A molecular modeling project rarely stays on one computer or with one person. A colleague may need to inspect a document, a group may need to coordinate access, or someone may need to review a cloud job. When these needs arise, the challenge is not only sharing an item: it is knowing where to begin and which collaboration topic answers the question.
The SAMSON documentation separates this process into two useful layers: SAMSON Connect for the website and account context, and collaboration guidance for profiles, groups, permissions, shared documents, and shared jobs. Keeping those layers distinct can make a handoff easier to plan.
Start by identifying what you need to share
Before changing settings or sending a colleague a link, clarify the goal. Are you trying to manage your account or downloads? Share a document? Organize a group? Control who can see a cloud job? These are related tasks, but they do not all point to the same instructions.
- Account, downloads, or Marketplace access: begin with SAMSON Connect.
- A document to share or download: read Share documents.
- Profiles, groups, permissions, or shared jobs: continue to Collaboration.
This simple routing step can save time: you do not need to work through every collaboration topic if all you need is account information, and you do not need to guess where group or job permissions are discussed.
A practical reading order for a new collaboration
- Orient yourself in SAMSON Connect. Start with the site sections and account context. The guide also covers downloads, extensions, and shared resources.
- Learn the document-sharing workflow. Use the dedicated Share documents page when your immediate task is publishing or accessing shared documents.
- Move on to collaboration details. Consult Collaboration when you need to understand profiles, groups, permissions, shared documents, or shared jobs.
This sequence is especially useful when setting up collaboration from scratch. If your account is already in place, you can jump directly to the page that matches your task.
Make the handoff useful, not just accessible
Access is only one part of a good scientific handoff. Before sharing, take a moment to tell collaborators what they are receiving and what you would like them to do with it. For example, state whether the document is ready for review, whether you are asking for edits, or whether the shared job is being provided for inspection. A short note with the project context and the next action helps prevent avoidable back-and-forth.
It also helps to separate the questions you are solving. “Who should be able to access this?” is a permissions question. “Where do I find the document?” is a sharing and navigation question. “What should my colleague examine?” is a scientific communication question. The documentation addresses the first two; a clear handoff message from the researcher supplies the third.
When to continue beyond sharing
Once a collaborator has opened or downloaded a document, the next task may be working with its contents. The guide points to Work with structures for inspecting or editing structures. For cloud-job workflows, paths, and analysis, continue to Simulate and analyze. If the shared work involves scripts or workflow extensions, see Automate and extend.
A useful rule of thumb is to follow the work: first establish the account and site context, then share the document or job, then move to the instructions for reviewing, analyzing, or extending what was shared. That gives collaborators a clearer route from access to the scientific task itself.
For the complete overview and its suggested paths, see Share and collaborate.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.