A link that made sense during a project can remain in circulation after the work has finished. A useful sharing review starts with the documents people rely on and the people who should still have access. The aim is to make permissions understandable and manageable, while preserving legitimate work. Exact controls vary by account, subscription and administrator settings.
Start with an owner and a small scope
Choose one project folder or a short list of important documents. Identify the person who can confirm why the material is shared and who needs it. Include working copies, final versions and folders shared through email or collaboration tools. Do not begin by removing all external access across an organisation. A narrow review makes it easier to find the right owners, understand dependencies and avoid interrupting an adviser or colleague who still needs the information.
Check who can use each link
Use the service's sharing or access-management view to inspect the current recipients and link settings. Where the service offers different link audiences, understand the selected option rather than relying on the link's appearance. Consider whether a named recipient, a group or a broader audience is appropriate. Record the purpose and owner of important access arrangements, but do not paste confidential document links or personal details into a broadly shared review spreadsheet.
Match permissions to the task
Ask whether each recipient needs to read the file, comment on it or change it. Review folder-level permissions as well as the individual document, because access may come from more than one place. If an end date is appropriate and supported, agree it with the owner. Before changing anything, check whether the arrangement supports an active process. A permission that looks old may still be needed for reporting, a live project or ongoing professional advice.
Remove access carefully and test the result
Agree specific changes with the document owner and make them in a controlled order. Keep a record of what changed so an unintended interruption can be investigated. Test the intended recipient's access through an approved method, without sharing account passwords or sending sensitive content to a test account. Avoid assuming that deleting one link removes every route to a document. Review direct permissions and inherited access where the platform exposes them.
Include sharing in the handover
Repeat the review when a project closes, an adviser changes or a team member leaves. Confirm who owns the remaining files and who can manage access in future. Keep the process short enough to use routinely. Tech Support Inc can help Private Clients and Family Offices review Microsoft 365 and cloud arrangements as part of a wider technology handover, with clear ownership and practical support contacts.
A CONSIDERED NEXT STEP
Make the next step practical.
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