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File requests

When someone asks for your file​

When someone asks you for access to one of your files, the notification has two buttons right under the sentence.

To answer:

  1. Open the bell and find the request, for example "Bob Thapa asked for access to Contract.pdf."
  2. Select Share to give them access. A short message confirms it: "Shared with Bob Thapa".
  3. Or select Ignore if you don't want to share. The buttons are replaced by "You didn't share this file." The person is told you didn't share it, nothing more.

There is no "are you sure?" step. If the request was already answered by you in another window, DocuFlow says "This request was already answered."; if the file was deleted, it says "This file is no longer available." Either way the buttons go away. If the file is already shared with as many people as it can be, DocuFlow tells you to remove someone from its sharing first, then try again.

Asking for a file you can't open​

You can ask the owner for access in two situations.

From a link that no longer works:

  1. Open the link. The page says "This link is invalid or has expired."
  2. Select Ask for access. If you aren't signed in, the button reads Sign in to ask for access; sign in and you come back to the same page.
  3. A box titled "Ask for access" opens: "The owner gets your request and can share the file with you." Add a short note if you like in Message (optional), up to 500 characters.
  4. Select Ask.

What you'll see when it's done: "Asked. The owner will be notified."

From a library link you can't open: when a link to a file in the library (from a notification or a colleague) points at something you aren't allowed to see, the page says "You can't open this file" and "It hasn't been shared with you. You can ask its owner." Select Ask for access and continue as above. If you asked before, the page says "You asked on" followed by the date, with an Ask again button. Selecting it reminds the owner: "Asked again. The owner will be reminded." The owner is reminded at most once a day; if you ask too soon, DocuFlow says "You asked recently. The owner is reminded at most once a day."

If the file is already yours to open: the answer is "You already have access to this file." with an Open it button that takes you to it. If the file can't be found at all, DocuFlow says so: "We couldn't find this file. It may have been deleted, or the link no longer works."