Restrict files without using folders

[meck]

Hi All,

We have a factory overseas that needs to view files in our Vault, but we only want them to see the files that they will be working on. The files are stored throughout the vault in different folders. To maintain order the files cannot be moved. Is there a way to flag a file so that our overseas factory can only see and search for the ones we allow them to view?

We are using Vault Pro 2015 R2.

Thank in advance

[Neil_Cross · Accepted solution]

Kinda depends whether it's a single AutoCAD file or an Inventor model.

If you exposed the Inventor model, it might need to reference dozens/hundreds of other files scattered around your vault else the file will be unviewable.  

Either way, managing external viewing via file and folder permissions will be a logistical nightmare to manage, it'll get messy very fast.  Also, you'd need to grant rights to the folder that file is in, and all parent folders up to the top of the Vault

If I was you, and they only need to view files, I'd look into the project sync for exporting to buzzsaw/streamline, whatever it's called now.  That's why that was created, because the alternative methods for sharing Vault data externally is too difficult and poor.

[meck]

Thanks Neil for the quick response!!!

I was afraid this was not a cut and dry process.I will check with our suppliers to see what is available for this type of file sharing.

Thanks again!

[tmoney2007]

I concur with Neil. I don't personally think that the security in vault is advanced enough to support a downstream consumer coming in and accessing files directly, especially if you want to restrict their viewing privileges. To make this work well, you would really need to be able to drive security based on properties in vault, and that isn't currently possible.

Project Sync and Buzzsaw aren't a cake walk either (and kind of expensive). Project sync is also linked to specific folders, so it may not exactly meet your needs with respect to providing access to a set of files that may be spread all across your vault. 

If you are using vault professional, you might be able to do it with lifecycles, but you would have to have a lifecycle state or lifecycle definition for each vendor that you wanted to bring into the vault. Basically, you would put the parts that your vendor needs access to into the state "Outsource Vendor Blahblah" and that state (and only that state) would allow them to see those files.

Like I said, it isn't particularly pretty because vault wasn't designed to be used that way. I don't know the current state of things, but you might look into a couple licenses of PLM360. It should have a similar sync feature and significantly more granular access controls.