Publishing Files Publicly in the Document Library

Users can share Document Library files to non-portal users (i.e. public users who are not logged in) by enabling Read permissions for the Guest User role, sharing the Document Library parent folder to all users, and making the file publicly available. Public file publishing enables external access to organizational content without requiring portal authentication while maintaining appropriate security controls and access management.

Requirements

To publish files publicly, users must be assigned a security role with the following permissions:

• Administrator System Role

Understanding Public File Publishing

Public Access Architecture

Multi-Level Access Control: Public file publishing requires configuration at three levels: Guest Security Role permissions, folder sharing settings, and individual file publishing options to ensure comprehensive access control.

Guest User Role Integration: Public access is controlled through the Guest System Role, which represents non-authenticated visitors accessing portal content through public URLs.

Security Layer Coordination: All three security layers must be properly configured for public access to function while maintaining organizational security boundaries.

Public Publishing Scope

File-Level Control: Individual files can be marked for public access while maintaining private access for other files within the same folder structure.

Folder-Based Access: Public access requires folder-level sharing configuration to enable guest users to navigate to and access published files.

URL-Based Access: Published files become accessible through direct URLs without requiring portal authentication or user account creation.

Configuring Public File Access

Step 1: Enable Guest User Role Permissions

Security Role Configuration

1. In the Setup Home page, click Security > Security Roles
2. Click the Guest System Role
3. Click Edit
4. In the All Entities tab, locate the Folder (system) Entity
5. Set Read permissions to All
6. Click Save & Close

Guest Role Permission Impact

• Enables non-authenticated users to access Document Library folders when properly shared
• Provides foundational access rights for public file viewing and download
• Works in conjunction with folder sharing and file publishing settings

Step 2: Configure Folder Sharing

Parent Folder Sharing Setup

1. Navigate to the Document Library folder containing the file you want to make publicly available
2. Access folder sharing through one of these methods:
   • Click the Gear icon and select Share
   • Use the folder settings menu and select Share
3. Configure folder visibility:
   • Select Visible to all users for broad portal access
   • Alternatively, select Visible to certain groups of users and specifically add the Guest Security Role
4. Click Done to apply sharing settings

Folder Sharing Strategy

• Parent folder sharing is required for guest users to access files within the folder structure
• Consider organizational security policies when enabling public folder access
• Review all content within shared folders for appropriateness of public exposure

Step 3: Enable Individual File Public Access

File Publishing Configuration

1. In the Document Library, navigate to the parent folder of the file you want to make publicly available
2. Hover over the target file and click Share
3. In the sharing dropdown box, select People with the link
4. Click Close

Alternative File Publishing Method

1. Hover over the file and click Edit
2. In the file properties dialog
3. Check Published Publicly option
4. Click Done

Public File Access Behavior

• Files marked as publicly available can be accessed through direct URL links without portal authentication
• Public files maintain all other Document Library features including version control and activity tracking
• Public access respects file-level permissions while bypassing authentication requirements

Public Access Security Considerations

Content Review and Approval

Content Appropriateness Assessment

• Review all files marked for public access to ensure content is appropriate for public consumption
• Consider regulatory compliance requirements for publicly accessible organizational content
• Evaluate potential intellectual property or confidentiality c

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