What can external users do?

You become an external userExternal user icon of IBM Connections™ when:
  • Someone in an organization invites you to join a Connections 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 as a member in communities. For example, you can contribute to a community forum.
    Note: You cannot follow 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.
  • Use the IBM Connections mobile app.
  • Chat with people in the organization.

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.
  • Use @mentions.
  • See public microblog.
  • 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.
    Note: External users cannot see public recommendations but they can see private recommendations. For example, External users can see a file recommended to them within a community to which they are a member.
  • 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.
  • Use the IBM Connections desktop plugins.

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.