Plan: Not Available: Intermediate Available: Pro or Elite
Users: Not Available: All users Available: FYI Admins or User Group permissions
Practice Management Source: Available: All sources
When using the New Collaborate feature in FYI, practices can create one or more sites to manage the secure sharing of documents with clients and other third-party contacts.
There are two different New Collaborate Site Types available in FYI, the default Client Collaborate site (used for most clients) and the Client Secured Collaborate site, used when staff access to the site and client documents should be limited, for example, documents relevant to a Partner.
New Collaborate Site Types
Client Collaborate
The Client Collaborate site is configured using the Collaborate app in Automations - Apps. This site must be created as the first step of using Collaborate, before new Client Secured Collaborate sites can be created. The practice can only have one Client Collaborate Site.
As clients and other contacts are added to New Collaborate, either using the Sharing Settings window on the Client - Collaborate tab or by sharing a document, they will be added to this site by default unless a Client Secured Collaborate site has been created for the client.
All staff members within the practice will be able to access the site automatically.
Client Secured Collaborate
Once the default Client Collaborate site has been created, Client Secured Collaborate sites can be created for clients as required. Client Secured Collaborate sites are created from the Sharing Settings window on the Client - Collaborate tab. Practices can have multiple Client Secured Collaborate sites, limited to one per client in FYI.
Once a Client Secured Collaborate site has been created, clients and other contacts can be added to the site using the Sharing Settings window on the Client - Collaborate tab or by sharing a document. These guest users will be added to the Client Secured Site only, and not the default Client Collaborate site.
Staff members will only be able to access a Client Secured Collaborate site if the user has been added to the Client - Security tab in FYI. Please note that FYI Admins will also need to be added to the list if they require access to the site.
Only staff members displayed on the Client - Security tab will be able to view:
- The client and related documents in FYI.
- The Client Secured Collaborate site.
Site Feature Comparison
Below is a summary of the differences between the default Client Collaborate site and individual Client Secured Collaborate sites.
Configuration
| Feature |
Client Collaborate (Default site) |
Client Secured Collaborate (Client-specific site) |
| Customisable Site | Yes - SharePoint site can be customised to reflect the practice's branding, including the Home Page. | Yes - SharePoint site can be customised to reflect the practice's branding, including the Home Page. |
| Easy setup | Yes - Sites are created using a wizard in FYI, located within the Automations - Collaborate app. | Yes - Sites are created using a wizard in FYI, located within the Sharing Settings on the Client - Collaborate tab. |
| Status screen to review Collaborate configuration |
Yes - The New Collaborate Status Check window reviews potential configuration issues on the Client Collaborate site. Running the Status Check will also initiate a Guest User Reconciliation for all Collaborate sites, including any Client Secured Collaborate sites, to to compare users across FYI, Microsoft Entra, and SharePoint. |
Yes - The New Collaborate Status Check window reviews potential configuration issues for the Client Secured Collaborate site. Running the Status Check will also initiate a Guest User Reconciliation for all Collaborate sites, including the default Client Collaborate site, to to compare users across FYI, Microsoft Entra, and SharePoint. |
| Personalised Links | Practices can optionally enable Personalised Links in the Client - Collaborate app. This appends the user account to links generated via Merge Fields, so the account is automatically selected when the site is accessed. | Inherits the setting selected in the Client - Collaborate app. |
Client and Staff Access
| Feature |
Client Collaborate (Default site) |
Client Secured Collaborate (Client-specific site) |
| Secure access | Yes - Uses Microsoft 365 Authentication, or Google/Facebook at the practice's discretion, with the ability to implement Multi-factor Authentication. | Yes - Uses Microsoft 365 Authentication, or Google/Facebook at the practice's discretion, with the ability to implement Multi-factor Authentication. |
| Client Security to restrict staff from viewing specific client folders | No - staff will be automatically provided access to all client folders on the Client Collaborate site. | Yes - only staff granted access by an FYI Admin using the Client Security function in FYI will be able to access the Client Secured Collaborate site including client folders. |
| Update permissions to access folders or documents | Yes - managed within FYI. | Yes - managed within FYI. |
| Access to the Share Folder or Documents |
Yes - documents are uploaded to SharePoint. Clients are granted access to the client folder by being added to the Sharing Settings in FYI. Access to a document is granted when using the Share or Share No Email function. Clients can use a link to access the folder or document on the Client Collaborate site after logging in. |
Yes - documents are uploaded to SharePoint. Clients are granted access to the client folder by being added to the Sharing Settings in FYI. Access to a document is granted when using the Share or Share No Email function. Clients can use a link to access the folder or document on the Client Secured Collaborate site after logging in. |
| Autoshare folder with client | Yes - If sharing a document with an email address that matches the client's email address as per the Client - Summary in FYI, the client is automatically granted access to all files within the client folder on the Client Collaborate site. The client will also be added to the Sharing Settings window in the Client - Collaborate tab. | Yes - If sharing a document with an email address that matches the client's email address as per the Client - Summary in FYI, the client is automatically granted access to all files within the client folder on the Client Secured Collaborate site. The client will also be added to the Sharing Settings window in the Client - Collaborate tab. |
| Add users to the Share Settings | Yes - guest users are added to the Share Settings window to manage access to the client folder on the practice-default site. These guest users can be clients, or other third-party contacts authorised to view the client's documents. | Yes - guest users are added to the Share Settings window to manage access to the client folder on the Client Secured site. These guest users can be clients, or other third-party contacts authorised to view the client's documents. |
| Remove access to Share Folder for individual guest users |
