Hudu's built-in, encrypted sharing options let you provide clients with required credentials, share KB articles and asset information, and maintain transparency with end-users about how their data is handled.
Information stored in Hudu can be shared in several ways: quick-share links, request links, printable versions, exports, the REST API, and portal users. This article focuses on the main ways to share information with end-users and other external (non-technician) users.
- Share links — individual passwords and knowledge base articles can generate quick-share links, letting technicians (with permission) provide clients with useful articles or required credentials. Quick-share links are encrypted in transit, but external users are not required to have unique Hudu credentials, so these are public URLs.
- Request links — the reverse of share links: generate a secure link that lets an external client submit password fields directly into Hudu, without needing to log in.
- Portal users (v2.47.0 required) — free, read-only users who sign in to Hudu and see only the companies and records their security groups allow. Portal users are created in Hudu admin → Users at no additional cost.
Visit Portal Users, Groups & Restrictions, and Portal changes are here for additional information on giving clients ongoing access and controlling who can share.
Enabling external sharing
External sharing is enabled by default when your Hudu environment is created. To disable it completely, which removes share links across all client spaces, navigate to Hudu admin → Security (admin or super admin role required).
Creating share links
Navigate to a specific client/company space and into either the client's Passwords section or their KB section. Viewing items shared via quick-share links does not require a Hudu login.
Individual general passwords stored in a client's space can be shared. Share Password Via Link is at the bottom of the details page:
- Select how long the link stays active — from 30 minutes to 30 days.
- Include a message.
- Include the username.
- Include the TOTP code.
- Have the link expire after the first view.
Requesting passwords via link
While share links push existing credentials out to a client, request links do the opposite — they let an external client (or anyone with the link) submit password information back into Hudu for your team to review.
- Open a password record. A separate Request Password via Link card appears next to Share Password via Link.
- Set an expiration for the link.
- Optionally include a message for the requester.
- Choose which fields to request: password, username, URL, notes, and/or one-time password (2FA).
- Optionally set the link to expire after the first submission.
- Optionally enable a notification email — this sends as soon as the guest submits, not when the submission is reviewed.
- Click Create Link. The link appears in the request table on the password.
When the guest opens the link, they'll see only the fields you requested (plus your message, if included) and won't need to log in. Once submitted, the password shows a pending submission awaiting review.
Reviewing submissions
- Open the pending submission from the password.
- Click Accept to write the submitted values onto the password, or Reject to discard them and clear the submission.
- Only the fields the guest filled in are updated — anything left blank is untouched.
Permissions
Request ability is controlled separately from Share, via its own group permission. Admins can grant or restrict who can create, view, or review requests independent of who can share.
KB articles can also generate quick-share links so technicians can share useful guides with external users.
- Find share links at the top of the right-hand menu (make sure the sidebar isn't hidden by full view mode).
- Create the public share link, then copy and share it.
- To remove access to a link, either:
- Make Private — disables the share link, or
- Regenerate Share Link — disables the current link and generates a new unique URL.
Tools
The sections below introduce additional tools associated with external sharing. Expand each for an overview.
Share one-off secure notes directly with clients or end-users. Create them from the paper airplane icon in the toolbar. Secure notes work similarly to quick-share links and let you:
- Include a note (required).
- Add a label (optional).
- Select how long the link stays active — from 30 minutes to one week.
- Have the link expire after the first view.
Secure notes are encrypted with zero-knowledge encryption. Links cannot be re-accessed, so navigating away or refreshing requires creating a new note.
For any custom asset, you can generate a QR code (in PDF format) containing that asset's information. When scanned, the code pulls up information for only the specific asset it was created for.
- Navigate to the asset.
- At the top right, click the Print icon and select Generate QR Code.
FAQ
No. Quick-share links are public URLs (encrypted in transit) and do not require Hudu credentials. For ongoing read-only access, invite the person as a portal user (v2.47.0 required). Portal users sign in with their own credentials.
Yes. As of version 2.47, portal users can access every company their security groups allow and switch between them with the company switcher. Visit Portal Users for additional information.
Yes. It's enabled when your environment is created. An admin or super admin can disable it entirely in Hudu admin → Security.
Yes. Request ability is its own group permission, separate from Share — an admin can allow one without the other.
No. Like quick-share links, request links are public URLs that don't require Hudu credentials to open or submit.
As soon as the guest submits, not when you accept or reject the submission.
Troubleshooting
Check both of the following:
- External sharing is turned on in Hudu admin → Security. You must be an admin or super admin to access this option.
- Your security group allows sharing. Admins can check this in Hudu admin → Groups.
The portal user isn't in a security group that allows access to any companies. Go to Hudu admin → Groups and add them to a group that allows the companies they need. If they were migrated from a client portal, also remove them from the Previously ungrouped portal users group.
Visit Portal Users for additional information.