What can external users do?

You become an external userExternal user icon of IBM® Connections version 5.0 when:
  • Someone in an organization invites you to join a Connections version 5.0 community and you accept the invitation.
  • Someone in an organization shares a file with you.

What external users can do

As an external user, you can perform the following tasks:
  • Collaborate fully as members in communities
  • View and download files that are shared with you
  • Edit files in IBM Docs
  • Join IBM Sametime® meetings that you are invited to
  • See an activity stream to which you have access
  • Edit your profile by clicking your picture and selecting My Profile
  • View abbreviated business cards of people that share content with you
    Note: Abbreviated business cards contain no clickable links for employee names.
  • Share files with people

What external users cannot do

As an external user, you cannot see the following IBM Connections items or perform the following tasks:
  • Be a community owner
  • Create a community
  • Follow people or communities
  • Use @mentions
  • See public microblogs
  • See public or moderated communities
  • See public files
  • See or search the company directory (including using type-ahead) to find people
  • See recommended content or people
  • Access the Profiles menu.
    Note: External users can, however access their own profile by using the My Profile view.
  • Access other user profiles
  • See community metrics

Identifying external users and what they can work with

If you are an external user, then content that you create or have access to is identified by an icon External user icon. The icon is applied to restricted communities that you are a member of, and files or content that is created by you or shared with you.