Yes - available within FYI from the Sharing Settings window on the Client - Collaborate tab. Will remove the guest user from that client folder on the Client Collaborate site only. If the guest user has been added to multiple client folders, including a Client Secured Collaborate site, they will also need to be removed from the Sharing Settings window for those clients. |
Yes - available within FYI from the Sharing Settings window on the Client - Collaborate tab. Will remove the guest user from that client folder on the client-specific site only. If the guest user has been added to multiple client folders, including on the default Client Collaborate site, they will also need to be removed from the Sharing Settings window for those clients. |
| Remove access to a specific document for clients | Yes - available within FYI by clicking Unshare for the relevant document on the Client - Collaborate tab. The document will be removed from the client folder on the Client Collaborate site. | Yes - available within FYI by clicking Unshare for the relevant document on the Client - Collaborate tab. The document will be removed from the client folder on the Client Secured Collaborate site. |
| Status Check for individual guest users | Yes - available from the Client - Sharing Settings window on the Client - Collaborate tab. A check will be performed to confirm the guest user has the correct permissions on the Client Collaborate site. | Yes - available from the Client - Sharing Settings window on the Client - Collaborate tab. A check will be performed to confirm the guest user has the correct permissions on the Client Secured Collaborate site. |
Sharing Documents and Folders
| Feature |
Client Collaborate (Default site) |
Client Secured Collaborate (Client-specific site) |
| One link to access all files and folders |
A link to the Client Collaborate site will provide access to all client folders and documents on the site the guest user has been granted access to. If the guest user also has access to a Client Secured Collaborate site, a separate link to the Secured Site must be provided. Where Personalised Links has been enabled in the Client - Collaborate app, a separate link will be displayed for each email recipient. |
A link to the Client Secured Collaborate site will provide access to the client folder and documents on the client-specific site the guest user has been granted access to. If the guest user also has access to a client folder on the Client Collaborate site, a separate link to the Client Collaborate site must be provided. Where Personalised Links has been enabled in the Client - Collaborate app, a separate link will be displayed for each email recipient. |
| Link per document |
Yes - links to individual documents can be shared using the Attachment Links merge field. Where Personalised Links has been enabled in the Client - Collaborate app, a separate link will be displayed for each email recipient. |
Yes - links to individual documents can be shared using the Attachment Links merge field. Where Personalised Links has been enabled in the Client - Collaborate app, a separate link will be displayed for each email recipient. |
| Send attachments via Collaborate | Yes - files are uploaded to the Client Collaborate SharePoint site. | Yes - files are uploaded to the Client Secured Collaborate SharePoint site. |
| Share No Email - share documents without notifying the client via email | Yes - documents will be uploaded to the client folder on the Client Collaborate site without displaying the Create Email drawer in FYI. | Yes - documents will be uploaded to the client folder on the Client Secured Collaborate site without displaying the Create Email drawer in FYI. |
| Sharing multiple documents | Yes - multiple documents can be uploaded to the Client Collaborate site within the client folder relevant to the client the document is filed to in FYI. | Yes - multiple documents can uploaded to the client folder on either the Client Collaborate or Client Secured Collaborate site, relevant to the client where the document is filed in FYI. |
| Custom Automation Process Step to unshare documents | Yes | Yes |
| View list of files shared on the Collaborate site within FYI | Yes - on the Client - Collaborate tab. | Yes - on the Client - Collaborate tab. |
| Upload folder automatically imports files into FYI | Yes | Yes |
| Sharing Settings to view a list of guest users the client folder has been shared with | Yes | Yes |
| Support for changes to the client's name | Yes - a warning will be displayed on the Sharing Settings window on the Client - Collaborate tab in FYI. Clicking the "Fix Me" button will rename the folder on SharePoint automatically and retain the client permissions. | Yes - a warning will be displayed on the Sharing Settings window on the Client - Collaborate tab in FYI. Clicking the "Fix Me" button will rename the folder on SharePoint automatically and retain the client permissions. |
| Support for multiple clients with the same name | Yes - folders are created with the client Name and Client ID for unique folders for each client. | Folders are created with the client's Name and Client ID for unique folders, however only one client folder will be created per Client Secured Collaborate site. |
Co-Edit
| Feature |
Client Collaborate (Default site) |
Client Secured Collaborate (Client-specific site) |
| Client Co-Edit | Files are hosted on the Client Collaborate site on SharePoint. | Files are hosted on the Client Secured Collaborate site on SharePoint. |
| Team Co-Edit | Files are hosted on OneDrive under the OneDrive Admin Account, not the New Collaborate SharePoint site. | Files are hosted on OneDrive under the OneDrive Admin Account, not the New Collaborate SharePoint site. |
Email Templates
| Feature |
Client Collaborate (Default site) |
Client Secured Collaborate (Client-specific site) |
| Merge Fields | Merge Fields are used to automatically send links to either the Client Collaborate site, or Client Secured Collaborate site. FYI will automatically determine if the client uses the default Client Collaborate site or a Client Secured Collaborate site, and send the relevant link accordingly. | Merge Fields are used to automatically send links to either the Client Collaborate site, or Client Secured Collaborate site. FYI will automatically determine if the client uses the default Client Collaborate site or a Client Secured Collaborate site, and send the relevant link accordingly. |
| Automatically populate the email address used for logging into the site |
Practices can optionally enable Personalised Links in the Client - Collaborate app. This appends the user account to links generated via Merge Fields, so the account is automatically selected when the site is accessed. A separate link will be displayed on the Email for each recipient. If Personalised Links is not enabled, a single link will be displayed, and will not automatically populate the email address when logging into the site. |
Inherits the setting selected in the Client - Collaborate app. |