How to Set Up SharePoint Permissions for Sharing Files with Different Groups
Question details
The user needs to configure a SharePoint site to allow three different groups specific, tiered access to shared folders and files, while maintaining a general home page accessible to everyone.
- Product
- SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Setting up a centralized company SharePoint site with varied folder access for different user groups.
- Observed behavior
- The goal is to ensure all users can view the home page and calendar, but restrict specific document folders to designated groups using custom permissions.
Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions on the SharePoint site before attempting to create custom groups or change folder access settings.
Create Custom SharePoint Groups and Apply Unique Permissions
The most effective way to manage tiered access is by creating custom SharePoint groups and breaking permission inheritance on specific folders.
By default, all folders in a SharePoint document library inherit permissions from the main site. To allow different groups access to different folders, you must stop inheriting permissions and manually assign access to newly created custom groups.
Navigate to your SharePoint site, click the gear icon (Settings), and select 'Site permissions'. Click 'Advanced permissions settings', then select 'Create Group'. Create three distinct groups (e.g., Group A, Group B, Group C) and assign users accordingly.
Leave the site's home page and calendar with their default inherited permissions. This ensures that everyone added to the site can still view the general information.
Go to your document library and locate a folder you want to restrict. Click the three dots (...) next to it, select 'Manage access', click on 'Advanced', and then click 'Stop Inheriting Permissions' in the ribbon.
Once inheritance is broken, remove the groups that should not have access. Click 'Grant Permissions' to assign specific access only to the required custom groups (e.g., granting Group A and B access to one folder, but only Group C access to another).
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I get a bounce-back email when granting folder access to a SharePoint group?
This usually happens if SharePoint attempts to send an automated notification to a custom group that doesn't have an active exchange email address attached. When granting access, uncheck the 'Send an email invitation' box to prevent this error.
How do I stop a folder from inheriting site permissions in SharePoint?
Select the folder, click the three vertical dots, choose 'Manage access', go to 'Advanced', and click 'Stop Inheriting Permissions'. You can then remove existing site-wide groups and manually add specific users or groups.
Can a user belong to multiple custom SharePoint groups?
Yes, users can be added to multiple SharePoint groups simultaneously. Their effective permission on any given file or folder will be the highest level of access granted across all the groups they are part of.
