How to Integrate External Companies into the Teamsware Project File
With the Teamsware Project File (Bauakte), you can securely involve external companies in projects without the hassle of manually creating guest accounts for every individual. For full collaboration, we recommend the Professional version featuring the TW Basis solution.
Prerequisites
- Teamsware Professional version with TW Basis activated.
- An existing Teamsware Project File with maintained metadata.
- Appropriate naming conventions for external roles (e.g., PRJ_[ProjectName]_External).
- Permissions as an Owner or Teamsware Administrator.
- Basic knowledge of Microsoft 365 group management.
1) Why Professional Version with TW Basis?
The Professional solution seamlessly connects a dedicated SharePoint site with the existing Project File channel structure.
Automated Role and Permission Management
TW Basis provides a SharePoint site that is directly linked to the Project File channel. Within this site, Microsoft 365 groups can be assigned based on roles (e.g., Architect, Site Manager, external planner).
Central Data Storage
All files remain identical to the channels in Teams but can be controlled via a permission matrix for subfolders.
2) Inviting External Companies by Role
The process is designed to be extremely simple through automated workflows:
- Entry in the TW Basis list: Enter the external company into the designated list.
- Role selection: Choose the appropriate role (e.g., Architect, Site Manager, Planner).
- Automatic invitation: A workflow generates the invitation for the corresponding Microsoft 365 group.
Note: It does not matter whether the external partner already has a Microsoft 365 account. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is sufficient for secure access.
Verifying Permissions
By default, external parties have access to the top level of the channel. The visibility of subfolders can be precisely controlled via the permission matrix of the respective role.
3) Starting and Managing Collaboration
- Files & Notebook: External users can upload and edit documents and work within the shared OneNote notebook.
- Lifecycle Management: Use the contact list to keep track of all invitations. Access can be automatically revoked after project completion.
Best Practices
- Use roles instead of individual user invitations. This saves time and reduces potential errors.
- Consistently document every invitation in the metadata for complete traceability.
- Plan in advance which subfolders actually need to be visible to external partners.
- Regularly check the lifecycle settings to ensure access automatically expires at the end of the project.
Common Errors & Solutions
| Problem | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Invitation fails | External sharing disabled in the M365 tenant | Ask IT to enable external sharing for M365 groups |
| Externals see too many folders | Permission matrix not correctly maintained | Check roles and subfolder permissions in TW Basis |
| Access ends too early | Lifecycle policy is too strict | Adjust the expiration date in the contact list |
With TW Basis, you integrate external companies seamlessly and securely into the Project File—eliminating cumbersome guest accounts while maintaining full control over your project data.
Related Articles
Managing Project Contacts and Technical Access Rights in Teamsware
The Contact List is the central tool in Teamsware projects for managing project participants and controlling technical access rights to project resources (SharePoint, M365 groups). 1. Prerequisites In Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), inviting external ...Managing Metadata in the Teamsware Project File
In the Teamsware Project File, metadata plays a central role in organizing your project data. In this area, you can centrally manage all metadata, add new fields, and control their usage. Accessing Metadata Management To edit metadata, navigate to ...How to Update Project Templates in Teamsware
When changes are made to a project template in SharePoint—for example, to the templates themselves, permissions, or metadata—this information must be re-imported into Teamsware. This process is performed via a Project Update for Professional and ...Managing Approvals in the Teamsware Construction File
With the approval function in the Teamsware Construction File (Bauakte), you can directly review, release, or adjust the status of requests as needed to manage your project workflows efficiently. Step 1 – Opening a Request in the Construction File ...Getting Started with the Teamsware Construction Files Dashboard and Navigation
This article explains the home page of the Teamsware Construction Files interface and its main navigation. You will learn how to find projects quickly, request or create new workspaces, and which functions are visible to administrators. Prerequisites ...