How to Use Axero as an Intranet and Extranet | Axero Documentation

The Axero platform can be used as both an intranet and an extranet. In the same community, you can host and manage internal and external people and information.

Please read this guide for a thorough overview of intranets vs. extranets, a rundown of their benefits, and how they work together. It will give you a high-level understanding and help you get started on the right path for your business.

Intranet Spaces

An intranet is a network where employees can create content, communicate, collaborate, get things done, and develop the company culture.

Intranets improve internal communication and alignment, streamline project management with co-editing and task tracking, and centralize information so employees have a single source of truth for documents and resources.

Your intranet spaces are populated by internal people and contain internal information. To safeguard internal content, make your internal spaces private.

• A Private Space is not listed in Browse Spaces page.
• Private spaces do not appear in Search for non-space members.
• Users must be invited to join the space before they can view content and engage in the space, but you can set permissions to make certain Content Types viewable by non-space members.
• Content in private spaces does not appear in Search for people who are not a member of the space.
• You can automate the invitation process to private intranet spaces by using User Space Assignment Rules, which add people to spaces based on their email address domain or system Roles they have been granted.
• You can also use Personas to dynamically assign users to spaces based on their profile fields, such as department, location, or job role.

Visit the Private Space page to learn more about private spaces.

Extranet Spaces

An extranet is like an intranet but provides controlled access to authorized customers, vendors, partners, or others outside the company.

Extranets streamline repetitive business processes such as vendor ordering and invoice management. They increase customer satisfaction by providing 24/7 access to resources and self-service help desks. They also offer strong security through encryption and granular permission settings.

Extranet spaces are made up of external people outside of your organization. Based on your needs, you can set an extranet space to Public or Private.

• A public space appears in Browse Spaces and in Search for all users, while a private space does not.
• A public space's content is publicly viewable and appears in Search, but you can set permissions to make certain Content Types inaccessible by non-space members.
• Anyone can join a public space, but with member moderation, join requests must be approved by a space administrator before a person can become a member.
• Extranet spaces are secured with granular permissions and data encryption, making them suitable for industries with strict compliance requirements such as healthcare and insurance.
• You can automate the invitation process to extranet spaces by using User Space Assignment Rules or Personas.

Visit the Public Space and Private Space pages to learn more about public and private spaces.

Mixed Spaces

A mixed space combines internal and external users, bringing together intranet and extranet functionality in a single space.

Depending on your needs, mixed spaces can be public or private. A common use case is a project space where internal teams collaborate with an external agency or consultant.

• Public mixed spaces are publicly viewable and publicly searchable, but member moderation can help you control the membership of a public mixed space.
• Private mixed spaces are not publicly viewable or publicly searchable.
• You can automate invitation processes for mixed spaces using User Space Assignment Rules or Personas.

You can fine-tune space permissions to make content in mixed spaces accessible or inaccessible to non-space members, regardless of the space's visibility.

Points to Think About

• If you want thorough control over who can access your spaces, or if you have sensitive data to share with a select group, create a private space.
• If you want some spaces on the platform accessible to everyone, add them as public spaces.
• If you need to collaborate with external partners such as clients, vendors, or suppliers, create extranet spaces for them.
• If you have both internal and external audiences for the same content, consider a mixed space with fine-tuned permissions.
• Use User Space Assignment Rules or Personas to automate the onboarding process for any space type.
• Axero combines intranet and extranet capabilities in a single platform, so you can manage all your internal and external spaces in one place.