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Accessing SharePoint Documents Shared with You

Cornell SharePoint users can share documents, folders, and sites with other users, including those not at Cornell. This page is intended for people who receive such sharing permissions.

Cornell security policy does not allow unauthenticated access to Microsoft SharePoint. A Microsoft account is not required for guest SharePoint access. Options include a Microsoft work or school account, a personal Microsoft account such as from Outlook.com, or a one-time passcode at each login if the guest does not have a Microsoft account. The passcode is sent via email when the guest attempts to access the shared data.

There are two types of sharing:

  • By sending or posting a guest link for an individual document.
  • By sending an invitation to share a document, folder, or site, where the recipient must sign in with a valid account.

Guest Link

If you've received a guest link, click on it or paste it into a browser window to access the document. The person sharing with you may have given you view-only access or edit access.

Invitation to Share

When a Cornell SharePoint user shares a site or document with you (an external user), you will receive an email message.

When you click on the document or site name in it, you will be redirected to a login screen which presents two options: Microsoft account or Organizational account.

Microsoft account is the combination of an email address and a password that you use to sign in to services like Outlook.com. If you use an email address and password to sign in to these or other Microsoft services, you already have a Microsoft account. You can also sign up for a new one at any time.

An Organizational account (also known as a work account or school account) is an Office 365 user ID assigned to the user by their work or school. For example, all Cornell NetID@cornell.edu accounts are schoolwork accounts.

If you have an organizational account, we suggest you use that.

Sign in with an Organizational Account

If you have an Organizational (school or work) Account, whether assigned to you by Cornell or another organization using Office 365 accounts, click the second option (Organizational Account). You'll be redirected to a sign-in screen.

Log in using your Organizational Account credentials. Depending on your organization, you may find yourself redirected to your own organization's sign-in screen.

Sign in with a Microsoft Account

Microsoft account: When you click on the first option above (Microsoft Account), you will be redirected to a sign-in screen.

  • If you already have a Microsoft Account, sign in using those credentials.
  • If you do not already have a Microsoft Account, click Sign up now to associate a Microsoft Account with any existing email account you have, or create a completely new one.
Do NOT use your Cornell email address to create a personal Microsoft Account. Cornell email addresses are already Organizational Accounts.

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