SVUSD IT Department

Sharing Documents via Email the Right Way

To protect confidential data and personally identifiable information (PII), the IT department strongly advises SVUSD staff to avoid attaching files directly to emails. Instead, share documents via Google Drive or Shared Drive links. Review the guidelines below to understand how sharing links instead of attachments helps protect sensitive information and gives you greater control over document access.

Emailing documents as attachments is NOT secure:

Attaching a file occurs when you click on the paperclip icon in the 'New Message' window.

Risks to consider:

You cannot control who accesses attached files ❌
- Attachments containing sensitive information can easily be forwarded to unintended recipients, either accidentally, deliberately, or due to a compromised account.
Attachments cannot be retracted or corrected ❌
- Once a document is emailed by mistake, it cannot be recalled—it's now out in the open.
- If it contains errors, it cannot be updated in real-time.

Emailing shared links from Google Drive is secure:

First save the document in a Google Drive or a Shared Drive, and then insert the corresponding shared link by clicking the Google Drive icon.

Advantages of this method:

Shared documents provide flexibility & control ✅
- Sharing can be limited to specific recipients, thus protecting against unintended access.
- Print & download options can be disabled (how)
Shared documents can be corrected live ✅
- If mistakenly shared with the wrong recipients, access can be quickly retracted.
- Errors can be corrected instantly, allowing real-time updates
You can share docs with an expiration date ✅
- Documents can also be shared with an expiration date, ensuring access is temporary and further enhancing security

Still need help? Contact us

SVUSD IT Department - Location and Times:
20000 Broadway, Building "C", Sonoma CA 95476.
We are open Mon-Fri, 7-11am, 12-4pm - View a Map

Click to enlarge

Page updated

Report abuse