First to know: There are 2 ways to share SOPs with people outside your organization
Dive offers 2 methods for showing SOPs to external parties, partner companies, vendors, and others you don't want mixed into your normal Dive operations. Choose the right one based on your needs.
- ① External Sharing URL (no login required): Issue a view-only URL protected by expiration date or password, and share the SOP by simply passing the URL. No login is required on the recipient's side. Since a URL is issued for each individual SOP, this method works best for one-time or pinpoint sharing.
- ② Guest invitation (guest invitation slot): Have them log in to Dive with information sharing only permissions (view-only / excluded from training, skill development, and Usage Report aggregation), and manage them under the same controls as other users (folder restrictions, audit logs, IP address restriction, SSO). Since it works by showing SOPs grouped by folder, this method suits long-term or ongoing viewers.
※ From a security perspective, we recommend ② Guest invitation as the standard approach. If you only need one-time sharing, use ① External Sharing URL protected with both expiration date and password.
※ Guest invitation can be changed to any other permission level (View-only user or higher) at any time, and the consumed slot automatically switches between the guest invitation slot and the Owner through View-only user permission slots. No need to send a new invitation.
Which one should you choose? (Quick decision guide)
Answer these 3 questions to determine which method to use.
-
Will the recipient view the same SOP repeatedly over time? (Do you want to show multiple SOPs together?)
- Yes → Guest invitation (you can share multiple SOPs grouped by folder)
- No (one-time or for a few days / one SOP at a time) → External Sharing URL
-
Do you need audit log, IP address restriction, or SSO control?
- Yes → Guest invitation (the same controls apply as with other users)
- No → Either method works
-
Do you want to avoid consuming permission slots?
- Yes → External Sharing URL
- No → Guest invitation (slots are consumed, but Core and above plans include 3 times the guest invitation slots as the number of accounts)
Comparison table (What's the difference?)
| ① External Sharing URL | ② Guest invitation | |
|---|---|---|
| Sharing unit | Issue a URL for each individual SOP | Allow access by folder |
| Recipient setup | None required (just open the URL) | Login required (Dive login information) |
| Permission slots | No slots consumed | Consumes 1 guest invitation slot (not available for Free/Lite; Core and above include 3 times the number of accounts = Core 75 / Pro 150 / Enterprise 300) |
| Available plans | Lite and above (not available for Free). Disabled by default; Owner must Enable | Core and above (not available for Free/Lite) |
| Expiration / Password | Set per URL (either expiration or password is required) | Same as other users (No expiration / password-based operation) |
| Access granularity | Per URL issued for each SOP | Set by folder or group permissions |
| Audit log | URL issuance, revocation, and access are recorded | All logins and views are recorded the same as other users |
| IP address restriction | Not target | Targeted (team Security Settings apply) |
| SSO control | Not target | Targeted |
| How SOPs appear in the list | Only the SOP(s) from that URL | Only SOPs the person can view, grouped on a single screen without folders (folder hierarchy is not visible) |
| Training and skill development tracking | Not target | Not target (not included in course assignments or Skill Map) |
| Usage Report aggregation | Not aggregated | Not aggregated (guests can still use their own View history and Favorites normally) |
| Creating / editing SOPs | Not allowed (view-only) | Not allowed (view-only) |
| Changing permissions | — | Can be changed to any other permission level at any time (slots automatically switch between guest invitation slots and Owner through View-only user permission slots) |
| Best for | One-time briefing / sending quotes to vendors / short-term document sharing / showing just this one SOP | Long-term partner companies / on-site contractors / showing multiple SOPs continuously |
| Caution | If the URL leaks, it could be viewed (password protection recommended) | Requires the same management effort as other users (group settings, etc.) |
Detailed usage for each method
- ① External Sharing URL: How to use External Sharing (issuing, password protection, history management, revocation)
- ① Enable / Disable External Sharing URL (for admins): External Sharing Restriction Settings (enabling / disabling external sharing)
- ② Guest invitation: What is guest invitation? (details, inviting, access permissions)