Sharing with people outside the organization

To send a file, folder, or whole share to someone who doesn't have a ScaiDrive account, create an external link. The recipient gets a URL they can open in a browser — no sign-up, no account.

External links are public by default, but you have a lot of control over who can use them.

Creating a link#

In the web client:

1. Right-click a file, folder, or share root → Create external link.
2. Pick options (defaults are fine for most cases).
3. Click Create.
4. Copy the URL — that's all you send to the recipient.

Options#

Password. Enter a passphrase. The recipient has to type it on the link landing page before they can access content. Strongly recommended for anything not totally public.

Expiry date. Pick a date after which the link stops working. Useful for time-bound disclosures.

Download limit. Cap the number of downloads. After the cap, the link is dead. Good for one-off file deliveries.

Allowed emails. A list of email addresses; the link only works for browsers that prove they own one of those addresses (the user gets a code by email and enters it on the landing page). Combine with no-password for friction-free access for specific people.

IP allow-list. Restrict by source IP / CIDR. Combine with the rest for high-security distributions.

Permissions.

• View only — recipients can preview but not download (PDFs render in-browser, downloads are blocked).
• View and download — the default.
• Upload (drop zone) — recipients can only upload to a folder you specify; they can't see what's there. Perfect for receiving submissions.

Notify on access. Get an email each time the link is accessed.

Managing your links#

Click Links in the share sidebar (or My links in the top-right user menu) for a list of every link you've created:

• See click counts, last access timestamp, and remaining downloads.
• Revoke kills the link instantly — the URL stops working everywhere.
• Regenerate issues a fresh URL with the same options (useful if you suspect a leak).
• Extend expiry or reset download counter to keep a still-useful link alive.

What the recipient sees#

A clean landing page with your organization's branding and the file's name. If a password is required, they type it. If the link allows downloads, they get a download button. Optionally, they can preview the file in-browser.

Your name (the person who created the link) appears on the page so the recipient knows it's legit.

Tips#

• For routine sharing (NDAs, contracts, deliverables) put a password and a sensible expiry on every link. The audit log keeps a record either way, but a password makes accidental forwarding harmless.
• For submission folders (a client uploads documents to you), create an upload-only link and put it on a project page. You'll see the uploads in your share; the recipient never sees what's in there.
• If your organization has a corporate link policy (e.g., max expiry of 30 days), your administrator can enforce it across all links. You'll see the policy in the link creation dialog.

What's next#

• File versions — recover an earlier version of a shared file.
• Sharing with your team — invite internal members instead.