Getting Started
Introduction
ONLYOFFICE DocSpace is a new way to collaborate on documents with teams, clients, partners, etc., based on the concept of rooms – special spaces with predefined permissions.
ONLYOFFICE DocSpace provides the following capabilities:
- Creating various room types: Public rooms, Form filling rooms, Collaboration rooms, Virtual Data Rooms, Custom rooms.
- Providing flexible access permissions: viewing, commenting, reviewing, form filling, editing.
- Creating and editing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms, PDFs, and ebooks. Viewing multimedia files (images, video and audio files). Working with markdown files and diagrams.
- Inviting users for collaboration: real-time co-editing, commenting, and communication via chat or video calls within online editors.
- Storing and managing personal documents within a dedicated space.
- Managing rooms: adding files, inviting members and assigning permission levels, viewing detailed info and recent activities, archiving rooms.
- Connecting any AI assistants to the editors for enhanced efficiency and faster workflows.
- Configuring integration features: connecting external services and storages. Currently, third-party storages can be used for performing backup only.
- Embedding ONLYOFFICE DocSpace or its parts into your own web application with JavaScript SDK.
- Adjusting customization and branding features.
- Using developer tools: webhooks, OAuth applications, API keys.
- Setting up security features: backup and restore, two-factor authentication, IP security, audit trail and more.
- Integrating ONLYOFFICE DocSpace into your platform with ready-to-use connectors for Drupal, Pipedrive, WordPress, Zapier, Zoom, Moodle, etc.
DocSpace structure
In the left-side menu, the following sections are available:
- Documents (for admins/users only) – a space for storing personal documents.
- Rooms – a space for active rooms available for you. Admins can create and manage rooms; users and guests can access only the rooms they are invited to.
- Archive – a space for archived rooms. Admins can restore or permanently delete archived rooms; users and guests can only view the rooms they were invited to.
- Contacts (for admins only) – a space for managing internal users (members), groups, and external users (guests).
- Trash – a space for removed rooms and documents which can be restored or permanently deleted.
In the 
menu located next to the user name in the lower left corner, users can view their profiles and helpful information, such as Hotkeys or Help center articles. Admins can also access the DocSpace Settings using this menu.
Defining access rights
User types and permissions
A user type is a category which defines the type of access a user has to different sections of the system. In ONLYOFFICE DocSpace, there can be five user types with the following permissions:
- Guests can only access the rooms they are invited to by admins. They can't create their own rooms. They can create, upload, delete folders or files only if they are appointed as Content creators. Guests can be invited via rooms only. This is a Free account (it’s possible to add an unlimited number of guests without any fee).
- Users can create and edit files in the room, but can't create rooms, manage users, or access settings. This is a Free account (it’s possible to add an unlimited number of users without any fee).
- Room admins can do the same as users can, as well as create and manage the assigned rooms, invite new users and assign permission levels below their level. All admins have access to the Documents section. This is a Paid account (a fee will be charged depending on the number of admins).
- DocSpace admins can do the same as room admins can, as well as access the DocSpace settings, manage and archive rooms. The DocSpace Admin has read-only access to rooms he was not invited to, but he can change the owner for such a room or archive it. This is a Paid account (a fee will be charged depending on the number of admins).
- Owner can do the same as DocSpace admin can, as well as add admins. The DocSpace Owner has read-only access to rooms he was not invited to, but he can change the owner for such a room or archive it. The Owner is a Payer who has access to payment details and is the only user that can adjust the quota and make payments. The Owner is the only user who can delete the portal. This is a Paid account.
| Section\User type | Owner | DocSpace admin | Room admin | User | Guest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Documents | |||||
| Creating, uploading, moving, copying, renaming, downloading, deleting files and folders | |||||
| Rooms | |||||
| Viewing all rooms | |||||
| Viewing own rooms | |||||
| Viewing rooms the user is invited to | |||||
| Creating and editing rooms | |||||
| Pinning rooms to top | |||||
| Viewing room info (contacts, history, details) | |||||
| Inviting external users (guests) to a room | |||||
| Inviting internal users to a room | |||||
| Assigning permission levels of own room members | |||||
| Changing permission levels of own room members | |||||
| Removing users from own room | |||||
| Archiving own rooms | |||||
| Creating a copy of own room | |||||
| Creating a copy of someone else's room | |||||
| Editing someone else's rooms: inviting users, assigning and changing permission levels of the room members, removing users from the room | |||||
| Viewing links of someone else's public room | |||||
| Changing the owner of someone else's room | |||||
| Archiving someone else's room | |||||
| Archive | |||||
| Viewing all archived rooms | |||||
| Viewing own archived rooms | |||||
| Viewing archived rooms the user is invited to | |||||
| Editing archived rooms | |||||
| Pinning archived rooms to top | |||||
| Viewing archived room info (contacts, history, details) | |||||
| Inviting users to an archived room, assigning and changing permission levels of members | |||||
| Restoring, copying, or removing someone else's archived rooms | |||||
| Restoring, copying, or removing own archived rooms | |||||
| Trash | |||||
| Contacts | |||||
| Inviting "DocSpace admin" | |||||
| Inviting "Room admin" | |||||
| Inviting "User" | |||||
| Inviting "Guest" | |||||
| Promoting to "DocSpace admin" | |||||
| Promoting to "Room admin" | |||||
| Promoting to "User" | |||||
| Demoting "DocSpace admin" to "Room admin" or "User" | |||||
| Demoting "Room admin" to "User" | |||||
| Demoting "User" to "Guest" | |||||
| Disabling "DocSpace admin" | |||||
| Disabling "Room admin" | |||||
| Disabling "User" | |||||
| Disabling "Guest" | |||||
| Editing or removing users | |||||
| Viewing own guest list | |||||
| Viewing someone else's guest list | |||||
| Groups | |||||
| Creating and editing groups | |||||
| Viewing groups | |||||
| File management settings | |||||
| DocSpace settings | |||||
| Removing DocSpace | |||||
| All other settings |
Account and user statuses
Each DocSpace account can have one of the following statuses:
- Active - such people have already accepted the invitation and can collaborate with other members.
