> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://docs.brainframe.com/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
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# External Contacts

# 👥 **External Contacts**  
> **"Stay connected without full access."**  
> *Engage external stakeholders in approvals, distributions, and updates — without requiring a login.*  

Not all collaborators require full access to Brainframe’s document management system. To address this, Brainframe differentiates between [Workspace Users](https://docs.brainframe.com/en/article/workspace-users-ftkgjk/) and [External Contacts.](https://docs.brainframe.com/en/article/external-contacts-1b6i09n/)  

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/f/2/6/3f26ce462760bc00/wssettings_1s42hmd.png =325xauto)

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## 1️⃣ What Are External Contacts?  

**External Contacts**:  
* Do **not** need to log in.  
* Can still be included in specific workflows, such as:  
* 📩 **Receiving notifications** (e.g., policy approvals).  
* 📤 **Participating in** [document distributions](https://docs.brainframe.com/en/article/document-distribution-1k2gqwz/).  
* 🔔 **Being notified of important updates** without requiring workspace access.  

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## 2️⃣ External Contact Configuration  

The **External Contact Configuration** screen provides flexibility for managing non-user stakeholders.  

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/f/2/6/3f26ce462760bc00/32_1ctymuh.png =938xauto)
1. 📥 **Import** – Upload contacts using a template Excel file.  
2. ✍ **Manual Creation** – Define name, email, and optional tags.  
3. 🏷 **Tagging** – Organize contacts by department, role, or project for quick selection in notifications.  
4. 🛠 **Edit or Remove** – Keep contact lists up to date as roles or projects change.  

||| ⚠ External contacts count toward your license thresholds.  

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## 3️⃣ Best Practices  

* 📌 **Use tags strategically** — group external contacts by function (e.g., “Vendors,” “Auditors”) for faster selection.  
* 🧾 **Keep contact lists clean** — remove outdated entries to stay compliant and reduce noise.  
* 🔐 **Limit external use** — only involve external contacts in necessary workflows to reduce exposure.  
* 📊 **Track engagement** — review how often external contacts are included in approvals or distributions.  

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## 🎯 Visual Checklist  

* [x] Tags defined for departments or roles  
* [ ] Outdated external contacts removed  
* [ ] Approval workflows tested with externals  
* [ ] License usage monitored for external contacts