Temporary Users ("temp users") and Guest Users ("guest users") have limited access to MOVEit Transfer resources. By default, these users can be configured to expire after a certain amount of time has passed.

Note: See the Expiration Policy section for more information about expiration policies.

What are Temp/Guest Users?

Temp/guest users are not considered registered users. These user roles, if made available by way of your site's licensing and the MOVEit Transfer Organization's ("org") feature set, are limited in their scope of access.

  • Temp/guest users are unregistered users, recipients, and senders.
  • Regular or "registered" users or administrators can grant access to temp/guest users on a per folder, per file, or per package), typically this begins with a message with a link to the folder or package sent by the regular user.
  • Temp/guest users are referred to as "unregistered recipients and senders" when the Ad Hoc Transfer suite of features is licensed and configured for the current organization ("org").
  • File/Folder and Ad Hoc Package sharing capability is allowed by the system-wide license.
  • File/Folder and Ad Hoc Package suite of features turned on/off by SysAdmin in the UI using the [Organizations page] > Change User Interface Settings page. (This page provides selection of licensed feature for the current org).
  • Even if an organization is licensed for file or package sharing, another layer of admin-level controls (Ad Hoc Transfer > Access - Registered Senders, for example) can limit package or folder access to only registered users.

These controls offer either or both of the following MOVEit Transfer licensed feature sets:

  • Ad Hoc Transfer. Person-to-person secure package sharing.
  • Secure Folder Sharing. Secure Folder Sharing can enable temp user to contribute content (uploads), deletion of content, and access to entire folders shared by regular users.

Guest User Notes

A guest user has capabilities similar to a temp user, but guest users are restricted to:
  • Receiving a message with a secure attachment (also referred to as a "package").
  • Replying to a package.
  • Receiving and replying to a file request.
A guest user does not have an account on the MOVEit Transfer system. The guest user role is appropriate for one-time use scenarios.

If the administrator configures Ad Hoc Transfer to use Package Passwords, when a registered user sends a package, the guest-user recipients receive a password for that package only. The guest user recipients log on with that password, and can typically view a package, download package-attached files, and reply to the package.

If the administrator enables Unregistered Senders and Package Passwords, an unregistered user can self-register as a guest-user sender. Guest-user senders are either automatically signed on after self-registering with a Captcha dialog, or they manually sign on using a password sent by email after they self-register. Then they can create a package, upload files to the package, and send it.

Client Access

Temp users may sign in to MOVEit Transfer through the WebUI and API interfaces. Temp users are not integrated for access through FTP or SSH interfaces.

File and Folder Rights

Temp users can view packages sent to them, download files included in the package, and may send packages to users who they are authorized to send to. Temp users can be granted access to shared folders.

Admin Policy Notes

As an administrator, you apply a policy for temp and guest users based on your site-specific goals.

Access and Password Policy

By default, temporary users do not have the ability to change their password, and user access to MOVEit Transfer expires after a set amount of time or number of downloads.

If the organization administrator configures Ad Hoc Transfer to create user-recipients when a registered user sends a package, the temporary-user recipients will receive a password for that package only. The temporary-user recipients will log on with that password, and can view a package, download files in it, and reply to the package.

Unregistered Senders

If the administrator enables Unregistered Senders along with temp users, an unregistered user can self-register as a temporary-user sender. The temporary-user senders will either be automatically logged on after self-registering with a "Captcha" or they will manually log on with password using either a password or "password link" sent by email after they self-register. Then they can create a package, upload files to it, and send it.

Group Membership

Temp users can be assigned to a group, but their access is limited. (Base permissions that characterize the temp user will still apply.)

Example Scenario 1: Ad Hoc

Erin is a registered Ad Hoc Transfer user. Sending packages to temp users was enabled by her MOVEit Transfer Admin. She has the option of sending a MOVEit Transfer package to an email address rather than an exclusive list of registered users in her Contacts list. When composing her new package to a user outside of her org, Rodger, Erin is prompted for his email address, full name, and a password; Erin delivers the password over the phone.

Rodger, a new temp user has limited access to Ad Hoc Transfer (he can only communicate with Erin) and his account automatically expires after 7 days of inactivity (or according to the temporary user expiration settings established by Erin the administrator).

Example Scenario 2: Ad Hoc Self-Registration

David is an unregistered user, but he has access to a MOVEit Transfer sign on page (or equivalent API) that was configured to enable self-registration for temporary users. He needs to send a package and/or files to Erin, a registered Ad Hoc Transfer user. Normally, Erin would need to get her administrator to add David to the system, but because self-registration as a temporary user was enabled, David can self-register and then send Mary a package to her email address. After David self-registers, enters Mary's email address, his email address, and the letters in the "Captcha" question (to prove he is not a robot). David is then prompted for a password.

David has now been set up as a temporary user. For this package, he has limited access to Ad Hoc Transfer (he can only communicate with Erin) but he has been set up to have wider access (the ability to send to other users) until his account expires. His account will automatically expire after 7 days of inactivity (or according to the temporary user expiration settings established by Erin's administrator).

In a few seconds Mary receives an email that contains a link to the new package David sent to her. She can use her email or MOVEit Transfer account to view the package, download files, and reply and send files to David.