> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.box.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Inviting Collaborators

A collaborator is someone you invite into a file or folder. When you add someone as a collaborator to a file or folder, the item appears in their **Files** page.

If you send a collaboration invitation to a person without a Box account, Box prompts that person to sign up with Box before being able to access the content.  If you send a collaboration invitation to someone outside of your enterprise's domain, Box displays both an alert and a visual indicator.  This bolsters data security by helping ensure you don't unintentionally share content with someone outside of your organization.

> [!NOTE]
>
> When someone **within your enterprise’s domain** receives an invitation to collaborate in a folder but doesn't yet have a Box account, Box provisions an account and that collaborator automatically becomes a [managed user under your enterprise instance](https://docs.box.com/en/box-fundamentals/for-admins/collaborating/collaborating-by-inviting-others/collaboration-invites-create-an-account.md).
>
> When someone with your enterprise’s domain receives an invitation to collaborate in a file:
>
> * If they are currently an unmanaged user, they will remain so
> * If they are not currently an unmanaged user, an account will be provisioned and that user will automatically become a managed user under your enterprise instance

**Admins** can identify all accounts created this way through the Admin Console reporting section:

* Do not select any groups so the report captures all users
* Under User Activity, select **Created new user**
* The column shows when the account was created by “Invited collaborator”

## Inviting a collaborator

With simplified sharing, it takes just moments to invite people to collaborate.  You can send up to 100 invitations at a time.

**To invite someone to collaborate in a file or folder:**

1. Open the **Share** window. To do this, in your Box files view, hover over the row of the file or folder you wish to share.
2. On the right, click **Share**.

   ![share-files](https://mintcdn.com/product-docs/KMHkzrLNZXajl-XP/images/box-fundamentals/share-files.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=KMHkzrLNZXajl-XP\&q=85\&s=368b2e7c4d00a3b822cfca790c7500c3)
3. The **Share** window opens.

   ![invite-collaborators-highlighted](https://mintcdn.com/product-docs/FFgx8Ia-ECpN-LGR/images/box-fundamentals/invite-collaborators-highlighted.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=FFgx8Ia-ECpN-LGR\&q=85\&s=3290daa3a1dd29e89af468a43f2cc077)
4. In the **Share** window, under **Invite People**, click **Add names or email addresses**.
5. Type a collaborator's name or email address.
   * As you type, Box anticipates your intended recipient and lists corresponding email addresses.  You can select the recipient you want, or continue typing the full email address.
   * When typing full email addresses, separate recipients by a horizontal space.
6. Click the **Invite as** drop-down menu. Box displays a list of [roles](https://docs.box.com/en/box-fundamentals/for-users/collaborating/collaborating-by-inviting-others/understanding-collaborator-permission-levels.md).
7. Click the role you wish to assign to the collaborator.
8. (Optional) In the **Message** field, type a message of up to 750 characters for the collaborator.
9. Click **Send**.

### Security indicators

If you invite someone outside of your organization to collaborate, Box adds a small image of a globe to external invitee's avatar image or initials.  At the bottom of the **Share** window, Box also displays a text reminder that you are sharing this folder's contents externally.

[More on Box's security indicators.](https://docs.box.com/en/box-fundamentals/for-users/collaborating/sharing-content-using-box/avoiding-unintentional-exposure-of-your-files-and-documents.md)

After you invite collaborators to a file, the Collaborator badge (![collaborator-badge-small-png](https://docs.box.com/images/box-fundamentals/collaborator-badge-small.png)) displays adjacent to the file name.

![collaborator-badge](https://mintcdn.com/product-docs/iPwbarrlsv1nexQc/images/box-fundamentals/collaborator-badge.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=iPwbarrlsv1nexQc\&q=85\&s=6f8c9e0723bfc12bcb2f5679ad5f3bef)

> [!NOTE]
>
> * When inviting collaborators to a single file, the only available access level is **Editor**. You can change this access level to **Viewer** from the [Manage Collaborators](https://docs.box.com/en/box-fundamentals/for-users/collaborating/collaborating-by-inviting-others/managing-collaborators.md) page. These are the only access levels available for collaborators on a single file
> * All collaboration settings configured by enterprise admins apply to both single files and folders
> * The Message field does not permit URLs. When you input a word including a period (e.g. \[text].\[text]), the system recognizes it as a URL and returns an error. Including a space will allow you to continue. For example, **J. Smith** not **J.Smith**
> * The Message field does not permit email addresses
> * The Message field is limited to 750 characters
> * The Invite People field provides suggested names for up to 50 groups