You don't just work with colleagues. You work with customers, suppliers, partners, and freelancers. And you want to reach them in Teams too.

Microsoft Teams offers three ways to do this. They sound similar but work very differently.

1. External access: chat and call with other organizations

With external access, you can chat, call, and meet with people from other organizations that also use Teams. They remain in their own environment.

  • Yes: one-on-one chats, group chats, calling, and meetings.
  • No: access to your teams, channels, or files.
  • Suitable for: quick contact with a regular contact person at a partner.

2. Guest access: an external in your own team

With guest access, you add an external party to a team in your environment. The guest gets a guest account and collaborates in channels and files.

  • Yes: collaboration in channels, files, and team meetings.
  • No: the same rights as an employee. You decide what guests are allowed to do.
  • Suitable for: longer collaborations, such as a project team with a supplier.

Note: guests need to switch organizations in your environment, which some may find cumbersome.

3. Shared channels: collaborate without switching

A shared channel is a single channel you share with people both inside and outside your organization. Externals see the channel directly in their own Teams, without switching environments.

  • Yes: collaboration in one channel, with own files.
  • No: access to the rest of the team.
  • Suitable for: structural collaboration between organizations, such as in a chain or partnership.

Shared channels require a trust relationship between both organizations in Microsoft Entra. Both sides must set this up.

Which one to choose?

  • Need to quickly consult? External access.
  • Working on a project with documents? Guest access.
  • Long-term collaboration with another organization without hassle? Shared channels.

Don't forget security

Collaborating with externals requires clear agreements:

  • Determine which organizations you are allowed to collaborate with externally.
  • Periodically review guest access to remove old guests.
  • Use sensitivity labels on teams with confidential information.
  • Require MFA, even for guests.

Collaboration without borders, but with agreements

In sectors like healthcare and government, collaborating with chain partners is the norm. With the right setup, this can be done safely and pleasantly. At 365 Angels, we help you find that balance.

Want to collaborate securely with externals in Teams? Schedule a meeting and we'll see which setup suits you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a guest create a team themselves?

Not by default. Guests have limited rights, which you define as an administrator.

Can externals without a Teams account join a meeting?

Yes, via the meeting link in the browser. This is separate from guest access or external access.

Does guest access require extra licenses?

For most scenarios, no. With a large number of guests or certain security features, additional costs may apply.