We are considering using SharePoint to primarily store documents related
to our projects, but are wondering if:
1) we can set SharePoint up to allow external customers to gain access only
    those documents we provide them access (through perhaps a team website?)
2) people who receive e-mails about specific projects through their Outlook
    e-mail can easily store these e-mails in a project folder so everyone on 
the
    team can see all the e-mails associated with the project.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

The short answer is yes to both questions. External users can access 
SharePoint data. To control permissions you will need some sort of 
authentication system, such as creating Active Directory accounts for the 
external users. Libraries can be configured to accept incoming email 
messages.

-- 
Daniel A. Galant

Imagine what we could be... if we could just imagine.

"The Project Master" <TheProjectMaster@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in 
message news:6195B566-5642-40FE-82B8-4E625A74F02A@microsoft.com...
> We are considering using SharePoint to primarily store documents related
> to our projects, but are wondering if:
> 1) we can set SharePoint up to allow external customers to gain access 
> only
>    those documents we provide them access (through perhaps a team 
> website?)
> 2) people who receive e-mails about specific projects through their 
> Outlook
>    e-mail can easily store these e-mails in a project folder so everyone 
> on
> the
>    team can see all the e-mails associated with the project.
>
> Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. 

Or, you can add FBA to your External Zone, to create the 'membership'
accounts to the outside world, if there are quite a few.

On Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:00:01 -0600, "Daniel A. Galant"
<daniel.galant@mindsharp.com> wrote:

>The short answer is yes to both questions. External users can access 
>SharePoint data. To control permissions you will need some sort of 
>authentication system, such as creating Active Directory accounts for the 
>external users. Libraries can be configured to accept incoming email 
>messages.

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Hello,

1) In order to provide access to external users you will have to implement 
Forms Based Authentication for SharePoint.
  a) SQL ASP.Net (User Accounts are stored in SQL Server Database)
  b) LDAP Forms Based Authentication (User Accounts are stored in LDAP 
Directory such as AD, Oracle OID/OIM, Novel or Sun)
  c) Active Directory Forms Based Authentication (User Accounts reside in 
AD - you can create a new OU for external users and restrict access for 
them on internal resources)

Configure forms-based authentication (Office SharePoint Server)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262201.aspx

2) You can send emails tp SharePoint Document Libraries and Lists so that 
the message as well as the attachments are saved in the library 
automatically.

Configure incoming e-mail settings (Office SharePoint Server)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262947.aspx

Plan incoming e-mail (Windows SharePoint Services)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc288433.aspx

Sunil [MSFT]
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\viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs20 Hello,
\par 
\par 1) In order to provide access to external users you will have to implement Forms Based Authentication for SharePoint.
\par   a) SQL ASP.Net (User Accounts are stored in SQL Server Database)
\par   b) LDAP Forms Based Authentication (User Accounts are stored in LDAP Directory such as AD, Oracle OID/OIM, Novel or Sun)
\par   c) Active Directory Forms Based Authentication (User Accounts reside in AD - you can create a new OU for external users and restrict access for them on internal resources)
\par 
\par \b Configure forms-based authentication (Office SharePoint Server)\b0 
\par http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262201.aspx
\par 
\par 2) You can send emails tp SharePoint Document Libraries and Lists so that the message as well as the attachments are saved in the library automatically.
\par 
\par Configure incoming e-mail settings (Office SharePoint Server)
\par http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262947.aspx
\par 
\par Plan incoming e-mail (Windows SharePoint Services)
\par http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc288433.aspx
\par 
\par Sunil [MSFT]
\par }
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