- Pending - such people were invited, but have not accepted the invitation yet. They are marked in the list with the
icon. - Disabled - such people were transferred by an admin to the list of disabled members. They can't log in to DocSpace any more. They are marked in the list with the
icon. Disabled users can be removed from DocSpace or re-enabled.
Each DocSpace user has one of the following statuses: Paid or Free.
- Paid – Owner, DocSpace admin, Room admin. The number of paid users that can be added is defined by the selected tariff plan.
- Free - User, Guest. The unlimited number of users and guests can be added.
The Owner and admins can invite new users to DocSpace and manage the existing ones.
Managing rooms
Room types
Rooms are spaces for collaboration on documents. Access rights to documents stored in a room depend on the permission level. The permission level which can be assigned to a user depends on the room type. Administrators can invite users to the room and assign or change their permission levels.
- Public room allows you to invite users via external links to view documents without registration. You can also embed this room into any web interface.
- Form filling room allows you to upload PDF forms into the room, invite users to fill out a PDF form, review completed forms and analyze data automatically collected in a spreadsheet.
- Collaboration room allows you to collaborate on documents with your team using two co-editing modes: Fast and Strict.
- Virtual Data Room allows you to use advanced file security options: set watermarks, automatically index and track all content, restrict downloading and copying. It's also possible to use Virtual Data Rooms for role-based form filling.
- Custom room allows you to apply your own settings to use this room for any custom purpose.
- Documents room allows admins and users to store their personal documents.
Permission levels within a room
A permission level is a set of permissions for actions that a user can perform. Admins can assign a permission level to a user within a certain room. Each room type comprises different permission levels which can be assigned to its members:
- Public room - Room manager, Content creator.
- Form filling room - Room manager, Content creator, Form filler.
- Collaboration room - Room manager, Content creator, Editor, Viewer.
- Virtual Data Room - Room manager, Content creator, Editor, Viewer, Form filler.
- Custom room – Room manager, Content creator, Editor, Reviewer, Commenter, Viewer.
| Public room | Form filling room | Collaboration room | Virtual Data Room | Custom room | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viewer | |||||
| Commenter | |||||
| Reviewer | |||||
| Form filler | |||||
| Editor | |||||
| Content creator | |||||
| Room manager |
Depending on the permission level, the following actions with files are available for the user within a room:
- Viewer - Operations with the existing files: viewing.
- Commenter - Operations with the existing files: viewing, commenting.
- Reviewer - Operations with the existing files: viewing, commenting, reviewing.
- Form filler - Operations with the existing files: viewing, commenting, reviewing, form filling.
- Editor - Operations with the existing files: viewing, commenting, reviewing, form filling, editing. Viewing version history.
- Content creator - Operations with the existing files: viewing, commenting, reviewing, form filling, editing. Viewing version history. Creating and uploading new files/folders. Managing version history, locking files for co-authors. Copying, moving and removing own files/folders.
- Room manager - Operations with the existing files: viewing, commenting, reviewing, form filling, editing. Viewing version history. Creating and uploading new files/folders. Managing version history, locking files for co-authors. Copying, renaming, moving and removing own and someone else's files/folders.
| View | Comment | Review | Fill forms | Edit | View version history | Manage files | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viewer | |||||||
| Commenter | |||||||
| Reviewer | |||||||
| Form filler | |||||||
| Editor | |||||||
| Content creator | |||||||
| Room manager |
Room managers can create new rooms, add documents to them, invite new users, and manage the existing rooms. Users can create and edit files in the room, but can't create rooms, manage users, or access settings.
Managing and editing documents
The Owner, admins and users can:
- use the Documents room,
- upload and create new files and folders both in the Documents and in other rooms.
The Owner, admins and users can also manage documents within rooms:
- manage version history,
- lock files for co-authors,
- copy, rename, move and remove own and someone else's files and folders (users can copy, move and remove own files/folders only).
For more details on document management in rooms, read this article.
Guests can only work with the existing documents within a room they are invited to.
All users, regardless of their permission levels in the room, can:
- view the content of documents,
- view comments added to documents,
- copy the content to the clipboard,
- print and download documents.
Extended access rights depend on the permission level within the room.
All editing operations are performed via the ONLYOFFICE Online Editors:
Configuring settings
The DocSpace settings are divided into the following types: the file management settings and the DocSpace settings.
The file management settings allow all users and guests to control own work with documents within rooms.
The owner and DocSpace admins can access the DocSpace settings.
