Show folders in document library after a file inside is shared

Question

I have a document library with some folders which has unique permissions via AD groups for different departments.

What have I done: I broke inheritance for each department folder and set access via AD groups.

A user A can only see folders where he has at minimum read permission.

If user B with Edit permission, in another folder where user A has no access, shares a file with user A, user A only can access the file via the link in the mail but cannot see the file in the document library.

Is there a possibility to show user A all needed folders in the library document to get a path to the shared file?

For example: - User A see the folder Human Resources nut not the folder Purchasing. - Now user B from Purchasing department shares a document inside folder Purchasing. - User A should now see the folder Purchasing in document library and inside of it only the shared document.

Answer 1

I don't know how big your organisation is, but you've mentioned different departments. I think you need to take a different approach, since you mention setting permissions on folders and then item-level permissions. You are 'weaving a difficult web' to manage in terms of the permissions and security.

I would suggest you think about creating different Document Libraries and try to manage documents at this level instead of using Folder-level security.

Reading

• Folder vs. Library in SharePoint
• SharePoint Document Library – one or many?

I'm not sure how developed your Sharepoint system is, but if it is quite new, maybe some information about Information Architecture would help?