Updated guidance on emails & sending links
23/02/2018
Sending links to documents held in SharePoint not only reduces the file size of the email, compared to sending an attachment, but it also ensures the security of the document. It’s quick and easy to do and you don’t even have to be a SharePoint user to see the benefits of using links to collaborate.
Here are just some of the benefits to the Council and staff:
• Links can only be accessed by those who have permissions to view the document. This is more secure than attachments as they can be forwarded on or sent to the wrong person accidently.
• Everyone is viewing or working on a single version of a document, so you always see the most up to date version without getting multiple attachments of the same document. This also reduces duplication across the Council.
• Your email mailbox will not fill up as quickly as file sizes are significantly smaller without attachments.
• Links can be opened by colleagues in other services who are using a different SharePoint or who don’t have SharePoint at all, as long as they have been given permission.
• Permission can be granted to anyone who has a Moray Council log in and access to a council laptop or PC.
• There are strict limits on the size of attachments that can be sent via email, but with links you can send lots of documents in a single email.
• This also complies with the newly updated Guidance on Managing Emails which was issued by the Information Assurance Group
For all these reasons, we would highly recommend the use of links when possible. If you are already a SharePoint user the links to the guide and training video will remind you how to send links.
For non-SharePoint users who regularly receive the same type of document as an attachment, please ask the sender if the documents are stored on SharePoint. If they are, ask the sender to work with their Service Contact to request the necessary permissions to gain access to the documents via links. Over the coming months, more services will be coming online with SharePoint, so even if your collaborators are not currently using SharePoint they may be soon.
If you have any questions about working with links contact the SharePoint Team