users which includes a hyperlink to the specified version of the document or binder. You can send links to the document’s existing collaborators, to other users in Vault, and even to non-Vault users, depending on your role and your Vault’s configuration.

To send a document as a link:

  1. From the Actions menu for a document or binder, select Send as Link.
  2. Add recipients. To add Vault users, enter the first name, last name, user name, or email address, or select from the Add Recipients drop-down. To add non-Vault users, type in the email address and press Enter. See below for details.
  3. Optional: If you include non-Vault users, select the Allow non-Vault users to download viewable rendition checkbox. This option only appears if an Admin user enables it and you have the Document: Download Rendition permission through your security profile.
  4. Optional: Select version binding. Vault binds documents to the Latest Steady State Version by default. You can also bind to the Latest Version or the Specific Version from which you are sending the link.
  5. Optional: If you included non-Vault users, select from the Link expiration for non-Vault users picklist. Non-Vault users cannot view the document using an expired link.
  6. Optional: Personalize the Message to Recipient.
  7. Optional: Select the Send a copy to myself checkbox.
  8. Click Send.
  9. If you’ve sent to new collaborators or non-Vault users, Vault adds the recipients to Sharing Settings.

How to Remove Non-Vault User Access

To remove document access for a non-Vault user:

  1. Open the Sharing Settings area in the Doc Info page.
  2. Click the X icon for the row showing the non-Vault user.
  3. In the confirmation dialog, click Continue.

The non-Vault user’s link stops working immediately.

Existing Collaborator
A user that currently has a role on the document or binder
  • Any user with a role on the document or binder, including read-only users, can send a link to an existing collaborator.
  • In the Add Recipient field, these users or groups appear with a blue background and resolve to either first and last names or group names. For groups, you can view the group’s members by hovering over the group name or expand the group to its individual members by clicking the + icon.
New Collaborator
A Vault user that does not currently have a role on the document or binder

  • An Admin must enable this option. Once enabled, only users with the Edit Sharing Settings and View Document permissions can send a link to a new collaborator. Read-only users cannot use this option. Sending the link adds the new collaborator to the Viewer role.

  • In the Add Recipient field, these users or groups appear with a blue background and resolve to first and last names or group names, if you have permission to add them. For groups, you can view the group’s members by hovering over the group name or expand the group to its individual members by clicking the + icon.

Non-Vault User
A person without a Vault user account
  • An Admin must enable this option. Once enabled, only users with View Content permission can send a link to a non-Vault user. The non-Vault user is assigned to the External Viewer pseudo-role, but can only access the viewable rendition via the link, which expires after the specified period. (No other permissions granted to this role are available to a non-Vault user.) Depending on your configuration and selections in the Send as Link dialog, a non-Vault user may be able to download the PDF viewable rendition.
  • In the Add Recipient field, these recipients appear with a gray background if sending to non-Vault users is available. Otherwise, they appear with a red background and you must remove them before clicking Send.

If your Vault has Dynamic Access Control enabled for the Viewer role, Vault restricts the recipients of the Send as Link action to:

  • Users in allowed groups on the Viewer role. If no group is listed, you cannot add new viewers to the document via Send as Link.
  • Users who already have access to the document via Sharing Settings, either by name or by group.

Why Sending to Non-Vault Users is Unavailable

There are several reasons why you cannot send a document to a non-Vault user:

  • An Admin has not enabled sending to non-Vault users.
  • The document does not have a viewable rendition because Vault has not generated it yet or because Vault does not generate renditions for the file type of the source file.
  • You are trying to send a link to a binder. This option is not available for binders.
  • You do not have the View Content permission.

Document View for Non-Vault Users

Non-Vault users access the viewable rendition within a stand-alone viewer window. If available, a Download button allows them to download the viewable rendition.

Audit Trail Logging

Activity related to Send as Link is visible in the document audit trail. These activities are included:

  • Send as Link to Vault user (includes username and binding)
  • Send as Link to non-Vault users (includes email address and binding)
  • User added to Viewer role as result of Send as Link
  • Document viewed by non-Vault user (includes email address)
  • Document downloaded by non-Vault user (includes email address)

Your security profile must grant the Application: Users: View User Information permission. Without this permission, you won’t see the option in the document Actions menu.