CafeX partnerships overview

A partnership is an agreement between two organizations that you use to configure permissions. Administrators establish partnerships and the permissions define how members of each organization can interact with one another.

For two organizations to use CafeX to collaborate with each other, both organizations have to configure suitable permissions. Partnerships allow two organizations to customize their relationship with each other, so they are in control of the interactions that take place between their organization’s members. As an administrator, you manage the partnerships and permissions for your organization.

An interaction occurs when two individuals from different organizations have direct involvement with each other. For example, when someone attempts to add someone else to a workspace that they are in. CafeX determines that both organizations permit the interaction before it can take place.

As an administrator, you mange the following:

  • The way your organization’s members can interact with someone from another organization—the things you can do.
  • The way someone from another organization can interact with your organization’s members—the things they can do.

Both organizations can see and manage all of the permissions of their partnership. This means that both organizations have control to modify any interactions. If you have to modify the permissions your partner has to approve the changes for them to take effect. Similarly, you have to approve changes that they make.

Without a partnership, two organizations can still use CafeX to collaborate with each other. CafeX provides each organization with a set of default permissions that you configure to define what interactions you allow with all other organizations. Unlike a partnership, you can not see the permissions that the other organization has, and although you may allow an interaction to take place, the other organization may stop them—See: Setting your default permissions BELOW.

In addition to permissions, workspace coordinators can manage what workspace members can do on workspaces , see: Managing workspace role permissions.

Understanding CafeX interactions

CafeX permissions describe the following interactions:


InteractionDescription
Meeting interactions
Preview someone’s calendarThis interaction controls whether the free and busy state of someone’s calendar is visible.
Schedule meetings with someoneThis interaction controls whether it is possible to schedule a meeting with someone using CafeX.
Chat interactions
Start chat sessions with someoneThis interaction controls whether it is possible to start a new chat session with someone.
This does not affect chats and comments that take place inside of workspaces.
Workspace interactions
Add someone as a workspace memberThis interaction controls whether it is possible to add someone to a workspaces.
Transfer your workspaces to someoneThis interaction controls whether it is possible to transfer workspaces ownership to someone.
Be a workspace coordinator on someone’s workspaceThis interaction controls whether it is possible to become a workspaces coordinator on a workspace that someone else owns.

Understanding permission states

Each permission takes one of the following states:

Permission stateDescription
Allow ()The member can perform the interaction.
Ask (?)
(if applicable)
The member receives a prompt to ask them if the other person can perform the interaction.
Deny (×)The member cannot perform the interaction.

Setting your default permissions

Your organization’s default permissions apply to every organization that you do not have a partnership with. Unlike partnerships, you cannot see the permissions that other organizations configure. This means that you can set allow for a specific interaction but the other organization can stop them. Similarly, you can deny the interactions that organizations allow.

As an administrator, to configure the default permissions for your organization:

  1. Open Profile menu > Tenant settings > Partnerships.
  2. Click Default
  3. Update the permissions as you require See: Editing a permissions
  4. Click Submit

The following table are the Default options for a new organization using CafeX:

We can:Default
They can:Default
Be added as workspace members by themASK usBe added as workspace members by usYES
Become coordinators of their workspaces YESBecome coordinators of our workspacesYES
Accept their workspace transfer requestsASK usAccept our workspace transfer requestsNO
Participate in their meetingsYESParticipate in our meetingsYES
Share our calendar availability with themNOShare their calendar availability with usNO
Participate in chat sessions started by themASK usParticipate in chat sessions started by usYES

Permission presets

CafeX has the following permission presets, that you can use to quickly configure the permissions states of each interaction:

Partnership presetDescription
1—FullAll CafeX features are available between partners.
For example: You can be members of your partner’s channels, you can share your calendar availability with them, and you can be invited to their meetings.
2—Limited(Default) Some CafeX features are not available between partners.
For example: You cannot share your calendar availability with your partner.
3—RestrictedThe majority of CafeX features are not available between partners.
CustomYou can have custom permissions set.

Establishing partnerships

Establish a partnership with another organization if you have frequent interactions and have a formal relationship.
A partnership is an agreement between two organizations that you use to configure permissions.
Alternatively, you configure the default permissions to manage your requirements when interacting with any other organization.

When you have a partnership with another organization, the people in a partnership can discover each other. This means they appear as fields auto-complete, or in lists of members.

For two organizations to use CafeX to collaborate with each other, both organizations have to establish suitable permissions.

Important:

  • Both organizations have the opportunity to manage how their members may interact with each other.
  • The permissions in a partnership apply to all members of your organization, and to all members of your partner’s organization.

A basic example of permissions

In this example, your organization works with another organization frequently, so you both decide to create a CafeX partnership to make it easier for your members to collaborate with each other. You set the permissions so that the following applies:

  • You allow your members to be added to workspaces by the other organization.
  • You deny their members be added to workspaces  by your members.

Creating a partnership

As a tenant’s administrator, to create a partnership with another organization:

  1. Open your profile menu > Tenant settings > Partnerships.
  2. In Start a new partnership, enter the email address of any member of the organization you want to partner with.
  3. Configure the partnership permissions you require - See: Permission presets
  4. When you are ready, click Submit, and the other organization receives a notification about your request.

Accepting a partnership

As an administrator, if another organization requests you establish a partnership, or modifies an existing partnership, you receive an email notification.

To view the open partnership requests:

  1. Open your profile menu >  Tenant settings > Partnerships.
  2. Find the partnership that needs your attention
  3. Review the permissions
  4. You can do the following:
    • Reject the partnership
    • Accept the partnership—The partnership and the permissions becomes active.
    • Edit the partnership—This sends a partnership request to your partner for them to approve. See: Editing a partnership 

Editing a partnership

As a tenant administrator you can change any permissions states of your partnership.

If you make changes to a partnership, you submit the changes to your partner to approve them before they take effect.

Before your partner approves they are awaiting approval.

If you partner has made changes to your partnership, you receive an email notification and the partnership changes to show that needs your attention.

Important: Changing a permission state does not affect existing interactions between members, only future interactions are affected.

Changing a partnership status

The partnership permissions you configure only apply if your partnership is Enabled.

During a partnership, you or the other organization can Disable the partnership at any time.

Disable a partnership if you need to temporary stop future interactions between partnership members.

If a partnership is disabled, then:

  • The existing partnership permissions do not apply to any future interactions between partnership members.
  • Your default permissions apply to future interactions with the organization.

To enable a partnership, you and the other organization have to confirm the status change.

Removing a partnership

If it is time to end a partnership you or the other organization can delete it.

To delete a partnership:

  1. Open your profile menu > Tenant settings > Partnerships
  2. Find the partnership to delete
  3. Click Delete twice to confirm.

Important:

  • If you, or the other organization deletes a partnership, CafeX deletes the partnership and neither you, or the other other organization can reinstate it. In the future, you have to create a new partnership to apply new permissions.
  • Your default permissions apply to future interactions with the organization.
  • Deleting a partnership does not affect existing interactions between individuals.