Connect securely with outside organizations. This guide covers how to share Spaces, manage permissions, and collaborate with external teams.
Overview
Connected Spaces let one organization securely grant access to one or more of its Spaces to another organization. The organization initiating the connection is called the Host Org. The invited organization is referred to as the External Org, and users who come through the connection are called Connected Users.
For example, if Meadow Health gives Well Care access to a Space in their Organization, Meadow Health is the Host Org, Well Care is the External Org, and anyone from Well Care accessing the Space is called a Connected User.
Permissions
Connected Users can be added as:
Space Owners or Admins
Channel Owners, Admins, or Moderators
They cannot be assigned as Org Owners in the Host Org.
Creating a Connection
Only the Host Org can initiate a connection. This is done in:Admin → Connections → New Connection
Here’s a breakdown of the fields on the creation form
Recipient’s email
The email of your primary contact in the External Org. This user doesn‘t need to be an Org Owner.
Organization name
Displayed during the invitation process for clarity; this will be replaced by the actual External Org name once the connection is accepted.
Reason for connection
A message shown to the External Org for context when they review the request.
Allow direct messaging
Lets members of both organizations direct message each other.
Allow file uploads
Grants file upload permissions to the members of the External Org. Enabling them to upload files in channels, threads, and direct messages.
Allow all members to join
If enabled, all members of the External Org will automatically join the connection, having access to the Host Orgs Channels and Spaces. If disabled, individual users must be invited manually.
Connection Workflow
Invite sent
The recipient is notified by email and in-app notification. Both bring the recipient to the same page where they will be prompted to associate the connection with an org they belong to.Recipient actions
Depending on their role and current org, they’ll see one of three experiences:Org Owner (in selected org): Can review the request, adjust settings to make them more restrictive (but not less), and accept or reject the connection.
Org Owner (in another org): Prompted to switch to the correct org to continue.
Not an Org Owner: Notified that the request has been forwarded to their org’s Owner(s).
Approval
Once Well Care (the External Org) accepts the connection, Meadow Health (the Host Org) will be notified to review and approve it. At this point, no settings can be changed.Activation
Once approved by Meadow Health, the connection becomes active and ready to use.
Managing a Connection
Connection Settings
Org Owners from either side can:
Tighten permissions at any time (e.g. disabling file uploads or auto-join).
Loosen permissions only with approval from the other org.
Leave the connection from the settings page.
Amendments
Amendments are proposals by one org to either add a new member to the connection or to make a setting less restrictive.
Amendments have the follow actions available:
If you proposed the amendment: You can Retract the amendment.
If you are a member of the other org: You can Reject or Accept the amendment.
Activity
A log of all activity related to the connection is displayed here, including:
Connection established
Connection associated
Connection accepted
Settings changes
Member updates
External Members
This page shows all members from the External Org who currently have access.
If Allow All Members is off, users must be added or removed manually from the connection on this page.
Org Owners can remove users immediately.
Adding users requires approval from the other org.
Connected User Experience
Membership: Connected Users do not inherit auto-membership for Spaces or Channels. They must be added manually.
Visibility:
Shown in separate sections when viewing or managing members in Spaces and Channels
Displayed with a diamond-shaped presence indicator
Marked with a Connected User icon in all list views
Authentication
Connected Users log in using their primary account. The Host Org appears as a single entry on the login screen. Spaces remembers your most recent org, so once authenticated, you’ll land in the last org you used.