Can I create a duplicate of a file in a second document library which is synchronized with the original?

Question

In a site collection, we have 2 sub-sites which have the same structure. Both contain a document library.

Sometimes, a document needs to be present in both libraries.

Is it possible to create kind of a "hardlink"? I'd like to

• upload the document to library1,
• add metadata to it
• then create an item in library2 which points to the same document (or an identical copy).

If anything changes in one of the libraries, it the other copy should change as well (file content or metadata). At least, the user who changes should be notified about the linked copy.

Is there a way in SharePoint 2013 to make that possible?

Answer 1

Assuming permissions in the two subsites are identical ie. Inheriting from the patent site collection, simply use the "Link to Document" content type in both libraries. That way, no matter which library users enter from, they'd always be editing the same document. Additionally, this also eliminates content duplication in SharePoint.