Secure External Collaboration with Guest Sharing

Secure External Collaboration with Guest Sharing

Securing Sharing

Secure External Collaboration with Guest Sharing

Overview

CAD ROOMS enables you to collaborate securely with external partners, clients, and suppliers without giving them full workspace access.
Instead of adding outsiders as workspace members, CAD ROOMS uses file-based sharing. External users are automatically treated as Guests, ensuring controlled, read-only access while protecting your internal data.
This approach allows teams to share designs confidently — without consuming seats or exposing unrelated projects.
 

What Is Guest Sharing?

Guest Sharing allows you to share individual files with people outside your workspace.
Key characteristics:
  • Guests are not workspace members
  • Guests do not consume seats
  • Access is limited only to the files explicitly shared
  • Permissions are read-only by default
  • Guests are automatically listed in the Guest list
This ensures external collaboration remains secure, isolated, and auditable.

How to Share a File with an External User

Step 1 — Open the File Viewer

  1. Go to a Project.
  1. Open the file you want to share in the Viewer.

Step 2 — Share the File

  1. Click the Share icon in the top-right corner of the Viewer.
  1. Enter the recipient’s email address.
  1. Send the invitation.

What Happens Next

  • If the recipient already has a CAD ROOMS account
      • → They are granted access immediately and receive an in-platform notification.
  • If the recipient is new to CAD ROOMS
      • → They receive an email invitation.
      → After setting a password, they can access the shared file.
In both cases:
  • The recipient is automatically added to the Guest list
  • No workspace seat is used

What Guests Can Do

Guests have strictly limited access:
✅ View the shared file
✅ Open the file in the 3D Viewer
🚫 Cannot upload or replace files
🚫 Cannot check in / check out
🚫 Cannot contribute or reset files
🚫 Cannot perform Manual Release
🚫 Cannot create or manage ECOs
🚫 Cannot access other projects or workspace settings

Managing Guest Access

View Guests

  • Open Workspace Members → Guests
  • See all external users and which files they can access

Revoke Access

You can revoke access at any time by:
  • Removing the file share
  • Removing the Guest from the Guest list
Once removed, the Guest immediately loses access.

Why This Matters

  • 🔐 Security by Design
      • External users see only what you explicitly share.
  • 💺 No Seat Consumption
      • Share freely without increasing subscription costs.
  • 📂 Project Isolation
      • Guests never see unrelated projects or data.
  • 📜 Traceability
      • All sharing actions are logged and auditable.
  • 🤝 Frictionless Collaboration
      • Clients and suppliers can review designs without onboarding overhead.

Best Practices

  • Share only released or review-ready files with external users
  • Revoke access once collaboration is complete
  • Use ECOs internally before sharing externally
  • Avoid exporting files outside CAD ROOMS when secure sharing is available

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