Attaching SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive documents to email messages

  • You can attach documents and documents/items/document libraries/sites links to email messages. Creating a link instead of making a copy of a document allows you to manage document revisions effectively, as well as save storage space on your email server.
  • You can configure how harmon.ie opens Office links – in the desktop or web app.
  • SharePoint links normally include the full path to the document and the document name. If the location or the name of the document is changed, the link becomes inaccessible. harmon.ie can be configured to create persistent links with document IDs. This allows the URL to work even if the document has been moved to another location, or renamed.
  • SharePoint document links are only available to recipients that have access to the SharePoint library, and have sufficient permissions to view the document. When you send an email, Outlook notifies you if the recipients don’t have access to a link you’re sending.

To attach a SharePoint, Teams, or OneDrive item to an email message:

Select one of these methods:

  • Drag one or more documents/items/document libraries/sites to an outgoing email message to attach it. By default, a link is created when you drag a M365 file from the sidebar.
    To attach a document instead of a document link, hold the Alt key while dragging the document from the sidebar.

    You can change the default drag-and-drop action in the application options.
  • Drag one or more SharePoint, Teams, or OneDrive documents/items/document libraries/sites to anywhere in Outlook. A new email message is created with links to the selected items.
  • Select one or more SharePoint, Teams, or OneDrive items. Right-click and select one of the Copy commands. Paste the document, link, or address into the email message body.
    Use the Copy command menu to:

    • Copy the Document file. This option is only available for documents.
    • Copy a Link to the SharePoint, Teams, or OneDrive item. This places the item name with a hyperlink to its location on the Clipboard.
    • Copy a Link (Document ID) to the item. This option places the item name with a hyperlink to its document ID on the Clipboard. This option is available if the library contains a Document ID property.
    • Copy the Address of the item. This places the URL of the item on the Clipboard.
  • Right-click the document(s) you want to attach and select Add as Attachment. This attaches the document(s) to the current email you are composing.

Notes:

  • You can also attach SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive documents and links to other
    Outlook areas.
  • Due to a limitation, document links are created with regular document paths when dragging items from the search results to email messages. This occurs even if the create persistent links feature is enabled.

You can drag SharePoint, Teams, or OneDrive documents to these areas of Outlook:

  • An outgoing email message body, to create an email attachment (read more in Working with email), or to your Inbox, to create a new email message with links to the documents.
  • An appointment, meeting, or event’s description, to create a link to the document.
  • A task’s description area, to create a link to the document.
  • A contact’s notes area, to create a link to the document.
  • The Notes application to create a new note containing the document titles.

To share document links:

When attaching document and item links from OneDrive and Microsoft 365 team sites to an email message, the documents and items can be shared with your email recipients. You can configure the sharing options.

To share OneDrive and Microsoft 365 team sites document and item links with your email recipients:

  1. Attach the document or item to your email message.
  2. Send the message.
  3. If prompted, select the permission level to grant to the recipients: can view / can edit.
  4. Optionally, check Remember my choice to remember the permission level you selected, as well as your selection to share or not to share. To undo your selection, edit the sharing options.
  5. Click Yes. The document is shared, and the message is sent.

Notes:

  • Sharing OneDrive documents with external users must be enabled by the SharePoint administrator.
  • There are occasions when the user has access to the sent link, as part of a group, but harmon.ie still prompts you for sharing the link.

To attach a link to an old version of a SharePoint document to an email message:

  • Right-click the document and select Version History.
  • Locate the version you want to attach and click the Copy Link icon (The Copy Link icon) next to it.
  • Paste the link into an outgoing email message.