Collaborating with External Colleagues Using Google Workspace

Permissions for all collaborators

Always use name-based permissions.
Avoid using “anyone with the link can access.”
- Never use this option for any level of sensitive data. Bad actors can find this information.
- This option could be considered for a document publicly shared for research and reporting reasons.
Consider not allowing colleagues with edit rights to change permissions.

If your collaborator has a Google account, you can begin sharing files.
The Google account is needed for:
- Ongoing access to view or edit files
- Creating, uploading or deleting files and folders
The account can be their institution’s Google account (preferred) or one they create themselves.
Account permissions
- These work the same way for every institutional and personal Google account.
- In most situations, store data in Google Shared Drives, where permissions are determined by roles. See Shared Drives Access Levels.
- In an unusual situation that requires storing data in a generic account (using My Drive), use the normal My Drive permissions.

A collaborator without a Google account could create one in either of two ways:
- Ideally, using their home institution’s email address, if authorized.
- Using an existing email address.
If using a non-Google account, the collaborator:
- Can receive a collaboration invitation with a link to a shared file.
- Must use the PIN included in the email invitation to verify identity.
- Will have only seven-day visitor access.
- Can renew the seven-day access multiple times, reusing the email and PIN each time to verify identity.
- Can view, comment on, create or edit shared files or folders and upload content, thanks to Google’s Share Documents with Visitors feature.
- Can share only folders and these file types:
  Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Sites, Images, PDFs and Office files
- Cannot delete files and folders.

Data management plans
- Drafting your Data Management Plan
- Elements of a Data Management Plan
Institutional Review Board requirements
Funding Agency Guidelines for Public Access
NC State’s Data Management Framework
Google Workspace can store Highly Sensitive (Red) data.
Data Management
This University Libraries’ page provides advice on storing, organizing, and sharing research data.

Avoid data loss when people leave.
- Store shared data in a Google Shared Drive instead of a shared folder in My Drive.
- This allows uninterrupted data sharing if the My Drive folder owner leaves the project.
Manage data access easily in one place using Google Groups.

Free networked Research Storage space (2 TB).
Globus for transferring large amounts of data.
- Using Globus to Access Research Storage (OIT Research Services)
- File Transfer (High Performance Computing)
Google Workspace generic account.