A shared workspace provides the following features:

• Document library   In the document library, you can store documents that all members of the shared workspace can access. The Shared Workspace task pane displays the library in which the currently open document is stored.
• Tasks list   In the Tasks list, you can assign to-do items with due dates to members of the shared workspace. If another member has assigned a task to you, you can check it off in the Tasks list. When other team members open the Tasks list in the Shared Workspace task pane, they can see that you have completed the task.
• Links list   In the Links list, you can add hyperlinks to resources or information of interest to members of the shared workspace.
• Members list   The Members list displays user names of the members of the shared workspace. In the Shared Workspace task pane, contact information — such as free or busy status, telephone number, and e-mail address — and other properties are included, so that members can easily keep in touch with each other.

  Note  If you use instant messaging, you can also see the online status of shared workspace members.

• E-mail alerts   You can use e-mail alerts to receive notification of changes to a list, a particular item (such as the status of a task), or a document in the shared workspace.

The Shared Workspace task pane opens automatically when you open a document that is stored in a document library.

In addition to displaying Web site data in the Members, Tasks, Documents, and Links tabs, the Shared Workspace task pane provides information about the active document on the Status and Document Information tabs:

• Status tab    This tab lists important information about the current document, such as whether the document is up to date, whether it is in conflict with another member's copy, and whether it is checked out. It also lists your Information Rights Management permissions.
• Document Information tab    This tab displays properties associated with the document, such as when it was last modified. If the document library where the document is stored defines custom properties for documents, those custom properties are also displayed on the Document Information tab.

Note  The Status and Document Information tabs are not included in the Shared Workspace task pane in Microsoft or .

Members of a shared workspace are assigned to a site group that determines their permissions on the site.

For example, when you create a shared workspace, you are the administrator of it, which means that you can invite new members and assign them to site groups, remove members, and even delete the shared workspace.

At the other end of the spectrum are members with read-only permission. They can visit the shared workspace, but they cannot edit any of its content.