File Collaborator
A File Collaborator in Salesforce is a user or group granted read-and-edit access to a Salesforce File.
Definition
A File Collaborator in Salesforce is a user or group granted read-and-edit access to a Salesforce File. Collaborators can view, download, comment on, and upload new versions of the file. They cannot delete the file or change its sharing settings; those rights belong to the File Owner. Collaborator is the middle tier of Salesforce file sharing, sitting between Viewer (read-only) and Owner (full control).
File Collaborators are configured through the ContentDocumentLink object''s ShareType field (value: C for Collaborator). The link record connects a Salesforce File to a User, Group, Record, or Library, with the ShareType controlling permission level. Most production file-sharing flows assign Collaborator access to internal users who need to participate in document iteration, while customers and partners get Viewer access for read-only review.
How File Collaborator permissions work
The three sharing levels: Viewer, Collaborator, Owner
Salesforce Files have three sharing tiers. Viewer (ShareType V): can view, download, and comment. Collaborator (ShareType C): everything Viewer can do plus edit (upload new versions). Owner (ShareType I, internal): full control including delete and re-share. Collaborator is the typical permission for active document contributors.
How Collaborator status is granted
Collaborator status is granted by adding a ContentDocumentLink with ShareType=C. This happens via the UI (Share dialog on a File), via Apex (DML insert of a ContentDocumentLink), or via API. The LinkedEntityId can be a User, Group, Record (Account, Opportunity, Case), or Library. Each LinkedEntityId can have a different ShareType.
What Collaborators can and cannot do
Collaborators can: view the file, download it, comment, upload new versions (creating new ContentVersion records), tag the file. Collaborators cannot: delete the file, change sharing settings, transfer ownership. These restrictions enforce the File Owner''s control while still enabling productive collaboration.
Record-level sharing and Collaborator inheritance
When a File is linked to a record (an Account, an Opportunity), users with record access typically inherit File access at a level driven by the record sharing model. The File Owner can override this by adding explicit ContentDocumentLink records with specific ShareType values. Most orgs let record sharing flow through; specific overrides handle special cases.
Group-based Collaborator access
Adding a Group as a Collaborator grants every Group member Collaborator access. This is the standard pattern for team-based file management: a Marketing Group is added as Collaborator on creative files; every Marketing user has edit access without per-user link records. Group membership changes propagate to file access automatically.
Audit trail for Collaborator actions
Salesforce logs Collaborator actions on Files: who uploaded which version when, who commented, who downloaded. These appear in File Activity (visible on the file detail page) and in ContentVersionHistory queries. For compliance use cases, the audit trail is foundational.
Removing a Collaborator
The File Owner can revoke Collaborator access by deleting the ContentDocumentLink or changing ShareType to V (downgrade to Viewer). The removed user immediately loses Collaborator rights, but past actions (uploaded versions, comments) remain in the file''s history. Revocation is fast; cleanup of remaining content takes longer.
How to add a Collaborator to a Salesforce File
Adding a Collaborator is a one-click action in the file Share dialog. Multiple Collaborators can be added at once; group-based additions scale to large teams.
- Open the file
Navigate to the file in the Files tab or on a record page. Click the file to open it.
- Click Share
On the file detail page, click the Share button (or the equivalent action in your layout). The Share dialog opens.
- Add a user or group as Collaborator
Type a user or group name to search. Select the user/group. Pick Collaborator from the permission dropdown. Click Add.
- Set notification preferences
Choose whether to notify the new Collaborator by email. The notification includes a link to the file.
- Save
Click Done. The ContentDocumentLink record is created with ShareType=C. The Collaborator can now edit the file.
- Verify access
Optionally Login As the Collaborator (or test with a real user) to confirm they have edit access. Watch for unexpected escalations.
Read-only access. View, download, comment.
Edit access. Everything Viewer can do plus upload new versions.
Full control. Edit, delete, change sharing.
Adding a Group as Collaborator grants every Group member edit access.
- Collaborators cannot delete the file. Sharing alone does not transfer ownership; only the Owner can delete.
- Collaborators can upload new versions but cannot remove old versions. Version history is preserved for audit.
- Group-based Collaborator access propagates to all group members. Removing a member from the group revokes their Collaborator access automatically.
- Record-level sharing can grant similar permissions. Adding explicit Collaborators alongside record sharing creates a permission stack; understand both for clean access control.
Trust & references
Straight from the source - Salesforce's reference material on File Collaborator.
- File Sharing OverviewSalesforce Help
About the Author
Dipojjal Chakrabarti is a B2C Solution Architect with 29 Salesforce certifications and over 13 years in the Salesforce ecosystem. He runs salesforcedictionary.com to help admins, developers, architects, and cert/interview candidates sharpen their fundamentals. More about Dipojjal.
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